Battle of Atlantic

[mick]

On BBC2 at the mo

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by mick

On BBC2 at the mo

Watching as we speak, I've dived with a couple of the lads on the prog. Richie Stevenson (chiseller) ran my Inspiration course.

[MustRib]

My father was torpedoed 23rd Sept 1942.
He was a Radio Officer on SS Athelsultan, a tanker in Convoy SC100, carrying 13,000 tons of molasses (used in Gunpowder) and alcohol.
The tanker was also the Convoy Commodore's ship.
SC100 had scattered due to bad weather, and U617 torpeoded the tanker at 00.19 in the morning in bad weather,
the U Boat captain showing amazing skill to get the torpedoes away.
My father was off watch at the time and he abandoned ship in only a vest and a pair of trousers. He found a Caley float with a badly wounded ship mate on it and pulled himself aboard. His shipmate died soon afterwards and he had to roll him over the side. he was one of only 10 survivors from the 61 onboard. He was 19 years old.
The ship went down 700 miles Southeast of CapeFarewell Greenland.
He was on the raft 24 hours, before miraculously being picked up in rough seas by HMS Nasturtium, a Flower class Corvette. He always maintained that the RN came looking for them because they had been the Commodore's ship and had RN staff on board.
He was landed at Londonderry, in only his vest and trousers, and had to go to the Salvation Army for clothes and a bed to sleep in until he could get a rail voucher to get home.
The Merchant Navy suffered the greatest percentage of casualties for the size of its force, than any of the other services, yet all the time they were civilians. When ashore they didnt wear uniforms and came in for a lot of abuse from women and servicemen. My father recalled being spat at once on a train. Eventually the government gave them MN lapel badges, but they were often turned upside down to spell NW...not wanted.
My father served on Russian, Atlantic, Far Eastern, Med, and Indian convoys.
He was invalided out in 1945 having lost the hearing in his left ear. I tried for years to get a war pension for him but the government would not give him one. He had a ton of fantastic tales to tell, and was responsible for me getting the sea bug. We should be proud of all the MN did during the war.

[Mollers]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

Watching as we speak, I've dived with a couple of the lads on the prog. .

You must know Leigh Bishop

Sat in on a talk that he gave in Fal a couple of years ago re. diving the Britannic.

Leigh's Sis and Mrs M are bezzies.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Mollers

You must know Leigh Bishop

Sat in on a talk that he gave in Fal a couple of years ago re. diving the Britannic.

Leigh's Sis and Mrs M are bezzies.

Oh I know Bish OK 2nd best underwater photographer in the world, 97th in the UK

Who's Leigh Bishop? - YouTube

[Mollers]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

Oh I know Bish OK 2nd best underwater photographer in the world, 97th in the UK

No fan then? ;-)

[Trimix]

I watched that program with interest - the vis on some of those wrecks was great.

My great grandfather was a naval architect and Ive some of his books on shipbuilding - really interesting reading. Written in 1890.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Mollers

No fan then? ;-)

He's harmless enough, in smallman doses. Can't deny he's a good diver & he's done plenty of good stuff. He just needs an occasional reality check.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Trimix

I watched that program with interest - the vis on some of those wrecks was great.

My great grandfather was a naval architect and Ive some of his books on shipbuilding - really interesting reading. Written in 1890.

I've done a couple of diving trips off Malin & the viz can be mind blowing, ambient light at 100m+ Descending the shot & being able to see the full length of a 45,000t liner, incredible. Some of Bish's photos are here. The Audacious, Justicia & Transylvania are all off Malin/North Channel, the same area as last nights prog.

[Trimix]

Mmmmm, top vis, giant wrecks - lovely.

When I dived the Repulse I used a scooter to get about it was so massive.

Dropping down to it I thought it was the seabed, but in fact it was just the side of the hull, the sea bed was a further 30m.

*googles flights to Singapoore*

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Trimix

*googles flights to Singapoore*

No need, IMHO the best diving in the world is on your doorstep Find a good liveaboard running a deep week off NI & you won't go far wrong. Atlantic water temp is around 17deg mid-late summer, by which time the plankton bloom has cleared.

[Boatnomad]

Originally Posted by MustRib

My father was torpedoed 23rd Sept 1942.
He was a Radio Officer on SS Athelsultan, a tanker in Convoy SC100, carrying 13,000 tons of molasses (used in Gunpowder) and alcohol.
The tanker was also the Convoy Commodore's ship.
SC100 had scattered due to bad weather, and U617 torpeoded the tanker at 00.19 in the morning in bad weather,
the U Boat captain showing amazing skill to get the torpedoes away.
My father was off watch at the time and he abandoned ship in only a vest and a pair of trousers. He found a Caley float with a badly wounded ship mate on it and pulled himself aboard. His shipmate died soon afterwards and he had to roll him over the side. he was one of only 10 survivors from the 61 onboard. He was 19 years old.
The ship went down 700 miles Southeast of CapeFarewell Greenland.
He was on the raft 24 hours, before miraculously being picked up in rough seas by HMS Nasturtium, a Flower class Corvette. He always maintained that the RN came looking for them because they had been the Commodore's ship and had RN staff on board.
He was landed at Londonderry, in only his vest and trousers, and had to go to the Salvation Army for clothes and a bed to sleep in until he could get a rail voucher to get home.
The Merchant Navy suffered the greatest percentage of casualties for the size of its force, than any of the other services, yet all the time they were civilians. When ashore they didnt wear uniforms and came in for a lot of abuse from women and servicemen. My father recalled being spat at once on a train. Eventually the government gave them MN lapel badges, but they were often turned upside down to spell NW...not wanted.
My father served on Russian, Atlantic, Far Eastern, Med, and Indian convoys.
He was invalided out in 1945 having lost the hearing in his left ear. I tried for years to get a war pension for him but the government would not give him one. He had a ton of fantastic tales to tell, and was responsible for me getting the sea bug. We should be proud of all the MN did during the war.

My stepfather was on the Russian convoys in wintertime,never did not like talking about it much.

[MustRib]

Originally Posted by Boatnomad

My stepfather was on the Russian convoys in wintertime,never did not like talking about it much.

I could undertsand that, a different generation, they kept a lot of stuff in.
Conditions were terrible. Brave men.

[Ribtecer]

Originally Posted by MustRib

My father was torpedoed 23rd Sept 1942.
He was a Radio Officer on SS Athelsultan, a tanker in Convoy SC100, carrying 13,000 tons of molasses (used in Gunpowder) and alcohol.
The tanker was also the Convoy Commodore's ship.
SC100 had scattered due to bad weather, and U617 torpeoded the tanker at 00.19 in the morning in bad weather,
the U Boat captain showing amazing skill to get the torpedoes away.
My father was off watch at the time and he abandoned ship in only a vest and a pair of trousers. He found a Caley float with a badly wounded ship mate on it and pulled himself aboard. His shipmate died soon afterwards and he had to roll him over the side. he was one of only 10 survivors from the 61 onboard. He was 19 years old.
The ship went down 700 miles Southeast of CapeFarewell Greenland.
He was on the raft 24 hours, before miraculously being picked up in rough seas by HMS Nasturtium, a Flower class Corvette. He always maintained that the RN came looking for them because they had been the Commodore's ship and had RN staff on board.
He was landed at Londonderry, in only his vest and trousers, and had to go to the Salvation Army for clothes and a bed to sleep in until he could get a rail voucher to get home.
The Merchant Navy suffered the greatest percentage of casualties for the size of its force, than any of the other services, yet all the time they were civilians. When ashore they didnt wear uniforms and came in for a lot of abuse from women and servicemen. My father recalled being spat at once on a train. Eventually the government gave them MN lapel badges, but they were often turned upside down to spell NW...not wanted.
My father served on Russian, Atlantic, Far Eastern, Med, and Indian convoys.
He was invalided out in 1945 having lost the hearing in his left ear. I tried for years to get a war pension for him but the government would not give him one. He had a ton of fantastic tales to tell, and was responsible for me getting the sea bug. We should be proud of all the MN did during the war.

Saw the programme and enjoyed it, but loved reading that, good old boy - must have been freezing!!!

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Ribtecer

Saw the programme and enjoyed it, but loved reading that, good old boy - must have been freezing!!!

If you can, get hold of a copy of HMS Ulysses, its Alistair MacLeans first book & his best imho, absolutely gripping & moving.

[PeterM]

Originally Posted by pikey dave

if you can, get hold of a copy of hms ulysses, its alistair macleans first book & his best imho, absolutely gripping & moving.

+1...

[Nos4r2]

From the other side as well, try reading Iron Coffins by Herbert Werner-the true story of one of only 24 U-boat captains still alive at the end of the war, with 731 U-boats sunk. It's truly terrifying in places.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

From the other side as well, try reading Iron Coffins by Herbert Werner-the true story of one of only 24 U-boat captains still alive at the end of the war, with 731 U-boats sunk. It's truly terrifying in places.

I'd forgotten about that one, cracking read. If it's Atlantic convoys you're interested in, don't forget "The Cruel Sea" by Nicholas Monsarrat & "Sink the Bismark" by Ludovic Kennedy. Just the thing for the long winter nights by the fire, when there's feck all on telly, which is most nights Which reminds me, I've got all 6 hours of Das Boot still to watch.

[MustRib]

I really recommend you get hold of this one - put it on your Christmas present list fellas.

The Real Cruel Sea: The Merchant Navy in the Battle of the Atlantic, 1939-1943
Captain Richard Woodman

[jumpinjack]

You tube link of some Irish wreck footage, of interest to dive types no doubt.

http://youtu.be/lzmC-oPY_x0