H.M.S. FIJI ASSOCIATION

~Contact HMSFA Officers~ Email: HMSFA President: Gerard Myles, Liverpool, UK Email: HMSFA General Secretary: Ronald Bennett Email: HMSFA Australian and New Zealand Secretaries, Mari & Brian Walker Email: HMSFA Canadian Secretary: David Loaring Email: HMSFA Webminder, Tom Lipscombe ~Our Aims~ To perpetuate the memory of those that served on the Cruiser H.M.S. FIJI Ahoy ! Relatives and Friends of H.M.S. FIJI The H.M.S. Fiji association welcomes aboard relatives and friends of the Fiji, whereby we can exchange information and items concerning this Royal Naval Cruiser. My Uncle was a member of the crew of the H.M.S. Fiji:" Ordinary Seaman Gerry Newport. JX217122 mess 9". He was killed May 23 1941, when the ship was sunk at the battle of Crete. Tom, the Webminder of our association also had an uncle missing in action on the Fiji. His name was William Henry Lipscombe, Chief Stoker. He had served 22 years and could soon have retired. Ronald Bennett, our HMSFA General Secretary, lost his father, Royal Marines Colour Sergeant L.E. Rappe. Our Canadian Secretary's late father, John Loaring, served as a Radar Officer on board this ill-fated ship, happily surviving the tragedy, passing away in 1971. I sailed on a ship in early 1945 into the Mediterranean Sea and passed the Isle of Antikihera South West of Crete where the H.M.S. Fiji was sunk, along with many other fine vessels of the Royal Navy. I went on deck as we sailed over the area, said a prayer, and paid my respects to those that had fallen in the battle of Crete. We know of some living survivors from the HMS Fiji: Leading Seaman Clem Walker (deceased 2007), whose epic account of the battle is a wonderful tribute to his comrades. It can be read on the site created by his son Brian Walker, Australian & New Zealand Co-Secretary of HMSFA. We have recently been honored to receive an excellent narrative from the steady pen of 87 year old Fiji survivor, Charlie Pyles (deceased 2001), who was the HMS Fiji cook. Read his fascinating story HERE Incidentally, Mr. Pyles laid a wreath, commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Fiji's demise, at Suda Bay Cemetary, in Crete. He kindly agreed to offer an additional HMSFA wreath, obtained through the good offices of the British Legion Association. See Newspaper Article and Photos concerning this momentous occasion. To view a complete list of HMS Fiji survivors, contacted to date, click HERE Sincerely, Gerry Myles, Liverpool, United Kingdom November, 2000 Click HERE to view Photos of Gerry Myles on board HMS Echo August 9 -19, 2012 - Trip to Gibraltar

Click anywhere on Image above
to read this fascinating brief narrative
Click HERE

HMS Fiji Survivor Stories
CLICK HERE to read this excellent article
CLICK HERE to read these fascinating articles
More Survivor Stories

Click HERE To read a SURVIVOR'S STORY written by: MR LEONARD CHARLES EADES Click HERE To read a SURVIVOR'S STORY written by: MR RICHARD GOULD Compliments of: B.B.C. World War II - People's War Click HERE To read a SURVIVOR'S STORY written by: MR NORMAN LEWIS Royal Marine - HMS Fiji Musician Click HERE To read a NEWSPAPER ARTICLE written by: W.J. HOSKINS, D.S.M., H.M.S. FIJI SURVIVOR Click HERE To read a brief email written by: Jim Hartless, concerning the recent (Nov.6,2006) death of his uncle, "ALF HARTLESS", H.M.S. Fiji Survivor Click HERE To read a brief account of the Battle of Crete by: HMS Fiji Survivor Charles William Strong Click HERE To read excerpts from letters home by: HMS Fiji Survivor John W. Loaring Click HERE To read "Stoker's Amazing Adventure" concerning: HMS Fiji Survivor Leading Stoker Walter Arnold Click HERE To read Brief Account of the Battle of Crete by: HMS Fiji Survivor Able Seaman Leonard Michaels Click HERE To read article entitled: HMS FIJI - April to August 1940 by: HMS Fiji Survivor Midshipman Robin A.C. Owen Click HERE To read article entitled: H.M.S. FIJI. A survivor's tale by: HMS Fiji Survivor John Edward Beesley Click HERE for detailed account of the naval career of Lt. F. P. Morley, HMS Fiji Survivor, by his grandson, Philip Click HERE To read a Luftwaffe Pilot's account of the Battle of Crete & sinking of HMS Fiji

Lieutenant D.J.Dampier, RN - senior surviving officer
HMS Firedrake also served on HMS Fiji in 1940
read about his eventful career HERE
Click anywhere, on the above image, to expand the Plaque
commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Battle of Crete
Courtesy of the Hellenic Ministry of Culture. __


Click HERE to view a photo of HMS Fiji Survivor, Ted Thomas (left)
and Sir Edward Gardner (right) at a 1985 reunion in London
Click HERE to visit the Roxboro Volunteer Fire Brigade Website


Click HERE to listen to WAV file in Real Audio Click HERE to read full story from CNN



Note from webminder: Many of our visitors will appreciate
visiting the page we have put together
in honour of The Sailor King
GEORGE V, KING-EMPEROR
Incidentally, his son, King George VI was also a Sailor King
having seen action at the great naval
Battle of Jutland in May 1916.

George VI, King-Emperor and the George Cross

The George Cross
Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood
The Official Website of the British Monarchy

~Contact HMSFA Officers~
Email: HMSFA President: Gerard Myles, Liverpool, UK
Email: HMSFA General Secretary: Ronald Bennett
Email: HMSFA Australian and New Zealand Secretaries,
Mari & Brian Walker
Email: HMSFA Canadian Secretary: David Loaring
Email: HMSFA Webminder, Tom Lipscombe




Follow this link to View Updated Photos of Missing Children







Click HERE --or-- HERE to visit these Highly Recommended Internet Resources
Click Here to Visit Page Dedicated to George Lipscombe
and H.M.S. Cruiser etc.
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