TNA MT 40 66

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STATES
woll
and
- 4 -
38
LETER
SEW
A tug boat was told off to give us a lift off the Breakwater by the
due
of
ern, as there were three destroyers abreast astern of us. He made fast
r starboard quarter rope to his bow and pulled sternwise. He did his job
TO
one
DO well, pulled us well out, and when he thought we were going too far across
DEPARTMENT
sit.
e endeavoured to straighten us up in the channel by giving us a "nose off"
DEPARTMENT
under the counter and thus cutting our D.G. in two places. I did not want
his "nose off" the pitch of the propeller and the helm would have straightened
us up nicely - and if that was not sufficient then I could have given her a kick
ahead on the starboard helm, which would certainly have done the trick. But
and
the tug boat captain did not have the necessary patience. A Clyde tug boat
master would never have done that. What a mess! The D.G. wire having been
cut in two places quickly short circuited, and caught fire under the counter.
and
X
Some French soldiers on the opposite pier head noticed it first and raised the
HTUS
alarm. My toes began to tingle in my boots. Fire, with so many troops on
board, fanned by a fresh westerly wind on the stern! Would it be possible to
bassin
get her round in the channel and head the wind before it caught hold, or would
I require to beach her on the sands and give them a chance to swim ashore?
I ordered the current to be cut off, by 'phone to the engine-room, and I
think it was already cut off, as the engineers had noticed something amiss on
the switchboard. The mate and the second engineer were soon on the job with
a fire spray, and the flames extinguished. It is true that we had all the
fire apparatus fixed ready for action, and the sailors at their stations duri ng
the time the troops were on board, but it happened so quickly and at a time when
any person could not move about the decks on account of the crush.
The report that the fire was under control came with a great relief. All
this happened while we were backing out of the harbour to add to other difficulties,
and being under the counter of the vessel it was well nigh inaccessible to get at.
The mate and second engineer deserve every credit for having dealt with it so
effectively and efficiently. I believe the mate was hanging like a monkey on
a rope, directing the fire spray on the seat of trouble. However, that having
passed over, everything was normal for a few moments.
I would here mention that we were at a disadvantage through the second mate
leaving the ship at Dover the previous morning, so that the mate and myself had
to share his duties between us in addition to everything else.
Having manoeuvred the vessel into the channel we were for a few minutes
waiting for our escort, H.M. Destroyer F.34. "THE GREYHOUND", and on clearing
the Breakwater he closed up on us and asked which route we intended going by,
Route X. or Route Y. or --, and while we were thus talking it was cut short;
the destroyer jumped, as it were, and made a series of twists and zig-zags in
front of us. Well, I thought to myself, if you are going at that speed there's
damn little hope of me keeping up with you! The next moment there was a
terrific explosion close to the destroyer on her port side, but it was a miss.
Another moment and a column of water shot up ahead of us about 50 yards away.
No. 1 salvo for the "LOCHGARRY" also a miss! But the third salvo caught the
destroyer fair amidships and ripped her side open, causing many casualties, I
would say, but the Commander was still on the bridge and her guns were active
peppering away. It was apparent the vessel was out of action. I heard the
telegraph to the engine-room ringing but could see no response from the engines.
I passed by the destroyer close to. The Commander shouted, "Carry on"; we
then tore away full batter with a double ring on the telegraph, and zig-zagged
so far as the channel would allow us.
We were left alone for a while. I was told before leaving that "the
Germans were shelling from the shore, but they were not very accurate". We
were not shelled from the shore. We passed the vessel in whose company we
had done part of the voyage going over - the "CLAN MACALISTER". She was
evidently in a bad way her after-hold on fire and clouds of black smoke
rising from her. I would say that she had received a salvo somewhere about
her stern, and was either at anchor or not under way!
We had now overtaken and passed a small steamer very like the "LOCHSHIEL"
crammed with troops, her hold and decks quite full. On our starboard bow
was the "GRACIE FIELDS", a minesweeper, full of troops going out, and a hospital
ship going in on our port bow. They were both zig-zagging vigorously, as we
were ourselves, but the "GRACIE FIELDS" got one salvo which stopped her engines,
and she stopped, lifeless, and limped somewhere around the Kwint Buoy. The
hospital/