HILLMAN
WWII GALLERY
HMCS
PRINCE ROBERT
CAUGHT IN THE NET IV
In our ongoing search of the InterNet
we have found the following interesting information
and websites
which we feel will be of interest to our readers:
In March 1945, 15 battleships, 29 carriers, 23 cruisers, 106 destroyers, and a train of oilers and supply ships sailed from "a Pacific base." What was this base? The mightiest force of naval Power ever assembled must have required a tremendous supporting establishment: UlithiRead about this secret WWII base and see many photos at:
http://www.laffey.org/Ulithi.htm
URL submitted by Frank Blisard
Sailor talk: a glossary of naval terms
(As used by the Royal Navy and RCN WWII)ACTION STATIONS
Situation when ship is ready for actionAFT
Towards the stern, furthest from bowANDREW: The Royal Navy. The words "Royal Navy" were rarely used amongst ratings
BELLS: The ship's bell was used to mark the passage of time and was sounded every thirty minutes. On modern ships it is now only sounded on ceremonial occasions
BOW: The front of the ship
BROADSIDE: Simultaneous firing of a ship's main armament
BULKHEADS: The "walls" in a ship
COLOURS: Ceremony of hoisting the flags every morning (8.00am in summer, 9.00am in winter)
DECKHEAD: The "ceiling" of each deck in a ship
DHOBEYING: Washing or laundry (from the Hindi word dhobi, an Indian washerman)
FO'C'SLE: The forward deck, where the anchors and cables are situated
GALLEY: Kitchen
GASH: Naval slang for rubbish or garbage -- messdeck or galley waste
GROG: Two parts water: one part rum. Introduced by Admiral Edward Vernon ("Old Grogram") in 1740 as a daily issue to sailors at sea
HEADS: Lavatories, toilets
JACK: 1. term for any rating (slang); 2. Union flag that flies from the bow
KY (KI): Naval slang for cocoa. A favourite during the freezing weather of an Arctic Convoy run
MATELOT: Pronounced mat-low. Naval slang for a rating (taken from the French word for sailor). It is an honourable term used by ratings amongst themselves
MESSDECK: Living accommodation for ratings, usually below Petty Officer rate
NELSON'S BLOOD: The naval expression for rum, from the belief that after the Battle of Trafalgar Lord Nelson's body was returned to England preserved in a barrel of rum. In fact, brandy and spirit of wine were used
PIPE: An order or information relayed over the ship's loudspeaker system
"PIPE DOWN": The order to turn in to sleep - historically, to call sailors down from the rigging on completion of work; hence, indicating end of working day
PORT: Left-hand side of the ship when facing the bow
QUARTERDECK: The upper deck of the ship at the after (stern) end
RATING: Sailor below the rank of officer
SCUTTLE: 1. porthole; 2. to sink one's own ship deliberately
SPLICE THE MAINBRACE: To be issued with an extra ration of grog. Only for special occasions such as the birth of children of the Sovereign, or after sinking an enemy vessel
STAND EASY: A ten-minute break from work in the forenoon (morning) and afternoon watch
STARBOARD: Right-hand side of the ship when facing the bow
STERN: The rear of the ship
TOT: Measure of rum issue (one-eighth of a pint, or 0.071 litres)
TURN IN: Get into hammock/bunk, go to sleep
WARDROOM: Officers' mess, originally for lieutenants and above; now also includes sub-lieutenants
WATCH: A period of duty at sea, generally lasting for four hours. For example, "forenoon watch" means the period of duty before midday, usually 8.00 am to 12.00 noon
WHITE ENSIGN: Flag flown by Royal Navy ships in commission and by the Royal Yacht Squadron
= Battle 
=
Campaign (a series of battles)
THE
HIGH PRICE OF FREEDOM IN WORLD WAR 2
This page is dedicated to all
those people who served their country during the Second
World War. I have no political
agenda or sympathies for any of the participants. This
site is meant to help
those who are doing research on this fascinating area of Human
History.
Topics include: Arsenal of Democracy ~ Japan Attacks the US ~ Campaigns ~ Conferences ~ War in the Pacific ~ Allied Aims ~ Canadian Links ~ American Links ~ British Links ~ Soviet Links ~ French Links ~ German Links ~ Japanese Links ~ General Links ~ What's New
OUR MAILBAGWhat a delight it was to come upon your very attractive web site and see all the photos and info on the fate of these ships. I remember the Northstar, a friend of the family. a man named Cole was chief steward, they called him "Killer Cole" I don't know if this was due to his hard driving ways or that he was a lady's man. In any event I sailed with him on the "Lady Rodney" when she was a troop ship operating between Halifax and Newfoundland in 1943. I was a sea cadet at one time and wanted to join the RCN but was too young, the Merchant Navy looked the other way when it came to manning ships during the war and overlooked the tender age. It was a great experience.
I'm afraid my experiences on my first trip to sea were rather tame compared to those who saw some real action. I was once in convoy with my uncle's ship "Rathlin" the convoy's rescue vessel. He had been to Murmansk a number of times and he saw a great deal of the horror that went on at sea during the war. Every once in awhile I would look out to the edge of the convoy and see those little corvettes climbing a wave and seeing daylight between the bottom of the bow and the sea and wondered how
those poor devils were faring compared to our comfort on an ex liner.Good luck with your website and thanks for the pleasure of reading your historical notes on the Prince boats.
All the best
Vincent Martlew
2000.03.10
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