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Age
21 Years

30th April 1944

The fireman has still to be taken ashore. We’ve been calling the shore station all day but no-one has answered.

Mother’s letter written last Sunday has arrived most unexpectedly. Apparently, Margaret Graham was successfully married on Saturday afternoon 22nd April.

We have got to shift again this afternoon to Bangor Bay.

This evening the bosun told me of the adventures of the old “Waiwera” after I left her in 1940. She was sent to the Middle East and was away for a 10 month spell during which time she spent 6 months running the gauntlet to Malta. She was bombed a number of times but despite miraculous narrow misses, managed to proceed to Colombo en route to Australia. While in Colombo she came in for the Japanese air raid on the town. One bomb dropped 20’ off her bow and a second 20’ off her beam and a third 20 ft off her stern! She was all right however.

On her way back to England in 1942, when only 3 days out she was torpedoed. She had quite a number of RAF fellows aboard and one stewardess. The bosun got a damaged leg and the carpenter was killed. The Old man then sent up a flare at night and she was hit again. This time she went down. Most of the fellows jumped. One sailor lowered 2 boats (the other 2 were smashed) and was awarded the B.E.M for it. Those in the water were eventually picked up.

Another sailor saved the Old Man and also got the B.E.M. The Old Man got the O.B.E but all he did was cry. A naval fellow who was a passenger took charge of his boat. There were 54 in the bosun’s boat instead of 48!

They were at sea for 5 days and met appalling weather. Two people went mad, most of them were sick and many awkward moments occurred owing to the Stewardess. The seas scared everyone more than anything. The covered 120 miles in 5 days and were picked up and taken to New York.