HMS Foxglove

[philiphawkins]

Does anyone have any information on HMS Foxglove in WW2? My grandfather was badly injured when she was bombed off the Isle of Wight in July 1940. I was told that a fictionalised account of this was included in a book, but not what it was called. Later in the war I think it became the guardship in Londonderry. Any information about the ship, or accounts of service aboard, would be very welcome.

[AndrewMcEwen]

The details you want are in a book called "My War at Sea" by a guy called Ian Scott, who was the CO of the ship. Presumably, she was a "Flower" class corvette, though there are a couple of details which I'm a little bothered about. (eg, he refers to the after funnel, and I thought that a corvette would only be a single-stacker?). Anyway, I have a copy of the book at home, I'll bring it into work, and see if there's anyway of scanning the pages and whizzing them out to you.

Regards

Andrew McEwen

[Rob Hoole]

Hello Philip,

Coincidentally, Bob Hind of 'The News' of Portsmouth has just produced a series of short articles about the bombing of HMS Foxglove off the Isle of Wight on 9 July 1940. I have scanned them and they should be available at:

http://www.mcdoa.org.uk/images/Bombing_of_HMS_Foxglove.jpg

Let me know if you have any difficulty reading them. I can always e-mail you a higher resolution version if you PM me.

List of casualties (see http://www.naval-history.net/xDKCas1940-07JUL.htm):

Foxglove, bombing

ARTHUR, Stewart G, Assistant Steward, P/SR 74010, killed
BROWN, Arthur, Stoker 1c, P/KX 84719, killed
BROWN, Frank, Act/Gunner, DOW
BUNTON, Ernest, Act/Stoker Petty Officer, P/K 57462, killed
DENBY, William H, Leading Stoker, P/K 13756, DOW
DICKEY, Alfred R, Stoker 1c, P/KX 90566, killed
EDDINGS, Charles A, Able Seaman, P/J 95582, killed
JONES, Horace, Able Seaman, P/JX 135748, killed
LETHAM, George, Engine Room Artificer 3c, P/MX 2887 EA, killed
MARSH, Harry, Stoker, P/K 19963, killed
MONK, Thomas, Stoker Petty Officer, P/K 60235, killed
OLDFIELD, Dan, Telegraphist, P/WRX 555, killed
OLIVER, Edward A, Leading Signalman, P/J 86729, DOW
SALT, Arthur, Stoker 1c, P/KX 84339, killed
SAUNDERS, Frank W, Chief Petty Officer Stoker, P/K 20816, killed
SHELTON, Henry F A, Petty Officer, P/JX 139325, killed
SMITH, Sydney A, Leading Stoker, P/KX 80692, killed
TAYLOR, Fred, Stoker, P/KX 76269, killed
TONG, Albert H C, Engine Room Artificer 4c, P/MX 48565, killed
WHEELER, John C, Leading Seaman, P/JX 153101, killed

HMS Foxglove (see http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/acacia_class.htm#HMS%20Foxglove) was one of the few surviving coal-burning Acacia Class Fleet Minesweeping Sloops (Smokey Joes) from WWI available at the beginning of WWII. She became a harbour guardship at Londonderry in 1941, was sold on 7 Sep 1946 and broken up at Troon shortly afterwards.

Best wishes,

Rob Hoole
http://www.mcdoa.org.uk

[philiphawkins]

Thanks for all the information. It's ironic that there were articles in The News about the Foxglove just at the time I posted the enquiry.
My grandfather was a cook, so was probably the Petty Officer Steward refered to in the article. He had bullet wounds in his legs and shrapnel in his chest. Apparently the ship's cat was also a casualty of the bombing, which upset him greatly. The scans are fine - I'll probably buy back copies of the paper to keep.

[Ross Watson]

Philip,
My father George Bell Smith Watson was the man who shot down one of the aircraft which attacked Foxglove.
Dad was "The mate" of HMS Avalanche, minesweeping trawler. At the aft twin lewis gun he shot into the German aircraft. It crashed on Selsey Beach.
I have the original (now very frail) and a copy of the signal sent by CIC Portsmouth to Avalance. It has some detail which you may find interesting re the attack and what Avalanche did after engaging the German. If you wish I shall email you a scanned copy of that signal also the report of the commander of Avalanche to CIC. reply to mailto:ross-watson@hotmail.com
Best regards
Ross Watson