Not a British ship in sight

The following tale as told by my Husband

I joined my first ship the NORWEGIAN SS VEST September 1943 as 3rd r/o aged 17 and 1 month at GARSTON MERSEYSIDE. We sailed to Cardiff to load good Welsh coal. We proceeded via Milford Haven and Gibraltar to the Mediterranean arriving at Augusta Sicily for convoy assembly.
I was allowed ashore by the Norwegian Officers providing l stayed with the Lifeboat to make sure it was not stolen while they went for a drink.
From Augusta we sailed to Brindsi spending about 24 hours there.
We arrived at BARI on the afternoon of the 2nd Dec.The last ship to moor at NUOVA MOLO,to be joined later by the ODYSSEUS.
At about seven pm everything went wrong the Germans decided there were too many ships at BARI.Sixteen or seventeen ships were sunk, more damaged.
The VEST was hit by at least two bombs, we left the ship by lifeboat to the safer side of the harbour.
The next two or three days were spent helping to bury Merchant Seaman.
Later we managed unofficially to borrow a boat and boarded the VEST all the accommodation was burnt out and all belongings lost.
After spending a few days at a Naval shore base we were transfered by Army lorry to TRANTO.
After a few days in another transit camp we sailed on a FRENCH ship via MALTA to TUNISIA, by rail in a cattle truck to ALGIERS.At ALGIERS we were given Army Battledress to help the clothing problem. FROM ALGIERS we sailed to the Clyde on a BELGIAN ship,arriving late January 1944.
Two days before l arrived home my parents received a letter requesting did they know of my where abouts as I had been wounded at BARI Dec 2nd.
I spent my first Christmas away from home but I can not remember where.
Compared to many Seaman at BARI I was very lucky
Marjorie Andrews

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