This picture (left) of the open bridge was taken on Wren about May ’44. Lt (N) Hunt RNR was the OOW. It shows the twin 4-inch guns of “B” turret – which was always on full alert. Just ahead of Lt Hunt was the entrance to the small ASDIC shack compartment which was the main A/S detection equipment. The ‘pings’ from the underwater transponders were broadcast through speakers on the bridge so the OOW could maintain a constant check in case of an echo. The ASDIC operator of course was always on duty and crouched in the small compartment as he constantly adjusted his instruments to meet the changing sea environment. On the bottom left of the picture was a small curtained chart table to hold the current charts – well curtained with dimmed red lights for use at night. Cruising for six weeks at a time around the North Atlantic can become pretty boring except for the occasional excitement of action stations.

This was the “A” gun crew on WREN taken in 1944 with S/Lt Green (far left) as OIC. I don’t have a record of the names but if anyone recognizes any of the members and would like a copy I would be happy to e-mail a copy of the photo. TG.

The full sized image is reproduced at the base of this page

Splicing The Mainbrace!

“Up Spirits”, the 11:00am ritual in those days – or as permitted on special occasions after a particularly gruelling encounter with the enemy.

Photo (left) taken of depth charges being dropped over the stern during an actual attack by WREN. In this case the charges were set to ‘deep’ so the only evidence of the exploding charge is the water stirred up near the top right of the picture. The second photo shows the depth charge being “fired” outboard on the port side. The third photo shows the results from shallow/medium depth charges dropped over the stern.

Much has been written about Capt Walkers’ very successful “Plaster” method to kill U-boats. One of the drawbacks of attacking a U-boat was that when a small ship like Wren dropped charges on a “contact” they had to be going at full speed so as not to blow themselves out of the water with their own charges. The effect of going full speed meant contact was frequently lost because the noise from your own ship drowned out the “Pings” from the ASDIC, and an astute U-boat could take evasive action. Also, if the U-boat was ‘deep’ the limited angle of the ASDIC beam would lose contact hundreds of yards before the actual point of contact. Again an astute U-boat could manoeuvre out of the way. Walkers ‘Plaster’ method was to run three of the Group in line abreast at an incredibly slow speed of about 7 knots - to minimize noise. One of the others would maintain contact on the target and direct the three attackers over the target. At the appropriate time Walker would give the order to fire. Then each of the three attackers would start dropping their charges over the stern and the two outboard ships would fire additional charges to port or starboard - depending on their position. This would provide a very broad and destructive coverage from which few U-boats could escape. Whilst this method was most effective against the U-boat it was also very hard on the three thin-skinned very vulnerable but heavily armed attackers.

As the shallow and deep armed depth charges cascaded around the suspect targets, blowing their spumes of water over the unprotected deck crews, just about every light bulb, piece of crockery and anything not stowed properly would be smashed. The internal vibrations, thunderous noise from the depth charges, water sloshing about internally and externally took it’s own toll on the hulls of the ships. Rivets would ‘pop’, water would be seeping into many areas but regardless of your own safety the attack had to continue. Travelling at seven knots was about the minimum a ship could go and still maintain reasonable steerageway and control in any sort of turbulent sea state. It also placed each vessel into a most dangerous and vulnerable position. The one or two controlling ships – whist maintaining their distance from the fray and contact with the U-boat - were equally vulnerable during the attack, as they had to remain quiet but still moving – controlling with the combination of ASDIC and Radar. The new acoustic torpedoes that aimed to home in on the propellers provided a further unknown threat at that time.

Almost invariable, after a couple of plaster attacks, the worst affected ships would have to return to dock for quick leak repairs and restocking supplies and depth charges.

Tony Green on Leave

Tony Green's Medals

Picture of a bridge game in the wardroom.  This picture of a bridge game going on in the wardroom to pass the time was fairly typical. S/Lt Green (With the cigarette holder for ‘luck’) was partnered with S/Lt “Guns” Brown. On Green’s right is Lt “Junior” Taylor with, I believe his partner Lt Roberts the ASDIC officer. On the bulkhead behind Green’s head there was a small shelf that contained a simple ladies handbag."

On the bulkhead behind Green’s head there was a small shelf that contained a simple ladies handbag. Thereby hung an interesting tale of valour and courage in the line of duty! The sign over the handbag read “Ladies Survival Kit”. Inside the bag was a pair of panties and a bra – all a WREN would require in the event of a rescue at sea! Both articles were of course won in combat so were considered the spoils of battle. The handbag came from a different source. When the Wren was in dry-dock all ‘heads’ were locked to prevent their use so we had to use the shore facilities. On one occasion during a party on board one ‘head’ was unlocked to allow use by the ladies with strict instructions – “pee only please” One lady got her knickers in a twist in the confined space and her handbag dropped into the bowl. This bag was then recovered, cleaned and fumigated but she refused to take it back. Thus we ended up with the unique survivors kit - the story that became public after we had visits from the “Press”.

HMS Wren was first commissioned in 1943 and all WREN’S in the service ‘volunteered’ a days pay towards the cost of the vessel. So she became known as the WREN’S own ship and as a courtesy, every time we went into port – Liverpool, Falmouth, Milford Haven for example where there was a WREN base we would send them a signal saying: “Your ship is in port, come and visit!” One day in Liverpool we had a surprise visit from the “Hen” WREN – Dame Laughton Mathews who was the sister of Charles Laughton and – I’m not sure of her WREN rank except that she ran the WREN’S – but she had come to visit “their” ship. She toured the ship and was then invited to the wardroom for the inevitable cup-of-tea. After some general chatter about the ship and the 2EG, to our surprise she asked where the Ladies Survival kit was? Somewhat surprised and embarrassed, we retrieved the ‘kit’ from the locker where it had been stowed for her visit. She took the whole thing in good spirits – I think more amused by our embarrassment than anything else.

Loch Killin

The story of the ”Loch Killin”, supported by “Wren”, describing how a U-boat she was attacking surfaced directly under her stern is now legendary. Most of the German crew jumped from the conning tower directly on to her quarterdeck without getting their feet wet. On that patrol several U-boats were sunk with no survivors – but four others were sunk and many of the crews were rescued and had to be distributed amongst the ships because of space limitations. Remember that officers had to be separated from their crew and each ship’s crew separated from the others. Each of these small parties also had to be guarded. This led to some very innovative sleeping and living conditions with bodies strewn in any small compartment that could be closed off. On one occasion some U-boat crewmembers had somehow struggled to leave their sinking ship with several bottles of champagne in their life rafts (they had left Brest and were returning home). These were of course confiscated and were locked up with strict instructions they were not to be opened until VE day.

Eventually the Allied armies reached the French coast cutting off all access to the Bay of Biscay ports and thus the mission of the 2EG came to a close and the Group was reassigned. Wren went to Leith in Scotland where she was to have a complete refit for service as an independent command in the Persian Gulf and Barbary Coast – with main emphasis on slave traffic control. After leaving Wren I was assigned to HMS Kingfisher for the sole purpose of decommissioning her and then running her skeletal remains onto the beach at Harwich to rot in her own good time.

June 2nd 2004. From Tony Green.