THE OLD TRANSPORTS

New Zealand Listener, Volume 2, Issue 30, 19 January 1940, Page 11

THE OLD TRANSPORTS

To the Editor, "The Listener" Sir,-The article in this week’s Listener, " The Old Transports," by " 23/762," reminded me of our trip, 18th Reinforcements on the Willochra (67, I think her number was that trip). My wife sent me a newspaper cutting which I have kept in my paybook ever since. I thought you would publish it as I expect there are still some of the 18th Reinforcement men left. Also it will show your readers what a big task the British Navy undertakes guarding these transports through waters infested by submarines and raiders. Yours, etc.,

S. H.

READ

28206 B. Coy., 18th Reinfs, (We have not the space for the whole article, but are pleased to make these extracts from it.-Ed.: "The earlier part of the voyage was uneventful; the ship’s company had shaken down into their places, when the wireless jarred them into consciousness of something wrong. They were ordered to put into port, and into a port that had never been a port of call for troopships. In this port they found a small fleet of British war vessels-a firstclass battleship, three armoured cruisers, and several armed merchantmen-and among these they lay for ten days, their company gradually swelling as ship after ship was driven in by the same warning of danger. It was evidently a very pressing one, for within the ten days five Australian and three African transports lay at anchor beside them. This long and anxious wait was ended by an order to put to sea on independent courses, and make for the port where the Willochra was to recsive her gun-for up to this time she was unarmed. Her gun mounted, the transport turned her nose towards England. Three days she made without interference, and then received a hurry call to turn and proceed at all speed back ‘to the port in which she had already been hung up for ten days. The ship received over the wireless a full description of a raider that was out. Again this port became the rendezvous of transport

after transport, hurriedly intercepted by the wireless, until at the end of this third week of hiding there were 50,000 troops in that port. The composition of the battle fleet lying there had changed. The battleship had sailed, but a fine French cruiser had replaced her, and there were more armed merchantmen. "Finally the Willochra was sent out with four other transports under escort of an armed cruiser, which accompanied them the whole way. They proceeded like drunken ships, making a truly astonishing wake for the bewilderment of any lurking periscope. For several days the Willochra continued to. zigzag over the face of the waters, and then dark smudges of smoke on the horizon grew with inconceivable rapidity into the long racing forms of seven destroyers swinging down upon them at an even 45 knots. They were a British unit sent to escort the troopships, although the latter were still three days from their final port, and on the last day out 11 more destroyers appeared and formed a girdle round them, while a mine-sweeper slowly searched the sea ahead of them.")