Indomitable Skipper.

Levin Daily Chronicle, 10 January 1918, Page 1

Indomitable Skipper.

WENT DOWN WITH HIS SHIP. A POSTHUMOUS V.C. In a speech in which he proposed that the thanks of Parliament be accorded to the nation's heroes, Mr Lloyd George spoke recently in glowing terms of the men of the fishing fleets, and moved the House to cheers as he told of a trawler skipper who, with both legs shot off and most of his crew killed or injured, refused to haul down his flag, gave the order, "Throw, the confidential books overboard, and throw me after them," and went down with his trawler. Th« story thrilled the whole country, and in a special supplement to the London "Gazette" came the sequel. It is announced that a posthumous grant of the Victoria Cross has been made to Skipper Thomas Crisp (killed in action) and that the Distinguished Service Medal has been awarded to Second-hand Thomas William Crisp. These two men are father and son, and the record of their brave deeds will take a foremost place even among the many wonderful stories of gallantry which this war has produced. On an August afternoon, at about a-quarter to three, the trawl was shot from the smack Nelson. The skipper was below packing fish; one hand was on deck cleaning fish for the next morning's breakfast. Coming on deck, Mr Crisp saw an object on the horizon, examined it closely, and sent for -his glasses. Al-. most directly he sang out, "Clear for aetion. Submarine." He had scarcely spoken when a shot fell about a hundred yards away on the port bow. The motorman got to his motor; the deckhand dropped his fish and went to the ammunition room; while the other > hands, at the skipper's orders, "Let go your gear," let go the warp, and put a "dan" on the end of it. Meanwhile the gunlayer held his fire, until the skipper said, "It is no use waiting any longer; we will have to let them have it." From the distance the submarine sent shell after shell at the smack, and at the fourth shot the shell went through the port bow just below the waterline.

There was no confusion on board, not even when the seventh shell struck the skipper, passed through his side, through the deck, and out through the side of the ship. The second hand at once took charge of the tiller, and the firing continued. All the time water was pouring into the ship, and she was sinking. One man, the gunlayer, went to the skipper to see if he could render first aid, but it was obrjious that ho was mortally wounded. "It's all right, boy, do your best,'' said the skipper, and then, to the second hand: "Send a mes. sage off." This was the message: "Nelson being attacked by submarine. Skipper killed. Send assistance at once." With the ship sinking, and only live rounds of ammunition left, the (second hand went to the skipper, who \vas lyijig there on the deck, «nd heard him say, "Abandon ship. Throw the books overboard." He was asked then if they should lift him into the boat, but his answer was: "Tim, I'm done; throw me overboard." He was in too bad a condition to be moved, and they left him there on his dock, and took to the small boat, and about a quarter of an hour afterwards the Nelson went down by the head.

It was drawing into dusk as they left, and the crew of the boat pulled all that night. Towards morning the wind freshened, and blew them out of their course. They pulled all day, fastening a pair of trousers and a large piece of oilskin to two oars to attract attention. Once a vessel was sighted, and oncc a group of mine-sweeperS, but they passed out of sight. At night the weather became finer. Through the night .they pulled, until daybreak, and at 10.30 a.m. they found a buoy, and made fast to it. By afternoon they were sighted and rescued. The second hand, who took charge of the tiller after the skipper had been shot down, was his son.