I have researched my late Father's (Freddie Robertson's) naval service
career, follows a potted history of his ship. I have traced a couple of Dad's
shipmates (George Saunders) and would like to contact some more! I would
appreciate any comments and more info about the Royal Ulsterman Thank you,
Steve Robertson
In 1936, two new Coast Lines
standard ships, Royal
Scotsman and Royal
Ulsterman (both 3000 grt), were built for the Burns & Laird
Glasgow-Belfast service. Unlike their predecessors, they had only one funnel,
which gave them a smart modern appearance. Strangely, they were not designed
to be able to replace the initial Belfast SS trio on the Liverpool service,
since they would not fit the Liverpool locks. They were rather large for their
designed service in winter, and one would think ideally suited to cover the
overhauls of the Liverpool ships. Both ships survived WW2, and ran on their
intended route until the 1960s. After the Royal Ulsterman's withdrawal she was
used as the accommodation ship Cammell Laird and later as the Sounion.
She sank at Beirut on 3/3/73 and was later scrapped. ŠIAN
BOYLE www.simplon.co.uk
ŠIAN
BOYLE
THIS IS A HISTORY OF H.M.S. ROYAL ULSTERMAN AS WRITTEN BY;-
MR. G.H. SAUNDERS
LSI(H) ROYAL ULSTERMAN 1942-1945 : Sailed from Penarth South Wales Sept.
1942 destination Greenock, started manoeuvres on Loch Fyne with 1st. Battalion
American Rangers and British Army Commandos. Exercise finished October 1942,
stored ship in Gourock. Sailed with invasion fleet 3rd. Week of October 1942
to North Africa, said to be the largest convoy of all time. Landed assault
troops on beaches at Arzue, port south of Algiers at 2 a.m. 7th. of November
1942. There was very little action through the night but in the morning some
air attacks by Vichy French aircraft. These caused no damage and were soon
fought off. After The Rangers had consolidated their positions on the beaches
we sailed to Algiers companioned by the Royal Scotsman, Ulster Monarch, Queen
Emma and Princess Beatrix. Our task was to ship troops from Algiers first to
Bougie then Phillipville and Bone, as the Germans retreated, and meet up with
the Eighth Army in Tunisia. The five ships were nicknamed "The Moonlight
Squadron" and the route up the North African coast was to be known as
"dive bomb alley" as we were greeted by stukas on every voyage.
After the fall of Tunisia we moved on to that country and operated from the
ports of Souse and Sfax.
Then was the preparation for the invasion of the island of Pantelleria we took
on board the lads of the Eighth Army they wasn't very happy about it because
they had already fought right through the western desert with Monty. The
landing was very quiet, 10.00 a.m., in the morning early in 1943, Although we
did hit trouble late afternoon after our escorts of cruisers and destroyers
left. We were dive bombed by stukas flying in from Sardinia. We destroyed 3 of
them (our best single bag throughout the war). That invasion was very easy
compared to the rest of the landings.
The next exercise was the preparation for the invasion of Sicily in 1943.
The preparation was not too difficult because we were already invasion trained
in previous actions. Before we left Sfax to join the Sicily Invasion force
Lord Louie Mountbatten, then commander of Combined Operations, came aboard and
gave us a pep talk. He also got all of our mail sent from FMO Gibraltar before
we sailed. We had received no mail for over 6 weeks prior to that. There was
fierce opposition where we landed, on the southern tip of Sicily (Porto
Paolo).
On that operation the Royal Ulsterman was H.Q. Ship directing movements of
landing craft and personnel. The German defences were very strong but with sea
and air bombardment the difficulties were overcome. After the troops
established a beachead and got a foothold they managed to move inland. We then
sailed for Malta and there stayed for 3 weeks. Then back to Tunisia for a
spell, then to Tripoli. Meanwhile Sicily was captured and the Army had
advanced into Southern Italy, an operation we were not involved in. Later we
were engaged in some more troop carrying from Sicily into Italy. On one of
these trips we struck a wreck in Taranto Bay and damaged a propeller. We
returned to the U.K. via Belfast, to pick up a new screw, and then to Mount
Stewart dry dock in Cardiff repairs were carried out. In the four weeks we
were there the people of Tiger Bay adopted the Ship and they were eventually
presented with our Battle Ensign as a gesture for their hospitality to the
Ship's company.
We then returned to the Mediterranean (Algiers) to prepare for the Salerno
landings. We thought that it was going to be fairly easy because the Italians
had capitulated the day before the landings. We started off heading north,
towards Naples, turning south at midnight towards Salerno, to fool any German
air or sea patrols but it didn't work out!
German aircraft picked up our positions as we steered south at midnight.
The Germans had also taken over the shore defences from the Italians so by the
time we landed at Salerno they were ready and waiting! It turned out to be a
rough ride getting the assault troops ashore and it was quite a battle for
them just to get off the beaches. We had to stand by to evacuate. Consequently
the back up forces were bought in earlier than intended and sorted matters
out, but it was very busy for a few days what with bombing and shelling from
shore batteries. We were glad when we finished our bit towards the invasion of
Salerno.
Things eased off for a while and we had some shore leave in Algiers. Then
we did a couple of commando raids along the Italian coast and one job as a
decoy ship. We sailed close to the coast to attract gun fire from German shore
positions, once the guns 'flashed' the Nelson, Rodney and 2 cruisers then
bombarded them from about 10 miles out. We then landed troops at The Anzio
beachhead which started in 1944. It started off very quiet because the Germans
had retreated. But then they counter attacked and it ended up a bloody battle.
Lots of lives were lost including a large percentage of the American Rangers.
Everything turned out all right in the end. That was the finish of the Royal
Ulsterman's and other LSI's duties in the Med. And we returned home to blighty
for a spot of leave and then preparations for D Day "the Big One".
On return to England we docked for 2 days in Greenock, then on to
Southampton for some repair work and new assault craft. Then D-Day June 6th,
1944. We embarked the assault troops at Berth 37 Southampton Harbour. We
sailed from our holding position on the Solent (Area 19E North of East Cowes),
at 1600 hours on the 5th of June 1944. Our convoy was assault convoy J14 (J3
Reserve Force under the command of Acting Lt. Commander W.R.K. Clarke D.S.C.
RD R.N.R.). We were on station at our lowering point, ready to winch down the
LCA's at 0808 hours on the 6th. We carried troops of the 9th Brigade of the
3rd Canadian Division. Comprising of the following regiments :
-
- The Highland Light Infantry of Canada, The Stormont, Dundas &
Glengarry Highlanders and The North Nova Scotia Highlanders.
A total Assault Force of approximately 400 men. The first of our troops
ashore were landed at NAN WHITE (Berniers-Sur-Mer) and NAN RED (St.
Aubin-Sur-Mer ) at 1133 hours. These beaches were within an area of JUNO
Beach. All troops are recorded ashore by 1150 Hrs. We lost some Army lads when
one of our LCA's was hit by gunfire, our Sub-Lieutenant lost his arm. After
the landings we were engaged in bringing wounded back to England and shipping
more troops to France, this lasted quite a long period. After that it was easy
going to de-mob. LSI(H) Royal Ulsterman came through with flying colours, just
showed signs of her old age.
IT WAS A GREAT HONOUR TO HAVE SERVED WITH S/M FREDDIE ROBERTSON, YOUR DAD,
AND THE REST OF THE SHIP'S COMPANY ABOARD LSI (H) ROYAL ULSTERMAN.
Signed G. H. SAUNDERS.
FREDDIE ROBERTSON
