大象传媒

A long time ago my great uncle Billy fought in the Merchant Navy in the month of March 1943 at the age of seventeen.As his father fought in the navy he wanted to follow his footsteps. The first ship he was on was a scotish fishing boat which carried ammunition from Londonderry to ships at Moville. The boat also carried guns which were kept on the shelves of the boat. Billy went down to the ammunition boats and practiced being in the navy and six months later he transfered to the s.s Scotish America oil tanker.He was a cabin boy. He took care of officers head quarters and had to go on the look out. He worked for two hours and slept for four and started the whole thing again daily. He started work at quarter past seven in the morning and ended at quarter past six in the afternoon.
His father Ernest Edward Burton was torpedoed in the first and second world war. He was suddenly torpedoed and sunk and was in the the water for a brave few hours. N.V Empire was the tanker which was hit with him on board. It was carrying benzine which was an aeroplane fuel. The Germans thought it was a stratagy to win the war. The ship was made in Belfast and was on its maiden voyage. Ernest was one of the people who survived through this and Billy is very pleased with his bravery. The rescue ships couldn't save anyone because the sea was on fire.
On Ernests way home to londonderry he had to carry the news to the the family of his best friend who struggled to survive through the attack. It was said to be very upsetting. He told the family all about his death and how he was drown in the tanker at the age of nineteen. Ernest had returned in 1946. Due to injuries from the war Ernest died a few years later.
Aafter the sad news and injuries that Billy had he returned home to look after the five children left in the family tree. The British legion got Billy a job looking after the submarrines down at the Londonderry docks. He worked there for fifteen monthes until he had an accident as he fell between two submarines and got crushed. He was injured for life. But he still kept working by doing part time jobs as he could only work so many hours per day. He still is trying to look after his family today at the age of seventynine.
He remembers all he can of the Navy. he loves to tell his family and friends about all the great adventures in which he and his father went through when he was becoming an adult soilder.

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