1937 - 1942 Cruiser - Part 5
The Second
HMS Manchester Association
The 2nd HMS Manchester Association would like to express their thanks to Janet and Richard White for passing these very interesting albums into our care and for also taking the time to procure a copy of Nick's Service Certificate so we could tie in the dates.
The albums will be available for any of our members who may be interested in a gander, after Maurice Broad has had a loan!
Nick Carter's Wedding Day - 1st March 1943
(Note expression of Best Man and Bridesmaid alongside!)
- POSTHUMOUS ARCTIC MEDAL AWARD - 2014
Many of you may recall that in the last edition of the "Buzz" we told the story of Harry Raymond "Nick" Carter, and the two photograph albums gifted to 2MA by Janet and Richard White, which featured his time on board the old HMS Manchester.
As it happens, at the time of receipt of the albums, we were made aware that Manchester's early war service qualified the ships' company for the newly established Arctic Star - it only took circa 70 years for the award to come into being, and only then after much campaigning by the late Cdr Eddie Grenfell - and we suggested that perhaps the family should consider applying for the medal on account it was a much deserved award.
Fast forward to August this year and Richard informs us that a certain medal has turned up in the post, the family are delighted, and they have a small request. Could we find someone from D95 to do a little presento to Nick's nearest relative - Richard's Mum? As it happens, we could!
Enter the fray a lady who we shall call Ursula. 92 years old, and as bright as a new penny! As it happened, Ursula worked at -…/.-.././-/-.-./…./.-../.-./ -.-- .--./.-/.-./.-. (that should keep the sparkers amused!) during the war, and exactly what she did there must remain a state secret! However, she spun some cracking dits, including the time that she ras'd a parachute! Coincidentally, at that time Marks and Sparks were a bit short in the knickers department, so Secret Agent Ursula decided to make her own from said item of flying clothing…and now we come to the sad part of the story! During the war, elastic too was in very short supply, and so Ursula's newly patented knickers stayed in place with the help of one strategically positioned button. Unfortunately, as she was strolling down Edgware Road in London, she experienced total button failure, and with a billowing of silk, Secret Agent Ursula, found her knickers covering her ankles, if not her embarrassment! What happened next is also a secret! Our phot shows a suitably recovered Ursula, with Nick's Arctic Star.
Secret Agent Ursula with Nick's Arctic Star
(Notice pint pot!)
HARRY RAYMOND "NICK" CARTER
Meanwhile, back in February 2013, Janet and Richard White contacted 2MA to say that they had been advised to contact us by the National Memorial Arboretum. They went on to say that a distant cousin had recently passed away, and among his possessions were two beautifully detailed, informative and humorous photo albums of his time as a Radio Operator in World War 2, and among the ships he served on was…HMS Manchester. Would we be interested in the albums?
As it happens, one of us has five years' experience working as a researcher in a military museum - the one at Eastney - and experience also shows that such items are quite rare coming from the lower deck, particularly during a time of war and having somewhere to stow it during compilation being two of the problems! Quickly expressing our interest, and learning that Janet and Richard only lived over in Southampton, we arranged to meet half way, and surprise, surprise 2MA chose a pub as a suitable venue! As a result of the meeting, 2MA are now the proud custodians of two very, very interesting photo albums. The albums were compiled by Harry Raymond Carter, who we are reliably informed was known as Nick! and here is a brief insight in what the albums contain.
Nick joined up in Pompey in August 1940 and he was just short of 25 years of age. Two things make Nick stand out head and shoulders above everyone else in all the photographs Is the fact that he was nearly 6ft 2in, and the other is the fact that he wore glasses - a rarity at that time in the Pusser. There is also a cartoon on the first page of new entries being kitted out in the Slop Room with the Senior Rate Jack Dusty leaning over the counter with the caption…"and if anything fits, bring it back and we'll change it" (Little did he know his album would end up in the hands of a certain Jack Dusty!) Nick's first ship was HMS Manchester which he joined on 27th April 1941. Above a large photo of the ship is the caption "The Tiddliest ship in the Navy".
There are newspaper cuttings relating to the sinking of the Bismark - Manchester was on patrol in the Faroes - Iceland area at that time, and there are also pictures of Nick's time in Iceland, and a newspaper article on the ship's dog, "AD (Able Dog) Shrapnel". Nick was also onboard during the Battle of Spartivento. He also describes the events of the 23rd July 1941 when the ship was struck by an aerial torpedo in the Mediterranean and 25 members of the ship's company were lost, forcing the ship to return to Gibraltar for repairs. On July 25th he wrote "Arrived back at Gibraltar. Midnight. Very Thankful."
As a result of the battle damage, Manchester was sent to Philadelphia for extensive repairs, where she was known as ship 163. During this time the famous actress and singer Gracie Fields bimbled onboard for tea and stickies and Nick gets in the press photo too!
That's Nick, wearing Gracie's hat during her visit to the old Mighty Manch.
From the phots it is clearly evident that he "grippoed" whilst in Pennsylvania - it must have been very difficult! - and his travels also took him to New York. Nick was also granted special leave to travel to Canada, and there is a letter in the album signed by Captain Drew, requesting a passport so he could re-enter the USA!
The period in the USA concludes with a Philadelphia Dockyard Workman's Tribute -
So long, HMS Manchester
Happy sailing all the way
May you have the Lord's protection each and every day,
and when you meet the enemy put up a gallant fight
The odds are in your favour
For your cause is just and right
May your engines never falter
Nor your gunfire ever cease
Until we've won a glorious victory
and restored the World to Peace
And when this day has come to pass
though the grind be long and hard
you will always find a welcome
in the Philadelphia Navy-Yard
Wilfred F Devine
(51 Shop)
Sadly, as we know, HMS Manchester was sunk just six months later. However, Nick was no longer a member of her ship's company having been drafted to the newly opened RN Signal School at HMS Mercury at Leydene. He then went on to serve in the Fleet Air Arm. The second album concludes with Nick as a PO Radio Mechanic transiting the Suez Canal onboard HMS Battler late in 1944, which suggests there may have been a third album too. Nick was discharged from the Pusser in November 1945.
Sadly Ursula passed away after a short illness on the 4th January 2016, aged 93 - she will be sadly missed.
