大象传媒

My father, Mr Idris Edwin Evans, was a sick berth attendant in the Royal Navy throughout the Second World War. He sadly died in 2002 so I will try and relate some of his story. He served on board several destroyers and worked alongside some distinguished medical doctors and surgeons.

Early in March 1943 he was on board HMS Wyvern which came under torpedo fire and sustained much damage. Also hit was a Royal Canadian Navy Corvette named HMS Weyburn. The Officers and Ships Company of the 鈥淲yvern鈥� were responsible for saving practically all hands of the Canadian ship, which eventually sank taking one of the petty officers from the Wyvern. My father was left with a number of patients including the head of his Sick Berth Department, Dr Phillip Evans who had sustained damage to both his legs. He also nursed a number of survivors of the Weyburn. The badly damaged Wyvern was towed for more than 12 hours from the Mediterranean to Gibraltar where my father safely transferred all his patients including Dr Phillip Evans to hospital.

Surgeon Commander Button at Gibraltar sent for my father and thanked him for all he had done and stated that he had been 鈥渞ecommended鈥� for the good work he had carried out. The Wyvern was patched up and my father was part of the skeleton crew of 60 鈥� 70 men to remain onboard and to be towed by Ocean going tug 鈥淒estiny鈥� from Gibraltar to Devonport. While he was at Dalditch marine Camp in Devon, he was informed that he had been 鈥渕entioned in dispatches鈥� in June 1943 and together with his citation he received the coveted Bronze Oak Leaf emblem from First Lord of the Admiralty. Dr Phillip Evans received the George Cross as Head of the Sick Berth Department.

My father received letters after the war from Dr Evans himself in addition to some quite moving letters of gratitude from his family, including his wife and mother. Many years later, my parents received a visit from Dr Evans and his wife. The meeting was one of high emotion and reminiscence.

By Gwyneth Harvey

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