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Below is a true story written by my father, Thomas Fraser, Leading Aircraftman, RAF No 1076099. He was born in Inverness 1906, and died in Aberdeen in 1980. He was a gas worker and trade union activist. In his service years he manned barrage balloons at Hackney, London, and the Forth Bridge in Scotland, before heading to India, China and Ceylon. He held the Defence of the Realm and India medals, and the Burma Star.

He said the scariest moment of his life was being shot at, whilst on leave, whilst out walking with my brother Colin. The plane that shot at him was the only plane ever shot down by a 'Dad’s Army' unit. We were not only proud of my father as a dad but also as a member of Clan Fraser.

Graeme B Fraser, Editor Clan Fraser Society Scotland and UK - ^{About links}

Setting off

On a damp dreary day in November 1943, a troopship left the dockside at Liverpool, bound for an unknown destination. The ‘Ocean of the Pacific’ had aboard sailors, soldiers, airmen, WRENs, nurses and a few civilians. All the theatres of war possible were mentioned as probable destinations, during the two days we lay at the dockside. Some of the boys suggested Canada, even though we had tropical kit and pith helmets.

As the troopship steamed into the Irish Sea, she was joined by other ships and they proceeded northwards to the Clyde, where all other ships met them to form a convoy. Then they continued in a northernly direction until they passed Ireland, when they headed west into the Atlantic.

For nine days the convoy ploughed the Atlantic, guarded by a cruiser and several destroyers. Then on the tenth day, just off the Straits of Gibraltar, a submarine surfaced, drew nearer to the convoy and then sailed along with it. When dusk was falling, bright lights from Spanish Morocco were sighted. The Spanish were neutral, so hadn’t a black-out. About ten o’clock that night we passed the Rock of Gibraltar, where dozens of Spanish fishing vessels and small boats sailed in and out through the convoy, and had every opportunity of finding out useful information for the enemy.

Bombers disturb the peace

The next morning four coal-burning ships joined the convoy from Oran, and about 5pm the first land was sighted since passing Northern Ireland. About 4pm the following day, everything was just as usual on board the ‘Ocean of the Pacific’, with troops walking the decks, others sitting reading, while others just leaned over the ship’s rails watching the other ships in the convoy. At the stern, near the six-inch gun, one of the ship’s crew was acting as barber, and, at sixpence a time, he was doing a brisk trade. On an upturned box which was the barber’s chair, an RAF corporal was sitting, the barber had just started cutting his hair.

Then suddenly the barber dashed towards the six-inch gun, the corporal speedily vacated the chair, and everyone was rushing to the starboard side and looking up to the sky. Several thousand feet above were planes flying in formation, while higher still were the vapour trails of other planes - and they were all heading towards the convoy. Immediately, it seemed all the gun crews were at their posts, the barber included, and the guns were pointing skywards. Then, as if by pre-arranged signal, the convoy’s anti-aircraft guns opened fire.

The cruiser that had been at the front of the convoy, turned and raced to the rear, her guns blazing as she ploughed through the water with the spray rising in front of her bow. Just as she was passing the ‘Queen of the Pacific’ a large object seemed to graze her port side, then a huge spout of water rose into the air. The cruiser shuddered, then seemed to rise out of the water, but she kept racing to the rear of the convoy, with her guns still firing.

'32 bombers - 9 shot down'

There was so much to see, we didn’t know where to look first. The planes which had been making the vapour trails above the Luftwaffe were RAF and USAF fighters. They were now in combat with the German bombers and their escort of fighters. A bomber fell in flames at the rear of the convoy, while another one was coming down with smoke pouring from its tail.

An RAF fighter tore through the air, nose downwards, struck the water and disappeared completely. It was soon followed by another fighter whose markings we couldn’t distinguish. Other fighters were climbing steeply, then diving upon the Luftwaffe, machine guns firing as they came within range. Water spouts appears all around the convoy as bombers struck the water and exploded. Some were too near to be comfortable, but all the ships seemed to have escaped, as they kept changing their course. The fight was raging fast and furious, with more bombers showing signs of distress, and the anti-aircraft guns putting up a heavy barrage. The submarine was still on the surface adding her quota of fire. A lone bomber was making for the coast with a fighter hot on its trail.

One of the ships had joined us from Oran, and was carrying American troops, and was having a rough time - with bombers falling around it. Then what seemed like a fighter was diving towards it and, altering its course slightly, it proceeded downwards. It crashed on the deck causing a terrific explosion, with flames shooting skywards. It was one of Germany’s radio controlled bombs.

15 bombers this time

The Luftwaffe were eventually dispersed and we proceeded on our way as dusk was falling. Astern was the troopship which had received a direct hit and it was blazing furiously, with the cruiser standing by. Then the guns went into action again. A lone reconnaissance plane was over, counting the damage. A few hours later we heard the ´óÏó´«Ã½ news announcer say, ‘A British convoy was attacked in the Mediterranean by 32 German bombers; 9 were shot down.’

For the next two days the convoy continued on its way unmolested, apart from the dropping of depth charges at a supposed submarine. Then at teatime, as we were nearing Crete, the Luftwaffe attacked again. We were not allowed on deck, but the Captain gave us a running commentary from the ship’s bridge over the loudspeakers, as we sat at our mess tables.

He said, 'We are being attacked by 15 bombers, who are approaching the leading ships in the convoy. They are now diving towards us! The anti-aircraft guns are now firing. They have broken up the formation, but two or three have got through and are now reloading their bombs.'

Crash! Bang!

It appeared to be direct hits, but it was only the six-inch gun, which was immediately above us, firing shells at the Luftwaffe. They were eventually driven off, and we proceeded towards the Suez Canal. When we reached Port Said, at least one ship had to leave the convoy for repairs, a bomb had pierced the deck, failed to explode, then its nose went out through a port hole, bursting the ship’s plating on its way out.

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