E-Boat Action off the Korean Coast
H.M.S. Jamaica 1950

 Photos of Korean War Service 1950
By
Walter Hughes
Ex able seaman H.M.S. Jamaica.

It's hard to believe that the Korean war started over 50 years ago, and I well remember, when it came over the radio, that North Korea had invaded South Korea, and the question on most people's minds was, where in the hell is Korea? So, we were ordered into Kure, (Japan), and, after taking on supplies, we were heading for Korea.

My first experience with Korea was, to see the bodies, tied in pairs, floating  past the ship, we did not know who they were, we presumed they were American soldiers, because at the time, the Americans were being almost pushed into  the sea, at Pusan.

Shortly after we were in Sasebo, we were assigned to patrol the East coast, with the U.S.S. Juneau, and H.M.S. Black Swan. I will never forget, the many excercise action stations drills we had, at all hours of the day, and night,
and we were pretty fed up with them, in hind sight, I realize how important all those actions drills were, as we had to get up to high effeciency, in short order.

Then, at dawn, one morning in July, the tannoy crackled, and the pipe was, "hands to action stations", and as I ran out to open deck, I could smell the cordite, and I thought, "my god, this is the real thing", and the Jeneau was already firing. Turns out, there were about five E-boats, trying to sneak down the coast, and they did not have much hope of getting away from our task force. When it was over, we had sunk, 3 E-boats, and beached one, and I believe one escaped, (but I'm not sure).

I was a loader, on H1/H2 4inch gun, and since our gun was right next to the lifeboat, some of our gun crew, were also part of the lifeboat crew, (me included). Since I was the smallest member of the boat crew, I was the bowman, and it was the bowman's job, to pick up any survivors, who might be in the water. SEE PICTURES BELOW

There were two survivors, from one of the gun boats that we sank, and as we reached them, I reached out to grab one, first off, I pulled his life jacket from him, (he was just clinging to it, and at once, he went under the water, and I had to reach down, and grab him by the hair, and pull him into the whaler, it was almost the same scene, as we went
after the second survivor, as he also, was just clinging to his life jacket. (I don't think they had time to put them on). After it was all over, we finished our patrol, and headed back to Sasebo, where some American M.P.s were waiting
for us, and the last I saw of them, (the prisoners) they were being dragged away, to God knows where.

After a few more patrols, (one in which, we took a hit from a shore battery) we were assigned to the West coast, where things were a lot less hectic, that is, until the Inchon landing, when things heated up again for a while. We were closed up at our action station, a couple of days, and I believe it was on the third morning, that we were attacked by a couple of Mig jets. They really did not have much of a chance, for, when the time was right, we opened fire with everything we had, so, they did not last long.

That's some of the things I remember about Korea, of course, there are a lot more memories in my mind, but it would take a long time, to put it all on paper.

Walter Hughes
Ex able seaman H.M.S. Jamaica.

Lifeboat after returning to ship with prisoners. I am the one in the right hand picture standing in the bow of the boat, I have my anti flash gloves tucked into my belt.

Korean gun boat alongside Jamaica for water and other things

The burial service for crew members KIA and the 
ships crew gathered for the service

Burial at sea for Korean sailor who died on Jamaica after being wounded

Some of the wounded in hospital in Sasebo