大象传媒

My father who had served as a British Officer in the Indian Army, and who was on reserve, was already in India when war was declared on 3rd September 1939 and had written many letters to my mother, asking us, my brother Timothy, my mother and myself to join him. Having many misgivings, my mother eventually gave in and prepared for the voyage in October 1940.

She purchased clothes to last several years as this would not be possible in India. Our house in Elmbridge Road was let for the duration of the war and the furniture stored in one large bedroom. My uncle Leslie, my mother's brother, took us to Gloucester station where we startted our journey to Gourock in Scotland. Whilst in a hotel in Glasgow there was an air raid and we spent most of the night in the basement.

The following day we boarded the 'City of Simla' - most of the passengers were wives of army personnel in India. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves getting to know the other pasengers and our way around the ship. My brother and another boy looked over the bow of the ship and were shouted at from the bridge and told that we could hit a mine and that up front was not a good place to be in that event! The crew were mostly Lascar seamen from India and British officers.

We were shown our lifeboat stations and given lifejackets - as is the case on all liners today.

About three days later at 8.00pm we were summoned to the lifeboat stations and told that an enemy submarine was in the vicinity. About two hours later we were told that the submarine had gone, but to go to bed dressed as enemy action could be expected that night.

At about 2am there was a great crash and a shudder - everything fell from the dressing table - including my mother's engagement ring - she stopped and replaced everything, leaving the ring behind! The torpedo hit the ship three cabins away from us - fortunately there was only one casualty - a 17 year old boy who was regrettably killed. As we made our way to the lifeboat station a loud bell was ringing and a nurse was walking briskly along the corridor saying 'Hurry, oh do please hurry'.

It was a bright evening but the sea was rough and when we arrived on deck the lifeboats were already in the water. There was pandemonium and the Lascars were panicking, pushing women and children out of the way to get to the lifeboats first. There were several pistol shots as some Lascars were shot by the officers.

We were on the side of the ship towards the stern and as the swell came we were dropped into the lifeboat. My mother followed eventually, but she had to jump. We were fortunate that we were in the same lifeboat, as some families were separated. During the time we were in the lifeboat, I actually saw our ship go down into the sea. Everyone was seasick except Tim and myself and we spent hours in these rough conditions before reaching one of the convoy, a merchant cargo ship that had waited for us.

When we reached the cargo ship a rope ladder was thrown down and a rope tied round my waist as well and I was hauled up the side of the ship. I was very bruised - all the children were taken up this way.

Space was very limited and food scarce but my brother asked for 'two poached eggs on toast'.

Later that day we saw the periscope of another submarine but it must have had a sympathetic captain as it left us alone.

We arrived back in Glasgow and the Red Cross provided everyone with clothing and shoes as necessary. A special train going south was laid on to take us all back home. Uncle Leslie picked us up from Gloucester station and took us back to my grandmother's house in Elmbridge Road.

Clothing coupons had just been introduced and we were allowed 30 coupons each to replace all our lost clothes!!

After having said goodbye to everyone only a few days earlier, I returned to Denmark Road High School.

The following information came from C H Milsom, Liverpool. - The City of Simla, built 1921, was torpedoed off the Outer Hebredes in 1940 by U138.

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