STEWARD’S ODYSSEY

Evening Star, Issue 23690, 25 September 1940, Page 7

STEWARD’S ODYSSEY

IN DUNKIRK EVACUATION TWICE BOMBED AND SUNK [Per United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, September 24. More than a full share of wartime experiences and adventures has been the lot of Mr S. Williams, a steward on a liner, who is now in Auckland. Since January he has been on a ship that was bombed and sunk, has played a part in the evacuation of Dunkirk, and lias been on a small vessel that fell to pieces through the concussion of heavy German bombing early in January. Mr Williams was a member of the crow of a British cargo vessel that was bombed and sunk in the English Channel. He was thrown into the wintry sea and iloated about for 84 minutes before being picked up by a tugboat. Seven weeks in hospital with pleurisy and pneumonia was tho result. After a further period of convalescence ho joined a small East Coast trader, and was on this vessel when Dunkirk was evacuated. Although he was diffident about discussing this event, “ because it is all past and forgotten,” Mr Williams did admit that ho made four trips across the Channel in throe days to assist in rescuing men and equipment from France, and made a fifth trip'halfway across to bring back barges which had been towed from French harbours. His ship had escaped damage from German dive-bombers, and he himself had come out without a scratch. He said one of the features of the evacuation, which had greatly impressed him, was the manner in which the British soldiers bad swum out from the French shore holding grimly to their rifles and other equipment which they were determined not to lose.

Mr Williams had a third experience a few days later. He was still in the same ship, which was one of three small craft approaching Grimsbv. The other two ships were bombed and mined respectively and sank. .So greatly was his own shin damaged by the concussion of the German homhintr that it was inst aWe to roach Grimsby and then it literally fell apart.