OVER 2 YOU 236 (21/06/05)

SHIP SEARCH

My father was in the Royal Navy during the last war.  His ship, for part of the time, was H.M.S. Sikh, which was sunk at Tobruk on September 14th, 1942. Dad received a Distinguished Service Medal. He was eventually picked up from the water and spent time in an Italian prison camp. He was never very keen to talk about any of this, said he didn't want to relive the experience. I do have his medals and a few newspaper cuttings but would love to find out more. Can anyone suggest a suitable website or resource for research? 

Pam Sturrock, via email

There have been a number of ships in the British Navy named after Sikh themes from the 1850's up to WWII, the HMS

Sikh perhaps being the most famous as it took part on the attack on the Bismarck and was involved in a fierce battle off the coast of North Africa in which it was sunk. Today it is a historical diving wreck that can be visited from Libya. Here

are a couple of links for further information: http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/4434.html

www.sportesport.it/wrecksLB022.htm

Sandeep Singh Brar, www.sikhs.org

For information about HMS Sikh, see: www.hmscavalier.org.uk/G82/. Details relating to "Operation Agreement" can be found at: "Massacre at Tobruk" by P.C. Smith, published in 1987 (ISBN 0 7183 0664 3) (www.dive-bombers.co.uk/Tobruk.htm)

Andy Skarstein, via email

I suggest that Pam Sturrock gets in touch with the Ministry of Defence, Naval Historical Branch, 3-5 Great Scotland Yard London SW1A 2HW. They were very helpful to me researching for details of my old ship sunk off Anzio and sent me a full casualty list and summary of service. Sikh was also involved in the Bismarck battle and Arctic convoys

Eric Alley, via email

My town, Beckenham, adopted HMS Sikh at the beginning of 1942 when we had a warship week. The ship was sunk in the Med before it could be presented with the commemorative panel. Today this is in the Bromley Museum at Orpington. The local sea cadets were called Sikh. I should be very interested

in contacting Pam Sturrock for info on her father because I'm putting together a book called Beckenham's 30 Glorious Years 1935 to 1965. Website: www.pickpatspage.homestead.com

Patricia Manning, Beckenham

Your correspondent could try the following for information on H.M.S. Sikh:

www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk or her nearest Royal Navy Old Comrades Club, Royal Navy Association or Royal British Legion

J. Dunnett, Portsmouth

Contact ‘Navy News’ a monthly newspaper for the RN, which includes current activities of the Navy as well as historical events. The paper also has an "Over to You" column and a request placed there could produce a result. Their website address is www.navynews.co.uk, or write to, "Navy News", HMS "Nelson", Portsmouth PO! 3HH. Alternatively, try The Royal Naval Association, 82, Chelsea Manor Street, London SW3 5QJ.

Geoff Pretty, via email

Your correspondent should have a look at: http://hmcshaida.ca/sikh.html, which should give some information and possibly pointers regarding this ship's history.

Richard Maughan, Doncaster

My father was a professional photographer before WWII and although he with the Royal Navy, he was allowed to take photographs, duly passed by the Naval Photographic Censor. I have his albums and noted the contents some time ago.  Whilst there is no record here of the Sikh, there are several of the Anti-aircraft Cruiser HMS Coventry that was being bombed and sunk in the attack in which the tribal Class destroyers, HMS Sikh & Zulu were lost off Tobruk in September 1942. These include two with sailors being rescued and taken aboard after their ships had gone down. I imagine that these pictures

are the only photographic record of the sinking of the Coventry? I would be prepared to pass on images of these pictures to Pam Sturrock or any one who might wish to see them.

Martin F. Jackson, via email

CORONA CONVERSION

I have a Smith Corona 3900 PWP - it has been a loyal friend and still works well. But I have to move on and purchase a proper computer. My problem is I have lots of vintage steam engine stories saved to my floppies in PWP and ASC11 format. Does anyone know of a program, which I can use to transfer them over to Microsoft Word without loosing any of the data?

Tim Keenan, via email

Moonstone Computing used to produce software, called ‘2 in 1’, for converting Amstrad PCW files via ASCII into Microsoft Word. If Smith Corona can't help there is a firm (www.mobygames.com), which have links with Moonstone Computing and they might be able to track them down or know a firm that would do the job.

Bill Hall, via email

CAN YOU HELP?

People who work with language need a phonetic script: something which gives, not the spelling, but the actual sound of the word, for example, to distinguish between the long ‘a’ of ‘bath’, in Dorset, and the short, snappy, ‘a’ in the same word in Lancashire. Or how to pronounce a foreign word, with vowel sounds not used in English, as well as defective pronunciations, such as speech therapists need to correct, and record. The International Phonetic Alphabet does just this. Snag is – I haven’t got it on my computer: or, if I have, I cannot find it. Can anybody help? 

Colin R. Evans, via email

For private use, I wish (cheaply) to be able to scan a piece of sheet music and then, at the touch of a computer key, change the music key so that it is suitable for another pitched instrument.

For example, scan piano sheet music and change the key to B Flat for a trumpet. Can anyone help?

Dudley Wheeler, via email