HMS Drake

Linda Evans

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Feb 20, 2004, 4:09:32 AM2/20/04

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I've been given to believe that my uncle's brother, one Henry Harding
served
aboard HMS Drake during WWII but according to what I've found so far,
"The
DRAKE was torpedoed off the North Coast of Ireland on 2 October 1917
by U79
but reached harbour before sinking in shallow water. She was the last
ship
to be called DRAKE and the name was not used again until it was given
to the
Royal Naval Barracks Devonport in 1934."

Neither of these statements appear to support the existence of a HMS
Drake
active during WWII. Could someone enlighten me please?

tia

Linda Evans

.

ANDREW ROBERT BREEN

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Feb 20, 2004, 7:22:16 PM2/20/04

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In article <4043cecb...@news.pacific.net.au>,

The barracks at Portsmouth *was* HMS Drake. For many years (still?)
the articles governing the RN applied only to personnel serving in
a ship. The RN therefore defined anything it put people into as
ships (barracks, shore bases, at least two islands). The term often
used is "stone frigate".
Presumably your uncle's brother was drafted to Drake at some point
before being sent on elsewhere.
Similar example: My father's service record for that war includes
service in HM ships Royal Arthur (otherwise known as the Butlins' camp
at Skegness), Victory (Portsmouth base), Seahawk (Ardrishaig, Scotland)*
and Agressive (Newhaven)* as well as Egret (sloop) and Pict (armed
trawler).

* at Seahawk and Agressive he was actually serving in motor launches
or harbour defence motor launches - sub chasers in US parlance - but
in naval terms these craft were officially tenders to the "parent ship".

--
Andy Breen ~ Interplanetary Scintillation Research Group
http://users.aber.ac.uk/azb/
"Who dies with the most toys wins" (Gary Barnes)
--

John Dean

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Feb 20, 2004, 7:22:27 PM2/20/04

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http://www.exeterflotilla.fsnet.co.uk/drake/dr_home.html gives the official
history. It confirms what you found - the last seagoing HMS Drake was sunk
in 1917 and the name has only been used for the shore Barracks since. Which
is not to say that Henry Harding didn't serve in HMS Drake in WW2. The
history of the Barracks in WW2 is at :
http://www.exeterflotilla.fsnet.co.uk/drake/dr_second_war.html
It's clear that Drake played a crucial role in training and also clear that
it suffered major enemy attacks. I wouldn't be surprised to find that there
were deep sea sailors who saw less action in 39-45 than the shore-based
personnel at Drake.
--
John Dean
Oxford

--

Brage

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Feb 20, 2004, 7:22:35 PM2/20/04

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well here in Norway the naval barracks is called HMS Harald Hårfagre,
and it is also registered as the largest ship in Norway. even dough it
just a military base on land
--

a...@aber.ac.uk

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Feb 21, 2004, 4:12:11 AM2/21/04

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In article <4043cecb...@news.pacific.net.au>,
Linda Evans <ww2...@acpub.duke.edu> wrote:
>

The barracks at Portsmouth *was* HMS Drake. For many years (still?)

Antonio M

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Feb 23, 2004, 12:25:28 PM2/23/04

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On 21 Feb 2004 00:22:16 GMT, ANDREW ROBERT BREEN wrote:

> Similar example:
(cut)

Another example is "HMS President III", that was the assignment
of seamen of Royal Navy serving as gun crew in D.E.M.S.
(Defensively Equipped Merchant Ships).

"HMS President III" was actually an establishment located in
Great Britain were the personnel was administered, so few of
the seamen assigned to "HMS President III" were actually
livong or serving in it.

Antonio
--