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This story is submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by a member of Market Harborough Branch, Royal British Legion on behalf of the widow of the author and has been added to the site with her permission. Mrs Tyler fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions.

Hurricanes Hardly Ever Happen!.
By Ray Tyler

During the war I was a Jack Dusty (Storekeeper) in the Andrew (Navy). I normally slept in the afternoons and did my book-work about two in the morning. Early one morning, when I was preparing for the Bubbly (rum) issue, word came that the Galley (Kitchen} was not to be used. So no Ki (Cocoa) for those topside ( on deck) or those doing the books.

Then the ship started to corkscrew (roll and pitch) badly, which we were told was caused by a Hurricane nearby. Suddenly, through the extra noise caused by the ship's movement there came a scream from the Galley. A cook, trying to make chips, was covered with boiling fat which had slopped from the large oil cooker.

I was alone and nearby, and action was urgently needed, but what? And very quickly! Outside the Galley were several large bags of white flour, used by the baker for making bread for the several hundred ship's crew. I ripped open one of these bags and rolled the lad in the flour. I yelled for someone to get a stretcher and one of our doctors. We had two.

Well, I was congratulated by the Doctor, who said that there would be very little scarring, but "how the hell do I get that flour off his body?" A few days later, still looking like a snowman, they flew him off to hospital ashore side and for all I know he is still there, covered with flour and oil.

Could I have done better? I often wondered. What would a good First-aider have done?

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