´óÏó´«Ã½

CWS 180804D 16:23:57 — 16:25:50

This story has been added by CSV volunteer Linda Clark on behalf of the author Peter Gilson. His story was given to the Trebah Video Archive, supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund in 2004. The Trebah Garden Trust understand the site’s terms and conditions.

The Docks became the focus of attention for the Germans and on July 10th 1940 the docks were quite badly hit. There were three vessels along the Northern arm, the Maria Chandris, a Greek vessel, the Tuskalusa and The British Chancellor a tanker, fortunately not loaded with oil at the time. These three were hit and after notable acts of bravery notably by one of the Falmouth pilots who managed to dodge the fire to get on board one of the ships. The Maria Chandris was towed away from the burning wreckage of the other two ships to St. Mawes Creek and put on Amsterdam Point where it burned fiercely for three days.

Some time afterwards we found some amusement from this event. In those days the Grammar School took boys from St Mawes (they came over on the ferry every day) and the father of one of the boys was an Air Raid Warden in St. Mawes. The boy told the story that even though the whole of St. Mawes was illuminated like day, the ship fiercely burning for a few days 400 yards offshore, his father went around the village instructing everyone to put out their lights. The Tuskalusa was towed to St. Just Creek and it was allowed to burn out, after which it was broken up and taken away and used for scrap. The British Chancellor was repaired and put back in service and strangely enough, my brother served on it later in the war.

© Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.