大象传媒

[This story was submitted to the Peoples War website by an Elgin High School pupil on behalf of Dr John MacDonald and has been added to the site with her permission. The author fully understands the sites terms and conditions.]
In October 1943 when HMS Witherington鈥檚 task was to prevent German U-Boats from penetrating the Straits of Gibraltar from the Atlantic she was one of a Flotilla of three 鈥� two destroyers and one corvette. The latter was commanded by a Dutchman and as the senior officer he had control. We respected the Dutch who, like the Poles, fought the enemy with revenge in their hearts. It had been a frustrating day. Information, which we were given to believe came from a British spy in Portugal but as we now know probably originated from a cipher 鈥榖roken鈥� at Bletchley Park, warned us that the Germans were sending five submarines into the Mediterranean. The 鈥楬appy Time鈥� for the U-Boat commanders in the North Atlantic had ended. Our flotilla was searching off the African coast. We had 鈥榤ade contact鈥� and thrown a lot of high explosive at it. An oil-slick appeared on the surface of the sea, but that did not prove we had sunk a submarine. The enemy would have discharged oil to simulate a sinking and no 鈥榩robable鈥� was ever entertained by the Admiralty. Night was nigh and we on the bridge all itched to return to the Rock where there was a WRNS dance that evening. But our Dutch Flotilla Commander was in no hurry. 鈥楬airy Harry鈥� we younger men called him, but certainly not to his face. He was a jolly, hard-drinking Hollander and we all liked him. Ashore, he had returned our feelings by introducing us to the oily mysteries of Bols gin, many bottles of which were neatly stowed in his captain鈥檚 safe. The maximum speed of the destroyer was 30 knots. A Corvette could push 10. Would Hairy Harry call of the search? If that happened and if we made only 10 knots for base it would be next day before we arrived. You can imagine the disappointment therefore on Witherington鈥檚 bridge when the Flotilla Commander replying to a signal suggesting that we break ormation when the search ended and proceed independently to port, answered - 鈥淣O鈥�. Now it so happened that in Gibraltar the Admiral had inspected our ship the day before we sailed and had left in the wardroom his pink-tinted sun-glasses. 鈥淟et鈥檚 try again ,鈥� said our Navigator, a handsome chap with a romantic stake in getting back to base that evening A second signal was sent 鈥� 鈥淲e have Admiral鈥檚 favourite pink-tinted sunglasses on board. Request permission to detatch and proceed to base with some urgency to deliver same.鈥� 鈥淚t鈥檚 a long shot,鈥� said the Navigator, 鈥淟et鈥檚 hope the Dutchman still has his sense of humour.鈥� We waited The Corvette鈥檚 Aldis Lamp began flashing 鈥淵ou - have - my - permission 鈥︹�︹�� pause 鈥�.. Great exultation on the bridge of the Witheringtonm 鈥溾��..to - wear 鈥擜dmiral鈥檚 鈥� pink - sunglasses 鈥� and 鈥� view 鈥� the 鈥� world 鈥� in 鈥� rosier 鈥� light. Continue 鈥� search 鈥� and 鈥� destroy 鈥�.

Game set and match to Hairy Harry.

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