大象传媒

The story is about my father, William Richards.

The source is my mother, who is slightly unreliable, and Mr Ridley from Grimsby, ex RN, who was also on the Gracie Fields.

The story starts with my dad working at Thorneycrofts, Southampton, ship building and repair, 1940. My father was an Engineer, who was disabled before the war (damaged legs), and was taken on by Thorneycrofts as a mechanist / turner.

In the run up to Dunkirk, naval officiers toured the factories at Southampton looking for Marine Engineers. My father and mate volunteered and were told to go home and get warm clothes for sea, and report to dock gate number xx

They did, and were put, as engineering crew, onto "The Gracie Fields", side paddle steamer being used as a minesweeper.

I believe they were off the beaches for several days, minding their own bussiness, sweeping mines, before the Germans cottoned on that the paddle steamer was a mine sweeper.

Consequently, it was late in the day, when they receive a bomb amidships. My mother said it went down the funnel. The bomb fuse being set for "land" did not go off until the bommb passed right through the boat, and exploded on impact with the shallow sea bed, blowing the bottom out of the Gracie Fields.

The boat sank in 3 minutes. Aopparently my father was in the engine room, and there was some considerable panic to get out. The boat sank to the bottom, but the super structure was still above the waves. The surviours clung to the boat top sides.

My father, and his mate, realising that the evening and darkness was approaching, and that their chances of surviving the night in the cold water was slim, consequently they decided to swim ashore.

Later that evening, the destorer "Cumberland", going back home to refuel and re-arm, decks full of soldiers, stopped, put down boarding nets and picked up survivers, including Mr Ridleyand, ex northsea fisherman and young recruit into the Royal Navy.

My father and mate stayed on the beaches for 2 days, and were evenually picked up and returned to Littlehampton, where both were thrown in jail, because no one come establish their identity.

How my mother got my dad out of jail is another story.

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