A Look Back at My Life and Service in the Merchant Navy

A look back at my life and service in the Merchant Navy

BY

EDWIN WILLIAM FROST (TED)

April 23 1923 Born Post office stores Berrow Somerset.
Educated at Berrow village school (Headmistress Miss Westcott) and Burnham College and in1934 went to Bristol Grammar school as a boarder in Pembrook Road (Mr McGregor). Member of the cadet force, played ruby, hockey and cricket with the Gravney boys.

January 1939 Signed indentures with the Hain S.S. Company in Cardiff and joined first ship S.S. Treminnard (Captain Parmee) as an apprentice and sailed from Cardiff to Buenos Aires, did three voyages to River Plate and River Parana to Santa Fe, Rosario, San Nicolas, Potre Oblagito etc.

July1939 Transferred to S.S. Trelissick (Captain Woolcock) In Buenos Aires when war broke out in September 1939.
I was in the first convoy of the war from Gibraltar (S.S.Yorkshire sunk with army wives and children returning from India) return trip via Santos, in Montevido harbour when German Battleship Graf Spee scuttled herself.
Attended R.N. gunnery school at Barry in South Wales and passed out as gun layer on four inch and certificate issued which said, “We were not fighting men.”
Various voyages in convoy in Atlantic to Jacksonville, Savannah, Baltimore, New York, Boston, Sydney, Cape Breton, Saint John, Tommies Arm, Saint Johns Newfoundland. One voyage took thirty-six days crossing from last named port to Lock Ewe Scotland.

January 1941 North Africa and Gibraltar many ships sunk by limpet mines, Lt Crabb R.N. later Navy Diver Commander on board for voyage to Huelva Spain loaded tungsten ore to Lisbon for R.N. escort back to Gibraltar and escort home because of the very valuable cargo after further voyages.
In London docks Millwall during blitz on the East End of London what a terrible shambles!

June 23 1941 Bombed and torpedoed three and half miles off Sherring Buoy (in East coast convoy) twelve hours later mined on Destroyer H.M.S. Pytchley (see further report in file). Picked up by coaster (flat iron) and taken to Hartlepool in Hospital and visited by Captain Pizey later Admiral Sir Mark (H.M.S. Campbell also involved)

Late July 1941 Joined S.S. Bhutan (Captain Champion OBE) a P&O ship in Queens dock Glasgow. Loaded various cargo of the war also General Montgomery Headquarters and M.T.Bs. The ship had a one hundred fifty ton derrick. Sailed to Swansea and Milford Haven to load ammunition, cordite and sixteen inch shells.
Joined twenty-knott troop convoy of fourteen passenger ships and H.M.S. Repulse. Attacked in the Bay of Biscay by Admiral Hipper but ok. Large escort called at Cape- town thence independent to Aden for fuel and onward to the Suez Canal. One of the first ships through after it being mined to Port Said, here we discharged M.T.Bs and to Alexandria along side H.M.S. Barham to discharge. Loaded supplies for Malta turned back off Crete attacked by J.U.88s escort ran out of ammunition. At Alexanderdria discharged and reload also Portsaid with huts and buildings, supplies, Tugs and barges for a baron inlet in the Gulf of Suez Safaga (now a holiday resort) to set up base in case of retreat by Eighth Army thence to Aden, Trimcomalee, Calcutta to load tea etc, Madras, Bombay and home via Cape, Freetown, independent ship to Glasgow March 1942. Home sick with abscess.

7 APRIL 1942 Joined M.V. Empire Bede (Captain Daniels) in a north east coast port, a new motor ship. Loaded general stores, ammunition, tanks, and guns. This ship had no engine trails and we joined the convoy from Oban dispersed off Freetown independent fourteen knots ship to Aden where engines failed to go astern lost anchor, trouble with re-fuelling and engine room flooded with oil, arrived at Port Said. Discharged thence to Port Sudan to load part cargo of cotton, then independent to Capetown and New York. Picked up crew of a Clan-vessel who had been in lifeboats for some day’s badly injured and dehydrated, approx100 N –450 W and landed them at Trinidad Port of Spain.
Joined convoy TAW 13 for Key West as Vice Commodore five knots, to await ships from Panama to join us. It was very difficult to regulate engines at such a slow speed.
British corvette and American Destroyers escorted convoy, the U.S.A. not in the war so the Americans had to retreat on attack to U.S base Guantonamo Bay.

18 August 1942 Torpedoed 0400 hrs 19o 41N 76o50W by U.553 (Captain Taurmann) four torpedo spread after 56, 63 and 66 seconds with one hit. (Per Axis submarine successes 39-45 by Jurgen Rohwer) I was very lucky to get off at the time of the strike, asleep in bunk the keel of the lifeboat came through the bulkhead and hit my head on the doorstep and suffered slight concussion. I dived off the stern of the ship and took in a stomach full of fuel oil. Picked up later from boats by HMS Pimpernel and landed with crews of 3 other ships, sunk including one US cargo ship in Santiago de Cuba (see photos and paper reports). I was in hospital a few days and then took a long trip home via Havana by train, fly to Miami and then train to New York. During my 14-day stay in New York I visited my cousins in Syracuse and then took a train to Halifax and boarded C.P. Beaverline vessel to Liverpool.

October 1942 My Indentures terminated on sinking of Empire Bede August 18th 1942. After leave went to Cardiff Technical School and took second mates exams and certificate. The Hain S.S. Co lost 43 ships between 1939 and 1945 (see details in file).

01 March 1943 First appointedment as 3rd mate on the S.S. Baron Ramsay (Capt. Fitzgerald). Joined in Cardiff and loaded coal for Freetown. Several ships sunk in convoy south bounds return to UK Liverpool with ore.

8 June 1943 Sailed again to Gold Coast Takoradi and loaded iron ore. Four ships sunk in convoy north bound to Freetown – only 1 corvette escort very slow because it was covered with barnacles. Very lucky escape – number 13 rudder damage from depth charges dropped from destroyers out from Freetown too late. Convoy home via Gibraltar to Port Talbot. Vessel very poor condition, decks so rusted you could put a chipping hammer through them. Paid off in Swansea 1st September 1943.

01 September 1943 Mid September stood by S.S. Empire Don (Ex Irish Hazel) officer in charge during conversion in Baileys dock yard Newport. I signed on 14 November 1943 (Captain Stephenson) Sailed light ship coastwise, straits of Dover, NE coast, not without incident, enemy aircraft and E boats (this vessel was very difficult to control built like a yacht very old engines.) Paid off in Middlesborough 17 December 1943 The captain asked me to join his next ship. Around this time I was introduced to my future wife Iris Jones by an aunt.
Joined a new ship just off the stocks Thompson ship yard. S.S. Empire Welfare (Captain Stephenson) in Sunderland on 31 December 1943 as third mate. It was a large vessel with accommodation for one hundred and fifty persons. Crossed the Atlantic in ballast with convoy from Oban. Very heavy seas several ships dispersed arrived New York Brooklyn and Hoboken to be fitted out for carrying mules or animals. Now taking the opportunity once again to visit my cousins in Syracuse N.Y. Heavy snow (see photographs) for a week, on completion at ship yard, sailed to Norfolk Virginia to load 400/500 mules and a American cavalry unit with veterinary surgeons and doctors. Most of the men were from the mid west and had never seen a ship before, when we sailed were they ever ill!
Crossed Atlantic in convoy U.S. and British ships and unable to dump any dung during the voyage. Heavy air attacks during and in the Mediterranean Sea, called at Malta to clear out dung then to Port Said for fuel and water.

21 April 1944 Received sad news that my farther had died on 25 March 1944. Sailed through the Suez Canal, Red Sea and celebrated my 21 Birthday on April 23 with a glass of Egyptian beer. Arrived Karachi off loaded mules and U.S. units and preceded to Bombay for orders, this happened at the time of the big explosion of two ships in docks loaded with ammunition. Sailed for Durban, South Africa to continue carrying mules with South African cavalry units made several voyages to and from Bombay, Colombo and Chittagong. Not very pleasant also the skipper got the D.T s from drinking Cape brandy which he used to trade with the customs officers in Bombay very sad (but another story!) A good job I had 2nd mate Andrew Flint of Bristol to support me most of the officers were Geordies north east coast and not a lot of help.

April 1945 The ship was dismantled of all animal fittings in Cape Town. (I must say here that the people of South Africa were marvellous and without the support of the Missions to Seamen everywhere we would have been out of our minds) Loaded stores and supplies also relief’s R.N. officers and men for Tristan de Cuna, problems getting stores ashore in whale hide boats thence Falkland Islands and Port Stanley. Loaded wool also Lt Com Marr R.N. and his Antarctic group who had been on the ice for four years, sailed for Buenos Aires to complete loading, one hold lined with timber for wet hides in brine plus other general stores. Sailed to Gibraltar and joined one of last convoys of the war from that port. Whilst at anchor unable to go ashore and celebrated end of war in Europe V.E. Day 8th May 1945.They lit the rock up with star shells and flares. I sailed the ship from Long ships to Barry Pilot (skipper to drunk to stand) saw Burnham high light and knew I was home thank goodness!

19 May 1945 Avonmouth paid off straight away and when they opened the holds they could smell the wet hides in Bristol. I was pleased to see my Mother and Iris, had a bit of a breakdown, and got engaged to Iris. V.E. Day 15 August 1945. Back in the shipping pool stood by ships in Liverpool and signed on crews during visits to port. I then joined S.S. Empire Talisman (Blue Star Line) in Avonmouth for short voyage to Antwerp with frozen and chilled meat for the forces in Germany. Paid off in Cardiff 18 October 1945. Did odd stand jobs by signing on crews in Cardiff and Swansea. Joined S.S. Amersham (Captain Spencer) Cardiff 27 November 1945 and sailed for the Mediterranean with general cargo to Malta, Tobruk and Bonne. Loaded grain, scrap and used army vehicles for return voyage to Middlesborough and paid off on the 22 January 1946, it was during this trip that I decided that my intended career would cease, partly because of my health and came home on leave.

At this point I wish to thank the Mission to Seamen (Flying Angel) for all the support, faith and kindness shown at most of the ports I called at during my years abroad. I was officially discharged from Merchant Navy CR8 issue 03 April 1946.

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