大象传媒

The bombing of the SS "Oronsay" 1940

An account by Jeffrey Jackson, edited slightly by L Jackson.

"We sailed for Egypt in October [1940], probably from Greenock, on the "Oronsay", to which I took an instant dislike.

The morning after our departure, we found ourselves in the middle of a storm just to the west of Ireland. The order came for everyone to get out on deck, at which time a German aircraft that I didn't see dropped several bombs.

None actually hit the ship, but they were close enough to damage the engines and prevent us from keeping up with the convoy, which, together with its escort, sailed on and left us to be sunk by any German aircraft or submarine that felt like doing so. However, I was so seasick that I didn't care what happened. Others must have felt the same, because not a shot was fired by anyone at the German bomber.

To my surprise, nothing happened, the engines were restarted, and we sailed back up the Clyde, which I was delighted to see again. Our return also gave me the chance to reorganise my kit, as I'd packed all my tropical gear in a kit bag that had gone into the hold, where it would have been inaccessible until we arrived in Egypt."

[The converted liner, then troopship, SS Oransay was sunk in the Atlantic on 8/10/1942 by the Italian submarine Archimede, according to ^{About links} on 30/6/03.]

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