Thursday, November 14, 2013

Rememberance Day

My Dad on his way to the Remembrance Day service in Conistion.

Waistcoat bought at Binns, Carlisle 1962. Irish tweed Jacket bought at Andrew Houston Ltd., Bank St,  Carlisle 1965. WW2 campaign medals.

He served on the v-class destroyer HMS Venus, in the Mediterranean, and spent time in Cyprus and Haifa, Palestine.  He was involved with British Government's attempt in trying to stop the Jewish 'Exodos' from Europe after the war which was later countermanded by the US Government.

At the age of 19 he got the opportunity to bring HMS Venus into Malta Harbour because the Royalty Petty Officer was too drunk to do it himself! This was no mean feat as the harbour was full of sunken ships after the epic Siege of Malta.

William Mansell Hyslop
HMS Venus
Bombing damage in Valletta, Malta