Prepared by Mundy-pca.co.uk

HMS Belfast Gibraltar to the pacific 1945/46

Mr R.J Mundy joined the HMS Belfast in Gibraltar.My father was walking down the main street in Gibraltar whilst waiting to joined HMS Belfast one day and thought he could see a man who looked liked his younger brother who was in the Merchant Navy. When to two men came close it dawned on him that it was his brother. Both had been sent to Gibraltar to join new ships on the same day. They had a quick chat and departed.

HMS Belfast then sailed to Malta for dry dock repairs, see photo.

Then sailed for Sydney.

Whilst in Sydney my father managed to get a pass to visit family in Melbourne. This turned out to be a long story.

My father travelled to Melbourne ( Yarraville)  by train. On arriving in Melbourne it turned out that he had arrived just as a rail strike was starting.

He stayed with my mothers family in Yarraville for a few days as arranged, but the strike went on & on. He finally was able to get transport back to Sydney. On arriving at Sydney Harbour he found HMS Belfast steaming off out to sea. SEE PHOTO

He managed to get a pilot boat to race after the ship and managed to catch up & get aboard, only to be told that his baggage etc had been left at the harbour.

My farther then had to beg other crew members for clothing etc. He managed to borrow some money  (yen). ( tells you the secret destination)  from a mate. I still have some of this money see photo. PHOTO TO FOLLOW

My father managed to track down this mate in the early 1990s and we sent him double sided photocopies of the notes. He thought it was a great laugh to get the money back some 45 years later.

HMS Belfast then went into the pacific & China Sea.

My father said the ship spent most of its time running from Lyllete to the Shanghi area.

On one occasion the ship entered the Whan poo river near Shanghi and had to spend a complete week locked below decks DUE to enemy small arms fire form both sides of the river.

See photo taken through the A Turret periscope. On the Whan Poo river whilst under fire

This a scan of original negative

For more photographs see the Photo Album