Home | Veterans | Ron Yardley
Ron-Yardley-film-still

A veteran interview with

Ron Yardley

Ron Yardley joined HMS Belfast as she prepared to head to Korea.

Play video
Watch the interview

About Ron Yardley

Born in 1931, Ronald George Yardley faced the hardships of wartime as a child. At 18, he joined the Navy, trained for six weeks at HMS Royal Arthur, and became a Wireless Telegraphist. He later served on HMS Belfast and was deployed to Korea. Ron remembers the immense cold as they journeyed closer to Korea, travelling through frozen seas. When the Belfast arrived in Korea the bombardment and involvement in the war started immediately.

He remembers a sad moment when the ship’s water pipes burst after being hit by enemy fire, scalding a soldier to death. Ron also recalls two marines who died on a mission, their bodies never recovered.

Ron recounts a heartfelt moment when a young orphan from his mess deck, who never received letters, asked if Ron could read some of his own to help him feel connected to life back home.

After leaving HMS Belfast, Ron was posted to HMS Royal Prince in Germany, where he carried out exercises on Hermann Goering’s luxury yacht. He remains deeply thankful to the South Koreans for funding the National Korean War Memorial, a place he proudly takes his grandchildren to.

Credits

Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
Reviewed by:
Jake Woods
Transcribed by:
Jake Woods

Copyright:
All video content, web site design, graphics, images (including submitted content), text, the selection and arrangement thereof, underlying source code, software and all other material on this Web site are the copyright of Legasee Educational Trust, and its affiliates, or their content and technology providers. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Any use of materials on this Web site – including reproduction for purposes other than those noted above, modification, distribution, or republication – without the prior written permission of Legasee Educational Trust is strictly prohibited.

Home | Veterans | Ron Yardley

A veteran interview with

Ron Yardley

Ron-Yardley-film-still

Ron Yardley joined HMS Belfast as she prepared to head to Korea.

Related topics & talking points

Veteran gallery

Photos & memories

Keep on watching

More veteran stories...

Share this interview on:

https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/ron-yardley/

Cite this interview:

MLA Style:
Yardley, Ron. A Veteran Interview with Ron Yardley. Interview by Martin Bisiker. Legasee, 27 Nov. 2017 https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/ron-yardley/. Accessed 23 May. 2025.
APA Style:
Yardley, R. (2017, November 27). A Veteran Interview with Ron Yardley [Interview by Martin Bisiker]. Legasee. Retrieved May 23, 2025, from https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/ron-yardley/
Chicago Style:
Yardley, Ron. 2017. A Veteran Interview with Ron Yardley. Interview by Martin Bisiker. Legasee, November 27. Accessed May 23, 2025. https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/ron-yardley/
Harvard Style:
Yardley, R. (2017). A Veteran Interview with Ron Yardley. [Interviewed by Martin Bisiker]. Legasee, 27 November. Available at https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/ron-yardley/ (Accessed: 23 May 2025)
Vancouver Style:
Yardley, R. A Veteran Interview with Ron Yardley [Internet]. Interview by M. Bisiker. Legasee; 2017 Nov 27 [cited 2025 May 23]. Available from: https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/ron-yardley/
An interview with

Alec ‘Ernest’ Kellaway

A 12-year naval odyssey from the Spanish Civil War to post-WWII peace building

Alec 'Ernest' Kellaway joined the Royal Navy at the age of eighteen, embarking on a career that spanned a period of global unrest and offered a unique perspective on life at sea. He began his service aboard HMS Hood, where he spent over three years. HMS Hood, a legendary battlecruiser, played a significant role in naval history until its tragic sinking in 1941—a fate Alec narrowly escaped, having been sent ashore for training just before the disaster.
Alec's journey didn’t end there. He served on destroyers like HMS Cossack, participating in daring missions such as the famous Altmark incident in Norwegian waters. As the war progressed, he adapted to new challenges aboard Motor Launches, carrying out anti-submarine patrols and convoy escorts along the West African coast. His adaptability and resilience were further tested when he joined HMS Skate, where he braved the perilous Arctic convoys and took part in the D-Day landings.
After the war, Alec's duties extended to Africa and Asia, where he played a role in post-war peacebuilding aboard ships like the HMS Loch Tarbert and HMS Concord. His experiences included everything from laying mines to combating drug trafficking in the Far East.
Alec's story is a powerful example of strength and the unstoppable spirit of those who served. It’s filled with chilling experiences and moments of camaraderie, offering a glimpse into the lives of ordinary people who played extraordinary roles in shaping history.
Service:
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
An interview with

Patricia Davies

Patricia Davies was involved in Operation Mincemeat, one of the most notorious secret war events of WW2. 

Not many women would turn down a posting to Bletchley park but Patricia Davies did. It rubbed up a few noses but it ensured that she would be involved in one of the most audacious secret missions of the Second World War. Operation Mincemeat was a highly innovative and successful deception which helped to convince the German high command that the Allies planned to invade Greece and Sardinia in 1943 instead of Sicily, the actual objective.
In her interview, Patricia reflects on her role in the op and marvels at the secrecy that was part and parcel of her life during the war. She also offers opinion on the the film 'The man Who Never Was', which was made about the Operation.
Patricia passed away on the 22 July, 2014.
Service:
Interviewed by:
Martyn Cox
An interview with

Dick West

Dick West and "the Shiny Shef"

"You could say I had a fortunate life really." Dick West recalls his time as an Engineering Artificer (ER2) during World War II in the Royal Navy, following in his fathers footsteps. Follow his journey from Chatham Tech (A.K.A Collingwood) through to his first posting in Portsmouth to Torpoint (Cornwall) all the way north to Scapa Flow. His time on the Destroyer called Oribi and the Sheffield “Shiny Sheff” (cruiser). Dick recalls life in the mess on a boat, the roles he had in supporting the Cruiser and places they visited and friends they made along the way, including Canadians. From Scottish ports, to Icelandic fronts (Akureyri, Hvalfjordur), to the Arctic Sea Battle of Scharnhorst alongside the Belfast and The Norfolk, fighting off German tanks in Italy. Dick recalls a lot of spent time in the Arctic Circle but also making stops in the Med and North Africa before finishing in Canada and the USA (picking up parts from General Electric).  
Photo Gallery icon 4 Photos
Service:
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker