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HMS Grebe
HMS Grebe was a shore base for aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm during World War Two. It was located on the coast at El Dekheila near Alexandria in Egypt.
17th Nov 1939 Move
Jan 1940 Move
5th February 1941 Move
1st March 1941 Reorganisation
1st Apr 1941 Reorganisation
12th May 1941 Move
1st Apr 1943 Reorganisation
15th June 1943 Move
Jan 1945 Training
If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.
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Those known to have sailed in HMS Grebe during the Second World War 1939-1945. - Baker Thomas Alfred. L/Sig.
- Maher DSC. Arthur Derek. Sub-Lt. (d.24th Jan 1942)
The names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed,
please
Add a Name to this List
Records of HMS Grebe from other sources.
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The Wartime Memories Project is the original WW1 and WW2 commemoration website.
Announcements
- 1st of September 2024 marks 25 years since the launch of the Wartime Memories Project. Thanks to everyone who has supported us over this time.
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Want to find out more about your relative's service? Want to know what life was like during the War? Our
Library contains an ever growing number diary entries, personal letters and other documents, most transcribed into plain text. |
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Wanted: Digital copies of Group photographs, Scrapbooks, Autograph books, photo albums, newspaper clippings, letters, postcards and ephemera relating to WW2. We would like to obtain digital copies of any documents or photographs relating to WW2 you may have at home. If you have any unwanted
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Did you know? We also have a section on The Great War. and a
Timecapsule to preserve stories from other conflicts for future generations.
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Want to know more about HMS Grebe? There are:10 items tagged HMS Grebe available in our Library
These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Second World War. |
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L/Sig. Thomas Alfred "Bagsy" Baker HMS Raven Fleet Air Arm My father Thomas Baker was known as Alf or Bagsy. He lived in East Ham, then moved to Leigh-on-sea Essex. He joined the Navy training ship Arethusa aged 13 and a half in 1931 when life was tough for all the boys. He then went to HMS Ganges 1933-1935, HMS Pembroke, Cairo, Woolwich, Victory, Kestrel.
He was assigned to HMS Raven in Eastleigh 1939 at the start of the war as Acting Leading Signalman where he met my mother on Eastleigh rec at the bandstand with his friend Charlie Taffe. Dad confided in his friend Bob Aggas that he was very fond of mum. Mum & Dad married in Eastleigh Parish church in September 1940. They had a few honeymoon days in Torquay, then dad was away for 3 years.
He served aboard HMS Grebe until April 1943, during which time he flew Albacore, Fairey and Swordfish as an air gunner flying scout over the desert observing enemy movements. He was happened to be aboard (not sure which vessel) just as the Germans were invading Norway. The inhabitants gave the Allies all of their valuables so the Nazis wouldn’t have them. Dad was given a bag of silver, but just as the ship was departing it was torpedoed. Unfortunately, he jumped one way and bag went the other.
Once back home, he had a medical which showed a shadow on his lung which landed him in a sanatorium for best part of a year. It was actually because he had had double pneumonia and pleurisy when he was a child.
After hospital discharge, he was mainly based in HMS Daedalus, still flying the Swordfish. All during Dad’s career he gained many qualifications, including the German language. Because of this, he was lent to the German Air Arm in Bremen during the late 1950s. Then he served with RNAS Lossiemouth late 40s early 50s, living in Nissen huts the Army and RAF didn't want. He served on HMS Bulwark 1963-65 during another crisis. Dad’s last posting was HMS Seahawk (Culdrose, Cornwall) where he retired in 1968. We returned to Hampshire in 1976. Dad developed cancer and passed in September 1983. I have various photos and letters etc.
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Sub-Lt. Arthur Derek Maher DSC. 828 Squadron (d.24th Jan 1942) Arthur Maher was the brother of Patrick and both were born in the George Hotel, Melton Mowbray which was owned by their father. Patrick was also in the FAA and served as a navigator on Fairey Seafoxes in the Mediterranean and Soutn Africa. (one time based in Durban)
Arthur went missing with his crew in a Swordfish from the land-based HMS Grebe in North Africa. It was a routine mission, like one of many were they patrolled seeking out Axis shipping and U-Boats.
Sadly, we will never know exactly what happened but Arthur and his fellow airmen were one of the many to go missing in this manner. His name is on the FAA War Memorial on the south coast and his DSC is now in the FAA Museum at Yeovilton along with a miniature painting of him in uniform.
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