hi.
Some history of the ship and stuff for modders
http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-06CL-Penelope.htm http://www.wartimememoriesproject.com/ww2/ships/penelope.php http://www.world-war.co.uk/index.php3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9C13yMf4td4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAhiVP8T5hU&feature=related http://www.whiteensignmodels.com/brochure/CDs_penelope.htm http://www.whiteensignmodels.com/brochure/images/700penelope/penecam.jpg http://www.vallejogallery.com/item.php?id=30 (Model)
The Penelope after being in dock for eight days and constantly bombed by the Luftwaffe. Became the "Pepperpot" On the Good Friday whilst in the dock the Captain A.D.Nicholl.RN......."It was now Good Friday.April 3rd. After an early morning raid, I sent for the Padre and said "There are drinking songs and hunting songs. What we need is a shooting song. Can you compose a simple tune and simple words, as crude as you like.?
The Padre took about an hour. I approved it and the bandmaster orchestrated it for the band(Royal Marines) At dinnertime I ordered the Quartermaster to pipe "Hands to lay aft to sing a song"
I climbed to the top of the after turret, megaphone in hand and the words on a blackboard.....
Get them in your sights
And shoot the buggers down
Shoot the buggers up
Shoot the buggers down
As overhead they pass
Just shoot them up the 'bottom'
And-Shoot-The-Buggers-Down
The ships company came doubling aft, grinning as they read the words on the blackboard. The band played, I sang the words through the megaphone, and then they all had a go.The song went with a swing and we felt like taking a bow when there was a hearty round of applause from several hundred dockyard workers, attracted by the sound of the Band. This lighthearted interval semed to cheer everybody up, and during the next few days, I heard snatches of the song with ribald variants of the words"
During the air attacks ,with new damage being inflicted before the old was patched up, is an epic. She wore out her gun barrels, changed just before going into dock. She fired over 5,000 rounds of 4" and over 75,000 rounds of smaller anti-aircraft ammunition. As her Captain put it "It had been a testing time for everbody in the ship and events had proved that a wee chap with a stout heart, was worth ten of a brawny athlete with clay feet."
Penelope escaped from Malta on 8th of april and arrived after close shave in Gibralter on the 10th. With all the wooden plugs jammed into the holes in the ship some even called her "Porcupine".
At the height of the attack the ships cat gave birth to three kittens. She used The bunk in the Captains sea cabin for her accouchement. The kittens were named Bomb,Blitz and Blast.
Among the signals received :-"Penelope from Prime Minister.Bravo"
cheers Frank
