April 27, 2010

Sir,

In July 1940 after the Gibraltar evacuees were expelled from French Morocco, the British Government had no choice but evacuate all non-combatant civilians in Gibraltar to the London pending the construction of two camps in Jamaica.   In September 1940, when one of the camps was ready it was decided to re-evacuate the Gibraltar evacuees from the London to the West Indies.

As you will obviously know, many ships were being sunk in the Atlantic and the Admiralty advised the British
Government against the re-evacuation of the Gibraltar civilians which totaled about 13,000. The sinking of the
SS City of Benares vindicated the fears of the Gibraltar evacuees who were opposed to the whole idea. Following
the advice of the Admiralty, the re-evacuation of the Gibraltar civilians was therefore postponed indefinitely and consequently the Gibraltar evacuees remained in London until they were repatriated at the end of the war.

I have carried out an in depth research about the Gibraltar evacuees for a documentary book and I would like to include a picture related to the sinking of the City of Benares in order to enhance the presentation and the historical value of my documentary book. Searching through the internet, I found your webpage and I would like to ask you whether you or if you know who has any pictures, particularly, of the surviving children for my research.

My documentary book is of a non-commercial nature and All the proceeds obtained from its future sale will be donated entirely in aid of cancer related charities. My research has been made possible thanks to historical information made available, free, by many historical institutions world wide. The bulk of the photographs that appear in the book were also very kindly donated by those who were evacuated and their families who have contributed with their personal experiences towards this charitable project.

Thanking you very much

Joe Gingell

Joe,

Some notes and photos of children who survived the sinking of SS City of Benares.

SS City of Benares:

The SS City of Benares was a steam passenger ship built for Ellerman Lines by Barclay, Curle & Co of Glasgow in
1936. During the Second World War she was torpedoed by the German submarine U-48 with heavy loss of life.

Last voyage
The SS City of Benares was part of convoy OB-213, and was
being used as a refugee ship in the overseas evacuation
scheme of Great Britain, the Children's Overseas Reception
Board (CORB). She was carrying 90 child evacuee passengers
who were being evacuated from wartime Britain to Canada.
Also aboard were Mary Cornish, an accomplished classical
pianist who had volunteered as a children's escort, and
James Baldwin-Webb, a parliamentarian. She departed
Liverpool on 13 September 1940, bound for the Canadian
ports of Quebec and Montreal, under the command of her
Master, Landles Nicoll. She was the flagship of the convoy
commodore Rear Admiral E.J.G. Mackinnon DSO RN and the
first ship in the center column.

Late in the evening of 17 September, the City of Benares was sighted by U-48, who
fired two torpedoes at her at 23.45 hours. Both torpedoes
missed, and at 00.01 hours on 18 September, the U-boat
fired another torpedo at her. The torpedo struck her in
the stern causing her to sink within 30 minutes, 253 miles
west-southwest of Rockall.

15 minutes after the torpedo
hit, the vessel had been abandoned, though there were
difficulties with lowering the lifeboats on the weather
side of the ship. HMS Hurricane arrived on the scene 24
hours later, and picked up 105 survivors and landed them
at Greenock. During the attack on the SS City of Benares,
the SS Marina was also torpedoed. Hurricane mistakenly
counted one of the lifeboats from the SS Marina for one of
the lifeboats from SS City of Benares. As a result,
Lifeboat 12 was left alone at sea. Its passengers had
three weeks supply of food, but enough water only for one
week. In the lifeboat were approximately 30 Indian
crewmen, a Polish merchant, several sailors, Mary Cornish,
Father Rory O'Sullivan (a Roman Catholic priest who had
volunteered to be an escort for the evacuee children), and
six evacuee boys from the CORB program. They spent eight
days afloat in the Atlantic Ocean before being sighted
from the air and rescued by HMS Anthony.

 In total, 248 of
the 406 people on board, including the master, the
commodore, three staff members, 121 crew members and 134
passengers were lost. 77 of the 90 child evacuee
passengers were also killed in the sinking, prompting the
immediate cessation of the Children's Overseas Reception
Board.

MARY CORNISH & S.S. CITY OF BENARES :

In 1940 Mary Cornish was a 41 year old music teacher. She
was on board the passenger liner "City of Benares" when
she sailed in convoy from Liverpool to Canada on Friday
13th September. The mission was to take 90 evacuee
children from the bombed cities of Britain to safety. This
was a Government sponsored scheme.

The port remained closed for some hours before the Benares
sailed. So whilst the ship was in mid-river and in contact
with land the children wrote letters home. From these
letters we learn that Mary Cornish had quickly gained the
confidence and affection of the girls in her care. Her
quiet but strong personality inspired the girls to help
each other.

Four days later the City of Benares was sunk without
warning by a German U-boat. The vessel sank in 30-40
minutes. The total disregard for the plight of the
survivors horrified the civilised world.

As soon as the torpedo struck Mary Cornish tried to reach
the children in her care. She groped her way through
passage ways in the darkness, kicking, pushing and
wrenching obstacles out of her way, tearing her flesh
until she finally reached them. She found all but one - a
little girl - and although the crew declared, "All clear
below!" Mary felt bound to have another search. She was
the escort for boat 10 and left an older girl in charge
whilst she returned below.

The call was given to abandon ship. Boat 10 was lowered
and the children ordered to get in with another escort.
When an anxious Mary returned empty handed she was
directed into boat 12, joining Father O'Sullivan and the
six boys he had grouped together.

The lowering of lifeboats from a listing ship in
tempestuous seas was a nightmare. Benares was in the open
Atlantic more than 600 miles from the nearest shore and
her escort had left 21 hours earlier. The sinking ship
threatened some of the lifeboats with capsizing and many
were lost. The shocked passengers believed the adjacent
ships would pick them up but the ships' officers were
under strict admiralty orders not to attempt rescue work
once their escort had left if it involved risk to
themselves. As the minutes passed so the sea became more
violent. Still they hoped for rescue. At first the
children responded to the encouragements of the escorts,
but the cruel sea and low temperatures made them subdued.

Boat 12 could not be seen. Even the capsized boats were
visible and buoyant, but not Mary Cornish's boat. However,
because boat 12 was the last to be lowered and was the
farthest astern, it was away from the currents which had
capsized the other boats. Number 12, under the charge of
4th Officer Ronnie Cooper, was able to get clear.

Gradually a routine was organised. Rations were allocated
twice a day. Father O'Sullivan said prayers, and Mary
Cornish told the boys thrilling stories of lone exploits
against villains and Nazis and survival against all odds.
Mary massaged their cramped limbs and feet. They suffered
constipation and dehydration. They baled but could not
clear the few inches of water in the bottom of the boat.
Then they began to hallucinate.

Ronnie Cooper was an unflappable 22 year old officer, but
he had his problems with an overcrowded boat and only a
handful of men with abilities in sailing an open boat.
Cooper had been lucky in the men he had picked out of the
sea. They gave invaluable help.

By Sunday the next of kin of all the children had been
informed. By the following Tuesday the survivors' strength
was ebbing. They were eking out the meagre rations.

At 1300 hours on Wednesday September 25th, their eighth
day in the boat, they saw a speck in the sky which,
fortunately, was an R.A.A,F. plane - a Sunderland flying
boat. Soon it turned towards them but had insufficient
fuel to rescue them. It signalled, "Help coming". Airborne
for many hours on escort duties, it was sheer chance on
their return route that took then within sight of the
lifeboat. From semaphore signals from the boat they were
thrilled to realise they were looking at 46 survivors of
the Benares.

Details were passed on to another convoy plane. Fifteen
minutes later a second plane was sighted and supplies were
dropped to boat 12 plus a message that help was coming.
H.M.S. Anthony dropped out of convoy to rescue them.
Sunderland aircraft took photos. The following evening,
Thursday September 26th they landed at Gourock.

Ronnie Cooper, assistant steward George Purvis and Mary
Cornish were all decorated for bravery.

Other information re Mary Cornish from the Public Record
Office.

(see City of Benares - RAAF rescue)

Miss Cornish was awarded the George Cross, notified in a
supplement to the London Gazette dated 7 January 1941.
Personal details are given as:

3 October 2010
Dear Mac,

Here are a few more bits of information.

From Hugh MacLean:-

Merchant Navy medals – you come to a real interest of mine and I have information on most awards to the Merchant Navy.

Anyway you ask about a passenger Mary Cornish. Let’s get to the nitty gritty. She never received a GC she never received an MBE but she did receive the BEM.

Her citation for the BEM reads:

‘The City of Benares was torpedoed and sunk in the Atlantic when carrying passengers and children to Canada, and many were drowned. The Master was drowned and the vessel sank within an hour of the explosion of the torpedo.

The Fourth Officer, Mr Cooper, got his boat safely away from the sinking ship and, largely through his seamanship and courage, his boat, with 46 persons on board, was brought safely through eight days’ sailing on the Atlantic. All aboard her were then rescued by one of HM Destroyers.

Miss Mary Cornish was one of the ‘escorts’ travelling in charge of a number of children. When the vessel was struck, Miss Cornish collected the children for whom she was responsible, assembled them on deck, and then returned below to see if there any others in need of aid. While the party were at sea Miss Cornish devoted herself to the task of saving her young charges, massaging the children to preserve circulation, encouraging them in simple exercises, inventing cheerful games, and arranging a daily health routine. She showed great endurance with an entire disregard for self. The party was rescued and brought safely home.’

 Other awards:

Richardson, Edward Colin Ryder – Passenger [aged 11] – Commendation.

Ryan, Annie – Stewardess – Commendation.

Gazetted 1 April 1941 – For saving four children when the ship was torpedoed and sunk.

Purvis, George – Assistant Steward – BEM(Civ)

 Gazetted 7 January 1941 – For services when the ship was torpedoed and sunk by U-48 in the North Atlantic on 17 September 1940.

Cooper, Ronald Mitchell – 4th Officer – MBE(Civ)

Cornish, Mary Alice Clara – Escort – BEM(Civ)

Good book: “Beyond the Call of Duty” The loss of British Commonwealth Mercantile and Service Women at Sea During the Second World War by Brian James Crabb.

From Julie Summers, Author/Historian, who is writing a book on Mary Cornish and with whom I am in regular correspondence  

I can confirm it’s the British Empire Medal – seen often in the 1950s by her niece and her piano pupils.
Investiture March 1941.

Hope this is of use.

Mike.

Miss Mary A C Cornish, 41 years, occupation - Music Teacher,

Address: 67 Baker Street, W1 (or c/o Mr Patterson, Bywood,
West Lavington, Midhurst, Kent)MT 9/3406/M14212/40

Accounts of Miss Cornish's heroism MT 9/3461/M15184/40

List of survivors and their present position as at
10-10-1940. Mary's address is given as: Forest Hill Hydro,
Aberfoyle ( her sister and brother-in-law's address) DO
131/20

Numbers on board Benares:

209 crew (43 Europeans, the rest Lascars)
197 passengers (91 adults, 100 children, 6 naval convoy
staff)
7 adult escorts, 2 nurses, 1 doctor.

Lifeboats:-

No 1 overturned by the sinking ship, most occupants died
No 2 filled with water, eventually capsized
No 3 filled with water - five survived
No 4 32 survivors rescued the following day at 5.00 pm by
a destroyer
No 5 badly swamped, unknown number of survivors
No 6 capsized, 11 died, 9 rescued
No 7 filled with water, 7 died, 14 picked up on 18th Sept
at 4.00 pm
No 8 no survivors
No 9 8 survived out of 33 people
No10 10 survivors
No11 20 died out of 34 people
No12 1 officer, the steward, 2 escorts, 6 children, 1
passenger, & 27 native crew. Picked up from the sea a
naval gunner, a signalman, a cadet, 5 natives. No one died
on this boat though one native died after he had been put
aboard the destroyer.

134 passengers died - 57 adults & 77 children

121 crew died - 20 Europeans, 101 Indians ( many of these
committed suicide)

City of Benares

Description: Aerial photograph of lifeboat from the SS
City of Benares. The passenger liner was carrying children
being evacuated from Britain to Canada when it was sunk in
a U-Boat attack on the convoy in which it was travelling.
Only 13 of the 90 children on board survived and
government evacuation of children to the Dominions such as
Canada, New Zealand and Australia (the CORB scheme)
immediately ceased.

German U-48

Britain's WW2 evacuee children to get their own memorial
at last.

They fled the bomb-torn towns and cities in their hordes
to start new lives with strangers in the country for the
duration of the Second World War.

And now 70 years after the evacuation of 3.5million
children, the first national memorial commemorating one of
Britain's biggest ever social upheavals is planned for
outside St Paul's Cathedral.

The bronze artwork is to feature children holding hands
with gas masks and luggage labels round their necks, but
facing in different directions as they leave home to
escape their Blitz-ravaged homes.

Poignant: A detail of the proposed evacuees memorial that
will stand outside St Paul's Cathedral

The sculpture, by Dutch concentration camp survivor
Maurice Blik, aims to 'symbolise the bewilderment, anxiety
and uncertainty of children sent off to unknown and often
unwelcoming destinations',

Children of the Doomed Voyage
By Steve Humphries
 Five of the six rescued boys on HMS Anthony after 12 days
at sea. The first 3 boys (l-r) Ken, Derek, and Fred tell
their stories on the 'Timewatch: Children of the Doomed
Voyage' programme

Four of the boys who survived: Rex Thorne (The eldest),
Louis Walder (in dark sweater), John Baker and Jack
Keeley.

Miracles On the Water: The Heroic Survivors of a World War
II U-Boat Attack (HardcoverMiracles On the Water: The
Heroic Survivors of a World War II U-Boat Attack.

Hope this helps you a little.

Regards,

Mac.

April 27, 2010

Dear Mac,

Many thanks for your wonderful response to my request for information and photos related to the sinking of the SS
City of Benares. I am really very grateful for your kind donation in aid of cancer charities.

Best regards
Joe

In 1940 Mary Cornish was a 41 year old music teacher. She was on board the passenger liner "City of Benares" when she sailed in convoy from Liverpool to Canada on Friday 13th September. The mission was to take 90 evacuee children from the bombed cities of Britain to safety. This was a Government sponsored scheme.

The port remained closed for some hours before the Benares sailed. So whilst the ship was in mid-river and in contact with land the children wrote letters home. From these letters we learn that Mary Cornish had quickly gained the confidence and affection of the girls in her care. Her quiet but strong personality inspired the girls to help each other.

Four days later the City of Benares was sunk without warning by a German U-boat. The vessel sank in 30-40 minutes. The total disregard for the plight of the survivors horrified the civilised world.

As soon as the torpedo struck Mary Cornish tried to reach the children in her care. She groped her way through passage ways in the darkness, kicking, pushing and wrenching obstacles out of her way, tearing her flesh until she finally reached them. She found all but one - a little girl - and although the crew declared, "All clear below!" Mary felt bound to have another search. She was the escort for boat 10 and left an older girl in charge whilst she returned below.

The call was given to abandon ship. Boat 10 was lowered and the children ordered to get in with another escort. When an anxious Mary returned empty handed she was directed into boat 12, joining Father O'Sullivan and the six boys he had grouped together.

The lowering of lifeboats from a listing ship in tempestuous seas was a nightmare. Benares was in the open Atlantic more than 600 miles from the nearest shore and her escort had left 21 hours earlier. The sinking ship threatened some of the lifeboats with capsizing and many were lost. The shocked passengers believed the adjacent ships would pick them up but the ships' officers were under strict admiralty orders not to attempt rescue work once their escort had left if it involved risk to themselves. As the minutes passed so the sea became more violent. Still they hoped for rescue. At first the children responded to the encouragements of the escorts, but the cruel sea and low temperatures made them subdued.

Boat 12 could not be seen. Even the capsized boats were visible and buoyant, but not Mary Cornish's boat. However, because boat 12 was the last to be lowered and was the farthest astern, it was away from the currents which had capsized the other boats. Number 12, under the charge of 4th Officer Ronnie Cooper, was able to get clear.

Gradually a routine was organised. Rations were allocated twice a day. Father O'Sullivan said prayers, and Mary Cornish told the boys thrilling stories of lone exploits against villains and Nazis and survival against all odds. Mary massaged their cramped limbs and feet. They suffered constipation and dehydration. They baled but could not clear the few inches of water in the bottom of the boat. Then they began to hallucinate.

Ronnie Cooper was an unflappable 22 year old officer, but he had his problems with an overcrowded boat and only a handful of men with abilities in sailing an open boat. Cooper had been lucky in the men he had picked out of the sea. They gave invaluable help.

By Sunday the next of kin of all the children had been informed. By the following Tuesday the survivors' strength was ebbing. They were eking out the meagre rations.

At 1300 hours on Wednesday September 25th, their eighth day in the boat, they saw a speck in the sky which, fortunately, was an R.A.A.F. plane - a Sunderland flying boat. Soon it turned towards them but had insufficient fuel to rescue them. It signalled, "Help coming". Airborne for many hours on escort duties, it was sheer chance on their return route that took then within sight of the lifeboat. From semaphore signals from the boat they were thrilled to realise they were looking at 46 survivors of the Benares.

Details were passed on to another convoy plane. Fifteen minutes later a second plane was sighted and supplies were dropped to boat 12 plus a message that help was coming. H.M.S. Anthony dropped out of convoy to rescue them. Sunderland aircraft took photos. The following evening, Thursday September 26th they landed at Gourock.

Ronnie Cooper, assistant steward George Purvis and Mary Cornish were all decorated for bravery.

Other information re Mary Cornish from the Public Record Office.

(see City of Benares - RAAF rescue)

Miss Cornish was awarded the George Cross, notified in a supplement to the London Gazette dated 7 January 1941. Personal details are given as:

Miss Mary A C Cornish, 41 years, occupation - Music Teacher,

Address: 67 Baker Street, W1 (or c/o Mr Patterson, Bywood, West Lavington, Midhurst, Kent)MT 9/3406/M14212/40

Accounts of Miss Cornish's heroism MT 9/3461/M15184/40

List of survivors and their present position as at 10-10-1940. Mary's address is given as: Forest Hill Hydro, Aberfoyle ( her sister and brother-in-law's address) DO 131/20

Numbers on board Benares:

209 crew (43 Europeans, the rest Lascars)
197 passengers (91 adults, 100 children, 6 naval convoy staff)
7 adult escorts, 2 nurses, 1 doctor.

Lifeboats:-

No 1 overturned by the sinking ship, most occupants died
No 2 filled with water, eventually capsized
No 3 filled with water - five survived
No 4 32 survivors rescued the following day at 5.00 pm by a destroyer
No 5 badly swamped, unknown number of survivors
No 6 capsized, 11 died, 9 rescued
No 7 filled with water, 7 died, 14 picked up on 18th Sept at 4.00 pm
No 8 no survivors
No 9 8 survived out of 33 people
No10 10 survivors
No11 20 died out of 34 people
No12 1 officer, the steward, 2 escorts, 6 children, 1 passenger, & 27 native crew. Picked up from the sea a naval gunner, a signalman, a cadet, 5 natives. No one died on this boat though one native died after he had been put aboard the destroyer.

134 passengers died - 57 adults & 77 children

121 crew died - 20 Europeans, 101 Indians ( many of these committed suicide)

Britain's WW2 evacuee children to get their own memorial at last.

They fled the bomb-torn towns and cities in their hordes to start new lives with strangers in the country for the duration of the Second World War.

And now 70 years after the evacuation of 3.5million children, the first national memorial commemorating one of Britain's biggest ever social upheavals is planned for outside St Paul's Cathedral.

The bronze artwork is to feature children holding hands with gas masks and luggage labels round their necks, but facing in different directions as they leave home to escape their Blitz-ravaged homes.

Poignant: A detail of the proposed evacuees memorial that will stand outside St Paul's Cathedral

The sculpture, by Dutch concentration camp survivor Maurice Blik, aims to 'symbolise the bewilderment, anxiety and uncertainty of children sent off to unknown and often unwelcoming destinations',

Children of the Doomed Voyage

By Steve Humphries

Five of the six rescued boys on HMS Anthony after 12 days at sea. The first 3 boys (l-r) Ken, Derek, and Fred tell their stories on the 'Timewatch: Children of the Doomed Voyage' programme 

 

August 10, 2010

Hello,

I have found your contact details on the Web. I am the daughter of William Henry Garing who was the Captain of
the RAAF Sunderland which located the last of the lifeboats with Mary Cornish and others on board.  I see that your web site says that it was a RAF Sunderland, but I can assure you it was my dad in a RAAF one. I have some information if you'd like it on how Dad found them etc. I also noticed that you had contact from a Joe Gingell in April 2010 who is writing a book - could you pass my contact details on to him?  I am guessing by your email address that you are in Australia so here are my contact details:

Regards, Pip Byrne

Pip,

Thank you for that, we will amend our AHOY piece accordingly.

Yes please I would love to have your Father's account of finding the boat carrying Mary Cornish plus others, it
will round out my piece on the City of Benares.

I have passed your E-Mail on to Joe and asked him to get in touch with you.

Yes I am in Australia, actually in Melbourne on St Kilda Road, my phone number is: 0395100128.

Best wishes.

Mac.


back to letters index

August 11, 2010
Subject: Re: City of Benares

Hello to you both,

I'm not sure how much information is needed or appropriate - pleased edit as you see fit.

Rather than try and load lots of information and pictures here I'll just give you the links and you can see what you need/want.

Just as some background...this is something I wrote some years ago.

Air Commodore W H Garing RAAF

My name is Phillipa Byrne from Australia. I am the daughter of Air Commodore WH 'Bull' Garing CBE, DFC.  My Dad was the Captain of the Sunderland from 10 Sqn RAAF who found the last lifeboat from the City of Benares and sent their location to the rescue vessel.

My father was not decorated for his finding of this lifeboat, however, I can assure you it was one of his proudest moments during his long RAAF career. It was much talked about within our family and friends during my Father's life.

As far as I remember all the RAAF pilots were aware of the sinking of the 'City of Benares' and my Father spent many hours 'plotting' the direction in which he thought the lifeboat would 'drift' given the weather and the current - many thought their fate had been 'long met'.

He set off from 10 Squadron on another mission, however, while returning to dock he took a longer path determined to find the lifeboat.  At a critical point (fuel wise for the Sunderland) he found the lifeboat including the last survivors of the "City of Benares"...he has told us that he circled them three (?) times to let them know that they had been found. The water was too rough to land but I believe he dropped flares with a note for them to let them off when they saw a ship approaching.

It was then that he radioed back and the second Sunderland was sent (that dropped food packages?) I believe this was the one from
the RAF. This second Sunderland stayed around the lifeboat until HMS Anthony was able to reach them. 

On the way back to Dock Dad found his flying boat in a critical fuel situation and there was much discussion within the crew of the Sunderland if they would make it back to land - they did.

Dad went on to be influential in the Pacific war against the Japanese and based in New Guinea.

I have inserted the inscription from a copy of General Kenney's book "General Kenney Reports" - it reads

"To G/C (Group Captain) Bill Garing, with sincere appreciation for his loyal co-operation, brains, courage and leadership in the Allied Air Force during the Pacific War. He made it easier for MacArthur to put 4 stars on my shoulders. George C. Kenney, Gen. USAF."

My Dad was always proud of his work in the Pacific, however, I can assure you he was very proud of being 'influential' in the finding of the life boat from the "City of Benares" and their salvation. Despite leading a long life he never met anyone from the lifeboat but I know he would have loved to.

It was generally not known that there were members of the RAAF flying Sunderland's in those early days of the war - however, if you go to this link you'll read why they were there..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._10_Squadron_RAAF

This link has a photo of Dad during those early days - he is second from left on the third photo down on the left hand side...
http://www.ww2australia.gov.au/raaf/coastal.html

This was a story that Allan Stephens wrote after Dad passed away and has a photo of him after he'd retired in full dress uniform and medals...
http://www.defence.gov.au/news/raafnews/editions/4601/topstories/story21.htm

Many thanks for your interest. I have a painting here which belonged to Dad and was painted by Air Commodore Stan Nicol (he took up painting in retirement and it is quite a 'naive style) - however, was always treasured by Dad and hung with great pride in our family home. You will find a photo I took today attached. We are in the process of donating this to 10 Squadron RAAF for the Crew Room.
The current commander of 10 Squadron is Wing Commander Kevin Murray and I know that he holds the log/operations books from the early days back in 1939.

Please be assured that I am not trying to blow my own trumpet or Dad's with this information, however, I have found so many sites on the internet that attribute the discovery of the lifeboat to the RAF and not the RAAF that I am just trying to set the record straight, so to speak.

Feel free to contact me anytime.

Cheers and regards,
Pip Byrne.

TK,

At our URL:
Pictures of the SS City of Benares?

Can you please add a post Script to include Pip's story about her Father, and this photo much later than when he found the boat from City of Benares?

Air Commodore W H Garing RAAF.

Thanks
Mac.

Update  27 September 2010 See also "City of Benares - RAAF rescue"

back to letters index

back to letters index