Malta's association with the Royal Navy is very rich. In the words of the Duke of Wellington, Malta was described as, '...a fortress, seaport, a great naval arsenal in the Mediterranean'... The recent discovery of a used naval souvenir menu card from Xmas 1936 of HMS 'Sussex' (Royal Navy warship) sheds light on this close link, providing ample evidence.
According to Wikipedia, HMS Sussex was one of the London sub-class of the County class heavy cruisers. She was built on the Tyne, launched on 22 February 1928 and completed on 19 March 1929.
Service in the Mediterranean
Sussex served in the Mediterranean until 1934 when she was sent to serve with the Royal Australian Navy while HMAS Australia operated with the Mediterranean Fleet. Sussex's exchange tour concluded in 1936 and she resumed her presence in the Mediterranean again until 1939. During the latter trip, she defended the neutral shipping along the eastern Spanish coast on the last days of the Spanish Civil War. In September 1939 she operated with Force H in the South Atlantic during the search for the Graf Spee. On 2 December she and HMS Renown intercepted the German passenger ship Watussi. Before the German ship could be captured she was scuttled by her own crew.
Following the sinking of the Graf Spee in December 1939, she returned to the UK and served with the Home Fleet during the Norwegian campaign. She joined the 1st Cruiser Squadron in Scapa Flow where she was deployed in search patrols and convoy duties.
A Maltese leading seaman
In August her crew detected a defect with her propulsion machinery so she was set to Glasgow for repairs to her turbine blades, and while undergoing work, was struck by bombs on 18 September 1940. These caused serious fires, gutting the after end and she settled on the bottom with a heavy list.
An interesting article in the Times of Malta of 10 January 2021 by Alfred Conti Borda gives a detailed account of a Maltese leading seaman on HMS Sussex, Charles Paris, who survived the above bombing with second-degree burns.
Wikipedia continues to describe the history of this ship until its decommissioning in 1950. After the bombing she needed extensive repairs and did not return to service until August 1942. Having spent January 1943 back with the 1st Cruiser Squadron, Sussex joined the 4th Cruiser Squadron of the Eastern Fleet and was then attacked by U-264. Fortunately for Sussex she avoided the four torpedoes fired at her. Sussex spent 1944 in the Pacific and on 5 September 1945 she entered Singapore Harbour. A Japanese General, the commander of the garrison at Singapore was brought on board, where he signed the formal surrender of the army, thus completing the recapture of Singapore.
HMS Sussex was paid off in 1949 and arrived at Dalmuir on 23 February 1950 where she was broken up.
HMS Sussex Souvenir Menu Card 1936
Souvenir menu card 1936
Ship menus, especially their cover illustrations, more often elicit memories of times gone by. Menus were usually printed on board for normal occasions such as breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as those for special events such as a Captain's dinner.
Menu cards of Christmas meals and other events are not only documents that give details about the meals and other social events on board naval vessels but they also provide visual evidence of life on the ships.
The menu card from 1936 reveals that the Captain of the ship was Stuart Bonham Carter who subsequently had links with Malta.
Vice Admiral Sir Stuart Sumner Bonham Carter, KCB, CVO, DSO (9 July 1889-5 September 1972) was an officer in the Royal Navy who served in both the First and Second World Wars.
He commanded the ship from 1934 to 1936. Between 1942 and 1943 he was Flag Officer-in-Charge, Malta. He retired due to ill health in 1943, although he was recalled in 1944 to lead naval convoys.
It seems that the Captain had a penchant for drawing and art as his signature appears on the front design of the Souvenir menu card. Being Christmas and in Malta, the menu included Breakfast, Dinner, Tea and Supper as follows:
Breakfast
Post Toasties, Rolls & Butter, Mixed Grill, Marmalade, Tea and Coffee
Dinner
Kidney Soup, Roast Turkey & Stuffing, Boiled Ham, New Potatoes, Cauliflower, Xmas Pudding and White Sauce, Apples, Oranges, Tangerines, Dates, Figs, Mixed Nuts, Minerals, Cigars and Cigarettes
Tea
Christmas Cake, Mince Pies
Supper
Cold Roast Legs of Pork, Pickles, Cream Cheese, Biscuits, Butter, Cocoa
A Poem to wrap it all up
A Christmas event in the Royal Navy is not complete without a poem. This poem found in the menu card was written by N. J. Bird. In it, one admires not only the naval slang, prose and rhyme but also the different journeys and places visited by the ship.
It's the last one on the Ship Lads, the others weren't so bad:
If you take it all in all, lads, some real swell times we've had.
We've done our stuff in smooth and rough with scare an intermission
And now let's grin, and say Chin! Chin! To the close of a varied commission.
The Christmastide of '34 was spent in dear old Aussie,
We would have liked the next one too, but found it quite impossie!
And so to Alex's blistered port we steamed our little Ship-O
And lonely Christmas did we spend, deserted by old 'Grippo'
We've circled the Antipodes, we've mashed it out at Faisei,
Of incidents we're so chockful, - of some I'm rather hazy.
We've learned the meaning of 'Too-right', of 'Sheila', 'crook & 'Bonzer'
The 'flannel' gathered up en route, to say the least, - is ton-zer
From sharking in Lord Howe's fair Isle, - tin-fishing in "J.B"
From shewing Diggers how its done and sinking sloops at sea
We've rubbed our noses with the belles who hail fom far "N.Z."
They thought us (rightly) 'Dinkum swells', 'Salt of the Earth', they said.
We foxed old 'Musso' in the Med. We lashed up all the A-rabs,
Of general knowledge we've enough to ruffle it with the Cantabs,
We drove the Hebrew's locos, too! And sent them 'fire-works parties'
You must admit we've seen some life, - hold up there! Jack-my-Hearties.
We've shewn our jib and had Ad-Lib, - at Tangier, Gib and Malta,
The best - or worst, to say of these is that they never alter,
The 'hooch' is either good - or bad, Matloes never tarry.
The bugle sounds, - on suit and hat, and hop it for a Gharry.
So go ashore, all you that may, and Smile! You Duty watch! Next year at home'mid all our own, some liely un we'll hatch.
We'll raise our tumblers up on high - We'll sing right merrily
"And here's our boast - a hearty toast - to 'Sussex'" by the Sea