SAILOR'S LIFE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 173, 24 July 1942, Page 4

SAILOR'S LIFE

ALTMARK SURVIVOR

MARITIME IMPRESSIONS

A survivor of the German prison ship Altmark, Gunner Jack Lynch, R.N.Z.V.R., former member of the Auckland Star typographical staff, has written from London giving his impressions of the air raids in England. He says that London, in comparison with its size, does not seem to be "knocked around much," but, in one or two parts, there are whole streets which have been gutted.

"In Devonport and Portsmouth," continues Gunner Lynch, "it is an entirely different story, as Jerry has just flown over the towns and let go his load on the civilian populations. He has flattened the whole town but has done hardly any damage to the docks, sites and railway junctions. The naval barracks in these places have escaped with slight damage."

'The air war at sea," Gunner Lynch continues, "was more or less a failure from Jerry's point of view, as the merchant gunners soon got the knack of fowling them over and, in consequence, we are seldom bothered by bombers while we are on convoy duty. Nevertheless, we are always ready in case he should have another crack at us."

"Nothing Exciting"

Gunner Lynch finds life "over there" very slow, and says: "To tell the truth, there has been nothing exciting happen to me since I've been here. Of course we have chased one or two of Jerry's 'E boats.' but they move so fast that we can't get anywhere near them."

"All places of amusement are closed after nine o'clock here," mourns Gunner Lynch. "Beer has reached the fabulous price of one shilling a pint and cigarettes are now two shillings for twenty."

Telling of one or two of his experiences, Gunner Lynch writes that during one of their trips through the English Channel they were shelled by the long-range guns on the French coast. "One or two of the salvos landed pretty close but didn't cause any damage. The papers next day ran headings on 'British Convoy Fights Way Through Channel.' Another time we were anchored in the estuary of a river and the sweepers passed over a dozen magnetic mines from all points around where we were. It made us wonder how we missed them as we came in."

"The weather this winter was pretty tough," comments Gunner Lynch, "and it was nothing for us to make harbour with the fo'c'sle sheeted in ice. The night watches at the guns were murderous, and I often used to remark that, if summer didn't arrive in double quick time, I'd die of exposure. During those watches we used to pray for midnight, when piping hot - kai' (cocoa) was served. We then settled down to a night-long vigil."

"Where You Be Looking To?"

The language of the lower deck amuses and often puzzles the New Zealander. "The most usual form of speech," he says, "is to add 'ers' after such words as sip, strong and cold. Therefore, when a chap is offered a sip of his 'oppo's' (mate's) tot, he is having 'sippers,' and, if he wants to wash down some paint work, he will get some 'strongers.' If he happens to have friends ashore, he is known to be "up homers,' and, if married, he is 'spliced and bunkers in.' When you get 'Jock,' "Taff,' 'Brum,' and 'Jan,' saying these things in his own brogue, it sure does get you beat. Some of their sayings get us every time. When a chap says to you 'Where you be looking to, Jagger,' you have to think for about ten minutes before you can grasp what he is getting at. When a 'Taff' was speaking to me the other day, he came out with a real masterpiece. It was 'Come here and let me tell you a question.' "