大象传媒

I joined the navy under what was called the 'Y' scheme,which was a pre-selection for potential officer training. Just before my 18th birthday I went to HMS Collingwood at Fareham for the usual 3 months basic training. I then joined HMS Lagan in Londonderry to do a minimum of 3 months sea time before going to HMS King Arthur for the officers course. While on the HMS Lagan (a River Class frigate) I was given an action station as a loader on a starboard depth charge thrower. We made one crossing to Newfoundland and returned to Belfast to dry dock for attention to a damaged rudder. Just before we sailed with another convoy I was approached by another young OD who asked if it was true that I was a CW candidate (name given to men going on to officers training) I agreed that I was and he then asked if I would change action stations with him as he was on the range clock on the bridge and he did not understand it, he would sooner be with his mates who were on the depth charges. I willingly agreed thinking I had much the best of the change and it was duly arranged with the Coxswain. We were escorting the convoy and were well out towards the middle of the Atlantic when the convoy was attacked by U-boats. The U-boats had just returned to the North Atlantic after their disastrous losses in March 1943 and had been re-equipped with the new acoustic torpedoes. At about 2a.m. on the 21st September we attacked a U-boat, and were very shortly hit by one of the new homing torpedoes. The stern of the ship was blown off and 29 men were lost,and luckily for us the watertight doors held and the following day an ocean going tug came back from the convoy and took us in tow to Liverpool. The young lad who had changed action stations with me was sadly among those killed. I have just passed my 80th birthday and still feel very sad when I think of the other lad and the 62 years that I have had in his place.

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