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Location
At Sea - Swansea to Baytown, Houston (Texas)
Age
18 Years

22nd October 1941

Last Saturday, the “Port Darwin” caught fire 150 miles away from us and right on our course. She sent out an SOS and a sort of running commentary on her condition. Several ships answered her call for help, including one of the ships from our convoy (no longer in convoy). He refused everyone’s help excepting a naval ship which was very close by. She has managed to reach port.

We were barely 30° west when the convoy was dispersed. This is in view of the fact that we have been convoyed right across recently, seems strange.

The weather has been pretty rough and cold, but I like it much better than the heat. The winter north Atlantic is great.

From the time that we left New York, until now, M. has been longing to see an Uncle and Auntie of his and a little girl cousin. He saw them last time and liked them so much, that he seems to be able to think of nothing else. Consequently, it was a great disappointment to his when a message came through today saying that we were to proceed to “Bay Town” in Texas. The 3rd mate too, is sorry, because he has told his girl to have her holiday from the 6th or 7th of Nov., but now we shan’t be back until December. The new 2nd mate that we have now, has just come back from a nervous breakdown. Poor chap nearly had another one after this crossing! M has been in a bad way and I can’t understand him at all.