TNA MT 40 66

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DEPART
1/36 7,000 pads of 250
EASTERN
RAILWAY
LONDON & NORTH EASTERN RAILWAY
B 1152
DEPARTMENT
To
DEPARTMENT
To
43
STATION
STATION
is
193
OUR REFERENCE
TELEPHONE
YOUR REFERENCE
to
STATE
4
considerable height, the bombs fell very close to the stern of the ship
which was swinging to port. The force of the explosion was terrific and
W.O.I.
the ship seemed to be lifted almost out of the water.
ONE
230
though not actually hit it was evident that the ship was very badly
Lazar
damaged aft. The stern settled down considerably and the starboard engine
guiding
By
had to be stopped immediately as the shaft was bumping badly. The water-
tight doors were closed at the time in accordance with wartime procedure,
233
but the force of the explosion had evidently made them considerably
distorted, as the ship filled up to the after engine room bulkhead and
of
anot
the water rose to the level of the main deck. There was a certain amount
E
of leakage into the engine room through the bulkhead, but the ship's pumps
and
managed to slow down the rate of the rising water to a reasonable amount.
The only presumable casualties to personnel were one fireman missing,
of
the
presumed to be blown overboard.
by
the
From the time of the explosion, 1025, the ship was kept going ahead as
fast as it was possible to do on the port engine which was the only one
the
the
left in service, craft in the vicinity were warned and several naval
in
auxiliaries agreed to stand by us and the ship slowly progressed
the
homewards.
in the to
It was evident however that the water was gaining, and such measures as
getting as many troops as possible forward to ease the weight on the after
part of the ship were giving only temporary respite, so I decided to try
to transfer the troops while the ship was still under way so as to lose
as little time as possible. Destroyer "SHIKARI" and a sloop and a
paddle minesweeper whose names I was unable to obtain came alongside in
us
7
COUIU
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twisting and turning to clear the bombs. I paddled in towards the shore
a bit, as I could see our crew of the barge and the soldier stevedores
$ e t
were rowing off in their boat towards us. I picked them up, also boat
and crew of barge "DUCHESS" that had anchored in the Roads, and then the
next wave of bombers were overhead.
(Continued)