大象传媒

Actually my story,related to me by my Father, Albert Percy Dukes really begins in the thirties.
As was the thing in those days for famillies to see their loved ones leave when a ship left port.
This was about 1937 and I was about 5 years old and on such a day my Mother and I went to Berth 30/31 at Southampton Docks to see Father off. As usual we went aboard for about 30 minutes. My Father was 1st Class Deck Steward on the R.M.S."Alcantara". During the time we were on board,my Father introduced my Mother to a gentleman Passenger on route to South America.
He apparently picked me up and carried me around the Deck showing me off to other Passengers.
That man was Captain Langsdorf who was to become a notary at the Battle of the River Plate with the "Graf Spee".
In 1939 the "Alcy" as she was affectionately known changed her profile from a two funnel ship to a single,the forward dummy funnel was removed.
In 1940 she became an AMC.(Armed Merchant Cruiser). Four six-inch guns added. From here on this is the Diary of my Father CPO Albert Percy Dukes and the ship was in the South Atlantic.
Wed.June 26th 1940.
Left Capetown early this morning for a trip to South America to meet up the warship
H.M.S."Hawkins".
On board we have Captain Oram of the Submarine "Thetis" which went to the bottom tragically. He is going aboard "Hawkins".
Thurs.June 27th.1940.
Nothing of note.
Fri. June 28th to Sun.3rd July.1940
Still nothing but days of agony hearing of the Air Raids over England.
Thurs.July 4th.1940.
News of another French Warship down.
We must look out down this way.
Fri.July.5th to Sat.6th.July 1940
Heard reports the the Royal Navy are going to attack the French Warship "Richlieu" in Dakar.It's my Birthday and not a "wet" to be had.
( The next page of the diary is missing)
Tues.16th.July. to Wed.17th.July.1940
Still patrolling off Rio de Janiero.
Thurs.July 18th.1940
We have received orders to go North of the Equator as fast as possible to catch a German Raider believed to be in that region.
I hope we catch her.
Fri.July.19th.1940.
It is reported now that this raider is a big thing ("Graf Spee?", so it will be lucky for us to get out alive. I am so afraid.not that I'm a coward but that I may never see you or our children again.
Sat.July.20th 1940.
Alarm "Rattlers" sounded for action Staions and I thought we had met the Raider,but it was a false alarm.
Sun.July.21st.1940.
Quiet Today but weather nasty and wet,very hot.
Mon.July 22nd.1940
The Raider has gone North,it is thought,and we have been ordered to go South again to an Island 500 miles east of Rio de Janeiro called Trinidada.
It is thought that the Germans may be using it as a Base.
Tue.July 23rd.1940
Still proceeding South,somewhere off Bahia.
Weather warm and plenty of sharks about.
Wed. Jul.24th.1940
Weather changing rapidly now and the sea is getting rough.Winter is approaching down this way now.
In about 2 months time we'll be leaving for home,I hope.
Thur.July 25th.1940
Nothing much happened today but tomorrow we arrive at the Island of Trinidada.
I wonder if we will find anything there looking for a fight. In the Last War WW1 the
German ship "Cap Trafalgar" was found refuelling there.
Fri. July.26th.1940
Well, we found the Island alright but after cruising around it for a couple of hours we decided that there was nothing alive on it except the birds,so we proceeded with out Patrol in Square K33.
Sat. 27th July.1940.
Still on Patrol off Rio and I am fed up with loitering on the high seas and long to get home.
Sun.July 28th 1940
We sighted a ship a long way off so altered course and went after her.
She saw us coming and increased her speed and so did we.
It took us 4 1/2hours to get in range (14000 yards),but before that time she had raised her flag and open fire on us.
We the knew she was a German Raider* and better armed and a range of 17000 yards
*Confirmed as KMS "Thor".Light auxilary Cruiser under the command of Captain Otto Kahler).
We stuck to her until we were holed in the engine room.
Then of course our engine speed went down,but we gave her something to remember as she made off under a smoke-screen.
She must have been damaged otherwise she could have turned an finished us off.
If we could have made 20 knots I think we could have sunk her.
My job was to tend the wounded,under fire all the time.I thought of you at home every time a shell screamed and then the explosion,it was terrific.(We had fired about 200 shells).
This was my first taste of action and I hope it will be the last.
Another fellow and myself had the horrible duty to pick up the two dead,One Officer and one Seaman who died as we carried him away.The ship was riddled with holes.
While we were chasing the ship in the morning the Church Service was held as usual.
Mon.29th.July 1940.
We are still hobbling about in the Ocean like a lame duck at 8 knots,but where are we going? Lord only knows.
Our Captain Ingham DSO and Jimmy the one
Mr Fellows-Gorden says that it's cetain we can't stay at sea like this.
Tue.30th.July.1940
I found out today that the action took place
500 miles from Rio de Janeiro and 200 miles South of the Island we searched a couple of days ago.
We heard all sorts of rumours about the Raider being so badly damaged that she was in a sinking condition. She also carried lots of prisoners from ships she had sunk.
She had to be silenced somehow and she was.
Now it will be easier for any British Warship that comes across her,if she is afloat.
Wed.July 31st.1940
The next 4 days spent in Rio for repairs.
Sunday.Aug.4th.1940
We received a message of congratulations for our gallant action from Rear Admiral Harwood.
Mon.Aug.5th 1940
We sailed from Rio but did not see any German warships waiting for us to put us "on the bottom" as said by Lord "Haw-Haw"
over the wireless.
To be continued...

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