Ahoy - Mac's Web Log

Hello

My great uncle John Campbell (aka Ian Campbell) served on the Veteran on the convoys during the war. Where would I find out more info on this period of his life he was from the Island of Lewis.

Kind Regards 
Andrew Miller

Andrew,

JOHN LAWTON, at this E-Mail address has written a book about HMS Veteran called " The Proudest of her Line."
veterani72@yahoo.co.uk suggest you contact him about getting a copy.

Your Uncle was obviously not in the ship when she was sunk with all hands.

A brief account of her in the early part of WW2.

Broome was judged to be too old in 1939 to command a submarine in wartime. Instead, he was given command of the destroyer HMS Veteran recommissioned from reserve. Characteristically, Broome applied for membership of the Company of Veteran Motorists, who made the ship a life member.

HMS Veteran served in the Norwegian Campaign in 1940. While there, her bridge was adorned with a huge stuffed hippopotamus head, acquired by Broome from Formby Golf Club during a spree ashore. Broome also acquired a German torpedo, which had missed its target and run onto the shore of a fjord. Suitably covered in German graffiti, it was eventually handed to the authorities in Rosyth.

After the end of the Norwegian campaign, Veteran was assigned to counter a threatened German invasion, and was damaged by an acoustic mine.

Regards.
Mackenzie Gregory.

Veteran

HMS Veteran (D 72) Destroyer of the Admiralty V & W class Navy: The Royal Navy Type: Destroyer Class: Admiralty V & W Pennant: D 72 Built by: John Brown Shipbuilding & Engineering Company Ltd. (Clydebank, Scotland) Ordered: Laid down: 30 Aug, 1918 Launched: 26 Aug, 1919 Commissioned: 13 Nov, 1919 Lost: 26 Sep, 1942 History: On 27 September 1942 HMS Veteran (Lt.Cdr T.H. Garwood, R.N.) was torpedoed and sunk by U-404 in position 54.34N, 25.44W while escorting convoy RB-1. When torpedoed she was rescuing survivors of the American passenger ship New York. She was lost with all hands together with rescued survivors from the American passenger ship Boston and merchant ship Yorktown. The convoy was attacked by three wolf packs totalling 17 U-boats. Hit by U-boat Sunk on 26 Sep, 1942 by U-404 (B?low).