- Contributed by听
- Hugh Ferguson
- People in story:听
- Wilbert Roy Widdicombe and Robert Tapscott
- Location of story:听
- Mid-Atlantic
- Article ID:听
- A3688095
- Contributed on:听
- 19 February 2005
On the 21st Aug.1940 the 5,600 gr. Tons ANGLO-SAXON was attacked and sunk by the German surface raider WIDDER in mid-Atlantic in position 26N 34W. Just seven survivors managed to escape from the sinking ship. They found themselves in the only boat remaining undamaged from the shelling, the 18ft 鈥渏olly boat鈥. After 19 days only two remained alive. They were Wilbert Roy Widdicombe and Robert Tapscott and for another 51 days they drifted 2,800 miles across the Atlantic to Eleuthera Island in the Bahamas. They were taken to hospital in Nassau where they remained for many weeks. It was not until February that the first to recover, Widdicombe, was allowed to go back home. Sadly, the ship he left New York in was sunk on Feb.18th with the loss of all hands.
Tapscott eventually returned home but he died at the early age of 43.
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