- Contributed by听
- Darlington Libraries
- People in story:听
- JAMES HOPPS
- Location of story:听
- ALL OVER THE WORLD
- Background to story:听
- Royal Navy
- Article ID:听
- A6386024
- Contributed on:听
- 25 October 2005
Jimmy
Jimmy joined the Royal Navy when he was 18 years old. When he did his tour of duty in the Mediterranean the ship was attacked from the air by enemy aircraft. Needless to say the ship went down.
At the time Jimmy was doing his washing and only had a towel around him. On board ship were entertainers from ENSA, Wrens and other feamle members of the armed forces. Naturally these had to be got off the ship first, so by the time Jimmy and other members of the crew were ready there was no life boats left so life belts had to be used.
Jimmy was in the water eight hours clinging to a wooden raft. Everyone had to fight for their own survivial and and there were many men who lost their lives. He was picked up a Dutch trooper and by coincidence one of the crew was an old school friend. He landed in North Africa (Philipsville Army Camp) where he was kitted out - he then went back to fighting the war and travelling the world, at one time working on landing crafts.
He came out of the Navy when he was 22 years old and is now 80 years old.
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