Torpedoed In The North Atlantic

Torpedoed In the North Atlantic

The following is an extract from the personal log of our late father Charlie Osborne. He served in the Merchant Navy from 1940 to 1945 on the M.V. Orari, Owned by the New Zealand Shipping Company.

Friday 13th December 1940
At Sea . Midnight to 4am and Noon to 4 pm gun watches. Very rough, cold and heavy rain all hands turned out to put covers on ventilators and lash deck cargoes, which were shifting through heavy weather. Seawater got into D.G. wires putting that out of order. Torpedoed 5.23pm. Submarine surfaced and fired two torpedoes at us, sub seen, tried to ram it, unable to, so ship swung round in opposite direction to save engine room, 1st torpedo hit us in No 4 hold, the second was blown out of the water by the 1st explosion, it exploded in mid air and remains landed on deck by No 6 hold. I was having tea at the time, the next thing I new several of us were on deck with stools and messroom gear, I ran to my gun station, gun was being loaded, I fired a couple of rounds. Smoke screen laid, increased speed and got as far as possible. Gun crews remain closed up, No 4 and 5 holds reported full of water pumps going, but water coming in as fast as pumped out, stern of ship dropped 14 feet after decks awash. Ships company standing by, lookouts all over ship, stewards running refreshments to lookouts, gun crews and officers ect. Torpedoed 700 miles off Irish coast.

Saturday 14th December 1940
After a very anxious night we are still afloat, all hands still at their stations, engines going good, course set for Irish coast. Cold, rain and heavy seas. Cargo coming out of hole in ships side. Considerable superstructure damage. Everyone at there stations all through day. We are hoping our S.O.S.s have been picked up and escort vessel is coming. Closed up at guns all night, heavy rain, all wet through.

Sunday 15th December 1940
A very bad night did not expect to see the "old girl" afloat today, very rough, cold and heavy rain all night, with luck should pick up Irish coast today, stern going down more. Tried to get a couple of hours sleep under the gun platform but no luck as soon as I got settled down a big sea came over the stern and washed me out. At 10am every one gave a cheer land sighted on the starboard bow, which turned out to be ARAN Is off the west coast of Ireland, went in close to Irish cost and followed it up. Captain and Chief Officer came on to gun platform and told us to get clear and keep as stand by on main deck as stern nearly under water and heavy sea breaking over gun platform and washing us across the deck. Captain sent for me and told me to split the gun crews into two watches and work 4 hours on and 4 hours off. I went below at 12 noon the first time I had seen my cabin since we were hit, I found about a foot of water in it and shoes floating about. Message sent down by the Captain to say he was setting a course for the Clyde and with luck he hoped to arrive to morrow also that he was now in direct communication with the admiralty and that an escort is being sent out, after lunch started to dry out cabin, picked up escort of two armed trawlers at 2.30pm and escorted us up the west coast. 4pm to 6pm stand by. 8pm to midnight stand by.

Monday 16th December 1940
Had a bath and turned into the old bunk didn’t it feel great, 4am to 8am stand by, dropped anchor outside boom defence 6am, up anchor 9.30 am proceeded through boom and dropped anchor at tail of the bank. Salvage boats alongside divers down, reported a hole 30 foot square and plates buckled. Had good nights sleep.

Tuesday 17th December 1940
CLYDE Up anchor and proceeded to Holy Lock dropping both anchors. Voyage finished for us,
Catching night train down, tug took us off ship 6.30 pm to Gourock, coach waiting for us and rushed us onto Glasgow Central Station caught 10.38pm to Euston.

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