Tag Archives: naval party

Jacks and Enfields, 73 years ago today

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13 Sept 1945- Royal Navy landing party complete with Brodie helmets and Enfield rifles head for shore at Hong Kong from the Illustrious-class aircraft carrier HMS Indomitable (background) to guard key points as British forces move in to conduct surrender of Japanese.

Commissioned 10 October 1941, the 30,000-ton Indomitable was supposed to be dispatched to the Far East to support Force Orange, the ill-fated HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse at Singapore, but didn’t make it to the Pacific in time to help either the battlewagons or the colony.

She did, however, provide yeoman service in the Mediterranean before heading back to settle scores against the Japanese in early 1944, fighting at Palembang and Okinawa. She was the flagship of Rear Admiral C H J Harcourt, CB, CBE, when he sailed into Victoria Bay in the above image.

Indomitable went to the breakers in 1955.

Men of action in coffee-stained crackerjacks, 104 years ago today

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These are not the kind of guys you want to pick a fight with.

NHHC NH 100612

Ensign Schuyler F. Heim and other members of the landing party from the South Carolina-class battleship USS Michigan (BB-27) preparing to disembark, 22 April 1914, at Vera Cruz, Mexico.

Their white uniforms have been crudely dyed for camouflage purposes. Heim is wearing an M1912 pistol belt and magazine pocket, with a very newly issued M1911 automatic .45cal pistol in a swivel holster. The immense First Class Boatswain’s Mate beside him wears the M1910 dismounted cartridge belt for the Springfield M1903 rifle. Note additional ’03s in chests on deck.

BB-23’s career was cut short by the Washington Naval Treaty in 1922 and she was decommissioned in February 1923 and broken up for scrap the following year.

Heim went on to become a commodore and was in command of the Naval Air Station on Terminal Island in 1942, resulting in a bridge named in his honor crossing the Cerritos Channel at the Port of LA that remained in service until 2015.

No word on what became of the Hulk BM1.

Sure, you’ve heard of a sergeant-major, but have you heard of a corporal-lieutenant?

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NH 100613

An officer and men of the South Carolina-class battleship USS MICHIGAN (BB-27) landing force prepare to disembark off Vera Cruz, Mexico 22 April 1914 for a rough shore call.

The men wear coffee dyed “white” uniforms and carry Springfield M1903 rifles. The officer, center, wears a Marine Corporal’s uniform, with chevrons and an M1912 pistol belt with magazine pouch for an M1911 which is likely on his person. Note the poncho slung across his body, and packs on deck, one with a rack number stenciled on the attached cartridge belt.

Some 22 men of the 1st Marine Brigade and their accompaning 1,200-man Naval Landing Parties were killed at Vera Cruz while Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels ordered that 56 Medals of Honor be awarded to participants in this action, the most for any single engagement before or since.