10 months in the Merchant Navy

Below is the transcript of a diary which my maternal grandfather (Sid Dossett) kept from January to October 1943 whilst serving in the Merchant Navy. Serving with him was Ken Lucas who married my mother in 1949.

My father was a diver — wearing the heavy brass dome-shaped screw-on helmet and leaded boots and belts. My grandfather worked up top helping to control air supply, etc. They travelled all over Britain to wherever planes had crashed into the water and my father would go down to bring up the wrecks when this was possible, bodies in some cases and other equipment or secret papers which were being ferried about.

Although very brief and sometimes routine and ordinary, it is interesting to read how they travelled around during those difficult times.

My grandfather died in January 1981 aged nearly 82 and my father died in March 2003 aged nearly 81.

1st January
Worked in dock.

2nd January
Skip called in from Skegness. Saw “In This Our Life”.

3rd January
Skip called for Sam and left for Skegness.

4th January
Quiet day at the docks.

5th January
Loaded lorry for Spitfire at Kings Lynn.

6th January
Left Grimsby 8.30 for Spitfire at Kings Lynn arrived 4.30pm.

7th January
Provisions in Kings Lynn.

8th January
Stayed all night on barge landing Spitfire in Kings Lynn.

9th January
Landed Spitfire. Started for home broke caravan, left it at Fosdyke.

10th January
Arrived home from Greenaways at Wrangle.

11th January
Cleaned tools. Skip returned from Kings Lynn.

12th January
Cleaned tools.

13th January
Caravan returned from Fosdyke.

14th January
Made cover for compressor gauges.

15th January
Worked on caravan.

16th January
Worked on caravan until dinner. Lined up at Regal for My Gal Sal.

17th January
Quiet Sunday.

18th January
Worked all day repairing caravan.

19th January
Oxy off with a chill.

20th January
Worked in dock repairing caravan.

21st January
Worked in dock repairing caravan.

22nd January
Worked in dock repairing caravan.

23rd January
Worked in dock repairing caravan.

24th January
Stayed at home. Williamson called.

25th January
Left Grimsby by 11 o’clock for Spitfire at Skegness. Left Skegness 4.35 for Grimsby.

26th January
Left for Seahouses for Mosquito. Stayed at Alnwick for the night.

27th January
Arrived Seahouses. Dived for plane. Abandoned. Could not be found.

28th January
Left for Newcastle. Stayed at South Shields for the night.

29th January
Left for Grimsby. Arrived 6.00pm.

30th January
Went to Northcoats to get tractor ready for Beaufighter down in sands.

31st January
West to see a film at Regal, Grimsby.

1st February
Went to Northcoats for Beaufighter 2 miles out at sea.

2nd February
Went to Northcoats to work on crash.

3rd February
Went to Northcoats to work on crash. Finished the job.

4th February
Worked in dock. Repaired caravan.

5th February
Left for Dover for Spitfire crashed on Goodwins. Arrived in London 8.30pm.

6th February
Arrived at Dover 2.30pm. Met Mr. Wilson, made arrangements to go out to crash.

7th February
Went out to crash in HSL. Took off instrument panel.

8th February
Left at 5.30am on Willing Boys. Left stranded on Goodwins 3 hours. Rescued by HSL.

9th February
Salvage abandoned. Left for London for MAP. Arrived at Clapton 6.30pm.

10th February
Lorry arrived in London 5.40pm. Stayed the night.

11th February
Left for Grimsby. Arrived 8.30pm.

12th February
Worked in dock.

13th February
Worked in dock.

14th February
Quiet day.

15th February
Worked in dock on caravan. New boat arrived.

16th February
Worked in dock on caravan. Boat tried out.

17th February
Worked in dock. Tried new boat out in dock.

18th February
Worked in dock. Iris’ birthday. Mr. Bailey passed away.

19th February
Worked in dock. Finished caravan.

20th February
Worked in dock. Took wreaths to Mrs. Bailey’s house.

21st February
Took Mrs. Bailey to Bridlington. Stayed the night at their house.

22nd February
Left Bridlington. Arrived Hornsea. Went to Skipsea Range to see crashed Beaufighter.

23rd February
Launched motor boat at Bridlington ready for Skipsea. Very foggy.

24th February
Steamed out to crash. Put 2 camels on to plane. Weather good.

25th February
Pulled remainder of plane up cliff. Replaced gear. Weather good.

26th February
Cleared up job. Returned to Grimsby. Weather good.

27th February
Went with May and Iris to London for funeral of sister Lottie.

28th February
Saw all my brothers for conference about the house and will.

1st March
Went to the funeral of Lottie at Manor Park Cemetery.

2nd March
Went to Dr. Edmonds for operation on cyst on left eyelid.

3rd March
Left London for Boston to meet S. Goody for Spitfire on Frampton.

4th March
Went back to Grimsby for escape valve on camel. Returned to Boston.

5th March
Went to plane. Stayed the night on barge. Weather very good.

6th March
Plane floated but camel burst. Anchored plane, came ashore.

7th March
Returned to Grimsby for more gear and met the lorry. Returned Boston.

8th March
Went out to plane with fresh gear. Stayed on barge and repaired camels.

9th March
Fixed camels to plane and anchored it ready for final lift.

10th March
Lifted plane, towed it into Boston cut. Landed it 10pm.

11th March
Took gear off plane. Packed lorry and ? ready to return to Grimsby.

12th March
Worked in dock. Helped with chains. Did carpentering on ?.

13th March
Worked in dock on Kernooser. Measured for new uniform.

14th March
Tom returned from Boston in yellow peril. Skip called in morning.

15th March
Worked in dock on Kernooser. Cleared shed for our gear.

16th March
Worked in dock. Stacked some gear in shed. Worked on motor boat.

17th March
Worked in dock. Lowered motor boat in dock for Lindsey auto men.

18th March
Worked in dock. Tried motor boat out in Basin. New starter put in. Boat lifted out.

19th March
Worked in dock. Tom sent on leave. Sent home for the half day.

20th March
Worked in dock. Painted Skip’s Brake. The Kernooser lost off Hornsea, all saved.

21st March
Quiet day. Tom returned off leave.

22nd March
Worked in dock. Skip and Tom left for Kings Lynn for Dornier crashed.

23rd March
Worked in dock. Mick returned from Invergordon with Tom.

24th March
Worked in dock. Telegram about Ken returning from Scotland.

25th March
Worked in dock. Williamson phoned from Scotland about Ken.

26th March
Worked in dock. Skip and Tom returned from Kings Lynn. May’s birthday.

27th March
Worked on S. Brake. Skip called about Hurricane crash at Amble.

28th March
Skip and Tom left for Amble. Ken returned from Scotland.

29th March
Left with lorry for Amble, arrived 1900 hours.

30th March
Stayed at RAF camp. Skip and Tom arrived. Strong westerly winds, no boats out.

31st March/1st April
Winds continue. No boats out. We all stay in camp.

2nd April
Winds dropping. Arrangements made for next morning. We all go to dance.

3rd April
We all leave jetty 0700 hours for wreck. No body there. Lorry left for Grimsby.

4th April
Skip. 7am I left for Grimsby. 1100 hours arrive Grimsby 1700.

5th April
Worked in dock. Repaired skip’s car, unloaded lorry ready for Saltfleet.

6th April
Worked in dock. Cleaned gear. Cleaned boat.

7th April
Worked in dock. Cleaned gear. Strong westerly wind.

8th April
Worked in dock. Given instruction on express and office work.

9th April
Went with Skip and Darel to New Holland for the pay cheque.

10th April
Worked in dock. Repaired diving pump.

11th April
Quiet day. Spent evening at the Wellington.

12th April
Worked in dock. Painted the motor boat.

13th/14th April
Worked in dock. Overhauled gear.

15th April
Worked in dock. Skip called 100 hours for crash at Rye, Sussex — Wellington bomber.

16th April
Left for London 1200 hours, arrived 1830 hours. Stayed at Amy’s.

17th April
Left London for Rye 1500 hours. Arrived Rye 1700 hours. Met Mr. Chapman.

18th April
Arranged for boat.

19th April
Went out with boat to wreck. Dropped anchor for night. SW wind.

20th April
Fixed new camels on wreck. 4 camels break adrift. Return to harbour.

21st April
Meet. Mr. Wilson. Strong SW wind. Decide to return to Grimsby next day.

22nd April
Unload boat. Leave Rye 1515 hours. Arrive London 1830 hours.

23rd April
Stay in London. Meet Ellen and sister at Ken’s mothers.

24th April
Leave London 1715 hours for Grimsby. Arrive Grimsby 2200 hours.

25th/26th April
Spend days in Grimsby.

27th April
Worked in dock. Repairing caravan damaged coming from London.

28th April
Worked in dock. Repaired caravan.

29th April
Left Grimsby for Rye. Arrived London 1800 hours with May and Iris. Stayed the night.

30th April
Stayed in London.

1st May
Stayed in London. Ken and Dick left for Rye.

2nd May
Left London 1100 hours for Rye. Arrived 1330 hours.

3rd May
Saw crew from Poole. Strong NE winds. Unable to work.

4th May
Strong E winds. Unable to work.

5th May
Strong SE winds. Ken and Dick left Rye. Arrived London 1700 hours.

6th May
Job abandoned. Left Rye for London. Arrived 2000 hours.

7th May
Stayed in London.

8th May
Stayed in London. Skip and Nigger went to Burnham.

9th May
Stayed in London. Kath’s birthday.

10th May
Left London for Grimsby 1100 hours. Arrived Grimsby 1800 hours.

11th - 13th May
Worked in dock.

14th May
Start of Spring tide. Worked in dock. Oxford trainer crashed at Northcoats.

15th May
Worked in dock. Skip, Ken and Tom investigated crash at Northcoats.

16th May
Quiet day in Grimsby.

17th May
Worked in dock.

18th May
Worked in dock. Put Nigger and Ken down in afternoon.

19th May
Worked in dock.

20th May
Highest Spring tide. Worked in dock. Saw Mr. De Heer.

21st May
Worked in dock. Reported Beaufighter crashed at Brightlingsea.

22nd May
Loaded lorry for crash at Brightlingsea.

23rd May
Left Grimsby 0900 hours for Brightlingsea. Arrived 1900 hours.

24th May
West out on H.S.L. could not find any trace of crash.

25th May
Skip, Nigger and I left for London. Arrived 1700 hours. Stayed at Amy’s for night.

26th May
Left London for Shaftesbury, stayed at the Mitre.

27th May
Stayed on Shaftesbury.

28th May
Left Shaftesbury for Ilfracombe 1100 hours. Arrived 1530 hours.

29th May
Skip left Ilfracombe 1400 hours.

30th May
Quiet day. Saw Barretts home.

31st May
Formed new gang in Ilfracombe.

1st-4th June
House hunting in Ilfracombe.

5th June
Learned to drive. Wimpey crashed at Frimington. Worked all night.

6th June
Fixed barrels on plane. Towed plane inshore 1000pm.

7th June
0700 hours arrived at crash. Cleared up, turned over m u. 1200 hours saw Mr. De Heer at Ilfracombe.

8th June
Left for Thunderbolt crashed at Cardiff 1100 hours. Arrived Tewkesbury, saw police. Told to return to base.

9th June
Left Gloucester for base, arrived 1500 hours. Had lorry unloaded.

10th June
Lorry loaded with anchors for Watchet. M.A.P. granted 2 days holiday for Whitsun.

11th June
Left for Grimsby 0800. Arrived Grimsby 2100 hours, saw May, Iris and Tom.

12th June
Left Grimsby for London. Arrived 1330 hours. Stopped at Amy’s.

13th/14th June
Stopped in London.

15th June
Arrived back in Ilfracombe 9.30pm.

16th June
Left for Barry for Thunderbolt crash. Arrived 22.00hrs. Found lodgings.

17th June
West out in HSA launch. Could not locate crash.

18th June
Found crash. Picked up cannons.

19th June
Worked on crash.

20th June
Cleared up job.

21st June
Left Barry 10.00hrs. Arrived base 19.30hrs.

22nd June
Sent in log of crash. Saw the target gang.

23rd/24th June
Worked with gang on targets.

25th June
Worked on targets. Sent Nigger on leave.

26th June
Worked on targets. Had tea at Barretts.

27th June
Mr. Barrett left for London. Out with target gang.

28th/29th June
Worked with target gang.

30th June
Worked with target gang. Wellington crash at Flat Holm in 10 fathoms.

1st July
No diving gear. Crash held over.

2nd July
Worked with target gang.

3rd July
Nigger returned off leave. Worked with target gang.

4th July
Went with Hardy to Dunster about brake.

5th July
Worked with target gang.

6th July
Target gang left for Wales.

7th/8th July
Tried out compressor, camels and other gear.

9th July
Overhauled gear at base. Strong NE wind.

10th July
Rained all day. Wind SW.

11th July
Rained all day. Stayed indoors.

12th July
Nigger spoke about a transfer. Saw Hardy, went with him to pictures.

13th July
Had gang working on old target. Crash in Severn 50m.n. dealt with it.

14th July
Worked on old target in dock. Sent George with Loan of Cork for his son.

15th July
Loaded up for Pendine. Left base 14.00hrs. Stopped Bridgwater for night.

16th July
Arrived Red Roses 20.30hrs for Barge moorings at Pendine Sands.

17th July
Laid moorings. Went to Tenby with Marland for evening.

18th July
Went to Pendine to recover all moorings.

19th July
Worked on Pendine Sands recovering old mooring chain and anchor.

20th July
Unable to work on beach owing to firing on beach.

21st July
Recovered anchor and chain, loaded on lorry. Loaded 2 7 class buoys at Sandersfoot.

22nd July
Quiet day at Red Roses. No barge arrived. Went out with Marland in the evening.

23rd July
Crash reported at Ilfracombe, left for base 15.30hrs. Stayed night at Port Talbot.

24th July
Arrived at base 18.00hrs. Saw Hardy, had drinks at Pier.

25th July
Crash at Talbot . . . sent team away 17.00hrs.

26th July
Left with Hardy 18.00hrs, arrived at Ted Roses 1.00hrs. Saw Duty Officer at Tenby.

27th July
Went out with HGL to scene of crash, no sign of crash, returned 12.30hrs.

28th July
Called at Llanelly with tail of plane, returned for base. Stopped at Port Talbot.

29th July
Arrived at base 17.00hrs. Barrett had message telling us to return to Tenby.

30th July
Left base 08.30hrs. Saw c/o at Llanelly, gave me new bearings, arrived Red Roses 24.00hrs.

31st July
Went to Tenby, unable to get boat, waiting answer from Milford.

1st August
Went out in NSL. Took soundings. Strong SW winds.

2nd August
Contacted Navy at Milford for boat. W winds.

3rd August
Boat Blizzard dispatched, Calsly I. Naval diver sent down in 16 fathoms.

4th August
Diver down again. Nothing found, salvage abandoned.

5th August
Left for base, stopped night at Bridgwater.

6th August
Arrived back at base, unloaded gear off lorry.

7th August
Overhauled gear, went out to tea.

8th August
Quiet day. Raining.

9th August
Gave crew day off.

10th August
Crashed Newlyn near Newquay. Read and myself investigated. Salvage abandoned.

11th August
Tried new diving gear in dock.

12th August
Put Nigger down off Girl Josie. Boss arrived.

13th August
Boss left for Plymouth with Hardy to buy new boat.

14th August
Lancaster crash at Littlehampton. Left with lorry and brake. Arrived 12.30 hrs.

15th August
Boss left for London. Contacted Cutler, went out in HSL.

16th August
Put diver down to inspect plane 17.00hrs. Plane turned upside down, 2 engines off.

17th August
Left for crash 08.00. Diver made further inspection, camels loaded on barge.

18th August
Straps put on plane. Strong W wind, unfit for further operations.

19th August
Plane lifted, carried 2 miles, ¼ mile from coastguard tower east of harbour.

20th August
Contacted military about mines, searched for other engine.

21st/22nd August
Swept for other engine and tail.

23rd August
Beach cleared of mines, camels fixed, plane lifted to top of beach 20.00hrs.

24th August
Further search for pieces of plane.

25th August
Strong SW winds, unfit for further diving.

26th August
Cleared up gear. Returned gear to Foster Emsworth.

27th August
Police contacted me about Newport crash. Left for Newport.

28th August
Arrived Newport 11.45am. Met Mr. Dale 50m.n. 7.30pm.

29th August
Ascertained Whitly missing from nearby. No sign of plane at Newport.

30th August
Moved to Chepstow. Met Mr. Butt, arranged to go out in barge.

31st August
Charlston night, over to ? Passage Hotel. Area searched, result negative.

1st September
Went out with River King with Mr. Leggett, no signs of crash.

2nd September
Left for Ilfracombe, arrived 16.30hrs. Saw Reed in office.

3rd September
Had lorry unloaded. Made out report and expressed sheets.

4th September
Left for caravan at Hermitage, went on to Grimsby.

5th September
Arrived Grimsby 06.30hrs. Met storm by evening.

6th September
Took May and Iris to pictures. Went to Masons Arms in evening.

10th September
Ilfracombe . . . . . . . .

12th September
Wind SE strong. Arrived Tenby . . . . . . . .

13th September
Contacted . . . . . . at . . . . .

14th September

15th September

16th September

17th September
NW winds, unfit for salvage operations. . . . . . . .

18th September
NW wind . . . . . Unfit for salvage . . . . . . . . to Pembroke Dock . . .

19th September
Loaded gear . . . . . . . .

20th September
Left Tenby 08.00hrs, arrived Ilfracombe 19.00hrs. Mr. Deheer arrived.

21st September
Saw Mr. Deheer. Boss and Hardy went to Plymouth. I saw them at evening.

22nd September
Had talk in office with Boss, Hardy and Read. I asked the Boss for my cards. He asked me to stop.

23rd September
Left with Hardy and Nigger for Barry, arrived Barry, got moorings ready.

24th September
Laid moorings 09.30hrs. Returned Ilfracombe 18.30hrs.

25th September
Went to Plymouth with Hardy. Saw Seaplane.

26th September
Quiet day in Ilfracombe.

27th September
Stayed in Ilfracombe, altered seats in shooting brake.

28th September
Stayed in Ilfracombe. Finished altering shooting brake.

29th September
Learned to drive brake. Wilson arrived.

30th September
Went over gear with Wilson. Suggested lighting in caravan.

1st October
Gave notice to Hardy.

2nd October
Quiet day in Ilfracombe.

3rd October
Spent day in Ilfracombe.

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