Themes

The Navy's People

• Naval Lives

  • Edward Pitcairn Jones

  • William Waller

  • Loftus William Jones

  • JT Cull

  • A C Green

  • Philip Needell

  • Astle Scott Littlejohns

  • EJF Records

  • Clifford Simkin

  • Frank Clements

  • Margaret Hodgson

  • Charles Sheppard

  • 'Buster' Crabb

  • Sir Frank Twiss

  • Jeff Tall

  • Phil Macquaid

  • Julia Massey

  • Nick Vaux

  • Wayland Austin

• In Focus: Women in the Navy

• In Focus: Recreation and Time off

• In Focus: Discipline and Punishment

Learning

• How To: Understand Naval Medals

Frank Clements

Article highlights

• The career of the NAAFI worker who became a prisoner of war

• Clements' NAAFI service

• HMS Exeter in the Far East

• Surviving as a POW

• Forced labour

• Release and homecoming

HMS Exeter in the Far East

The ship came near to clashing with the German battleship, Bismarck, en route to Sierra Leone. Exeter then began a long journey around the seas of the southern hemisphere, sailing to Durban in South Africa.

Clements had the chance to take part in a 'Crossing the Line' ceremony whilst onboard. This marked his first crossing of the equator.

The ship arrived at Aden in the Middle East in July, and then departed for Mombassa in Kenya. It then arrived in Bombay in August, then left with another convoy of troops for Syria.

Exeter escorted troopships as far as the Persian Gulf, before returning to Bombay. Further voyages to Colombo in Sri Lanka, and the Maldives followed.

Letter sent from NAAFI to Clements' wife (RNM)

Japan entered the war in December 1941. Exeter sailed to Singapore in order to escort troops from the Far East.

Singapore fell to the Japanese on 15 January 1942. Japanese bombers attacked HMS Exeter and various other ships for a period of eight hours. The ship suffered further Japanese bombing raids throughout February.

Exeter left port during the night of 1 March in the hope of making Colombo, despite its disabled condition. HMS Encounter and the American ship, USS Pope, escorted Exeter but the ships were sighted by Japanese planes. A

Japanese destroyer hit all three ships at 1125. The Captain of HMS Exeter ordered that the ship be deliberately sunk.

The Navy was unsure at the time what had happened to the crew of HMS Exeter. Frank Clements' wife received a letter informing her that her husband was missing, presumed dead.

Telegram from Navy to Clements' wife (RNM)

Related External Links

• NAAFI

• HMS Exeter

• Royal Naval Museum - Collection Catalogue Online