My WW2 Service in the Merchant Navy

Outbreak of war, 1939

I was only 14 in September 1939 when war was declared. My older brother was called up immediately into the army. He trained in Ireland and was later involved in the Normandy landings - 'Operation Overlord'.

Most people were keen to help the war effort. Mother joined the Women's Voluntary Service and helped in manning a first Aid Station. There was an intense desire by most people to do something. I was keen to do something myself so I joined the Air Training Corps with a view to becoming a fighter pilot, which was one of the more glamorous jobs at the time but with a high mortality rate. Nevertheless I learnt Aerodynamics, Navigation, Morse Code etc, and went on a few trips with the ATC to local aerodromes. This knowledge was very useful later when I served in the Merchant Navy.

Joining up

I had a friend at work who had served as an Engineer in the Merchant Navy (MN). He talked me into trying to join the MN. Without previous sea experience no one would accept me so I went to the National Sea Training School (originally Gravesend Sea School), then transferred to an old sailing ship in Sharpness, Gloucester, called the TS Vindicatrix.

Training and my first ship

I endured the three months or so of training and passed the seamanship exams in 1943. I was then told to report to Middlesborough Merchant Navy Reserve Pool. I was directed to the SS Essex Trader, moored at Eston Jetty.

Merchant Navy 'Pools' were established at all the main ports and all shipping was controlled by the Ministry of Transport who had to allocate about 8,000 seamen per week to various merchant ships.

After a wearying slog, lugging my kitbag around Eston, I eventually identified the SS Essex Trader and was dismayed to see the ship covered in a white dust, which turned out to be Manganese Ore, that it had just discharged. Nevertheless it was my first ship - a quite new 10,000 ton cargo vessel with heavy lifting derricks, which proved crucial in later exploits in the Mediterranean. It had been built in Sunderland and had only done one trip down the coast of West Africa.

Off to sea

I was welcomed aboard by the second steward who directed me to a very well equipped four-berth cabin. Afterwards I had a good meal. This was heaven following my Spartan training ship experience. My three cabin-sharing shipmates were from Middlesborough, Birkenhead and Runcorn. We got on well together.

Within a few days we sailed out of the Tees and went north calling at Methyl and Oban (the English Channel was out of the question because of attacks by German E-Boats and aircraft). Then we loaded up in Helensborough with ammunition, military transport vehicles and a great variety of supplies of various kinds.

Atlantic convoys

We were instructed to join a convoy assembly point at Gourock. We joined a 100-ship convoy heading south, but because of U-Boat dangers we were continually zig-zagging and so took about three weeks to get to Freetown West Africa, where we discharged some of our cargo.

The Royal Navy escort consisted of one destroyer and two corvettes, which was totally inadequate for the size of the convoy. Ships were being torpedoed throughout the trip. Our sleep was constantly disturbed by the alarm bells ringing, mainly during the night.

All the ship's crew were allocated to gun stations as assistants to the DEMS personnel who were manning the armaments. On action stations being sounded our instructions were to don our life jackets and 'tin hats' and report to our gun stations. (Later on in the war we had an aircraft carrier as part of the escort. Each day there were crashes as planes were trying to land on the heaving deck.)

After Freetown we went to Accra, Takoradi and Lagos, where we discharged further supplies for army and RAF stations. Our last deliveries were to Lagos where we loaded up with 10,000 tons of giant peanuts and sailed for Liverpool. Joining a convoy at Freetown, we sailed north, zig-zagging as usual to avoid the U-Boats.

Malta Convoys

After discharging our cargo of peanuts in Liverpool we were ordered to proceed to Gareloch for loading more military supplies for Malta. We joined the convoy heading for Gibraltar.

We suffered repeated air and sub attacks on route to Valetta, where we discharged our cargo. Then we sailed for Casablanca to load American Sherman Tanks, military transport of various kinds and supplies for discharge along the North African coast — Algiers, Oran, Bougie, Bizerta and so on.

After the Sicily and Italian landings we continued to move troops and supplies across from Africa.

Our 'home port' became Taranto, Italy, where we loaded troops and landing craft for an unknown destination. This turned out to be St Tropez in Southern France — 'Operation Dragoon'. Our convoy was attacked by subs, E-Boats and aircraft. Many dead and injured were discharged from our ship. A hospital ship was in attendance.

After about two years we were ordered to Melilla in Spanish Morocco, where we loaded 10,000 tons of iron ore for discharge at Middlesborough.

Japan capitulates

I was then ordered to report to the Empress of Australia at Liverpool where we embarked 2,000 RAF personnel for transporting to Okinawa in the Pacific. An attack on the Japanese mainland was in preparation.

For the first time we weren't in Convoy as we traversed the Atlantic - a very strange and vulnerable feeling. Although U-Boat attacks were possible, our speed of 25 knots would enable us to outpace 9-knot U-Boats.

We passed through the Panama Canal and stopped in Pearl Harbour, Hawaii, for supplies, then sailed for Okinawa. Following two days of increasing worries about the Japanese Kami Kazi pilots who were attacking shipping, we heard that atom bombs had been dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Japanese had capitulated and our Okinawa trip was unnecessary, so we were diverted to Inuwetok in the Marshall Islands.

The Americans did not want us so we were sent to Manos in the Admiralty Islands. No one seemed to know what to do with us. Eventually the Governor of Hong Kong flew down to Manos and said he needed assistance in policing Hong Kong as the Chinese were running riot. So we sailed for Hong Kong to discharge 2,000 RAF personnel for policing duties.

Japanese POWs

After embarking all the ex-POWs from the Japanese internment camp at Stanley, we sailed for Manila in the Philippine Islands. Here we embarked the first group of British ex-POWS, all suffering from malnutrition and various illnesses such as Beri-Beri, for transport back to the UK.

En route we stopped at Singapore, Columbo and Middle East ports where we disembarked various personnel. We arrived at Liverpool from where I was sent to join the Reina del Pacifico.

On to India and the Middle East

We embarked various personnel for discharge in the Middle East ports and Bombay. On return to the Mediterranean we embarked male and female South African army personnel for transport to Mombassa and Durban. Entering Durban harbour it was customary for a very powerful woman singer to serenade all ships from the end of the jetty.

After returning to Liverpool I was ordered to report to the RMS Aquitania in Southampton.

We spent the next six months transporting British War brides and home-going American and Canadian servicemen to New York and Halifax, Nova Scotia. Our homeward trips included many German POWs who had been working on the land in Canada. Our outward trips with war brides always left with a brass band on the quay side playing 'Auld Lang Syne' and many weeping women on deck!

Discharged

I left the Merchant Navy in 1947 and came home to resume my accounting studies.

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