georgewilson.html

George Wilson
Submarine Detector (ASDIC) on HMS Venomous (1942-3)

Francis George Wilson was 18 when he joined the Royal Navy in September 1941 but already married. He was from St Helens in Lancashire and joined Venomous during its refit at Troon in March 1942 and left at Falmouth in October 1943.

As the ASDIC operator he would have reported to Warrant Officer Herbert J.B. Button DSM RN who was responsible for anti-submarine operations. George Wilson had a crucial role to play on the 11 November 1942 listening for "pings" from the U-boat which sank Hecla but, sadly, left behind no written record of what happened that night.

These family photographs are the property of his grandson, Andrew Wilson. Take a look at George Wilson's photographs and if you can provide further details or identify any of those on them please e-mail me.

Shipmates photographed on bow of Venomous beneath "B" Gun while berthed alongside unidentified ship

Studio photographs of three of George's shipmates on HMS Venomous
Do you recognise George Wilson's three shipmates?
The young man on the right closely resembles the rating on the right in the photograph below.

Cold beer

George Wilson is seated second from right next to Ken Barlow, the man who sent him the photograph, second left
The beer label was identified by a collector in Australia who specialises in Egyptian beer labels
See: http://www.beerlabels.net/Countries/Mylabels/Egypt.htm

"Repatriation ship, Algiers" written on reverse and with distinctive markings on hull
What do the markings on the hull signify?
And who were being repatriated?
POW liberated after the surrender of Axis forces in North Africa?