大象传媒

Although my father Sydney Seddon and all his brothers and sisters are now deceased I felt it was important to record the bravery of one of his brothers who died aged 21yrs on board the ship ANSLEM on 5th July 1941. I am in possession of some documents that tell the tale of this tragic story.
I will quote the "News of the World" article of Oct 27th 1946 about the heroic actions of a Padre who was lowered into the hold of the sinking ship to pray with the hundreds of british servicemen(my uncle stanley included) who could not escape.
The troop ship ANSLEM was torpedoed in the Atlantic at about day break on july 5th 1941. Three hundred of the 1,300 men on board RAF and army personnel who had left Liverpool on June 29th 1941 went down with the ship.
Mr A Sharp a former RAF flight sargeant wrote to the "News of the World" deploring that no recognition had ever been given to a brave RAF chaplin who laid down his life in that ship, knowing well he did not have a chance in a million.
Mr Sharp told how the Anslem was hit by two torpedoes, one amidships and another forward. The companion way to the hold was smashed.
"I could hear the screams of the other ranks trapped below" he wrote. "the ship fast going down forward, when out of the chaos, calm and collected, came a padre who summed up the situation at a glance.
"He ordered some royal marines to tie a rope around him and lower him into the hold to comfort and pray for the poor lads down below. He knew, as did everyone else he would not come out alive.
THE SHIP SANK IN 22 MINUTES
Mr Sharp wrote " I often wonder why his brave deed was not brought to light and appropriately recognised".
Mr Sharps enquires have disclosed the Padre's name was Rev John Pugh, a Nonconformist minister from Bridgewater, Somerset, whose parents lived in South Africa.
There is no record of any decoration having ever been given to the Rev John Pugh.

I do hope this account will be an everlasting tribute to Rev John Pugh and my uncle Aircraftsmen First Class Stanley Seddon, Royal air Force No547893 and all the other poor souls who lost their lives that day.
I was deeply moved by this story and will treasure and care for the documents I have in the hope it will remind my children and their children and generations to come of the sacrifices made by some so we can enjoy our freedom.

Carol Taylor (nee Seddon)

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