Willie’s introduction to Granton in World War II part 2

The Firth of Forth saw the first enemy action over mainland Britain during World War II. It happened on the 16th October 1939. A squadron of Junkers 88 bombers attacked Royal Naval vessels at anchor to the east of the Forth railway bridge.

The cruiser H M S Southampton was damaged by a bomb passing through her superstructure and two decks. It then exited the hull and exploded, sinking the admiral’s barge and a pinnace moored alongside.

H M S Mohawk returning to Rosyth from Gibraltar, was not so lucky. She was escorting a convoy on the last part of her journey to Rosyth. While off Elie Ness, the Mohawk was dive-bombed by a JU 88, one of the final waves of bombers on its way to the Forth Bridge. An Sc250 (500 lb) bomb exploded alongside, lifting her stern out of the water, shrapnel piercing the quarter inch plating of the hull along one side. Commander Richard Jolly was seriously injured on the bridge but declined to go below and be attended to. He brought his ship back to Rosyth at high speed. Royal Naval casualties during the day’s action were mostly on H M S Mohawk. Sixteen naval personnel were killed including commander Jolly who died after reaching port and forty four were wounded. Two enemy bombers were shot down into the Forth, four Luftwaffe aircrew were killed and four were taken prisoner.

The first JU 88 was shot down by Patrick ‘Patsy’ Gifford of 603 (City of Edinburgh) Squadron from Turnhouse. It crashed into the sea off Port Seton. This was the first enemy aircraft to be shot down by a Spitfire. The second bomber was brought down some ten minutes later by George Pinkerton of 602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron. It crashed into the sea off Fife Ness.

Several days later H M S Belfast, a newly commissioned cruiser, accompanied by H M S Southampton was heading down the Forth to take part in gunnery practice off the May Island. Between Inchkeith and the May Island the Belfast was seen by an onlooker to be lifted out of the water by a tremendous explosion. A magnetic mine had exploded under her hull causing one death and twenty casualties. Belfast suffered extensive flooding, had broken her back and was out of service for three years having to be extensively rebuilt. She is moored on the Thames, in London, and is now open to the public.

The Royal Navy had laid extensive minefields along most of the eastern coastline of Great Britain, as a defence against German warships and u- boats. The German air force, under cover of darkness, attempted to close the Firth of Forth to shipping by dropping acoustic and magnetic mines by parachute. They also bombed and machine gunned both merchant shipping and fishing vessels. Most shipping to and from the Forth was in the form of escorted convoys. Ships from Granton, Leith and Grangemouth assembled off Methil in large numbers, to await their Royal Navy escorts.

Trawlers from Granton were also targets of the Luftwaffe, among them the Compagnus. One crew member was killed another seriously injured. The Isabella Greig was bombed and sunk. Her crew were rescued by the Eileen Wray which was also machine gunned. The River Earn another Granton trawler was attacked and sunk the next day by two enemy aircraft. She had rescued three survivors from a Dutch vessel. Both the Dutch sailors and the trawler men were reported safe after thirty six hours in a life boat.

Trawlers from Granton were also targets of the Luftwaffe, among them the Compagnus. One crew member was killed another seriously injured. The Isabella Greig was bombed and sunk. Her crew were rescued by the Eileen Wray which was also machine gunned. The River Earn, another Granton trawler, was attacked and sunk the next day by two enemy aircraft. She had rescued three survivors from a Dutch vessel. Both the Dutch sailors and the trawler men were reported safe after thirty six hours in a life boat.