Billy's (William Windsor) official Naval records 1940-1944
One year ago, I sent a request to the UK government in the hope of obtaining my great-uncle Billy's naval records. He had enlisted during WWII at just 17 years old writing on the application forms that he was a 23-year-old fisherman. He joined the Royal Navy Patrol Service in the spring of 1940.
I forgot about my request for his records. I didn't hear back from them until recently, one year later when this email landed in my inbox:
"Thank you again for your application for the service records of William Henry Windsor. The records are now ready to be posted out to you via Royal Mail."
I was so excited! I was about to uncover new pieces of this puzzle, more of Billy's brave journey.
Let me share them with you.
Record of Service for William Windsor DSM.
Efficiency: Sat.: Satisfactory
Character: V.G.: Very good.
The records don’t tell a story in the way we might hope. They list places, dates, postings, brief entries that, at first glance, feel almost clinical.
But behind each line is a chapter of Billy’s journey.
Here is the path he followed.
HMS EUROPA 09-04-40
Billy began his war journey in April 1940 at Lowestoft.
HMS Europa, usually known as Sparrow's Nest, became the Central Depot of the Royal Naval Patrol Service at Lowestoft, the most easterly point of Great Britain, and the closest British military establishment to the enemy until it was decommissioned in 1946. The Lowestoft War Memorial Museum in the town is housed in the old Royal Naval Patrol Service headquarters building.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Naval_Patrol_Service
Dunkirk rescue 1949-05-26
Passage 1942-11-23 to 1942-11-24
HMS Eaglet 1942-11-25 to 1942-12-28
After a quick transit, Billy arrived at HMS Eaglet, a major naval shore base located right in the Liverpool docks.
During the war, this wasn't just a quiet desk post; it was the massive headquarters for the Western Approaches Command. This base acted as the nerve center for the Battle of the Atlantic, responsible for tracking and protecting the vital merchant supply ships coming into Britain while hunting down enemy German U-boats.
Billy spent a month here. He spent about a month here before returning to sea. Whether he was waiting for paperwork or his next assignment, I don't know, but this appears to have been a transition between postings.
HSM Osprey (Patrol Service) 1942-12-29 to1942-12-31
Right at the end of the year, Billy returned to HMS Osprey for just three days. By this time, the anti-submarine training school had been moved away from the dangerous southern coast to Dunoon, Scotland.
Because his record specifies the "Patrol Service," I wonder if this brief stop was simply to process paperwork before returning to active service.
HM Trawler Peter Hendricks 1943-01-01 to 1943-02-12
On New Year's Day of 1943, Billy officially joined the crew of
HM Trawler Peter Hendricks.
Originally built as a Belgian fishing vessel in 1935, she was requisitioned by the Royal Navy at the outbreak of the war. The Navy refitted her as an armed anti-submarine trawler, turning a regular fishing boat into a front-line hunter.
Billy spent about six weeks aboard this ship. By this point, Billy had completed additional radar and anti-submarine training. Whether he was operating that equipment aboard the Peter Hendricks, I can't say for certain, but those skills would certainly have been valuable.
HMS Helicon 1943-02-13 to 1943 02-16
Right after stepping off the Peter Hendricks, Billy spent a quick four days attached to HMS Helicon.
This wasn't a ship, but rather a shore base located in Aberdeen, Scotland. It served as the local naval headquarters for the area, handling the administration, fueling, and refitting for the many patrol vessels and minesweepers guarding the northern coast.
Given how short this posting was, I suspect it served mainly as a temporary stop before his next assignment.
HM Trawler Peter Hendricks 1943-02-17 to 1943-11-08
After his brief pause at the Helicon shore base, Billy was sent straight back to sea on the
HM Trawler Peter Hendricks.
This turned out to be his longest stretch on the armed trawler, lasting nearly nine months. By this point in 1943, the Battle of the Atlantic was reaching its fiercest point. With his radar and anti-submarine training behind him, Billy likely spent these long months at sea helping escort convoys through dangerous waters.
HMS Bacchante 1943-11-09 to 1943-11-24
After stepping off the Peter Hendricks following his long nine-month stint, Billy was assigned to HMS Bacchante for about two weeks.
This wasn't a ship either, but a Royal Navy shore establishment located in Aberdeen, Scotland. It served as the local headquarters for the Naval Officer-in-Charge, managing the coastal patrols, convoy escorts, and minesweepers operating out of the busy Scottish port.
Like Helicon, this appears to have been another brief administrative stop before he returned to sea.
HM Trawler Peter Hendricks 1943-11-25 to 1944-02-28
After a brief two weeks on land, Billy went right back to sea for his third and final stint aboard the
HM Trawler Peter Hendricks.
This final three-month posting on the Peter Hendricks took Billy through the winter of 1943–1944. Although the Allies were beginning to gain the upper hand in the Battle of the Atlantic, the convoy routes were still dangerous. By this point, Billy had completed his radar and anti-submarine training, skills that would have been invaluable as he continued serving at sea.
HMS Osprey 1944-02-29 to 1944-03-14
HMS Europa 1944-03-15 to 1944-03-26
HMS EUROPA 09-04-40
Billy began his war journey in April 1940 at Lowestoft.
HMS Europa, usually known as Sparrow's Nest, became the Central Depot of the Royal Naval Patrol Service at Lowestoft, the most easterly point of Great Britain, and the closest British military establishment to the enemy until it was decommissioned in 1946. The Lowestoft War Memorial Museum in the town is housed in the old Royal Naval Patrol Service headquarters building.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Naval_Patrol_Service
Dunkirk rescue 1949-05-26
Billy leaves the depot to join a rescue vessel on the exact day Operation Dynamo begins, assisting in evacuating the British Expeditionary Force from the beaches of France.
While working on the book, I was disappointed that I could not find the name of the boat Billy was on during the Dunkirk rescue. On the card below, the line below Europa mentions the name of a vessel he joined on May 26, 1940, the day the Dunkirk rescue mission began!
HM TRAWLER LADY SHIRLEY 08-06-1941 to 09-12-1941
© Crown copyright. National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London. Presented by the War Artists Advisory Committee, 1947
The Lady Shirley was a small armed trawler, one of many modest vessels used by the Royal Navy Patrol Service. These were not large warships, but working boats, often crewed by fishermen, sent into dangerous waters to escort, patrol, and hunt submarines.
Despite her size, the Lady Shirley became part of something extraordinary.
In October 1941, she engaged a German U-boat in the Atlantic. Outmatched on paper, she fought back and forced the submarine to the surface. Against all odds, the crew captured it. It was a rare and remarkable victory.
Billy was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for his role in that action.
Billy was severely injured after that confrontation. He was hospitalized in Gibraltar.
HMS CORMORANT (Gilbraltar hospital)10-12-1941 TO 29-12-1941
From 1900 to 1946, the Royal Navy’s entire property in Gibraltar was treated as a single "shore establishment" known as HMS Cormorant. It served as the naval barracks and administrative hub for the territory.
For Billy, this entry is particularly significant. Having been injured in the action against U-111, he was hospitalized in Gibraltar. While he was recovering at Cormorant, his former ship, the Lady Shirley, was tragically lost in December 1941 with no survivors. This brief stay at the shore base likely saved his life.
https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/253560-hms-cormorant-shore-establishment/
HMS Europa 30-12-1941 to 01-02-1942
Following his recovery, Billy returned to the Royal Naval Patrol Service depot at Lowestoft. I imagine this month-long stay was likely a period of recovery, paperwork, and waiting before his next assignment.
HMS OSPREY (03-02-1942 to 19-02-1942)
Billy was then assigned to HMS Osprey. During the war, Osprey was the Navy’s primary Anti-Submarine Training Establishment. Based at Portland (and later moved to Scotland), this was where sailors were trained in the latest ASDIC (sonar) technology.
HMS Altair: 20-02-1942 to 13-06-1942
Fresh from his training at HMS Osprey, Billy was assigned to HMS Altair.
Originally built in 1905 as a luxury private yacht by Ramage & Ferguson in Scotland, the 577-ton Altair was requisitioned by the Admiralty at the outbreak of the war in 1939. Like many vessels in the Royal Naval Patrol Service, she was converted into an Armed Yacht specifically for an anti-submarine (A/S) role.
During Billy’s time aboard, the ship was commanded by W.R.T. Clements, RNR. Serving on an armed yacht was a unique experience—while they lacked the heavy armor of a destroyer, they were agile and essential for coastal defense and escort duties, often carrying depth charges and ASDIC equipment to track enemy submarines.
HMS Valkyrie (14-06-1942 to 20-06-1942)
After his time on the Altair, Billy was sent to the Isle of Man to attend HMS Valkyrie, the Royal Navy's premier No. 1 Radar Training School.
Located in Douglas, the school was a massive operation. While the personnel stayed in requisitioned guest houses along the Loch Promenade, the high-tech training took place in buildings atop Douglas Head. At the time, radar was a cutting-edge, top-secret technology; the investment in equipment at this site alone totalled over £3,000,000, an astronomical sum in 1942.
From what I've read about HMS Valkyrie, trainees practiced using radar in realistic conditions, even tracking aircraft flying over Douglas Head. It's fascinating to imagine Billy taking part in those exercises.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Valkyrie_(shore_establishment)
Alternating Deployments 21-06-1942 to 24-11-1942
While working on the book, I was disappointed that I could not find the name of the boat Billy was on during the Dunkirk rescue. On the card below, the line below Europa mentions the name of a vessel he joined on May 26, 1940, the day the Dunkirk rescue mission began!
HM TRAWLER LADY SHIRLEY 08-06-1941 to 09-12-1941
© Crown copyright. National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London. Presented by the War Artists Advisory Committee, 1947
The Lady Shirley was a small armed trawler, one of many modest vessels used by the Royal Navy Patrol Service. These were not large warships, but working boats, often crewed by fishermen, sent into dangerous waters to escort, patrol, and hunt submarines.
Despite her size, the Lady Shirley became part of something extraordinary.
In October 1941, she engaged a German U-boat in the Atlantic. Outmatched on paper, she fought back and forced the submarine to the surface. Against all odds, the crew captured it. It was a rare and remarkable victory.
Billy was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for his role in that action.
Billy was severely injured after that confrontation. He was hospitalized in Gibraltar.
HMS CORMORANT (Gilbraltar hospital)10-12-1941 TO 29-12-1941
From 1900 to 1946, the Royal Navy’s entire property in Gibraltar was treated as a single "shore establishment" known as HMS Cormorant. It served as the naval barracks and administrative hub for the territory.
For Billy, this entry is particularly significant. Having been injured in the action against U-111, he was hospitalized in Gibraltar. While he was recovering at Cormorant, his former ship, the Lady Shirley, was tragically lost in December 1941 with no survivors. This brief stay at the shore base likely saved his life.
https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/253560-hms-cormorant-shore-establishment/
HMS Europa 30-12-1941 to 01-02-1942
Following his recovery, Billy returned to the Royal Naval Patrol Service depot at Lowestoft. I imagine this month-long stay was likely a period of recovery, paperwork, and waiting before his next assignment.
HMS OSPREY (03-02-1942 to 19-02-1942)
Billy was then assigned to HMS Osprey. During the war, Osprey was the Navy’s primary Anti-Submarine Training Establishment. Based at Portland (and later moved to Scotland), this was where sailors were trained in the latest ASDIC (sonar) technology.
HMS Altair: 20-02-1942 to 13-06-1942
Fresh from his training at HMS Osprey, Billy was assigned to HMS Altair.
Originally built in 1905 as a luxury private yacht by Ramage & Ferguson in Scotland, the 577-ton Altair was requisitioned by the Admiralty at the outbreak of the war in 1939. Like many vessels in the Royal Naval Patrol Service, she was converted into an Armed Yacht specifically for an anti-submarine (A/S) role.
During Billy’s time aboard, the ship was commanded by W.R.T. Clements, RNR. Serving on an armed yacht was a unique experience—while they lacked the heavy armor of a destroyer, they were agile and essential for coastal defense and escort duties, often carrying depth charges and ASDIC equipment to track enemy submarines.
HMS Valkyrie (14-06-1942 to 20-06-1942)
After his time on the Altair, Billy was sent to the Isle of Man to attend HMS Valkyrie, the Royal Navy's premier No. 1 Radar Training School.
Located in Douglas, the school was a massive operation. While the personnel stayed in requisitioned guest houses along the Loch Promenade, the high-tech training took place in buildings atop Douglas Head. At the time, radar was a cutting-edge, top-secret technology; the investment in equipment at this site alone totalled over £3,000,000, an astronomical sum in 1942.
From what I've read about HMS Valkyrie, trainees practiced using radar in realistic conditions, even tracking aircraft flying over Douglas Head. It's fascinating to imagine Billy taking part in those exercises.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Valkyrie_(shore_establishment)
Alternating Deployments 21-06-1942 to 24-11-1942
Billy moves back and forth between active sea sweeps on the Altair and quick radar refresher updates at Valkyrie.
Passage 1942-11-23 to 1942-11-24
HMS Eaglet 1942-11-25 to 1942-12-28
After a quick transit, Billy arrived at HMS Eaglet, a major naval shore base located right in the Liverpool docks.
During the war, this wasn't just a quiet desk post; it was the massive headquarters for the Western Approaches Command. This base acted as the nerve center for the Battle of the Atlantic, responsible for tracking and protecting the vital merchant supply ships coming into Britain while hunting down enemy German U-boats.
Billy spent a month here. He spent about a month here before returning to sea. Whether he was waiting for paperwork or his next assignment, I don't know, but this appears to have been a transition between postings.
HSM Osprey (Patrol Service) 1942-12-29 to1942-12-31
Right at the end of the year, Billy returned to HMS Osprey for just three days. By this time, the anti-submarine training school had been moved away from the dangerous southern coast to Dunoon, Scotland.
Because his record specifies the "Patrol Service," I wonder if this brief stop was simply to process paperwork before returning to active service.
HM Trawler Peter Hendricks 1943-01-01 to 1943-02-12
On New Year's Day of 1943, Billy officially joined the crew of
HM Trawler Peter Hendricks.
Originally built as a Belgian fishing vessel in 1935, she was requisitioned by the Royal Navy at the outbreak of the war. The Navy refitted her as an armed anti-submarine trawler, turning a regular fishing boat into a front-line hunter.
Billy spent about six weeks aboard this ship. By this point, Billy had completed additional radar and anti-submarine training. Whether he was operating that equipment aboard the Peter Hendricks, I can't say for certain, but those skills would certainly have been valuable.
HMS Helicon 1943-02-13 to 1943 02-16
Right after stepping off the Peter Hendricks, Billy spent a quick four days attached to HMS Helicon.
This wasn't a ship, but rather a shore base located in Aberdeen, Scotland. It served as the local naval headquarters for the area, handling the administration, fueling, and refitting for the many patrol vessels and minesweepers guarding the northern coast.
Given how short this posting was, I suspect it served mainly as a temporary stop before his next assignment.
HM Trawler Peter Hendricks 1943-02-17 to 1943-11-08
After his brief pause at the Helicon shore base, Billy was sent straight back to sea on the
HM Trawler Peter Hendricks.
This turned out to be his longest stretch on the armed trawler, lasting nearly nine months. By this point in 1943, the Battle of the Atlantic was reaching its fiercest point. With his radar and anti-submarine training behind him, Billy likely spent these long months at sea helping escort convoys through dangerous waters.
HMS Bacchante 1943-11-09 to 1943-11-24
After stepping off the Peter Hendricks following his long nine-month stint, Billy was assigned to HMS Bacchante for about two weeks.
This wasn't a ship either, but a Royal Navy shore establishment located in Aberdeen, Scotland. It served as the local headquarters for the Naval Officer-in-Charge, managing the coastal patrols, convoy escorts, and minesweepers operating out of the busy Scottish port.
Like Helicon, this appears to have been another brief administrative stop before he returned to sea.
HM Trawler Peter Hendricks 1943-11-25 to 1944-02-28
After a brief two weeks on land, Billy went right back to sea for his third and final stint aboard the
HM Trawler Peter Hendricks.
This final three-month posting on the Peter Hendricks took Billy through the winter of 1943–1944. Although the Allies were beginning to gain the upper hand in the Battle of the Atlantic, the convoy routes were still dangerous. By this point, Billy had completed his radar and anti-submarine training, skills that would have been invaluable as he continued serving at sea.
HMS Osprey 1944-02-29 to 1944-03-14
HMS Europa 1944-03-15 to 1944-03-26
After a short winter break, Billy rotates through HMS Osprey and HMS Europa to sharpen his tech skills and process his paperwork for overseas deployment.
HMS Eland ( Pool Ratings) 1944-03-27 to 1944-04-13
Following a couple of fast transit stops at his old training grounds, Billy was attached to HMS Eland for a little over two weeks.
Eland was a Royal Navy shore establishment located all the way down in Freetown, Sierra Leone, West Africa. It served as the crucial naval base and staging hub for South Atlantic convoy escorts and anti-submarine operations protecting the African coast.
The note "Pool Ratings" on his file means Billy wasn't assigned to a permanent crew yet. Instead, he was placed into a local manpower pool on dry land. My understanding is that "Pool Ratings" meant sailors were waiting to be assigned to another vessel.
HMS Spurwing 1944-04-14 to 1944-05-06
Directly following his time in the Freetown manpower pool, Billy was moved just down the West African coast to HMS Spurwing.
Spurwing wasn't a surface ship, but a Royal Navy Air Station located in Hastings, near Freetown, Sierra Leone. It served as a critical base for the Fleet Air Arm's amphibious aircraft and patrol planes, which flew continuous anti-submarine sweeps over the Atlantic to spot and hunt German U-boats from the sky.
HMS Philoctetes 1944-05-07 to 1944-05-21
Following his time at the air station, Billy spent two weeks attached to HMS Philoctetes.
Like his previous African postings, this wasn't a standard ship or a building on land. Philoctetes was a massive, converted passenger liner serving as the Naval Depot and Repair Ship permanently moored right in the harbor of Freetown, Sierra Leone. It acted as a floating headquarters, floating barracks, and mobile workshop all rolled into one.
This seems to have been another brief waiting period for Billy. Since Freetown was a major hub for Allied shipping, he was likely aboard this floating depot while waiting for his next sea assignment.
HMS Eland ( Pool Ratings) 1944-05-22 to 1944-06-22
After his quick stops at the air station and the repair ship, Billy returned to HMS Eland in Freetown for one last month.
Because his record says "Pool Ratings," he wasn't attached to a specific ship yet. He was being held in a manpower pool on land as a backup radar specialist, waiting for an opening.
This would be his final month in West Africa. His waiting came to an end when the Navy finally assigned him to his next ship, the H.M. Trawler Birdlip—marking the final, tragic chapter of his journey.
HM Trawler Birdlip 1944-06-03 to 1944-06-13
Billy’s final posting took him right back to sea on HM Trawler Birdlip, an armed anti-submarine ship operating out of West Africa.
Though Billy was only on board for a short time, the Birdlip and her crew had been doing heroic work in the region, saving many lives the days before the attack. Just days before her final mission, the trawler had successfully rescued over 200 survivors from multiple merchant ships (Bandour Shahpour, Corabella, and Nagina) that had been sunk by enemy action, safely delivering them to Freetown.
Tragically, the ship's own journey was cut short just ten days after Billy arrived. On the night of June 13, 1944, the Birdlip was torpedoed and sunk by a German U-boat (U-547) while escorting a merchant ship off the African coast.
Billy did not survive the attack. His military record ends here with the heartbreaking words, "Missing presumed killed." He was only 22 years old, leaving behind a legacy of immense bravery.
HMS Eland ( Pool Ratings) 1944-03-27 to 1944-04-13
Following a couple of fast transit stops at his old training grounds, Billy was attached to HMS Eland for a little over two weeks.
Eland was a Royal Navy shore establishment located all the way down in Freetown, Sierra Leone, West Africa. It served as the crucial naval base and staging hub for South Atlantic convoy escorts and anti-submarine operations protecting the African coast.
The note "Pool Ratings" on his file means Billy wasn't assigned to a permanent crew yet. Instead, he was placed into a local manpower pool on dry land. My understanding is that "Pool Ratings" meant sailors were waiting to be assigned to another vessel.
HMS Spurwing 1944-04-14 to 1944-05-06
Directly following his time in the Freetown manpower pool, Billy was moved just down the West African coast to HMS Spurwing.
Spurwing wasn't a surface ship, but a Royal Navy Air Station located in Hastings, near Freetown, Sierra Leone. It served as a critical base for the Fleet Air Arm's amphibious aircraft and patrol planes, which flew continuous anti-submarine sweeps over the Atlantic to spot and hunt German U-boats from the sky.
HMS Philoctetes 1944-05-07 to 1944-05-21
Following his time at the air station, Billy spent two weeks attached to HMS Philoctetes.
Like his previous African postings, this wasn't a standard ship or a building on land. Philoctetes was a massive, converted passenger liner serving as the Naval Depot and Repair Ship permanently moored right in the harbor of Freetown, Sierra Leone. It acted as a floating headquarters, floating barracks, and mobile workshop all rolled into one.
This seems to have been another brief waiting period for Billy. Since Freetown was a major hub for Allied shipping, he was likely aboard this floating depot while waiting for his next sea assignment.
HMS Eland ( Pool Ratings) 1944-05-22 to 1944-06-22
After his quick stops at the air station and the repair ship, Billy returned to HMS Eland in Freetown for one last month.
Because his record says "Pool Ratings," he wasn't attached to a specific ship yet. He was being held in a manpower pool on land as a backup radar specialist, waiting for an opening.
This would be his final month in West Africa. His waiting came to an end when the Navy finally assigned him to his next ship, the H.M. Trawler Birdlip—marking the final, tragic chapter of his journey.
HM Trawler Birdlip 1944-06-03 to 1944-06-13
Billy’s final posting took him right back to sea on HM Trawler Birdlip, an armed anti-submarine ship operating out of West Africa.
Though Billy was only on board for a short time, the Birdlip and her crew had been doing heroic work in the region, saving many lives the days before the attack. Just days before her final mission, the trawler had successfully rescued over 200 survivors from multiple merchant ships (Bandour Shahpour, Corabella, and Nagina) that had been sunk by enemy action, safely delivering them to Freetown.
Tragically, the ship's own journey was cut short just ten days after Billy arrived. On the night of June 13, 1944, the Birdlip was torpedoed and sunk by a German U-boat (U-547) while escorting a merchant ship off the African coast.
Billy did not survive the attack. His military record ends here with the heartbreaking words, "Missing presumed killed." He was only 22 years old, leaving behind a legacy of immense bravery.
The Wartime Odyssey of Billy (1940–1944)
Part I: The Early War & The Miracle of Dunkirk (1940)
- HMS Europa (09-04-1940 to 25-05-1940): Billy begins his naval service at the age of 18 at HMS Europa (Sparrow's Nest) in Lowestoft, the Central Depot of the Royal Naval Patrol Service (RNPS).
- The Dunkirk Rescue (26-05-1940): Billy leaves the depot to join a rescue vessel on the exact day Operation Dynamo begins, assisting in evacuating the British Expeditionary Force from the beaches of France.
Part II: Heroism in the Atlantic & The Distinguished Service Medal (1941–1942)
- HM Trawler Lady Shirley (08-06-1941 to 09-12-1941): Billy serves aboard this small, armed anti-submarine fishing trawler HMS Lady Shirley.
- The Capture of U-111 (04-10-1941): In a legendary duel southwest of Tenerife, the outgunned Lady Shirley depth-charges and aggressively engages German submarine U-111, forcing it to surface and capturing the crew Surrender of U-111. Billy is severely wounded in the action but earns the prestigious Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) for his bravery.
- HMS Cormorant (10-12-1941 to 29-12-1941): While Billy recovers in a hospital at the Gibraltar shore establishment HMS Cormorant, his former ship, Lady Shirley, is torpedoed and sunk on December 11 with no survivors HM Trawler Lady Shirley Archives. His injuries miraculously save his life.
- HMS Europa (30-12-1941 to 01-02-1942): Billy returns to the Lowestoft headquarters in transit to await a new deployment.
Part III: Advanced Technology & Coastal Patrols (1942–1943)
- HMS Osprey (03-02-1942 to 19-02-1942): Billy undergoes specialized anti-submarine and ASDIC (sonar) training.
- HMS Altair (20-02-1942 to 13-06-1942): He is deployed to this 577-ton converted luxury yacht, serving in an agile coastal defense and convoy escort role.
- HMS Valkyrie (14-06-1942 to 20-06-1942): Billy is selected for cutting-edge, top-secret radar training at the premier HMS Valkyrie on the Isle of Man, tracking simulated airborne threats.
- Alternating Deployments (21-06-1942 to 24-11-1942): Billy moves back and forth between active sea sweeps on the Altair and quick radar refresher updates at Valkyrie.
- HMS Eaglet & HMS Osprey (25-11-1942 to 31-12-1942): He transits through the massive Western Approaches Command at Liverpool (Eaglet) and the relocated anti-submarine school in Dunoon, Scotland (Osprey) to officially pair his sonar background with electronic radar skills.
- HM Trawler Peter Hendricks (01-01-1943 to 12-02-1943 & 17-02-1943 to 08-11-1943): Billy serves nearly a year aboard this requisitioned Belgian fishing vessel. Utilizing his radar training, he scans the freezing winter horizons to protect critical coastal convoy lanes from U-boat packs. He takes a brief four-day holding break at HMS Helicon (Aberdeen) in February.
Part IV: Deployment to Africa & The Final Chapter (1944)
- Refresher & Staging (29-02-1944 to 26-03-1944): After a short winter break, Billy rotates through HMS Osprey and HMS Europa to sharpen his tech skills and process his paperwork for overseas deployment.
- HMS Eland - Pool Ratings (27-03-1944 to 13-04-1944): Arrives in Freetown, Sierra Leone (West Africa). He is placed in a manpower pool as an unassigned, elite radar asset ready to board any passing vessel in need of replacement crew.
- HMS Spurwing (14-04-1944 to 06-05-1944): Temporarily attached to a Royal Navy Air Station in Hastings, Sierra Leone, likely coordinating airborne U-boat tracking systems with local surface fleets.
- HMS Philoctetes & HMS Eland (07-05-1944 to 22-06-1944 administrative): Held aboard a floating passenger-liner depot (Philoctetes) and the shore base manpower pool (Eland) until a final active assignment opens up.
- HM Trawler Birdlip (03-06-1944 to 13-06-1944): Billy returns to active sea duty aboard the armed anti-submarine ship HMS Birdlip. The crew has just heroically rescued 200 survivors from torpedoed merchant ships.
- Tragic Loss (14-06-1944): In the early hours of June 14, 1944, Birdlip is struck by an acoustic torpedo fired by German submarine U-547 off the coast of West Africa HMS Birdlip (T 218). The ship sinks rapidly. Billy is lost at sea, marked on his file as "Missing presumed killed." He was only 22 years old. [1, 2]
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