大象传媒

I am an ex-Royal Air Force Officer; having served continuously from July 1939 until I retired in October, 1966. I served throughout ww2 and 2 years in the Malayan campaign I witnessed many horrific sights during my service career - as we all did. However, there is one I shall take with me to my grave!In late August, 1940, as an airman - I was not commissioned until after the war - I was posted to No6 Air Ministry Experimental Station, (later known as No.506), together with several other Radar Units to the Middle East. We all boarded various Troopships in Liverpool. No.6 Unit personnel were on the Athlone Castle liner, one of several 'Castle' ships in what was then the largest convoy of troopships ever mustered. I was not alone in being amazed at such a gathering; the Germans too were showing, for us, a special interest!!For the following 10 days or so, until the convoy was complete, we were 'visited' by German aircraft, whose crew showed a special 'photograpic interest' in our ships!.The crew on our ship told us that there would be a U-boat pack waiting for our convoy, out there "somewhere" - they were not wrong! During this waiting period, our troopship was moored alongside the 'CITY OF BENARES' - one of the many 'City' liners in the convoy.We were told that there were several hundred children, aged 10-14 on board; they were being evacuated to Canada. Every day, the troops on the Athlone Castle and the children on the City of Benares, would be singing,exchanging greetings and general banter; we would throw sweets to them - we were so close. We all really enjoyed it! The relationship we developed was quite moving! We were then not to know, that, within a few days, all those lovely kiddies would be dead!!
We set sail on 9th September, 1940. Despite the huge efforts of the escort vessels of the Royal Navy and RAF Coastal Command, the U-boats sunk many of our ships.
I shall NEVER forget, while having breakfast some 4/5 days after leaving Liverpool, that tannoy announcement: "IT IS WITH GREAT REGRET THAT WE ANNOUNCE - THE CITY OF BENARES WAS SUNK DURING THE NIGHT"!!
I was by no means alone in - unashamedly - shedding tears at that dining table. To this day, and especially as I type these words, I still see the happy, smiling faces of those children!!

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