Ahoy - Mac's Web Log

Hi, my father Frank Watson, I think he was a Petty Officer at the time, was on the Escort picking up survivors he recounted the story of picking up people who had been cut up by the prop of another ship, my father has been dead for a long time now but I still have the silver cigarette case presented from the survivors and a silver tankard presented by Athenia owners.

Regard
Dave Watson

Dave,

Good to hear from you, I am still suprised at the number of people who had connections with the loss of Athenia who take the trouble to get in touch  
with me. It was the Norwegian Tanker Knute Nelson's propellers that chopped up one of the life boats with 56 survivors on board, it is my understanding, she had stopped her propellers as this lifeboat was about to go alongside to discharge her load, all of a sudden, the propellers  
started to turn, the boat was drawn under the tanker's stern and was chopped up by then turning propellers, sinking this life boat. Many of her  
occupants were thus killed, and your Father's destroyer Escort rescued some of them, and then went off to land them at Greenock on the Clyde.

Fame and  Electra were the other two British destroyers engaged in picking up Athenia survivors.

Thanks again,

Kindest regards, 
Mac.

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