IN OPEN BOAT

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21207, 2 September 1940, Page 9

IN OPEN BOAT

TWO DAYS OF CALM MEN FROM WELLINGTON STAR GISBORNE CADET’S STORY (By Teleg-rapli.—Special to Times) GISBORNE, Sunday A cadet in the Wellington Star, R. C. Dymock, writing to his parents, Mr and Mrs R. D. Dymock, of Te Karaka, relates his experiences after the vessel had been torpedoed and sunk 350 miles off Cape Finisterre. “We had a very trying time in the boats, at least our boat’s crew did, for the other three were faster and got ahead of us, being picked up by a French ship and taken to Casablanca,” Dymock writes. “We sailed as best we could, were becalmed for two whole days, and eventually reached land at Figueira do Fox, in the centre of Portugal, a week after the torpedoing of the Wellington Star. “We were rather worried about fresh water, especially when we were becalmed. Fortunately, a fresh breeze sprang up from the north-west, which enabled us to sail east. The other boats had charts and sextants and we had to do without. We rationed our water, biscuits and bully beef and could have carried on for another week if we had not made land where we did. Portuguese Welcome “We were given a great welcome by Portuguese fishermen and their wives and families. A good meal and bed that night were very welcome. Next day we were taken to Oporto in a bus and stayed at the seamen’s institute there awaiting a ship to take us to England. We arrived at a northern port in Britain after an exciting trip. “After leaving Lisbon we saw a submarine breaking surface about two miles away and we cleared out of his way, only to be bombed by a Heinkel a few hours later. Fortunately, all the bombs fell in the sea, some as close as 25 yards from the ship. They made a terrible noise. Then some British fighter aeroplanes came and chased the Heinkel sway. Soon afterward we sighted the English coast.”