# HMS Hermes and Corfu collision



## audierne (Sep 20, 2008)

In "The Royal Navy in South Africa" Bill Rice 2001, pages 62 & 63, there are photos of the seriously damaged bows of HMS Hermes. The photos are dated 17 August 1941 (in spite of a typographical error)
the damaged was caused by a collision with Corfu off Dakar which must have happened some days earlier.

I then went to "Armed Merchant Cruisers 1878-1945" by Richard Osborne, Harry Spong & Tom Grover, 2007, to look up Corfu. (page 247) I wonder how she fared in view of the damage suffered by Hermes.
I found no mention of the incident and no trace of a lengthy stay anywhere for repairs.
Have I got the wrong Corfu by assuming it was the AMC? Or was there another?

Any info gratefully received!
Gerard Le Saffre

PS A happy New Year to all.


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## davidships (Nov 3, 2007)

Ship's logs for HMS HERMES covering 1941 are in the National Archives:

ADM 53/114405 - Mar 
to
ADM 53/114407 - May
[June is missing]
ADM 53/114408 - Jul
to 
ADM 53/114410 - Sep

However for CORFU there is a big gap covering Apr-Aug 1941; only
ADM 53/113968 - Mar
ADM 53/113969 - Sep.


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## audierne (Sep 20, 2008)

Thank you Davidships,
Since I live in France, I am not going to visit Kew in a hurry.
I found a few things on the Internet,(a 30 foot gash in the bows!!)
One wonders how she stayed afloat. From the pictures, I assume it was a head to head collision, but still...
All the best, 
Gerard


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## Ian6 (Feb 1, 2006)

Hi
The P&O archive within DPWorld's website is very good for detail on P&O group ships, see: www.poheritage.com
There it reports that for Corfu that on 10.07.1940: Struck in a rain squall at 0300hrs by the aircraft carrier HMS Hermes when escorting a convoy leaving Freetown, resulting in a 9-metre hole in her starboard bow into No.2 hold which was full of ammunition. Escorted by the cruiser HMS Devonshire, she was towed stern-first back into Freetown for emergency repairs, first by the cruiser (whose tow carried away) then more effectively by a tug.
Part of her armament was temporarily landed for coastal defence use.
17.01.1941: Left Freetown via Lagos, Simonstown, Durban, Mombasa, Colombo and Trincomalee to Calcutta for permanent repairs.
07.05.1941: Arrived at Calcutta.
08.09.1941: Repairs completed. Convoy and escort duty in the Indian Ocean.
17.10.1942: Arrived at Southampton for six-month re-armament there.

It is gratifying that despite the sad takeover of P&O by Dubai Ports World they have maintained and indeed expanded the old P&O Website, albeit now they are keen to sell you the pictures at the exorbitant NMM rate.

Ian


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## audierne (Sep 20, 2008)

Thank you Ian6
Which website is it?
Would they have a photo of the damage?
We live and hope!
All the best,
Gerard


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## Ian6 (Feb 1, 2006)

Gerard
The website is as in my post #4, www.poheritage.com
When there click 'Archive' and then names beginning 'C' and scroll down to Corfu. I do not know of any picture of the damage to Corfu although the Imperial War Museum in London may have something.

The attached poor quality repro is of Corfu as an AMC.

I was the last 3rd Officer of Corfu's bigger, later sistership 'Canton' back in1962.

Ian


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## audierne (Sep 20, 2008)

Ian 6
Thank you for the information.
I must have been asleep when I read your message!
I have just had a look.
Gerard


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## mark Bowering (Apr 10, 2021)

audierne said:


> In "The Royal Navy in South Africa" Bill Rice 2001, pages 62 & 63, there are photos of the seriously damaged bows of HMS Hermes. The photos are dated 17 August 1941 (in spite of a typographical error)
> the damaged was caused by a collision with Corfu off Dakar which must have happened some days earlier.
> 
> I then went to "Armed Merchant Cruisers 1878-1945" by Richard Osborne, Harry Spong & Tom Grover, 2007, to look up Corfu. (page 247) I wonder how she fared in view of the damage suffered by Hermes.
> ...


Hi 
My father Lt Howard Bowering was engineering officer on the Corfu at the collision with Hermes I actually have two black and white photographs of the damage to Corfu My father patched up the hull , I can send copy 
Regards
Mark Bowering


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## mark Bowering (Apr 10, 2021)

mark Bowering said:


> Hermes


I can report that Corfu was repaired and lived to fight another day


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