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My dad was an R.S.M. in the Seaforth and we had spent six years in Egypt, and China. It was 1938; the crisis in U.K. saw him on the P&O Rawalpindi urgently travelling ‘home’ to train Militia. We were left in Hong Kong, my mother, two brothers and me. We were used to seeing him off to peace keeping operations in places like Palestina and Shanghai.
We left Hong Kong on the troopship ‘Dilwara’ in August 1939 bound for ‘Blighty’. On board were the exchange crew from the Aircraft Carrier ‘EAGLE’, families from various Army units, a full ship. On arrival in Port Said, Egypt, 3rd of September, 1939 saw the announcement of the war. Rumours were flying about where we would be sent. We set sail for the U.K. in convoy, out ship heading the convoy. About 10pm we were taken from our beds to lifeboat stations as we had been in collision with another ship in the zigzag operation used by ships in convoy to avoid torpedoes. We had a massive hole in the side of the ship and had to wait to see whether we could proceed, as it was just above the waterline. Sandbags were piled in and off the limped, praying for calm seas. We eventually arrived in Gibraltar for repairs.
I think we were there for 2 weeks and joined another convoy, which took a wide detour into the Atlantic. The escorting destroyers from the Navy were alert and we saw many swoops when Depth-charges were dropped. We also heard news of sinking and of evacuees being lost on some ships. It was very frightening.
When we arrived in UK after a very long and worrying journey, we could not find where my Dad was or where we would end up. He could not find our position and was nearly demented.
On arrival in Southampton we were put on board a train to London, caught another train overnight to Fort George, on the Moray Firth, travelling in very uncomfortable and frightening circumstances. All ended well, it was by the October, very cold and wild, but Dad found us and we were happy to be there. Quite an adventure for a thirteen year old.

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