- Contributed by听
- Market Harborough Royal British Legion
- People in story:听
- Bill Cotton
- Background to story:听
- Royal Navy
- Article ID:听
- A4199826
- Contributed on:听
- 15 June 2005
This story is submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by a member of Market Harborough Branch, Royal British Legion on behalf of Bill Cotton and has been added to the site with his permission. Mr Cotton fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions.
An Old War Horse
Having read that the Royal Yacht had steamed a million miles in her life of 40 years or so, I reminded myself of a ship in which I served during World War II, HMS Faulknor.
She was built in 1936 as a flotilla leader, one of the first ships to be built for that purpose. From the outbreak of war in 1939 until July 1943 she had steamed over 250,000 miles without a major breakdown, thus saying a lot for British shipbuilding.
The Faulknor escorted convoys to Russia and Malta, did covering work for the landings in North Africa and other landings in the Med. On D Day she was placed at the disposal of Monty and was called Monty's Taxi. After further duties in the Atlantic she took the initial surrender of the Channel Islands.
In 1945 she was laid up in the River Dart. On her last voyage from Plymouth to Dartmouth she made 36 knots; good going for an old War Horse who never let the Navy down.
漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.
Recommended story
Story with photo