Ahoy - Mac's Web Log

DEAR MAC,
 
I AM VERY NEW TO BROWSING THE INTERNET AND I CAME TO FIND YOUR EXCELLENT ARTICLE "THE BATTLE FOR CONVOY ONS 5" (The Battle For Convoy ONS 5. 26th.April - 6th. May 1943)
 
MY DAD, JAMES THOMAS NEWCOMBE,WAS TRAINED AT HMS GLENDOWER, AND HMS PRESIDENT 3RD, AND THEN ASSIGNED "SS NORTH BRITAIN" IN FEBRUARY 1943 AS A DEMS GUNNER. I HAVE SEVERAL LETTERS  FROM THE RN DEVONPORT THAT MIGHT BE OF INTEREST TO YOU." 15TH JUNE 1943, THE VESSEL IN WHICH YOUR HUSBAND WAS SERVING SAILED FROM THE RIVER CLYDE ON THE 21ST APRIL 1943 AND WAS TORPEDOED AND SUNK 5TH MAY 1943. I REGRET NO FURTHER INFOMATION COULD BE OBTAINED FROM THE SURVIVORS WHO WERE LANDED AT ST JOHNS N.F.AND IS THEREFORE PRESUMED MISSING."   
 
 
LETTER DATED 30TH JUNE 1943 ENCLOSED A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE LOSS OF THE SHIP MADE UP FROM THE REPORT OF THE THIRD RADIO OFFICER M.R.BEAVEN.IT ALSO SAYS THAT WE ARE NOW COMPELLED TO PRESUME THAT CAPT BRIGHT AND THE THIRTY THREE MEMBERS OF HIS CREW MISSING WITH HIM HAVE BEEN LOST . report on next e-mail.
 
 Yours faithfully,
 
 BRYAN JAMES NEWCOMBE.

DEAR MAC,
 
AS YOU MIGHT HAVE GUESSED I HAVE NOT MASTERED THE KEYBOARD YET.

"REPORT ON THE LOSS OF SS NORTH BRITAIN"

The ship was torpedoed at about midnight on the 4th May 1943 and went down in 4 minutes. The Captain almost immediately gave orders to abandon ship but after returning to his quarters for the ship's papers was never seen again. Having been hit at the aft end of the ship apparently began to sink rapidly by the stern and all members of the crew living in the poop quarters and not on watch, were unable to get out in time with the exception of M.C. Chapman who was the only man who escaped from this part of the ship.

These quarters were used by the sailors, firemen, donkeymen, carpenter, bosun and naval gunners,efforts were made by the remaining crew who were on watch and the rest of the crew who were midship and on the bridge to launch the boats, but many had to jump into the sea and swim to wreckage and rafts. It can be stated clearly that at least one boat got away because Mr Beaven 3rd radio officer was picked up by it after having jumped from the bridge boat deck into the sea. This boat was waterlogged and contained about 12 men of whom 4 died of exposure, the remainder being picked up by a Naval trawler after repeated attempts in heavy seas, the Third Officer Mr. A. Hansen was seen on a raft with 2 men who were presuably picked up by the same trawler.".......a letter of confirmation of my Dad's death was received 18th of April 1944, he was 28 years old in 1943 and I was 3 years old ........
 
Yours Faithfully,
 
 Bryan James Newcombe .