Themes

Article Highlights

• Introduction - The story of RNB Portsmouth

• Ship to Shore, 1903 - 1914

• HMS Victory during World War One

• Between the Wars

• The Barracks during World War Two

• Post War Reductions

The Barracks during World War Two

World War Two broke out 3 September 1939 after the Germans invaded Poland. Fortunately, the invasion of Czechoslovakia the previous year had tested the efficiency of the barracks’ mobilisation. As a result, once war started the barracks was ready.

Mobilisation was a rigorous process for both the Reserves and HMS Victory’s staff. Naval doctors, dentists and optometrists checked over all reservists before they were issued with kit and some advance pay. The men then set off in trucks to their designated ships.

Telegram from the Commodore RNB Portsmouth informing Mrs S Henshaw that her son Owen is missing, presumed dead. Dated 26 May 1941. Stoker 1st Class Henshaw was serving aboard HMS Hood. (RNM)

On 19 December 1939 King George VI paid his first Royal visit of the war. The 6 000 men inspected provided an air raid shelter demonstration drill on the Parade Ground. In January 1940 Winston Churchill, then First Lord of the Admiralty, also made the first of several visits to the barracks.

The German bombing campaign severely effected Portsmouth and between July 1940 and May 1944 the Germans performed 67 air raids on the city. The men of HMS Victory played a part in aiding the local population. Commander in Chief Portsmouth, Admiral Sir W M James, ordered 1 000 sailors from his command to help in clearing the streets. His ‘Friendly Aid Parties’ would travel to blitzed areas and assist citizens in the retrieval of valuables from their destroyed properties.
Admiral James also sent volunteers out to cultivate vegetable patches. The overflowing HMS Victory had established camps around the Portsmouth region such as the Belmont and Stockheath Camps in Havant. These camps also grew crops - and Stockheath Camp even kept pigs. Soon the Admiral sent men to aid the old and infirm by digging their gardens also.

Visit of HM King George VI and Queen Elizabeth to the Royal Naval Barracks, Portsmouth c.1941. (RNM)

Bombs hit the barracks for the first time during a daylight raid on August 12 1940. The bombs hit the south east corner of the parade ground damaging the bandstand, and the Wardroom the other side of the road separating the officer’s and rating’s barracks. If the bombs had landed on the air raid shelters, there would have been a great number of casualties.

The worst raids were to follow. On August 24 1940 the barracks escaped with minor damage. But HMS Victory was not so lucky on the next major raid in January 1941. On 10 – 11 March 1941 14 direct hits badly damaged the barracks killing 10 men and wounding 47. The largest raid to hit the barracks occurred on 17 April 1941 when a land mine destroyed the Sick Bay and part of the Chief Petty Officers’ Mess leaving 33 dead and 71 injured.