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Men of Sherwood
William Sail 12X
The 1/5 Sherwood Foresters made their way to Liverpool as part of the 18th Division, leaving family, friends and loved ones to fight for their country. It was thought to the Middle East, but however World events would decree a very different destination.
Orcades
The Men of Sherwood embarked with the 1st Cambridgeshires into the ‘Orcades’, a total of 3281 ready for battle, although most of them had not fired a rifle at a man to kill before.
1941/10/30 - Sailed with Convoy CT.5 from Liverpool as part of the 18th Division
1941/11/08 - Arrived Halifax and transferred to USS West Point with 55th Infantry Brigade, consisting of 1st Cambridgeshires and 5th Beds and Herts (3250 troops).
1941/11/10 - They sailed from Halifax in Convoy William Sail 12X. Sailing via Trinidad and Cape Town.
Above Photo supplied by the late Maurice Rooney
Aircraft - Vought SB 2U Vindicator Scout Bomber - USS Ranger which was flying an Anti Submarine patrol over the convoy.
Ships Front Line Top to Bottom
USS West Point - USS Mount Vernon - USS Wakefield - USS Quincy (Heavy Cruiser)
1941/12/08 - Japan entered the war by attacking Pearl Harbour and Malaya. This changed everything. Churchill decided to defend British interests in the Far East, the 18th Division would be sent to Singapore.
1941/12/25 - Mount Vernon left convoy with the 53rd Infantry Brigade, sailing for Singapore in convoy DM1
1941/12/27 - The rest of the convoy berthed at Bombay, it now became Task Force 14.2
1942/01/02 - Task Force 14.2 sailed from India destination Singapore.
1942/01/29 - Arrived Keppel Harbour, Singapore and greeted by a Japanese bombing raid and Singapore in flames.
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