J53495 H.W. Peter Gandy
Entered Naval Service as a boy in May 1916, receiving his first active service posting in April 1917 to Cruiser HMS Boadicea engaged in mine laying in the North Sea. Following six months on Orion Class battleship HMS Thunderer, he returned to finish World War One on the Boadicea.
Until late 1920 when he served for six months on battleship HMS Emperor of India and a further six months on cruiser HMS Dragon.
Peter then transferred to the Submarine Service, initially on HMS Dolphin and HMS Osprey and the HMS Lucia L71 based mainly on the Mediterranean station.
From 1929 until 1933 he was on the surface fleet again serving in a wide range of vessels including the battleship HMS Royal Oak, the monitor HMS Marshall Soult, the minesweeper HMS Dundalk and the destroyer HMS Malcolm.
He then returned to the submarine service with HMS Dolphin, HMS Cyclops and the newly launched HMS Seahorse.
HMS SEAHORSE 1936
CREWE OF HMS SEAHORSE 1936
In early 1938 he joined the crew of HMS AJAX and was posted to the South American station, enabling him to participate in the ancient ceremony of crossing the Line.
This was followed by an extensive tour of South America and the Caribbean, a visit to the Falkland Islands and a transit of the Panama Canal
Falkland islands
HMS Ajax Panama Canal.
It was whilst the AJAX was on a courtesy visit to Conception that the Chilean earthquake took place, 24th January 1939 causing widespread devastation and loss of life.
The crew of HMS Ajax were deployed to dig through the rubble in the search for survivors and to recover the dead.
Looking for survivors and recovering the dead.
The Chilean Government wished to award the crew at that time but as the country had so much devastation to repair the offer was declined. However, on the 50th Anniversary of the Battle of the River Plate, the Chilean Ambassador presented medals to all surviving crew members.
Peter in 1988 with his Chilean medal
It is unnecessary to give details of the Battle of the River Plate as the film of the same name regularly reappears on the TV. Peter’s Character in the film appears only briefly when Woodward gives an order to “signals” and “signals” responds “Aye aye, Sir”.
Peter emerged from this conflict unscathed, although a shell from the Graf Spee passed right through his empty cabin and out the other side, failing to explode
German Battleship Graf Spee
He was not to prove so lucky in the next confrontation.
After the Ajax and Exeter returned to the UK and the crews had been honoured with lunch at the Guild Hall and a speech by Churchill, the Ajax was posted to the Mediterranean station. In 1940, off Cape Passer, Crete, in thick fog the Ajax sailed into a box of five ships of the Italian Navy. As the mist cleared four Italian ships lay under the four main gun turrets of the Ajax. In the exchange of fire that followed, Ajax sank two, disabled the third (which was sunk the following day) and the remaining two fled.
Unfortunately, the Ajax received almost twice as many fatalities and three times the injuries as in the Battle of the River Plate. One the injured being Peter.
Peter always put his survival down to naval discipline. He was off watch and when action station was sounded he rushed towards his position on the bridge. As he reached the ladder an officer came the other way. Despite guns blazing and shells whistling, Peter stopped, saluted, and gave way to the officer.
Peter spent six months in hospital, but all that was found of the unfortunate officer was one boot. This was the end of Peter’s active service. The last years of the War being spent in Rosyth at HMS Cochrane. All through his naval career Peter had pursued a hobby of music. He ran a series of dance bands, starting with the Anti-Submarine School Dance Orchestra.
Leading up to the Ajax Accordion Band, which as well as the usual domestic events, played on radio stations and night clubs throughout South America. As well as band leader, Peter also ran up their somewhat flamboyant costumes on a sewing machine!
On leaving the service, Peter with his communications background joined the GPO Telephones (fore-runner of BT) and with his service record undertook the security jobs such as telephones and teleprinters in Churchill’s Chartwell home and Fort Halstead Armament Research Station. His specialist services were in such demand that he did not retire until the age of 70, when he and his wife, Rose, moved to Dorset, a part of the country that they came to love when Peter was based at the Submarine Depot at Portland.
Peters 90th birthday with wife Rose
This rather unique collection of medal can be seen on display in Blandford British Legion
H. W. Peter Gandy (b. 16.12 1900 d. 25.5.1991)
