Where was the O-10?

[culchie]

The history of the O-10 seems to be silent for the period June-December 1942, which is when my father Willem Hamminga served on her as an asdic operator (and cook, which may explain his cooking style). Can anyone fill in some gaps?

Might there be any crew photos from that period?

[FreekS]

The history of the O-10 seems to be silent for the period June-December 1942, which is when my father Willem Hamminga served on her as an asdic operator (and cook, which may explain his cooking style). Can anyone fill in some gaps?

Might there be any crew photos from that period?

My book: De Nederlandse Onderzeedienst 1906-1966 has a gap in that period in-between Atlantic patrols. This boat was very old at that time; on the last patrol in Mei 43 both diesels failed. O10 and O9 were being used for ASDIC trials/training as they were not really frontline boats anymore. Decommissioned in 44 but brought back to Netherlands after the war

Freek

[Horneman]

In my book 'Scheepsmonografie'; Onderzeeboten deel 1 is this all what i have. They started in june for reparing. In may 1943 they leave Lerwick for the 7th patrol. From the end of the reparing till may 1943 O 10 was at Rothesay for A/S training. Greatings G. Horneman

01-06-1942 Aankomst te Lerwick.
02-06-1942 Groot onderhoud aan de dieselmotoren.
13-06-1942 Bezoek van de First Lord of the Admiralty, mr. A.V. Alexander, vergezeld van de
Flagofficer Submarine sir Max Horton aan het asdicbedrijf te Rothesay. Wegens
tijdgebrek kon het bezoek aan Hr.Ms. O 10 niet doorgaan.
04-05-1943 Vertrek van Lerwick voor de 7e patrouille naar de Atlantische Oceaan op ongeveer 20’
ten noorden en zuiden van 63o-50’N en 00o-31’W.

[culchie]

FreekS and Horneman, my thanks to both of you. The record shows my father peppered the navy with requests to be transferred with pilot training, and eventually they got tired of turning him down, and he became a Seafire pilot.

[Leon Homburg]

Hi Culchie,

One important reason for your father to apply for flight training was an immediate promotion. Flight crews were in high demand at that time. I was wondering, did he make it through flight school? And if so, what was his rank?

Best regards,
Leon.

[culchie]

Leon, he did his flight training in Alberta Canada, not far from where I live now, and became a sergt-vlieger, flying Seafires on Fleet Air Arm escort carriers, as well as Barracudas and Fireflies. He flew the latter off the first carrier to be called the Karel Doorman. In 1946, he was a Sergt-SD (sergeant-special service).

I'm not sure what the SD stands for, beyond "special service". Anybody?

So you're right, there was a promotion, but back in Groningen before the war, he was an avid glider pilot, (as well as a sailor), so that may have influenced his requests.

[Paul Joosten]

In 1946, he was a Sergt-SD (sergeant-special service). I'm not sure what the SD stands for, beyond "special service". Anybody?

SD is the Dutch abbreviation for Speciale Diensten (indeed, Special Services in English). SD was (and still is in today's Officers Corps) the designation for any personnell that cannot be accomodated in any of the more standard corps'.

[culchie]

thanks, Paul. Is it a common designation? How (or why) would that apply to a fella flying Fireflies? And if a sergeant-flyer (sgnt-VL) is the equivalent of a chief petty officer...what's a sgnt-SD?

[Jan van den Bogert Tpmkr]

A sgt SD is allso an chief petty officer, but then for the special services. ( Speciale Diensten )

Greetings, Jan van den Bogert

[culchie]

That's the bit that puzzles me, probably only because I'm not familiar with Dutch terminology: what's special, so to speak, about flying Fireflies?

[Paul Joosten]

Anyone who does not fit into the "standard" categories is made into SD... It even happened to me!

[culchie]

good answer. Thanks!