Ralph Stobart Robson, signalman, life in the British Royal Navy World War Two, sinking of Prince of Wales and the Repulse, Singapore
Home Page Comments/Feedback  
  1. Chatham to Gourock
  2. The Messman Discovered
  3. Life on Board
  4. Crossing the Line
  5. The Sinkings
  6. H.M.S. Sultan
  7. The Signal Office
  8. Left to Our Own Resources
  9. Colombo
  10. Drafted to Mombassa
  11. Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
  12. Sharks, Lobsters and Going Dutch
  13. Askari Skirmishes and Tea Making
  14. Tramp Steamer
  15. Molo
  16. Deer Hunting
  17. Ralph the Italian and off to Bombay
  18. Arrival in Bombay
  19. Vultures and Buffalos
  20. Poona
  21. Swimming Motorcycles and Monsoon Storms
  22. The Royal Corps of Signals
  23. 'Trixie' Vaughan Lewis and Drowning Men
  24. On Leave in the Himalayas

    Ralph as a telegram boy before the war

My father, Ralph Stobart Robson, died on September 16th 1994 at the age of 76. A very unique individual, he is greatly missed by us all.

During the last 2-3 years of his life he began to record his experiences from the 2nd World War, something he had never talked about before.

Although he had several strokes before he died and lost his facility to read and write, he continued to add to the story with the help of my mother.

The notes were recorded on a very old typewriter, and the following is my attempt to decipher and interpret them. The full transcript is not yet complete and I will be adding to the tales when time allows!

The script is raw, i.e. no editing has been made. It is reproduced exactly as my father transcribed it, and much of it is from his spoken recollections.

For anyone with an interest in this era it is worth mentioning, before you decide to read any more, that my father served on both the Prince of Wales and the Repulse and was one of the lucky survivors when these ships were sunk by the Japanese in the Indian Ocean.

This web site built in our spare time (!) by snowgoose Top of Page