After my spell on H.M.T. Hammond I was drafted as 1st Lieutenant to H.M.T. Lord Lloyd under the captaincy of Lieutenant Thorton RNR at Aberdeen. Within a hour or so of joining we were at sea bound for Scapa Flow in company with another trawler H.M.T. Northern Star.

(left) HMT Lord Lloyd in Iceland 1940
A requisitioned Deep Sea Trawler of the Lord Class. It was Lord Lloyd, with HMT Northern Star, who were the two ships sent to investigate the Counter invasion of Iceland by two reported ships believed to be German Capital Ships These proved to be only 'Icebergs'!

Here we found a mass of ships, navy and merchantmen, and most impressive of all was the Ark Royal. We all guessed something of importance was about to take place. Early next morning, this mass of merchant ships with heavy naval escort including H.M.S. Ark Royal, H.M.T. Lord Lloyd and H.M.T. Northern Star set sail for Iceland.

Iceland was neutral in the War, but geographically, held a very key base in the Battle of the Atlantic.

It was vital that it be "occupied" by us before the Nazis managed to do so. This was the purpose of the "exercise".

This "occupation" force arrived in REYKJAVIK, capital of Iceland, a few days later after an uneventful trip."

When the troops landed there was little or no physical opposition but a bitter feeling by the inhabitants that they should be "occupied" and thereby loose their freedom. There was quite a considerable "PRO" nazi feeling in the population which became even more so when 400 of the Island's citizens, who were known to be strong and active nazi supporters, were rounded up to be taken back to England and interned. With these on board, (I think the Ark Royal) the convoy set sail a few days later for its return to Scapa Flow. The only two ships left to look after the occupation force of Iceland were H.M.T. Northern Star and H.M.T. Lord Lloyd (my ship).

Our job was to escort Icelandic merchant ships around the island delivering goods to our Army and Air Forcemen. It was on one of these trips that we came across four German bodies in the sea - presumably from a sunken U-boat. These we laid out in canvas on the quarter deck for sea committal the next day

I recall coming down from the bridge having completed the middle watch, to notice the Cox'n bending over the then uncovered corpses. I discovered he was digging the gold fillings out of their teeth and when I asked him what he thought he was doing, he replied "I am not letting any good gold go down with bad Germans!

To keep up our spirits, we always used to listen to Vera Lynn and Winston Churchill who were regularly on the air. At one time during the early part of our stay in Iceland we received a signal which dismayed us all. It read "if all else fails, sail to Nova Scotia and carry on the war" signed Winston Churchill.

It was about that time, that one evening whilst the ship was "off duty" in Reykjavik harbour, we received a signal "raise steam immediately, and, in company with H.M.T. Northern Star proceed to the east of Iceland to investigate two large objects reported heading west towards Iceland. These resembled two large warships of the Scharnhost type, i.e. Germans.

On receipt of our orders, I remember thinking what on earth can two little trawlers armed with a 4" First World War gun and a few machine guns, do against powerful ships (a drawing of this type of Battleship is enclosed).

I collected my wallet and in it I put a photo of my wife and I thought "this is it - death or a prisoner of war"

The two little ships sailed eastwards toward the Barents sea all through the long night searching for these two great German capitol ships, but

(luckily) all to no purpose.

Later that day to everyone's enormous relief, we received a signal from the Naval Officer in Charge Reykjavik which said "return to harbour - suspicious German Battleships approaching from east, now proved to be two large icebergs.

In early August 1940, I noticed an advertisement in the Admiralty Fleet Orders asking for volunteer officers to take a minesweeping course. By this time I was a qualified Watchkeeping Officer (Anti Submarine) and now a full Lieutenant. To get any chance of being appointed in command of one of these fine little ships I realised I must also have qualifications in minesweeping.

Here was my chance to take one step forward and incidentally to escape Iceland! BUT it was a saying in the Navy, "never volunteer for anything

How right was that saying - so now read on!