HMS Persimmon |
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| Following a search of the web for detail about HMS Persimmon, the only details found were requests for information on a forum since I stated I had some photos I had several requests for copies, hence this web page. I received the photos of HMS Persimmon, off ships company POs I have no knowledge of who took them . | |
| The information here has been derived from various unofficial sources and non is verified | |
| HMS Persimmon, a Landing Ship, Infantry of the British Navy in WWII. |
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| HMS Persimmon was the RML ship Pampas (II) built to replace the ship Pampas, built 1940) that was destroyed at Malta by axis bombers. Pampas was bombed and caught on fire in Malta harbour. She was converted to an LSI in 1944. |
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| Billy McAuley was the ship's doctor on the Persimmon in 1944/45. Billy actually took the surrender of Sumatra at Padang in 1945. Billy is dead now but used to say that the captain was ill and the First Officer said he was fed up taking surrenders so could Billy do it. | |
| A group of Royal Marines based on Persimmon carrying out sorties on or about Ramree Island in 1944, remembers calling in to refuel at Malta on the return from the Far East when the ship was refused entry three times because She was 'improperly dressed'. | |
| Contact dave AT Hostpage.co.uk | |
| Photo curtsey of D. W. Newman who served on the ship for 2 years) |
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| Click on the small photo to see the large image, Note the large images are JPEG format | |
HMS Persimmon in full sail with Landing craft attached, somewhere in the Indian Ocean |
About to enter Malta Harbour, with the lower deck of LCA s dumped in the Indian Ocean ,to increase our speed home bound to Blighty |
Victory Parade in Bombay
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Victory Parade in Bombay |
Victory Parade in Bombay
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Marine flotilla and Navy personnel who serviced the Landing craft Assault (LCA s)
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(Right) (Left) |
Location Backrow |
 LCA's
returning to Ship
We did the first Radar guided landing somewhere by South Burma , we lowered the Landing Craft Assault ,out of sight of land , they circled ,then where guided in by Radar ,and successfully returned to the Mother ship, As far as I know ,this was a first. Dennis N |
On board Maintenance crew for the landing craft (not the Ship crew) Names unknown ?? Who are they ?? |
| Billy McAuley was the ship's doctor on the Persimmon in 1944/45. Billy actually took the surrender of Sumatra at Padang in 1945. Billy is dead now but used to say that the captain was ill and the First Officer said he was fed up taking surrenders so could Billy do it. Photograph of the surrender of Sumatra on the deck of the ship. It is not very good - I guess the cameras were pretty crude things in those days. As I think I said my father-in-law took the surrender because no-one else would do it. We still have the Japanese sword. | |
Photographs supplied by Andy Pritchard, and Others David Quinn can be contacted at
quinnect@btconnect.com |
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 Large
Image 1.8MB Jpeg This is certificate - Clean Bill of
Health - when the ship was in Malta on the way home.
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 Log
entries with the grateful thanks to |
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Photo from David Quinn
In rummaging through some stuff I found another photo of my father-in-law Billy McAuley on the Persimmon. The photo is mostly of the medical staff, except that No 1 is on it. On the back of the photo it identifies the people as follows: Front L - R
Mayfield "No 1"
McAuley
McDonald (who, we think was called
Angus)
P.O. O'Brien
Back L-R
SBA Smithers (I
think it reads SBA)
"
Wood
"
Cooke
"
Rolls
"
Pashly
Medical Staff, HMS Persimmon, East
Indies Station, Sept 1945 |
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| David Quinn can be contacted at quinnect@btconnect.com | |
| Links |
http://www.datatechdtp.co.uk/SWpage11.html |
| http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/lines/royalmail.html | |
| http://www.users.on.net/~snicol/60sSwanSong/p.html | |
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Pampas
(II) 5,576 Harland & Wolff, Belfast 1943-1965 Single screw motorship. Initially completed as Infantry Landing Ship; refitted late 1944 for Far East campaign and emerged as HMS Persimmon.
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1944 Infantry Landing Ship then renamed HMS Persimmon, 1946 returned to owners as Pampas, 1964 sold to Panama renamed Aristodimos. |
