大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by Pauline Keevil of Uckfield Community Learning Centre, a volunteer from 大象传媒 Southern Counties Radio on behalf of George V Monk and has been added to the site with his permission. George V Monk fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions.

I served in the British Merchant Navy throughout the war as a Radio Officer. In June 1941 I joined the ssAuditor, a cargo liner of Harrison Lines. We sailed from London and were bound for Capetown, Durban and Beira fully loaded with export cargo, Army supplies and aircraft.

We sailed North of Scotland to Oban where we joined an ocean convoy. This convoy dispersed a week later. Sailing independently our course was towards South America and then across the South Atlantic to Capetown. On 4th July we were torpedoed by U-boat U123. A violent explosion took place by way of No 4 hold and it destroyed a lifeboat. I was asleep at the time but quickly put on some clothes and made my way to the Radio Room. My Chief was already there and had started transmitting our SSSS message to advise the Admiralty that we had been attacked. Our emergency transmitter was being used as the ship鈥檚 power supplies had failed. I then went back to the bridge deck to put our lifeboat transmitter into a boat. At that moment the crew lowered the boat and when it had been launched I had to climb back to the bridge deck and then to the Radio Room. The Master then gave the order to abandon ship. My Chief made a final transmission, and both of us joined the Master in his boat. We quickly pulled away, and when about 100 yards away the Auditor sand stern first. All that was left of a fine ship was three lifeboats which contained 70 crew.

As instructed we waited for 2 days for rescue but no ship came. There were no charts but fortunately I had a diary which gave the position of the Cape Verde Islands, our nearest land, some 600 miles away. All three boats then set sail for these Island sailing independently. Stock was taken of our supplies and our rations were: - 3 ounces water, 1 spoonful of condensed milk and a biscuit each day. These biscuits were so hard and could not be eaten and were thrown to the sharks. Hunger and thirst were indescribable. On the 8th day the Master doubled our rations. From the beginning our lifeboat leaked badly and it was necessary to bail continuously. It was warm in the day but very cold at night. As there was always a swell the boat shipped a lot of water. On the 12th day we sighted an island low on the horizon. We had to alter course to sail to it. In doing so the boat had to be tacked. During the day the mast came down three times. Our speed was reduced and we shipped a lot of sea. By nightfall we were near to the Island. Next morning we sailed nearer and the wind dropped so the boat was now on an even keel the first time since the voyage started. There was no place to land so we had to start rowing. It was very tiring as we had not eaten much during the last 13 days. Later that morning we sighted some houses. The local fishermen saw us and so they came out in their small boats with carafes of water and towed us the last mile to their village called Tarrafal on the island o Sao Antao, Cape Verdi Islands.

All three boats sailed to these islands and all 70 crew survived.

Note When a ship sinks the articles close. Therefore the crew鈥檚 pay stops, and they become DBS鈥檚 (Distressed British Seamen).

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