Len Skelton joined the Queen Empress on the 17th December 1940 when she had become a minesweeper in the channel, stationed mainly in the area of Portsmouth. Her role seems to have been escorting convoys in the channel and clearing the shipping lanes of mines. The Queen Empress figures little in Admiralty records. She was one of the many small ships that spent the war quietly getting on with her job. But she had her own moment of glory. On 15th May 1943 at Harwich on the East coast she opened fire on five or six Focke Wolfe 190s.
The Captain recorded: ‘At 21.57 shore sirens were heard, and at the same time tracers were observed ashore, firing downwards. Almost immediately, bomb explosions on the beach and in the sea were observed, and a number of aircraft (Fokke Wolfe 190s, five or six ) appeared from the land flying South East at high speed, height 50-100 feet.The entire armament opened fire, concentrating on the third and fourth planes. The third plane at once dropped two bombs ahead of Queen Empress, distance 300 yards. These exploded and simultaneously hits were scored on this plane whereupon flames and smoke appeared from his starboard wing. Fire was continued until the aircraft were out of range. Cork Light Vessel was at one time in direct line of fire. A few moments later, two planes were seen to crash into the sea in flames. It is considered certain that the plane seen to be on fire was one of these. This is confirmed by HMS Balmoral anchored at Platters A.A. position, and should be confirmed by Cork Light Vessel. The guns' crews also claim hits on the fourth plane, but this cannot be confirmed as attention was concentrated on the plane which was already in flames.'
The Lieutenant in Command, H Astbury, made the claim for a kill. The kill was confirmed by the Flag Officer in Charge on 19th May. The next day the Ministry of Information photographer came aboard and recorded the event. Photographs were taken of the gunner, recording of the kill, and of course the ships officers. This happened just before Len left the Queen Empress on 1st November 1943. He was an ‘acting’ Leading Seaman at this time.
The Queen Empress came to something of an ignominious end. She was returned to the Clyde after the war but she was found ‘not to be worth reconditioning’. She was sold to a Belgium ‘breakers’ yard in August 1946.
Above: Gunner on board HMS Queen Empress
Marking up the kill
HMS Queen Empress officers
Wartime crew of HMS Queen Empress on the bow
Report of Engagement of Enemy Aircraft 16 April 1943
I am grateful to Marshal Skelton for supplying the above pictures and narrative. I am grateful too to Len Skelton and his colleagues for what they did for this country.