大象传媒

It seems as though there is quite a bit of interest at the moment in the 2nd World War, as the war went on for 5 years and I went through from 9 to 15 years old a lot of things happened that effected my life at this time. I have spent quire a lot of time collecting facts, figures and photo鈥檚 which fill鈥檚 about a complete file, so I thought that I would write a little something that I hope may be of interest and not what others have written about.

Our war started early in September 1939 when my father was part of the crew of a fishing boat. Fishing off Flamborough Head on the 10th of Sept. when they heard a large explosion and saw a ship, which turned out to be the Collier Goodwood, had hit a mine that had been laid by the German U-boat U15 as soon as the war had started. If my information is correct this was the first shop to be sunk off the east coast. Another ship, the Magdabur was sunk later that day by hitting a mine off the town of Aldeburgh.

Now we go on to 22.10.1993 and our son who was working in Africa for the Nigerians and by asking and producing evidence, the Nigerians were kind enough to take him out on a Navy ship so that he could lay a wreath on the water off the coast of Liberia at the position where the minesweeper HMS Orfasy, that his Grandfather had been a skipper on, had been sunk with the loss of all on board on the 22.10.1943 while escorting a Norwegian tanker from Lagos to Free Town all the crew of the tanker were saved. On the Orfasy there was 5 skippers as they had just finished their tour of duty, one of whom comes from Suffolk, Alexander Alfred Soanes of Kessington. But all their names are on the Memorial in Belle Vue Park in Lowestoft.

Exert from newspaper:

Injured Captain Thrown Into the Water

HEROISM OF CREW OF SHIP TORPEDOED IN NORTH SEA

Dramatic rescues in which acts of heroism fro which British seamen have a reputation, were enacted in the North Sea on Sunday morning, when without warning, the British collier Goodwood was torpedoed by a German U-boat.

The Goodwood is a vessel of about 3,000 tons. She carried a crew of 22, all of whom were saved.

The skipper of the Goodwood was Captain H.S.Hewson, and he was the most seriously injured of the crew, sustaining fractures of both legs.

His predicament was such that he could not bear being moved from the sinking collier, and eventually he was thrown overboard. Two members of the crew jumped into the sea after him and held him afloat until he could be hauled on board the ship鈥檚 lifeboat, which had been lowered and was close at hand.

Captain Hewson was subsequently transferred to a fishing boat, which also brought the rest of the crew ashore.

SOON ON THE WAY

Less serious injuries were sustained by other members of the crew of the torpedoed steamer, and they were attended to, and later some were conveyed in the ambulance to hospital for further treatment.

Upon arrival the men were provided with hot meals and cared for by the Shipwrecked Mariners鈥� Society, and were sent on their homeward journey by that society.

The crew of the Goodwood included: Captain H.S.Hewson: W. Gill, able seaman. Rose-crescent, Whitburn, Sunderland: T.Dodds, A.B. Fitzroy Terrace, Southwick; C.Foster, steward, Westberth-avenue, Sunderland; -- Saunders, fireman, Maisforth-terrace, Handon, Sunderland; -- McLean, chief engineer, Garwood-road, South Shields; G Eckles, A.B. Sydney-street, Blyth; T. Dawsey, A.B., West-terrace, Durham; R.Duckafield, A.B., Henry-street, North Shields; R.King, fireman, St Luke鈥檚-road, Sunderland; G.Roberts, third engineer, Ridgeway, South Shields; G.Bell, second engineer, Central-avenue, Harton, South Shields; H.Salaman, fireman, Ford Estate, Sunderland; -- Carty, messroom boy, Weir-street, Sunderland; A.Halliday, A.B., Lyle-road, South Shields; R.Black, second mate, Bolingbrook-road, North Shields; -- Darling, wireless operator, Bondgate-without, Alnwick; -- Udale, fireman, Old Mill-road, Handon, Sunderland; T.Broderick, bosun, Old Mill-road, sunderland; W.Broderick, A.B., Azaica-terrace, Sunderland.

The goodwood鈥檚 destination on her present voyage was the south of France.

The British collier had no warning and no indication that there was a U-boat in the vicinity. She was struck between Nos, three and four holds, the hatch covers from the former being blown sky-high.

In the opinion of the crew their ship could not have been struck in a safer place. Had the torpedo been 10 feet in either direction the chances of the crew would not have been great.

MIRACULOUS ESCAPES

At the time a number of the crew was sleeping and they were blown out of their bunks. Another was keeping a look-out in the crow鈥檚 nest and does not know how he got down to the deck to reach the ship鈥檚 lifeboat. The wireless room was completely wrecked, and those who were on deck are still marvelling at the miraculous escapes of the firemen and others in the stoke-hold.

鈥淭he ladders leading from the stoke-hold were bent like a concertina,鈥� one of the crew said.

The port lifeboat was stove-in, but the crew had hastened to the starboard lifeboat. All the crew were able to get away with the exception of the injured skipper, but with the help of others, who swam to keep him afloat, he was placed safely in the lifeboat.

A doctor attended to the minor injuries which many of the crew received, and of these the mate was the most serious with an injury to the hip. Some were badly hurt about the legs and feet.

The majority of the men were from Sunderland and South Shields, and able seaman T.Dawsey told a 鈥淢ail鈥� reporter: 鈥淚 was asleep at the time when there was a terrific explosion which threw me out of my bunk. We immediately rushed on to the deck and lowered the starboard lifeboat. The captain received the most serious injuries and we threw him into the water and two fellows jumped after him, holding him up until we got him to the lifeboat. I was married only three days ago. I suppose we shall soon be out to sea again.鈥�

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