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The following story appears courtesy of and with thanks to Les Jones and Robert Kennedy

The 23,722 tons liner: the SS Strathallan was built at Barrow-in-Furness and owned by the Peninsular & Orient Steam Navigation Company Ltd and requisitioned by the War Office as a troopship during the war. Its last Captain was J.H.Biggs CBE.

Story kindly supplied by Ken Chambers
Alf Blackett was born on the 6th January 1921, Charlie Alien on the 9th January, the same year and George Bull, on January 15th a year later.
When each lad was born, little did their parents realise these three under the sign of Capricorn should be lucky, and with the Great War ending only three and four years before, they were to share experiences during a more terrifying war some twenty years hence.
In 1939, Alf Blackett was employed in a Concrete works. Just over six feet tall, fair hair and blue eyes, hands the size of milk chum lids, he duly reported for service in the RAF on 31st July 1941. Charlie, shortish and stocky, left the same day with his boyhood friend Ivor George, to Penarth In Wales. Charlie and Ivor were brought up together in Bristol, and as children, played the usual games and were particularly fond of boxing.
The war deprived Ivor of a top career in the noble art as he was tipped as a serious contender for the title of World Championship when, still as an amateur he fought the British Empire Champion, Harry Butler. Still a junior Ivor George, a natural fighter with a strong punch in each hand was West of England champion by 1940. These two slim, tough young men, although applying for aircrew in the RAF found themselves In different trades altogether. Ivor was sent to train as a physical training Instructor, and Charlie to add to Ground Defence for Ground Gunner duties. They both met Alf Blackett and became firm friends.
George Bull, six feet three inches tall. Fair haired and strong was born in the village of Tutbury near Burton-on-Trent. Staffordshire, and prior to service in the RAF worked at a tyre company depot when he went for initial training, again as Ground Gunner although not until 12th November that year.
The odd man out, but no less important in those early days, was Len Humphrey, a seaman we shall mention later.
Alf. George and Charlie served with various units in the British Isles learning all about Defence duties, guns, and fighting in general, whilst Ivor George became a qualified PTI and was posted to South East Asia Command, much to his and Charlie's displeasure. In February 1942 the Ground Gunners became known as The Royal Air Force Regiment, and they changed to army khaki and underwent similar training to Infantry Regiments Commandos, many of them in addition as parachutists.
On December 10th 1942, the three Air Force soldiers, having been kitted out with tropical uniforms, received the usual inoculations, and joined the former cruise liner, now Troopship, SS Strathallan, a large vessel of 23,000 tons, at Gourock on Clyde, together with their Squadrons. With just fifteen days to Christmas, each had mixed feelings about leaving, but the adventure made up somewhat for sad partings from relatives, and the thought of seeing new countries was exciting. Below decks where they were to sleep, they found hammocks but little room for their kit bags.
Food abroad was better than expected so in company with many other servicemen, and a number of nurses leaving for duty abroad, everyone was quite cheerful. AT 4.30 am on the morning of the 12th December, the large ship moved slowly away from those ashore, and headed for the exit to the Firth of Clyde accompanied by a destroyer and other ships to join in convoy. There were extremely strong winds and the sea was very rough. Other ships much smaller were plunging into heavy waves, which did not have a great deal of effect on the huge Strathallan initially. Soon however, there was sufficient movement to dissuade those with weaker stomachs from eating, and by the time they reached the Irish Sea. Small, uncomfortable dipping and rolling was Increased until nearly all the passengers were pleased to lie to their hammocks where possible. For those on deck after several hours, there was a sight to remember as they passed the majestic Queen Elizabeth. Both ships saluted each other with sirens.
Seaman Humphrey, quite unperturbed, smiled in sympathy to those braving the elements with paler faces, as he carried on with his duty. For servicemen and nurses, there were no duties other than daily lifeboat drill, which always seemed a nuisance yet a necessity.
Apart from terrible weather and persistent misery of movement of the ship. Naval ships constantly shepherding the convoy, and at night sound of depth charges exploding, the journey was uneventful until they reached the Bay of Biscay, when the fury of the gales increased and waves constantly rose over the decks. The NAAFI on top deck was completely wrecked, and even the crew, ships gunners were very strained. Len Humphrey no longer smiled, and staggered about the deck using a few choice words to the winds. Lifeboat drill became a trial each day to everyone.
Now, all aboard were notified their destination was North Africa. At 8 am on the 20th December Gibraltar was passed. Charlie and Alt found a diversion in chatting to the ship's gunners on occasions, who were delighted to pass the word that soon the voyage would be calmer as they proceeded through the Mediterranean Sea. It was a source of amusement to the gunners when Charlie told them his six brothers were all in the Navy and Merchant Navy, and how pleased he was to be an airman.
That night on hearing the ship was to dock at Algiers, everyone felt happier knowing it would not be too long before the ghastly rolling and pitching would lessen, and turned into their hammocks, wondering if they would ever want to go to sea again. At 2.30 am in the morning of the 21st December, when even the most uncomfortable persons were in a deep sleep, there was a most colossal explosion rocking the whole ship which almost immediately started to list to starboard. George recalled his hammock seemed to completely somersault before he and everyone else on that deck were clambering hastily from their hammocks.
Still the ship rolled with the heavy sea, and mixed now with sounds of sirens and rushing water through fractured pipes, everyone shouting, the tannoy speakers crackled before the Captain's voice spoke in those terrible moments of awakening from deep sleep with the shock of disaster. 'This is the Captain speaking. Please make your way to lifeboat stations immediately - do not delay - make you way to Lifeboat Stations at once!" This was again repeated. The large ship shuddered again and appeared to be slipping sideways and now there was a strong smell of oily smoke, and the rushing of water louder. Nearly all the men, sleeping in underwear, grabbed their clothing, and made their way, as Alf remarked, when he climbed the steps from the lower deck. "It鈥檚 like climbing out of a bloody mine". Charlie, without boots, also in underwear, grabbed his greatcoat, and George was astounded at the calmness of everyone making their way steadily to the lifeboat stations, and thanked God for the drill they all had found a nuisance.
At the top of the steps, Charlie saw a padre kneeling beside an injured man and placed his coat under his head before moving on. Smoke and flames were lifting from below, and with the continuous creaking and rocking of the ship. Everyone expected anything at all might happen any second. It was noticeable that a number of Lascar seamen had already lowered a lifeboat and were making way. Oil was being discharged in an effort to calm the movement of the ship, and a number of men were already jumping in to the sea rather than stay aboard. A lifeboat filled with nurses started to lower but with the winds and violent movement of the ship. George was horrified and helpless to see the boat crash against the side of the Strathallan. Almost certainly all the girls perished.
Several Naval ships appeared. Amazingly, with all the terror and upheaval, someone started to sing. "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine", a lot of men joined in. News traveled that two torpedoes had been released from a 'U' boat, the first crossing the bows of the troopship, but the second exploding below the engine rooms. A line was fixed by a cruiser, with intention of taking the large ship in tow, but this was abandoned. At approximately 12.30 pm destroyers arrived from Oran to take aboard all those who could be rescued. George. Alf and Charlie were almost the last people to be taken aboard HMS Panther, then to Oran on the North African coast. Nearly everyone wore only underwear and was told to throw their footwear overboard. Fortunately, men of the Panther and other ships supplied blankets and served survivors with cocoa and sandwiches for which they were indeed thankful. During the next day the stricken ship was sunk by Naval gunfire.
Sometime later, the CO of the Regiment Squadron passed the sad news to his men that Panther was lost with all hands, having been dive bombed by Stukas. Many of the lads were very grieved to hear this following the crew鈥檚 treatment in their hour of need.

(Ken Chambers)

'This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by 大象传媒 Radio Merseyside鈥檚 People鈥檚 War team on behalf of the author and has been added to the site with his / her permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.'

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