Tag: Arthur Gibson

WWII "Drifting" Mine!

WWII: D-Day 81st Anniversary [1944-2025] – Remembering Arthur Gibson and the HMS Beaumaris Castle (FY 992) – of the “Royal Navy Patrol Service” [RNPS] ! (5.6.2025)

A “moored” mine (or “Naval” mine) is a single mine anchored to the seabed by a length of metal chain or rope – operating at a depth decided by the length of mooring tether. These mines were deadly as they often hid below the waterline and the line of sight – waiting for the hull of a ship to strike it in passing. A “drifting” sea mine was a device (sometimes “magnetic” but also “non-magnetic” or “contact” detonated) that floated about on the surface of the sea according to the tide. These mines could travel hundreds of miles and bob and weave their way up estuaries and into harbours. From what I gather according to the stories I was told, it was these “drifting” mines my grandfather was responsible for destroying. Obviously, a “U-Boat” was a Nazi German “Unterseeboot” or “Under Water Boat” – whilst an E-Boat referred to a Nazi German fast-attack “Enemy Boat” – usually carrying torpedoes. 

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Arthur Gibson - RNPS

WWII: 1939 Founding of the Royal Navy Patrol Service [RNPS]! (26.5.2025)

I think the Royal Navy and RNPS acted in parallel around the UK – as I remember two Royal Navy ships working at exactly the same time during WWII – both holding exactly the same name of “HMS Beaumaris Castle” (but with different registration numbers). The point was that the war with Nazi Germany caught the UK government by surprise and there was not enough time (nor was there the resources) for the government to build proper military-grade mine-sweepers. Fishing vessels were acquired and thousands of volunteers called for to immediately defend the UK coastline. Those men who volunteered were permitted to “choose” to serve in the RNPS – rather than being placed wherever the government most needed men. The above extract sheds light on how the RNPS was first formed in 1939.

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The Red Flag Flies Over Red Square!

Russia: May 9th “Victory Over Fascism” – 80th [1945-2025] Commemoration! (9.5.2025)

From 1942-1945 he fought everyday in the North Atlantic. Recently, the “Russian Arctic Convoy Museum” – voted to remove the word “Russian” from its title – can you believe that? I stood with Veterans of these fine and brave men at the Soviet War Memorial in the grounds of the Imperial War Museum – and everyone of them had a positive viewpoint of the USSR and Russia. Like my grandfather (Arthur Gibson) these brave men were not permitted to march at the London Cenotaph (primarily by the Royal British Legion) due to their association with the Soviet Union. Ironically, the Soviet War Memorial was unveiled in 1999 – when “New” Labour was still pretending to be “left-wing”! Finally, all those loyal British military Veterans who had fought alongside our Soviet allies during WWII – were permitted a spot where they could finally parade and carry their flags with honour and dignity!

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Arthur Gibson - Medals - WWII

Royal Navy Patrol Service: 80th Anniversary of D-Day! (6.6.2024)

This idea stems from the small English ships that got amongst the impressive Spanish Galleons of the Spanish Armada which was defeated in late 1588. My grandfather spoke of the Soviet sailors – male and female – that staffed many of the Convoy Ships who would throw bars of chocolate onto the British ships as they sailed by as a means of saying “Thank You”! The German U-Boats reeked havoc on all British shipping – particularly in the North Atlantic. I do not agree with the current trend of US and British youth who mistakenly eulogise the Navy German Navy – fixating upon the U-Boat section – whilst ignoring the brave sailors of the British Navy. The Navy German Navy committed War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity and should not be raised to a level of admiration and respect. Thank you to the RNPS for protecting the UK during WWII!

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Red Flag Over Berlin!

Victory in Europe Day! May 8th-May 9th – UK, US & Soviet Armies Meet in Berlin! (8.5.2024)

Salute to Sophie Scholl and her Comrades – who were brutally guillotined by Hitler! Salute to the 800,000 men and women murdered by Adolf Hitler’s regime within Germany (1933-1945)! Salute to the Viet Minh – which fought and died throughout Indochina – fighting the Imperial Japanese – only to be betrayed by Winston Churchill in 1945! By the time this portrayal played itself out in 1975 – 6 million Vietnamese men, women and children would lie deeds or wounded following their successful battles with the Imperialist French and US! Salute to the Korean people who fought Imperial Japan – and US aggression in Korea (1950-1953)! Salute to Chinese People’s Volunteer Army that displayed its true “Internationalist” Spirit in Korea! The Juggernaut of Nazi German, Imperial Japanese, and US fascism was stopped in Asia!

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WWII: My Tribute to the Excellent British ‘Home Guard’ (LDVF) and Some of My Published Work! (6.10.2023)

My maternal (‘Gibson’) family used to live in Lewisham, East London – until they were bombed-out by Hitler during the Blitz of September 1940 (the Blitz would go on to kill 70,000 British people between 1940-1941 – with 40,000 deaths in London alone). The Gibson family were then evacuated to the ‘Forest Hill’ area of Oxfordshire – due to them having a ‘nephew’ living in the area. In 1983, a book focusing on local history was commissioned entitled ‘Forest Hill with Shotover – A Portrait (1983)’. This was published by the ‘Forest Hill Women’s Association’. The Story of my grandfather – Arthur Gibson – and his family arriving in the area is recorded on Pages 28-29

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