Lieutenant Commander (A). Alexander John Inman Temple-West (FAA)
1917 -1993
Son of Commander Francis Edward Temple-West, R.N. (DSC), received for Services in Action with Enemy Submarines, WW1.
London Gazette
Distinguished Service Cross, 1914 Star, British War Medal, 1914-18, Allied Victory Medal
Inscription - Distinguished Service Cross
Brother of Lieutenant Commander (A) Francis Ernest Orman Temple-West (FAA), mention in despatches for distinguished service during flight operations from HMS Activity on convoy JW58, WW2
London Gazette
HMS Activity
Lieutenant Commander Alexander John Inman Temple-West (FAA)
Awards:
1939-1945 Star (Battle of Britain)
Atlantic Star with Clasp (Air Crew Europe or France and Germany)
Defence Medal
War medal 1939-1945 with Oak Leaf
Africa Star (North Africa 1942-43)
Length of service:
War time; 4th July 1938 – 15th May 1946 as pilot in the Royal Naval Fleet Air Arm.
Certificate of Service as an Officer
Total length of active service in the Royal Navy 4th July 1938 – 1st August 1958.
Accepted as an officer in the Royal Naval Reserve on the 1st November 1958.
Cirtificate of reserve status
The ships on which he served
HMS Cumberland - county-class heavy cruiser.
HMS Cumberland
A J I Temple-West entered the Royal Navy in 1938 and after officer/flight training was assigned to HMS Cumberland as she joined the 2nd cruiser squadron on the South American station.
At the start of the Second World War in 1939 (with Father aboard), Cumberland was assigned to 2nd Cruiser Squadron Force G, the South American Division. At the start of December she was forced to self-refit in the Falkland Islands, thus depriving the force of their strongest unit. Without her, HMS Exeter, Ajax and Achilles engaged the German raider Admiral Graf Spee in the Battle of the River Plate on 13 December. Cumberland received a garbled indication that a contact was being made and moved north to reinforce, arriving at the River Plate at 22:00 14 December, after steaming for 34 hours. The Graf Spee had put into neutral Montevideo and was trapped there, as Cumberland along with Ajax and Achilles (Exeter having been heavily damaged) patrolled the estuary, resulting in the Graf Spee being scuttled by her crew on 17 December.
A photograph of HMS Ajax (Dec 1939) taken by A J I Temple-West on a Reconnaissance op.
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HMS Indefatigable - Implacable-class aircraft carrier.
HMS Indefatigable
In December 1943, Lt Cmdr Temple-West was made commanding officer of No 9 Torpedo-Bomber-Reconnaissance (TBR) Wing based at RNAS Lee-on-Solent. The Wing comprised of squadrons 820/ 826 and was equipped with Fairey Barracuda torpedo bombers.
A J I Temple-West in flight with No 9 Torpedo-Bomber-Reconnaissance (TBR) Wing
On the 10th June 1944, No 9 Torpedo-Bomber-Reconnaissance (TBR) Wing were assigned to HMS Indefatigable and were led into battle by A J I Temple-West as part of “Operation Mascot” on 17 July and “Operation Goodwood” in August, in the attempt to sink the German battleship Tirpitz in Kaa Fjord, Alta, Norway.
For his part in operations he was mentioned in despatches for distinguished service.
A No 9 Torpedo-Bomber-Reconnaissance Wing Fairey Barracuda on HMS Indefatigable
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HMS Formidable – Illustrious-class aircraft carrier
HMS Formidable taking on aircraft
Lieutenant Commander A J I Temple-West joined HMS Formidable in early 1945 as HMS Formidable sailed to join the 1st Aircraft Carrier Squadron of the British Pacific Fleet bound for operations against the Japanese.
After an unexpected machinery breakdown, Formidable docked for repairs in Gibraltar and finally joined the British Pacific Fleet in place of HMS Illustrious on 16 April 1945. She subsequently took part in air strikes against Sakishima Gunto between April-May 1945. Between 4-9 May 1945 she was hit by Kamikazes - yet was able to operate aircraft within a few hours of attack, her aircraft later took part in air strikes against Japanese home islands between July-August 1945.
HMS Formidable arrived in Sydney, Australia on 23 August 1945 and was tasked with the repatriation of allied prisoners of war from Japanese POW camps etc.
HMS Formidable - Sydney, Australia
Father had some good anecdotes from that time, such as… “The ship was stripped to the bare minimum. We were operating with virtually a skeleton crew and the Red Cross. The flight deck and hangers were covered with camp beds, mess decks and cabins stuffed with food and medical supplies. We had one aim…to get these people out of hell and back to civilization for the help that they so badly needed, as quickly as possible and by whatever means.
Only one problem… Aboard was a contingent of Asian troops who kept coming to the bridge to ask if the ship could be turned toward Mecca so that they could carry out prayers. This of course was an impossible request as that would have meant carrying out the manoeuvre five times a day.
I had a think… and ordered one of the hands to find some paint. An hour later we had a large arrow and the words “This way to Mecca” painted on the side of the bridge. Of course it was pointing in the direction we were steaming… but needs must, and we were never visited on the bridge again”
During this duty HMS Formidable carried nearly 14,000 passengers and steamed over 100,000 miles.
On the carrier’s return home to Britain, there was a person waiting at the docks… My Father’s wartime sweetheart and my mother to be, Elsa May Clough.
Elsa May "Paddy" Clough
She had only just arrived back from her own war as a Woman’s Royal Air Force (WRAF) NCO in the codes and ciphers operations room at HQ, Alexandria Egypt...…but that’s another story.
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Lieutenant Commander (A) A J I Temple-West remained in the Fleet Air Arm and continued his duties until 1958.
WW2 insignia of the Fleet Air Arm and ribbon bar - A J I Temple-West
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My tribute to my Father and Mother
We miss them all
