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On 16th December, in Plymouth Sound a fresh disaster struck the Tenby and once again involved the motor boat.

Sea conditions were very rough and later a 40 knot gale developed, intensifying at times into violent squalls. Nevertheless, shore leave was granted to the Starboard watch from 1800 that evening. At the time Tenby was at a buoy just north of Drake’s Island on the Cornish side of the Tamar. The motor boat took the first contingent of liberty men ashore. Leaving the ship it headed for the harbour steps but about halfway across it developed engine trouble and broke down, they managed to get a tow back to Tenby and the fault was put right and then the boat got back to harbour safely, the boat returned to the ship and another batch of liberty men were assembled and waiting on the quarterdeck.

This time the boat didn’t make it. While it is believed that when the boat emerged from the relative shelter of Barnpool, it met the full force of the gale on clearing the lee of Drake’s Island, where dangerous currents meet; the small craft although capable of standing up to fairly rough weather capsized and in the intense darkness there was no possibility of the accident being seen. The victims, eight in all, had little chance in those turbulent waters.

George Barlow recalls the scene ‘I had decided to go on deck for a breather; I saw the boat leave the ship, a small squall, extra to the force of the wind, made itself felt on my face. The next moment I heard cries for help. No need to guess where they were coming from, it was in the direction of the liberty boat. I covered the distance from the quarterdeck to the mess in one and nearly knocked the wardroom door down in the process as I thumped into it. The first Lieutenant, new to the ship, appeared; all I could blurt out was ‘liberty boat in trouble, there are cries for help coming from its direction’. I also told him I would go below and flash up the second generator as the searchlight would be required. I rushed down to the engine room, feeling helpless that I could do no more. I don’t know what other orders were given but the searchlight was soon in operation. Boats searched, and other sweepers in the vicinity swept with their searchlights; but to no avail. The first information of the accident came when one of the ratings swimming towards the shore (the only one to survive) attracted the attention of a watch-keeper on another sweeper. Searchlights roved over the water but the weather worsened still further and with high seas running, the searcher’s task became ever more difficult, but it was carried on until the authorities felt that there was no chance of any further rescue. For three hours the lifeboat cruised in the Hamoaze and the Sound from Drake’s Island to Torpoint, later examining the foreshore off Tinside’.

Throughout this time the ship was in constant communication with Naval HQ at Devonport, who eventually called off the search. Later, a Royal Naval Board of Inquiry was held. Shortly after the tragedy, Christmas and New Years leave was given, but it was with heavy hearts that we greeted leave on that occasion.

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