- Contributed by听
- newcastlecsv
- People in story:听
- Joan Frances Cafferty (nee Maton) Elizabeth (Mother) Robert (Father) Robert (Brother) Ronald (Brother)
- Location of story:听
- At Sea Hong Kong to U.K.
- Background to story:听
- Army
- Article ID:听
- A5531447
- Contributed on:听
- 05 September 2005
"This story was submitted to the People's War site by a volunteer from newcastlecsv on behalf of Joan Francis Cafferty [name of contributor/author] and has been added to the site with her permission. Joan F Cafferty fully understands the site's terms and conditions".
My Dad was an R.S.M. in the Seaforth Highlanders and we had spent six years in Egypt, and China. It was 1938, the Crisis in U.K. saw him on the P. & O. RAWALPINDI urgently travelling 鈥榟ome鈥 to train Militia. We were left in Hong Kong, my Mother, two brothers and me. We were used to seeing him off to peace -keeping operations in places like Palestine and Shanghai.
We left Hong Kong on the troopship 鈥淒ILWARA鈥 in August 1939 bound for 鈥楤lighty鈥. On board were the exchange crew from the Aircraft Carrier 鈥楨AGLE鈥, families from various Army units, a full ship. On arrival in Port Said, Egypt, 3rd September, 1939 saw the announcement of the War. Rumours were flying about where we would be sent. We set sail for U.K. in convoy, our ship heading the convoy. About 10.00 pm we were taken from our beds to lifeboat stations as we had been in collision with another ship in the zig-zag operation used by ships in convoy to avoid torpedoes. We had a massive hole in the side of the ship and had to wait to see whether we could proceed, as it was just above waterline. Sandbags were piled in and off we limped, praying for calm seas. We eventually arrived in Gibraltar for repairs.
I think we were there for two weeks and joined another convoy, which took a wide detour into the Atlantic. The escorting destroyers from The Navy were alert and we saw many swoops when Depth-charges were dropped. We also heard news of sinkings and of evacuees being lost on some ships. It was very frightening.
When we did arrive in U.K. after a very long and worrying journey, we could not find out where my Dad was or where we would end up. He could not find our position and was nearly demented.
On arrival in Southampton we were put on board a train to London, caught another train overnight to Fort George, on the Moray Firth, travelling in very uncomfortable and frightening circumstances.
All ended well, it was by then October, very cold and wild, but dad found us and we were happy to be there.
QUITE AN ADVENTURE FOR A THIRTEEN YEAR OLD.
THE END.
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