Torpedoed whilst in Convoy

This is only the second full telling of this story Nov 2003, since it was done for my Grandson as a school history project.

The Photographs are available to be included with this article if required.

James Williams, Maternal Great Grandad

This story relates to the time James’s Great Grandad, Gilbert Dennis Randfield was torpedoed for the second time, in 1940/1941.

He had been in the Merchant Navy since he was 14, having lied about his age. He had grown up with the sea, having lived in Liverpool all his life. One of the great Merchant Vessel owners in Liverpool were T & J Harrison and their fleet was known as the HARRISON LINE. Each major company’s ships, (as large vessels are called; not boats.) are distinguished by the features on their Funnels. In the case of T & J Harrison vessels, they were known as the “Two of Fat and One of Lean”. This referred to the two White stripes, one above and one below a thiner stripe of Red which ran around the funnel near the top.
He sailed on the normal routes of the East Coast of America and the West Indies and the major cargo was Sugar Cane, which was transported on behalf of Tate & Lyle the Main Sugar Refiners in Liverpool. These trips took on average between three and three & half months at a time. However, after hostilities of the second world war broke out, his periods at sea were some times less, sometimes longer. Also the routes were secret. Cargo and destinations were not published. His home port, as Liverpool was known, and where the vessel was registered, was not always the one the ship returned to. It could be London, Avonmouth, Greenock in Scotland, in fact any port where the cargo was bound for, again kept a secret.
The reason for the secrecy, was that with the dangers of Submarines, Merchant ships were formed into “Convoys” and were accompanied by war ships of the Royal Navy as protection. Upwards of 100 or more ships would be assembled in various parts of the country, for example the Irish Sea when sailing to the USA, they would be met by the Royal Navy and proceed in “Convoy” across the Atlantic.

It was on one such convoy that James’s Great Grandad was torpedoed for the second time, but this time the ship did not sink.
There is more to this story than just the actual attack on the vessel by a submarine. Social History is not always accurate as to the normal things in life which those left at home had to contend with. James’s Great Grandma was left at home for great lengths of time not knowing where her husband was, or when he would return.
As with most families at that time, she had a young daughter Margaret to bring up and feed, on what were very small rations. Money was always difficult; and in the case of seamen, of whatever rank, whilst at sea their wives drew an “Allotment” each week from the companies payment office. At one such visit to the payment office, which was in the centre of Liverpool and James’s Great Grandma’s house was in the outskirts of the city, which resulted in quite a long Tramcar journey; she was told that no money was due to her.
On asking why, she was told that her husband had been lost at sea, as a result of his ship being torpedoed. She complained and said that he had not been lost and that his ship had not been sunk.
They repeated that they could not give her any money, the ship had been lost with all hands and she was not entitled to any payment. This was the harsh way even in the early 1940s, that relatives of the men of all the services, were treated.
If the man had been lost at sea, or killed on active service, payment to his dependents ceased and that was the end of his earnings.

Due to the length of time he had been at sea and also the fact that they were married in 1936, they had worked out a set of “Code” words to let her know where he was and the time and date of his letters. This was to overcome the strict Censure of all letters home. She was able to tell when he had written and where from. When he was due home and where he would dock; also when he would be expected home on shore leave.
She pointed this out to the payment clerk, that she had had a letter from him and she knew the ship had not been sunk and where he and the vessel were. This resulted in her being taken up to the main offices and meeting the senior partner in the T & J Harrison family. The letter was shown to him and he did not see anything which indicated that the ship or her husband was still alive. The Code was explained as to when the letter was sent; and where he and the ship were. It had been written after the report of the sinking and a few weeks had passed since the letter was delivered. From the enquiries he and the company made, it was proved that what she had told him was correct. They were more embarrased than angry, at the fact that she knew more about their ship than they did. Suffice to say that she was paid out the “Allotment” that was due; and they returned home and were able to eat for the following week.
His Great Grandad survived the war and enjoyed a long and happy life still at sea, with Harrison's until his retirement.

An account of this vessel the “Advisor” is told in the book, “Hostilities Only” by Lt K.G.Dimbleby (1944) lent to James for this project. Four photographs, taken when the ship was towed into Durban in South Africa, are also enclosed. These show the size of the hole (It would have taken three double decker buses to fill it, was the phrase used.) just above the water line when she was sailed into Dry Dock. Photograph 2 shows the size of the complete damage when the dry dock had been emptied. Photo 3 shows the removal of the damaged parts of the main Ribs and Plates of the ship. Photo 4 shows the new ribs being replaced and the ship nearing completion. Two other photographs of the damage repaired, prior to her return to “Convoy” duty have been lost.
Due to the location of the damage, the ship was unable to be towed forward as the water rushed into the hold of the ship and would have resulted in its sinking. It had therefore to be towed, “Stern” (rear,) end first. This enabled the ship to be towed towards a friendly port for repair; but took twice as long as was expected.

This is the very first time this full account has been put down on paper. Whilst a lot has been left out for clarity, it still makes interesting reading. Even for me, his Grandad. (Ron Williams)

September 1997.

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