大象传媒

This contribution to 大象传媒 People鈥檚 War website was provided to Beah a Volunteer Story Gatherer from 大象传媒 Radio Norfolk Action Desk at the event of the Norwich, Norfolk and Suffolk Pensioner鈥檚 Association. The story has been written and submitted to the website with permission and on behalf of Roy Nicholls.

As I read all the offers of wonderful cruises in all parts of the world, it takes me back to the one I was sent on in January 1943. At the time I was stationed on the coast of Kent, we were suddenly relieved and sent to a camp near Lemington Spa where we were to mobilise for posting overseas, those who were unfit were replaced and the rest of us had to take 14 days leave in three batches.
I was in the last batch, I returned in the late evening and was immediately put on a train to Glasgow to embark on what you might call my first cruise.
The ship Circassia had been a passenger cargo boat before the war, the officers and senior NCOs had the cabins, the junior NCOs and gunners were in the holds which had tables and forms.
There was an NCO in charge of each table and we had to send two men from each table to collect all the meals from the cook-house I had seven on my table; we had cutlery and a large metal bowl for washing the dishes. The food was quite good and there was plenty for everyone.
The sleeping arrangement was in hammocks, we sailed out into the North Sea on January 10 1943. It was a large convoy well escorted with the aircraft carrier Argos in the centre. On the second day out it began to get rough, we had to do a boat drill each day, we put on our great-coats and life jackets and made our way to the allotted position, of course there were not enough life-boats for everyone but there were rafts which would be thrown overboard for us to scramble aboard, but looking at the huge waves I think our chances of survival did not look too hopeful.
The toilets were on the deck, all they were was a running water channel running over the side surrounded by a water-proof sheet.
The crew were well aware that most of us would be sea-sick so they placed cardboard boxes on our decks which were ok until the boxes got wet and began to burst. This was just a bit messy, but most of us were past caring.
On our sixth day our ship and five others pealed off from the convoy, picked up a new escort and headed for the Med where the sea was calm and we were able to have a good clean up and sort out all the broken cutlery, which, by the way, we had to pay for.
We eventually arrived in Algiers to join the first army. I must say, not like cruising these days.

漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.