Mediterranean Convoy - HMS Erica

More from My Dad's 1942 Diar

Diary of Signalman Lewis Hale

Thursday April 23 1942. HMS Erica, on convoy duty between Tobruk and Alexandria
Twenty first birthday of Signalman Lewis Hale, as recorded in his diary
‘At sea instead of home with my family, but I’m having a fairly good time. I wonder if they remember back home, but my twenty first birthday was remembered by Schofield who congratulated me at 0001 as I was going off watch. It made tears come to my eyes to know that I wasn’t forgotten, especially when he spoke of the day with subs on our tail and all.
Up at 0700 for the forenoon but there wasn’t much doing. Dinner and tot at 1300, followed by an attack by JU88’s. This is certainly the strangest birthday, my third abroad and I feel very downhearted…not like being home, but Lord help Jerry if he tries this lark again.
1700 air raid over convoy…2 JU88’s and there’s six subs in our vicinity.
Head down around 2130.
Day ends with us hunting a U-Boat.'

 

Admiralty War Dairy for 23 Apr 1942

Shows ERICA leaving Alexandria on the 22 Apr 1942