ScubaVagabonds

HMS Hermes 70th Anniversary (Not to be forgotten )

About 70 years ago after bombing of the HMS Repulse and Prince of Wales in Singapore the Morale of the British in the Indian Ocean Island of Ceylon had dropped.
The Japanese Imperial navy fleet lead by Admiral Chuichi Nagumo, comprising five air craft carriers,
Akagi, Hiryu, Soryo, Ryujo and Shokaku had entered the Bay of Bengal with the intention of destroying the British naval assets.
Vice admiral Sir James Somerville retreated with the main body of the Eastern Fleet to Maldives. The worlds first purpose built air craft carrier HMS Hermes was under repairs in Trincomalee. (East coast of Sri Lanka) The Australian destroyer HMAS Vampire too had been in Trincomalee.
On the 4th of April 1942 a PBY Catalina aircraft flown by sqd.leader Leonard Birchall of the Royal air force took to the skies from Koggala air field (an air strip in the south coast of Sri Lanka) and spotted the Japanese fleet of ships. His air craft was shot down by about six Japanese Zero fighters A6M2 aircrafts which were airborne from the Japanese air craft carrier Hiryu. However he managed to report his sightings of the Japanese fleet and alerted the Colombo about the impending attack. Despite of the warning Nagumos attack on Colombo the next day had been a surprise. British radars had been inoperative due to the weekend.
On the 5th of April 1942, Imperial Japanese air craft with a force of about 125 under the command of commander Mitsuo Fuchida of Akagi who lead the attack on pearl Harbor took to the skies comprising 36 ZERO fighters (Aichi D32 dive bombers) , 53 Nakajima B5N2 torpedo bombers, They have flown up the southern coast of Ceylon but no one had informed the RAF in Colombo.

9th of April 1942. – Sinking of the Hermes.

British had been alerted about a possible air raid. HMS Hermes with her escort ships had left the Trincomalee harbor the night before. On the 9th April 1942 at 0700 hours about 70 carrier borne Japanese aircrafts had attacked Trincomalee harbor and subsequently not seen the Hermes.
The absence of the Hermes had been a surprise to admiral Nagumo.
Some Japanese aircrafts returning after attacking the Eastern harbor had spotted the Hermes bound to the south with a complement of 700 on board. There hadnt been any aircrafts on board the Hermes. At 10.35 hrs Hermes was attacked by a fleet of about 70 Japanese bombers. Hermes had been defenseless.
She had been hit at least 40 times. When the conning tower was hit Hermes had lost the command. HMS Hermes sank within about 30 mins and lost the Capt.R.J.Onslaw, 19 officers and 282 sailors. About 23 survivors had managed to swim to the shore which is about 8.3km
A hospital ship Vita had rescued about 400 men.
At present there are two living survivors in their late nineties.

Shortly after the sinking of the Hermes, Japanese bombers managed to sink a fleet of ships escorting the hermes.
HMAS Vampire Not found as yet.
MFA Athelstane. (Tanker – Sunk 40 km form Batticaloa at a depth of 42m) visit http://www.srilankadivingtours.com to view the picture gallery.
British Sergeant. 30 km north of the Hermes. Depth to the top of the wreck is 14m bottom is 25m. Wreck is in two parts.
The covette Holyhok at 42 m.

On the 12th of April 1942 three heavily decomposed bodies were found on the beach. Two of the bodies had the name tags. R.B Vatcher, and Lewis and the other was not identified.
The Mudlier of the katchcheri (land registry) Mr. Casinader had gathered some people and buried the three bodies. Later when I accompanied some Australian tec divers to Trincomalee the burial ground was found in the War cemetery which was well maintained by the British.
Another sailor who was in serious conditioned had died in a Hospital and had been buried in the Kandy war cemetery.

Mr. Casinaders son who was a 16 year old boy revealed his memories to us. Mr. Prince Casinader is the only citizen in Batticaloa who has witnessed the Indian ocean attack and the sinking of Hermes.

looking forward to tomorrow, starting with a good morning run on the beach and swim in the ocean, and dive as much as i can