大象传媒

A few days before D Day, HMS Windsor, a destroyer of the Harwich Striking Force, was in Sheerness. All leave was cancelled for the ship鈥檚 company as we were going to cross the Channel with our flotilla to take part in the landing.

Three sailors who joined us recently (whose nicknames were something like 鈥淏ash鈥� and 鈥淐rash鈥� and another nickname which I have forgotten) told people who listened to them what they were going to do with the enemy when they got the chance! In the event, they were deserters.

Three days before we sailed for France, in the middle watch, the three men took the motorboat illegally and went ashore, left the motorboat an a sandbank and thumbed a lift on a lorry making for London. The lorry was involved in an accident and of our three deserters, one was reported killed, one was injured and in hospital and one was brought back to the ship as a prisoner.

The Captain was angry and also sad, because before this happened, HMS Windsor was a happy and efficient ship, but three men who deserted brought dishonour to the ship.

Before we sailed, lower deck was cleared and the prisoner was brought up before the Captain. Officers and ratings witnessed the Captain tell the prisoner that he was charged with 鈥淒esertion in the face of the enemy鈥� and he was under close arrest and be held until a Court Martial was convened ashore after the ship got back from France.

As HMS Windsor had no cells, the prisoner was escorted to the tiller flat which was to be his home until the ship got back. Sentries were posted to guard him and let him out in case the ship was hit. Meals and so forth were also provided. The tiller flat was below the water line and his life was hell, but that was his choice.

The prisoner was put ashore under guard some time later for Court Martial. I really do not know what happened to him afterward but I expect that he was punished.

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