RNZN Communicators Association
History News

Eric Lewis James REVELL A/1857

Frank Rands

I received notice from Eric’s son that his father Leading Signalman Eric Lewis James REVELL passed away last year in Australia and that he had stumbled upon our Association Blog.  I have done a little digging and have come up with the following, which some of you may find of interest and be able to comment upon.  It was certainly all go for this signalman.

    • Eric joined as an Ord Signalman 25 February 1940
    • Posted to the UK that year posted to Victory
    • Upon finishing his training he was posted to the destroyer HMS Beverley 27 Sep 1940 – 31 May 1941.
    • He is showing as being posted to the shore establishment HMS Eaglet in Liverpool 1 June – 15 October 1941
    • Was sent to HMS Drake from 16 October 1941 to 21 April 1942
    • Posted to the shore establishment HMS Clio at Barrow-in-Furness from 22 April-2 June 1942
    • Posted to HMS Drake IV from 3 June-31 July 1942
    • He was serving in the destroyer HMS Catterick that was built in 1941
    • He is then sent to HMS Tana, a shore establishment at Kilindini, Kenya posted there from 1 August 1942 to 12 November 1942.
    • Africa must have agreed with him, he was then posted to the shore establishment HMS Kongoni in Durban South Africa from 13 November 1942 to 23 February 1943.
    • He then moved to HMS Assegai also located at Durban – he was there from 24 February to 29 April 1943
    • He then returned to New Zealand as he his posted to HMNZS Philomel from 30 April 1943 to 11 March 1944
    • At one point he is at the ACH[?]-
    • In August 1943 he is made an Acting Leading Signalman
    • He returned to the UK in 1944 and to HMS Drake. He is showing as been posted to Ulster Queen, I’m not sure on the name as it does not appear in my books as a ship or shore establishment – he serves from 15 June 1944 to 19 January 1945.
    • He is then back to Drake from 20 Janaury to 4 March 1945
    • He is then posted to HMS Boscawen at Chatham with satellite units at Soton and Portland from 5 March to 13 November 1945
    • He is then put on the books of HMNZS Philomel and returned to New Zealand, being discharged 13 March 1946 as an Acting Leading Signalman.

If you can provide any detail on some of these units it would be most helpful.    Please leave  any feedback as a comment.  It is also understood that Eric was a good pal of ‘Nutty Nichols’.
His son Mike Revell is seeking detail on the reference ACHQ which is understood to be have been located in the grounds of the Teachers Training College, Epsom, Auckland.  What was this facility?