Page 292 - Il Mediterraneo quale elemento del Potere Marittimo - Atti 16-18 settembre 1996

278 THEAN D. POTGIETER

For the duration of the war, the Gamtoos continued her active career an d di d
salvage duties in ports ranging from Ajaccio to Naples, Malta and Genoa. At Ge-
noa, during May:June 1945 she removed the blockship, the tanker Sterope, from
the harbour entrance and after considerable work inside the harbour, Genoa was
112
likewise opened < >. Rich in laurels and with abundant complements for her intre-
pid performance, the Gamtoos arrived back in Durban o n 11 December 194 5 (113).
In arder to further meet the increasing need for salvage ships, the SANF agreed
to man the HMS Salvestot, which was commissioned at Naples on 31 August
14
1944 0 >. The CO was Lt Cdr C.F. O'Brie~, formerly CO of the Gamtoos. The Sal-
vestor did valuable salvage work in the Aegean until she was sent to Hong Kong
11
in march 1945 < 5>.
South Africans serving in the Royal N avy in the Mediterranean during the Se-
cond World War<116> ·
Whereas the Mediterranean was the war zone in which the largest number
of South African sailors served in their own ships outside South African Waters,
it was but one of the many theatres in which South Africans in the Royal Navy
served. Most of these men were seconded from the South African Division of the
RNVR. Some of them had joined the Royal Navy before the war and others had
joined the RNR or RNVR in England. Ali of them were volunteers.
But why did South African RNVR officers and ratings chose to l1e seconded
to the Royal Navy rather then serve in South African vessels? Numerous reasons
exists. In the first instance, by 1939-40 the role of South Mrica's Navy, then known
as the Seaward Defence Force, was considered a monotonous one "with little chan-
ce of any adventure beyond · those usual to service in small craft which generally
1
are those accompanied by great discomforr0 7>. Most of the SA naval personnel
were also serving in South African waters, in ships based in their own home towns,
while many a sailor wished to serve further afield. The possibility of "seeing the
world .. even in war-time has a great attraction to youth, irrespective of the means.
And lastly, with the South African naval establishment not having purpose-build
warshi ps, the possibility of service in other an d more vari ed types of craft also ha d
a great attraction (118).
South Africans serving with the Royal Navy served in a variety of vessels and
participated in many an action in the Mediterranean. HMS Gloucester, a Southamp-
ton class cruiser first visited Cape Town in Apri!· 1940, when South African RNVR
personnel joined the ship. This meant that when she participated in the Battle of
Cape Matapan, in Marc.h 1941, thirty-four seconded South Africans were on
board < 9>. The Gloucester had a active war-time career and endured many hits by
11
20
bombs and according to Adm Cunningham, "always carne up smiling'' 0 >. But
unfortunately, the Gloucester was finally bombed and sunk by enemy aircraft, while
returning from covering the destroyers rescuing survivors from HMS Greyhound south
of Kithera on 22 May 1941.