大象传媒

This story has been entered onto the People's War website by CSV Volunteer, Ann Toomey on behalf of the author Gib Pender, who fully understands the terms and conditions of the site.

In 1937 I as in the Royal Navy within weeks of going to Singapore to serve on the HMS Warspite, but left the Navy on compassionate grounds to help my father.

When War broke out I decided to volunteer to join the Air Sea Rescue Services to which I was better suited. I became a coxswain on RAF Launches and served on many stations in the UK until I was posted abroad. Within two weeks of leaving, the coxswain who took over my boat when rescuing a Sunderland Crew was blown up along with the Sunderland crew ( he was a friend of mine - I spent some weekends with him and his family).

We joined a convoy of 38 ships in Scotland and spent a long period at sea zig zagging to try to dodge U-Boats, but every day ships were going down in smoke, fire and explosions. We wondered if we could be next, it was winter time and chances of survival in that water was highly unlikely. When approaching Gibralter we could only count 11 ships, 2 of which went down later with heavy loss of life.

We were in Gibralter over Christmas, depth charges being set off near the harbour entrance about every half hour to keep U-Boats at bay and to prevent what happened in Scappa Flo.

Christmas Dinner was boiled fish, so I bought a tin of peaches from the canteen as a treat instead. Boats were all around us offering fruit etc., but we were forbidden to have any in case it had been tampered with. At New Year, under heavy escort, we headed down the African coast through U-Boat alley as it was known towards Freetown, passing two more ships which had been sunk with mastheads showing.

We disembarked here and went to our station. I was here for a period during which time when starting the engines of my boat one morning it was blown to matchwood. Everyone was amazed the engineer and myself came out of it alive fortunately the crew had not been on board, they would certainly all have been killed.

From Freetown I was sent to Liberia to a secret base known as section X, where we were quite active. An American camp was close by and I was sent to help them out at times when their men were down with Malaria and can't repeat all that happened there.

When my time on the coast expired (l8 months was the maximum tour) we were taking off in a Dakota Aircraft for Freetown one engine cut out and we went into a swamp with little damage. The next day after repairs we flew to Freetown to join a troopship going to the U.K. After some home leave I got a telegram report to Rhuhelensburgh. I looked at the map and saw it was on the Clyde. Here I was involved in experimental work with Boffins working on new types of boats, aircraft etc. From here |I was sent to Ireland to a place called Castle Archdale on Loch Erne, to close down the station as the war was at an end. My job involved shipping boats on to lorries going to Belfast, then seeing them shipped on the freighters going to Dumbarton to be stored.

By now my time had come to be demobbed but my C.O. asked if I would sign on for a year or two as there was a shortage of men with my qualifications. This I declined, I wanted to get back to civvy street, get work and see the family. Five of my brothers served in the forces, plus my father in the RNR. Four of us had been blown up, then there were my brother -in-laws who also served, one of those - Capt. James Smith, was bombed and sunk, injured but survived. There are so many stories to tell but it would take too much time.

Family Records 1939-45

My father on RNR boats towing targets for Navy Gunnery Practice was too old for the regular service. Had served as a Navy Pilot in the First World War.

Joseph Henry Pender (Brother) on Oil tankers in the Merchant Navy.

Hubert Pender (Brother) Oil tankers also in the Merchant Navy,

Howard Pender (Brother) Army - blown up in a raid on Coventry (injured) and demobbed.

Frank Pender (Navy) bombed. Sunk but was one of 16 survivors out of over 200.

Self, RAF, blew my own boat to pieces (survived)

Guthrie Pender (Brother) Royal Navy - bombed and sunk at North Africa taking the Army to land on Crete.

Brothers in law - Capt. James Smith, Merchant Navy, bombed, sunk and injured but survived. Sam Ellis, Merchant Navy,. George Hicks, Army. Maurice Guy, RAF Air Sea Rescue. Peter Pashley, RAF. Kenneth Phillips, RAF Armourer.

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