HMS OBDURATE 1942
This new and much needed destroyer leaves her builders on the Clyde for the Home Fleet, Scapa Flow, Arctic Convoys and battle!
This new and much needed destroyer leaves her builders on the Clyde for the Home Fleet, Scapa Flow, Arctic Convoys and battle!
FIRST THINGS FIRST......
The first thing a new ship's company has to do is find their way around their ship. The speed and ease with which that can be achieved depends on the size of the ship and the quality of the officers and senior rates. For 'old hands' it comes as second nature but for wartime conscripted men that a few weeks earlier had, often, never seen the sea it was a much more difficult and demanding exercise. They all had to do it and do it fast. Soon loudspeakers, klaxons, buzzers and bells would be demanding their attention and instant responses as the ship started on its way to becoming an efficient and effective fighting ship. Oh yes! It all had to be done with what you were standing on pitching up and down and rolling from left to right - often frighteningly - whilst moving through water at up to 35 miles per hour. Water spraying or washing around you the moment you ventured onto the upperdeck was an added 'bonus' which was missing inside the ship - most of the time - but even there it was rarely DRY. All this and more was collectively called 'work-up' which followed on from sea trails and hand-over of the ship from the builders.
Work-up meant using every available hour training for any eventuality. Within a ship each man had to learn a multitude of roles that included the routine activities of keeping the ship at sea, clean, fighting fit and stored. 'Stored' is a collective for a multitude of things of which a few are: fuel, water, food, machinery spares (mechanical, electrical, radio, radar, sonar, armaments etc), clothing, office and rum supplies. Then there are the various ammunitions for each type of gun including small arms, torpedoes, depth charges, grenades and flares. Also of vital importance is the various damage control gear required to stem any ingress of water and weather should the ship be damaged as well as fire fighting equipment.
Reading the above it becomes easy to see just how busy and multi-talented a ship's company - in a destroyer between 170 & 220 or so men depending on its size and role - has to be. The natural elements of wind, fog and water have, in the Arctic, the sometime support of perpetual freezing and darkness which conspire to confound both men and machines. Here there is no-one other than your shipmates to protect you and the ship from catastrophe.
The 175 men in this new destroyer, HMS OBDURATE, bound for the Home Fleet in 1942, needed and found untold endurance and determination which often extended into courage and gallantry. These pages, however inadequately, pay tribute to each and everyone of them.
It is impossible to list the entire ship's company but her officers, commanded by Lt Cdr C E L Sclater, in 1942 included: Lt's W H Brereton, I R Mason and D W Ungoed - relieved by Lt C H Owen, Lt (E) G L Densham, Tempy Surgeon Lt M J Hood, S/Lt P W K Heywood RNR, Tempy S/Lt C R A Senior RCNVR and Gunner T F Lintern.
The first thing a new ship's company has to do is find their way around their ship. The speed and ease with which that can be achieved depends on the size of the ship and the quality of the officers and senior rates. For 'old hands' it comes as second nature but for wartime conscripted men that a few weeks earlier had, often, never seen the sea it was a much more difficult and demanding exercise. They all had to do it and do it fast. Soon loudspeakers, klaxons, buzzers and bells would be demanding their attention and instant responses as the ship started on its way to becoming an efficient and effective fighting ship. Oh yes! It all had to be done with what you were standing on pitching up and down and rolling from left to right - often frighteningly - whilst moving through water at up to 35 miles per hour. Water spraying or washing around you the moment you ventured onto the upperdeck was an added 'bonus' which was missing inside the ship - most of the time - but even there it was rarely DRY. All this and more was collectively called 'work-up' which followed on from sea trails and hand-over of the ship from the builders.
Work-up meant using every available hour training for any eventuality. Within a ship each man had to learn a multitude of roles that included the routine activities of keeping the ship at sea, clean, fighting fit and stored. 'Stored' is a collective for a multitude of things of which a few are: fuel, water, food, machinery spares (mechanical, electrical, radio, radar, sonar, armaments etc), clothing, office and rum supplies. Then there are the various ammunitions for each type of gun including small arms, torpedoes, depth charges, grenades and flares. Also of vital importance is the various damage control gear required to stem any ingress of water and weather should the ship be damaged as well as fire fighting equipment.
Reading the above it becomes easy to see just how busy and multi-talented a ship's company - in a destroyer between 170 & 220 or so men depending on its size and role - has to be. The natural elements of wind, fog and water have, in the Arctic, the sometime support of perpetual freezing and darkness which conspire to confound both men and machines. Here there is no-one other than your shipmates to protect you and the ship from catastrophe.
The 175 men in this new destroyer, HMS OBDURATE, bound for the Home Fleet in 1942, needed and found untold endurance and determination which often extended into courage and gallantry. These pages, however inadequately, pay tribute to each and everyone of them.
It is impossible to list the entire ship's company but her officers, commanded by Lt Cdr C E L Sclater, in 1942 included: Lt's W H Brereton, I R Mason and D W Ungoed - relieved by Lt C H Owen, Lt (E) G L Densham, Tempy Surgeon Lt M J Hood, S/Lt P W K Heywood RNR, Tempy S/Lt C R A Senior RCNVR and Gunner T F Lintern.
FROM BUILDERS TO BATTLE
Immediately upon commissioning on Thursday 3rd of September 1942 OBDURATE quickly ran her acceptance trials in the Firth of Clyde. On completion the next day Denny's Shipyard overseers were landed at Greenock prior to the ship departing for sea at 1300. Alert and learning fast the ship's company were exercised in action, defence, damage and routine events as they headed over the weekend towards the Home Fleet Base at Scapa Flow. On her arrival there at 0900 on Monday there were many eyes watching some casual but others, ranging from the 17th Destroyer Flotilla Leader to Flag and Staff Officers, were more critical and taking note!
The bad weather that had made the passage to Scapa unpleasant continued to be a nuisance as the Senior Officer (Captain D17), Captain H T Armstrong DSC* RN, commanding ONSLOW, sought to get his growing flotilla of new ships to sea for joint exercises and training. They did manage some but operational demands inevitably interrupted that.
On Wednesday the 23rd, OBDURATE was tasked to escort the aircraft carrier FURIOUS from Scapa Flow to the Clyde and the battleship RENOWN from the Clyde to Scapa arriving back on Friday
Immediately upon commissioning on Thursday 3rd of September 1942 OBDURATE quickly ran her acceptance trials in the Firth of Clyde. On completion the next day Denny's Shipyard overseers were landed at Greenock prior to the ship departing for sea at 1300. Alert and learning fast the ship's company were exercised in action, defence, damage and routine events as they headed over the weekend towards the Home Fleet Base at Scapa Flow. On her arrival there at 0900 on Monday there were many eyes watching some casual but others, ranging from the 17th Destroyer Flotilla Leader to Flag and Staff Officers, were more critical and taking note!
The bad weather that had made the passage to Scapa unpleasant continued to be a nuisance as the Senior Officer (Captain D17), Captain H T Armstrong DSC* RN, commanding ONSLOW, sought to get his growing flotilla of new ships to sea for joint exercises and training. They did manage some but operational demands inevitably interrupted that.
On Wednesday the 23rd, OBDURATE was tasked to escort the aircraft carrier FURIOUS from Scapa Flow to the Clyde and the battleship RENOWN from the Clyde to Scapa arriving back on Friday
FURIOUS (1917-1948) Returned from the Mediterranean in August and is shown on her way back for the North Africa Landings (Op. Torch)
RENOWN (1916-1948) To Scapa readying for Op. Torch detachment
Training continued into October with the ship's company well aware that in the shortening days and lowering temperatures they would soon be in for the long hauls to Russia. The first of those came in the early hours of Wednesday the 14th of October when they sailed in company with the destroyer INTREPID to rendezvous with and escort the cruiser ARGONAUT carrying essential stores and reinforcements to the Garrison at Spitsbergen. They were landed there on the 18/19th before the ships continued on to the Kola Inlet (Murmansk) arriving on Thursday 22nd. Here they embarked RAF No144 Sqdn aircrews who had transferred Hampden aircraft to the Russians at Vaanga and some convoy survivors. Sailing in snow on Friday morning they called at Seidisfjord, Iceland enroute to Scapa Flow where they secured on the 28th.
A quick return trip to Scrabster for stores ended the month for OBDURATE
A quick return trip to Scrabster for stores ended the month for OBDURATE
The above shows the 'summer' routeing which put some 250 miles between convoy and German occupied Norway (North Cape).
In Arctic winter ice forced convoys south of both Iceland and Bear Island much reducing that distance and increasing their risk of attack. Archangel became virtually inaccessible.
In Arctic winter ice forced convoys south of both Iceland and Bear Island much reducing that distance and increasing their risk of attack. Archangel became virtually inaccessible.
In the first half of November more time was found for exercises as the latest Flotilla addition, OBEDIENT, arrived. The now 'old hands' in OBDURATE had time to show the new boys how it was done as the ships raced around in and out of Scapa for a few days. That ended when OBDURATE and ONSLAUGHT were sent to Seidisfiord on the 14th. From there they sailed with the destroyer FORESTER to screen the cruisers LONDON and SUFFOLK providing distant cover for the 28-empty-ship Convoy QP15 which had left Archangel to avoid being frozen in through the winter. The convoy soon encountered bad weather that caused it to fracture into small groups and two ships (British GOOLISTAN & Russian KUSNETZ LESOV) were sunk by enemy submarine torpedoes. OBDURATE returned to Seidisfjord on the 25th to refuel and then patrol until entering Hvalfjord, Iceland on Sunday the 29th of November.
She remained on patrol operations out of Hvalfjord until the 12th of December. From there a short call was made at Scapa Flow before continuing on to arrive at Rosyth on the 15th for a boiler clean and some Leave. It was, predictably, a short respite as they were on their way north again on the 21st to rendezvous west of the Orkneys with OBEDIENT and ORIBI for a very rough 500 nm passage to Iceland arriving in Siedisfjord late on the 23rd of December
HMS SUFFOLK with an OBDURATE type destroyer ahead and an older ACHATES type (right foreground) in Kola Inlet
A Moored Mine being laid with BRAMBLE type minesweepers beyond.
BATTLE OF THE BARENTS SEA
At 2300 on Christmas Eve OBDURATE set out on her first close escort of a convoy to Russia. Led by ONSLOW (Captain D17) and accompanied by OBEDIENT, ORIBI, ORWELL and ACHATES they were on their way to the edge of the Arctic ice east of Iceland to meet Convoy JW51B. The convoy of 14 ships had gathered in and left Loch Ewe on Scotland's NW coast on the 22nd of December bound for Murmansk in the Kola Inlet. Of their initial escort ships from Loch Ewe, the corvettes RHODODENDRON and HYDERABAD, minesweeper BRAMBLE and trawlers VIZALMA and NORTHERN GEM were to remain with the convoy through to Murmansk.
Battle had commenced and the misery of the Arctic was about to get unimaginably worse for many, whilst, for some, it would end forever.
Again 'OBDURATE' is credited with the first positive contact. At about 0830 on Thursday the 31st of December 1942 her lookouts spotted destroyers rising over the horizon on the starboard quarter to cross astern of her and the convoy. Despatched by Captain Sherbrooke (D17) to investigate and identify the ships OBDURATE closed to within about four miles before all possibility of them being 'friendly' was dispelled when they opened fire as they continued northwards. Telling the distant cover cruisers, Captain D17 in ONSLOW set off with the three 'O' destroyers to attack the German ships. ACHATES was left to provide a smoke screen between the enemy and the convoy. Minutes later they sighted the German cruiser HIPPER and were soon engaged in a very unequal gun battle. Just after 1015 ONSLOW was hit by shells sustaining serious damage to her Bridge, funnel and forward guns as well as fire in the messdeck below. Captain D17 himself sustained severe facial injuries, 17 of his crew died and others were injured. Hit again the fight for ONSLOW now was to keep the ship afloat so Captain Sherbrooke passed command of the flotilla to Lt Cdr D C Kinloch in OBEDIENT before departing soon after 1030 to overhaul the convoy and make best speed to Kola Inlet.
In the following hour our two distant-cover cruisers SHEFFIELD (Flagship Rear Admiral R A Burnett) and JAMAICA, closing at full speed from their 0830 position 30 odd miles to the north, witnessed an explosion before coming into contact with the German destroyers. They sunk one, the FRIEDRICK ECKHOLDT before turning their attention to and scoring direct hits on HIPPER. Meanwhile shells from HIPPER hit ACHATES killing the Captain amongst others as she valiantly continued to keep the convoy hidden from the enemy. It was not until the enemy withdrew that ACHATES called for assistance but before that arrived she capsized. 114 men died and 81 were rescued from the vicious cold of the Barents Sea by the trawler NORTHERN GEM.
Soon after OBDURATE's doctor leapt from the ship onto NORTHERN GEM to tend to ACHATES survivors. The bravery, dedication and honour of the Medical Officer, Surgeon Lieutenant Maurice Hood, in caring for the injured is described by one of those survivors, H J Scott-Douglas, further down this page.
The LUTZOW with three destroyers continued to probe the convoy throughout the period without scoring any significant hits. She eventually passed north of the convoy to close-up on HIPPER and her destroyers before they were all driven off westwards by the British cruisers soon after midday.
The guns in the LUTZOW were 11" (28cm) and in the cruiser HIPPER 8" (20.3cm). Our destroyer escorts guns were - determined by availability at the time of building - either 4.5" (14cm) or, as in 'OBDURATE', 4" (10.2cm) in open single shields. SHEFFIELD and JAMAICA carried 6" (15.24cm) main armament and 4" guns.
At 2300 on Christmas Eve OBDURATE set out on her first close escort of a convoy to Russia. Led by ONSLOW (Captain D17) and accompanied by OBEDIENT, ORIBI, ORWELL and ACHATES they were on their way to the edge of the Arctic ice east of Iceland to meet Convoy JW51B. The convoy of 14 ships had gathered in and left Loch Ewe on Scotland's NW coast on the 22nd of December bound for Murmansk in the Kola Inlet. Of their initial escort ships from Loch Ewe, the corvettes RHODODENDRON and HYDERABAD, minesweeper BRAMBLE and trawlers VIZALMA and NORTHERN GEM were to remain with the convoy through to Murmansk.
Battle had commenced and the misery of the Arctic was about to get unimaginably worse for many, whilst, for some, it would end forever.
Again 'OBDURATE' is credited with the first positive contact. At about 0830 on Thursday the 31st of December 1942 her lookouts spotted destroyers rising over the horizon on the starboard quarter to cross astern of her and the convoy. Despatched by Captain Sherbrooke (D17) to investigate and identify the ships OBDURATE closed to within about four miles before all possibility of them being 'friendly' was dispelled when they opened fire as they continued northwards. Telling the distant cover cruisers, Captain D17 in ONSLOW set off with the three 'O' destroyers to attack the German ships. ACHATES was left to provide a smoke screen between the enemy and the convoy. Minutes later they sighted the German cruiser HIPPER and were soon engaged in a very unequal gun battle. Just after 1015 ONSLOW was hit by shells sustaining serious damage to her Bridge, funnel and forward guns as well as fire in the messdeck below. Captain D17 himself sustained severe facial injuries, 17 of his crew died and others were injured. Hit again the fight for ONSLOW now was to keep the ship afloat so Captain Sherbrooke passed command of the flotilla to Lt Cdr D C Kinloch in OBEDIENT before departing soon after 1030 to overhaul the convoy and make best speed to Kola Inlet.
In the following hour our two distant-cover cruisers SHEFFIELD (Flagship Rear Admiral R A Burnett) and JAMAICA, closing at full speed from their 0830 position 30 odd miles to the north, witnessed an explosion before coming into contact with the German destroyers. They sunk one, the FRIEDRICK ECKHOLDT before turning their attention to and scoring direct hits on HIPPER. Meanwhile shells from HIPPER hit ACHATES killing the Captain amongst others as she valiantly continued to keep the convoy hidden from the enemy. It was not until the enemy withdrew that ACHATES called for assistance but before that arrived she capsized. 114 men died and 81 were rescued from the vicious cold of the Barents Sea by the trawler NORTHERN GEM.
Soon after OBDURATE's doctor leapt from the ship onto NORTHERN GEM to tend to ACHATES survivors. The bravery, dedication and honour of the Medical Officer, Surgeon Lieutenant Maurice Hood, in caring for the injured is described by one of those survivors, H J Scott-Douglas, further down this page.
The LUTZOW with three destroyers continued to probe the convoy throughout the period without scoring any significant hits. She eventually passed north of the convoy to close-up on HIPPER and her destroyers before they were all driven off westwards by the British cruisers soon after midday.
The guns in the LUTZOW were 11" (28cm) and in the cruiser HIPPER 8" (20.3cm). Our destroyer escorts guns were - determined by availability at the time of building - either 4.5" (14cm) or, as in 'OBDURATE', 4" (10.2cm) in open single shields. SHEFFIELD and JAMAICA carried 6" (15.24cm) main armament and 4" guns.
The retreat of the German surface ships allowed the convoy to continue its passage. All thirteen of the original fourteen ships made Kola Inlet by the 2nd of January to deliver their much needed cargoes of aircraft, tanks, fuel, ammunition and stores to the Russians. The fourteenth convoy ship accompanied by VIZALMA also made Kola unharmed as did ORIBI which, because of a compass problem, was separated from the convoy before the battle.
HMS BRAMBLE and her 121 men never arrived. She was last heard of when HYDERABAD received a wireless signal from her on the 31st reporting enemy in sight. Soon afterwards an explosion was heard to the north of the convoy. The subsequent Court of Inquiry concluded that she was probably sunk by the enemy ships with the loss of all onboard.
BRAMBLE type minesweepers in 1942
In ONSLOW burials at sea had to take place as the ship's company protected and nursed the ship to the Kola Inlet where the austere surroundings were, for once, a very welcome sight.
OBDURATE herself suffered splinter damage when an enemy shell exploded close to starboard. Splinters struck the side of the Chart House, Bridge, Gun Director and Radio Detection Finder and also damaged 'A' gun shield, the funnel and a number of electrical circuits to various control equipments.
In Kola Inlet ships were more closely inspected and made safe with the help of Russian dockyard workers, male and female some with children, who existed in the most spartan and unsanitary conditions. Ashore the Russian military did their best to provide entertainment when and where they could but it was limited by its availabilty, culture and German air attacks.
On the enemy side it was reported that when news of the defeat reached the ears of Adolph Hitler he became enraged and ordered the ships to be paid-off. That never happened but the repercussions led to the resignation of the German Navy Commander in Chief, Admiral Erich Raeder who was replaced by Admiral Karl Doenitz.
Despite the losses it was, for the Royal Navy, a remarkably valiant and successful defeat of a superior German Squadron that had the benefits of surprise, overwhelming firepower and freedom of movement. It also has to remembered that although the battle took place in the forenoon it was dark or at best twilight throughout.
OBDURATE herself suffered splinter damage when an enemy shell exploded close to starboard. Splinters struck the side of the Chart House, Bridge, Gun Director and Radio Detection Finder and also damaged 'A' gun shield, the funnel and a number of electrical circuits to various control equipments.
In Kola Inlet ships were more closely inspected and made safe with the help of Russian dockyard workers, male and female some with children, who existed in the most spartan and unsanitary conditions. Ashore the Russian military did their best to provide entertainment when and where they could but it was limited by its availabilty, culture and German air attacks.
On the enemy side it was reported that when news of the defeat reached the ears of Adolph Hitler he became enraged and ordered the ships to be paid-off. That never happened but the repercussions led to the resignation of the German Navy Commander in Chief, Admiral Erich Raeder who was replaced by Admiral Karl Doenitz.
Despite the losses it was, for the Royal Navy, a remarkably valiant and successful defeat of a superior German Squadron that had the benefits of surprise, overwhelming firepower and freedom of movement. It also has to remembered that although the battle took place in the forenoon it was dark or at best twilight throughout.
London Gazette No 35859 of Friday 8th January 1943, 3rd Supplement Issue, TUESDAY, 12 JANUARY, 1943
ADMIRALTY. Whitehall, S.W.1
The KING has been graciously pleased to approve the award of the VICTORIA CROSS, for valour in the defence of a convoy, to:
Captain Robert St. Vincent Sherbrooke, D.S.O., Royal Navy.
Captain Sherbrooke, in H.M.S Onslow, was the Senior Officer in 'command of the destroyers escorting an important convoy bound for North Russia. On the morning of 31st December, off the North Cape, he made contact with a greatly superior enemy force which was attempting to destroy the convoy. Captain Sherbrooke led his destroyers into attack and closed the Enemy. Four times the Enemy tried to attack the convoy, but was forced each time to withdraw behind a smoke screen to avoid the threat of torpedoes, and each time Captain Sherbrooke pursued him and drove him outside gun range of the convoy and towards our covering forces. These engagements lasted about two hours, but after the first forty minutes H.M.S. Onslow was hit, and Captain Sherbrooke was seriously wounded in the face and temporarily lost the use of one eye. Nevertheless he continued to direct the ships under his command until further hits on his own ship compelled him to disengage, but not until he was satisfied that the next Senior Officer had assumed control. It was only then that he agreed to leave the bridge for medical attention, and until the convoy was out of danger he insisted on receiving all reports of the action.
His courage, his fortitude and his cool and prompt decisions inspired all around him. By his leadership and example the convoy was saved from damage and was brought safely to its destination.
ADMIRALTY. Whitehall, S.W.1
The KING has been graciously pleased to approve the award of the VICTORIA CROSS, for valour in the defence of a convoy, to:
Captain Robert St. Vincent Sherbrooke, D.S.O., Royal Navy.
Captain Sherbrooke, in H.M.S Onslow, was the Senior Officer in 'command of the destroyers escorting an important convoy bound for North Russia. On the morning of 31st December, off the North Cape, he made contact with a greatly superior enemy force which was attempting to destroy the convoy. Captain Sherbrooke led his destroyers into attack and closed the Enemy. Four times the Enemy tried to attack the convoy, but was forced each time to withdraw behind a smoke screen to avoid the threat of torpedoes, and each time Captain Sherbrooke pursued him and drove him outside gun range of the convoy and towards our covering forces. These engagements lasted about two hours, but after the first forty minutes H.M.S. Onslow was hit, and Captain Sherbrooke was seriously wounded in the face and temporarily lost the use of one eye. Nevertheless he continued to direct the ships under his command until further hits on his own ship compelled him to disengage, but not until he was satisfied that the next Senior Officer had assumed control. It was only then that he agreed to leave the bridge for medical attention, and until the convoy was out of danger he insisted on receiving all reports of the action.
His courage, his fortitude and his cool and prompt decisions inspired all around him. By his leadership and example the convoy was saved from damage and was brought safely to its destination.
There was, I am certain, many acts of bravery by the crew in NORTHERN GEM and in ACHATES in the rescue and caring for the survivors but that has not been mentioned by one of those survivors, Mr H.J. Scott-Douglas in his first hand account below. Instead he describes the valour of OBDURATE's Medical Officer, Surgeon Lieutenant Maurice Hood, who, having jumped in stormy seas, from 'OBDURATE' onto the 'NORTHERN GEM' then worked continuously for some 30 hours tending the survivors.
H J Scott-Douglas / Surg. Lt. Hood (pictured)
This is what Mr Scott-Douglas said:
"Subject: H.M.S. Obdurate
Date: 10 December 2000 19:16
Hi Les,
I was surfing your web site and saw you had an interest in Obdurate. I thought you may like to know about a very brave man who was M.O. aboard in 1942 during the "Battle of the Barent Sea". I was aboard the Achates (I was 19 years old and a L/S.Seaman Torpedoman) we were picked up by a trawler Northern Gem and after the battle while a gale was blowing we required medical assistance (our Doctor had not survived) so Surgeon Lt. Hood jumped from Obdurate onto the Northern Gem, the rest is explained in these official signals I am sending as attachments. At a later Russian Convoy he did the same thing to a merchant ship to operate on a crew member for appendicitis but the ship was sunk before he could get back and he did not survive. I am proud to say I was one of the ratings assisting him on Northern Gem.
Hope this is of interest.
Regards
H.J. Scott-Douglas "
Mr Scott-Douglas later elaborated on his own escape from HMS ACHATES thus:
"On board the Northern Gem we were given a tot of rum and allowed to thaw out (which was very painful) then we took stock, there were 81 of us, 12 of whom were wounded, we had lost 113 shipmates. That afternoon a storm blew up and we needed a doctor, the destroyer H.M.S. Obdurate came alongside, the ships were rolling and pitching all over the place in the storm when I witnessed the bravest action I had ever seen, the young doctor as the ships rolled together threw his bag across and launched himself across after it, he was grabbed by the trawlers crew and gratefully taken below, his name was Surgeon Lieutenant Maurice John Hood of Glasgow (Pic. Above), he was awarded a D.S.C. for courage and endurance. On the trawlers messdeck we scrubbed down a table and the doctor carried out many operations to make the wounded as comfortable as possible. Our First Lieutenant L.E.P.Jones, the coxswain, a stoker and myself assisted. The First Lieutenant administered the anaesthetic by injection, the coxswain held the patient's head, I lay across their middle and the stoker held their feet, this was necessary because the ship was tossing around like a cork in the gale. We did this for many hours until all the wounded were treated. Two days later we were in the Kola Inlet where we joined Obedient for passage to U.K."
H J Scott-Douglas / Surg. Lt. Hood (pictured)
This is what Mr Scott-Douglas said:
"Subject: H.M.S. Obdurate
Date: 10 December 2000 19:16
Hi Les,
I was surfing your web site and saw you had an interest in Obdurate. I thought you may like to know about a very brave man who was M.O. aboard in 1942 during the "Battle of the Barent Sea". I was aboard the Achates (I was 19 years old and a L/S.Seaman Torpedoman) we were picked up by a trawler Northern Gem and after the battle while a gale was blowing we required medical assistance (our Doctor had not survived) so Surgeon Lt. Hood jumped from Obdurate onto the Northern Gem, the rest is explained in these official signals I am sending as attachments. At a later Russian Convoy he did the same thing to a merchant ship to operate on a crew member for appendicitis but the ship was sunk before he could get back and he did not survive. I am proud to say I was one of the ratings assisting him on Northern Gem.
Hope this is of interest.
Regards
H.J. Scott-Douglas "
Mr Scott-Douglas later elaborated on his own escape from HMS ACHATES thus:
"On board the Northern Gem we were given a tot of rum and allowed to thaw out (which was very painful) then we took stock, there were 81 of us, 12 of whom were wounded, we had lost 113 shipmates. That afternoon a storm blew up and we needed a doctor, the destroyer H.M.S. Obdurate came alongside, the ships were rolling and pitching all over the place in the storm when I witnessed the bravest action I had ever seen, the young doctor as the ships rolled together threw his bag across and launched himself across after it, he was grabbed by the trawlers crew and gratefully taken below, his name was Surgeon Lieutenant Maurice John Hood of Glasgow (Pic. Above), he was awarded a D.S.C. for courage and endurance. On the trawlers messdeck we scrubbed down a table and the doctor carried out many operations to make the wounded as comfortable as possible. Our First Lieutenant L.E.P.Jones, the coxswain, a stoker and myself assisted. The First Lieutenant administered the anaesthetic by injection, the coxswain held the patient's head, I lay across their middle and the stoker held their feet, this was necessary because the ship was tossing around like a cork in the gale. We did this for many hours until all the wounded were treated. Two days later we were in the Kola Inlet where we joined Obedient for passage to U.K."
Surgeon Lieutenant Hood courageously lost his life in the sinking of SS PENELOPE BARKER described in the 1944 section.
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This HMS OBDURATE 1942 section first published online 2000 and since revised.