Tales of a "Vindi Boy", Part Six: Epilogue

It was announced by CBC on the 2nd February 2000 that after many years of negotiation by the Canadian Merchant Navy Veterans Association for official recognition of the services rendered during World War Two, the Canadian Government recently approved the sum of $50 million to be distributed in tax free payrnents to the approximately 7,000 surviving wartime Canadian Merchant Seamen and their spouses.

At the conclusion of World War Two in August 1945, the various Armed Forces began to return to their respective countries to be processed back into civilian life. Most were offered help in finding employment, in obtaining loans to purchase homes and in receiving general assistance in returning to the lives which had been interrupted by service in the war.

In Britain, the Prime Minister Mr. Winston Churchill, stood in the House of Commons and spoke eloquently of the debt owed by the country, indeed by the free world, to all Merchant Seamen who had endured such misery and horror to enable the supplies required to win the war, to be delivered to Britain and so many other areas in the world. However, these sacrifices were very quickly forgotten. When compensation was being negotiated by the Governments to the Armed Forces it was quickly accessed that all Merchant Seamen had not been considered to be a fighting force, but noncombatants. It was quickly forgotten that most wartime Merchant Seamen had been required to attend gunnery courses, that all Merchant vessels were armed with weapons, which in spite of the fact that most ships had several Military personnel or DEMS gunners sailing on board, still required the participation of crew members. In the event of the ship being torpedoed and sinking, all armed forces personnel, upon being rescued and landed ashore, had the kit which had been lost replaced at no cost to themselves. The kit which was lost by the shipwrecked seaman had to be replaced at his own expense.

No other service in the war continually stood at risk from the commencement of hostilities on the 3rd September 1939, the first British casualties being both male and female Merchant Navy personnel of RMS Athenia which was torpedoed off Ireland in the late afternoon by Fritz Julius Lemp, Captain of U-30. The final British Merchant Navy casualties being from the SS Avondale Park which was sunk by torpedo off the Firth of Forth on the evening of the 7th May 1945 by Emile Klusmeier, Captain of U-2336, just ninety minutes before the end of hostilities.

During all of those years a total of 30,248 British Merchant Seamen and women were killed, many of them suffering untold horrors, many of which are far too horrible to even imagine. Many were adrift in open boats and rafts, injured, freezing, starving, many dying from thirst, hunger and injuries which their companions were unable to offer any form of comfort or ease. In one instance a steward was miraculously rescued near to the coast of Brazil after being on a raft for one hundred and thirty-three days! During the convoys into Russia a great many were attacked by U-boats and enemy aircraft -- two convoys in particular being savaged so severely that losses were over sixty percent. Many times when crews were in the water, if they could not be rescued within three minutes, it was useless to even attempt to retrieve them -- they were doomed. For those who are interested I submit the facts listed below:

BRITISH SHIP LOSSES 1939- 1945

2,524 British Merchant vessels were sunk by enemy action during World War Two 29 British Merchant vessels foundered by other causes 912 British Merchant vessels were damaged by enemy action 1359 British Merchant vessels were sunk by U-boats 118 British Merchant vessels were sunk by enemy raiders 291 British Merchant vessels were sunk by mines 477 British Merchant vessels were sunk by enemy aircraft 76 British Merchant vessels were sunk by E-boats 89 British Merchant vessels were sunk by other enemy action 30,248 British Merchant Seamen & Women were killed 4,654 British Merchant Seamen & Women were considered missing 4,707 British Merchant Seamen & Women were wounded 5,720 British Merchant Seamen & Women became Prisoners of War A total of 45,320 Merchant Personnel -- over twenty-eight percent losses -- far more than any of the Services.

There cannot he a large number of wartime Merchant Navy Veterans living today. At my own time of entry prior to D-Day, I was only sixteen years of age. However, after the passage of nearly fifty-five years, it would be good to know that all of the discomfort and often, loneliness, was, and still is, appreciated. Now that at last one of the governments, namely CANADA, has decided to acknowledge the overdue debt long owed to her Merchant Navy Veterans. Should one not also expect one's Mother country, BRITAIN, to do likewise?

Written by: Dennis Malvern Crosby R.318269

Dear Mr. Crosby:

Thank you for your letter of 25 March to the Deputy Prime Minister about financial compensation to surviving British merchant seamen who served during World War Two. I have been asked to reply.

The Government acknowledges the vital maritime contribution of all British seamen who served during the War. However, there are no plans to introduce financial compensation, but merchant seamen who were injured during World War Two may be eligible for disablement pension and should apply to:

The War Pensions Agency, [now War Veterans Agency]
Norcross, Blackpool,
FY5 3WP, England.

I am sorry I cannot be more helpful.

Yours sincerely,

SHEILA CORCORAN
Administrative Officer

A much happier event for Dennis occurred in September 2001 when he met up again with his old shipmate and fellow "Mancunian" (a resident of Manchester) from his Samlorian days, Stuart Macdunna. (See Tales of a Vindi Boy, Part One: Karachi Rescue.) Here is Dennis' account of how this wonderful reunion came about after so many years had passed.

My Search for Stuart When I first went to sea I was very good friends with Stuart Macdunna, Stuart (on left) & Dennis in 1945 but we had not seen or heard from each other since 1948. After a visit to my old hometown of Manchester in 1995, I attempted to find his whereabouts by placing an ad in the Manchester Evening News. Eventually, I received a letter from a man who told me that he was an Uncle of Stuart's and that Stuart had another Uncle living in Seattle, Washington, USA, who would have Stuart's address. Back in Canada I contacted Stuart's American uncle who told me that Stuart had emigrated to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1953 and had sailed in American vessels for over thirty years. Eventually the Seattle uncle sent me Stuart's phone number. I phoned the number which I had been given, and when the person at the other end answered, I asked, "Is that Stuart? "Yes," he answered, "Who is this?" I said, "Before I tell you, do you remember exactly where you were fifty-three years from this very minute?" He said, "WOW!" and then replied, "Overseas." I asked, "Where overseas?" He thought for a moment and then replied, "Bombay." I then asked him, "Do you remember the fellow whose bunk was above yours on that ship?" He immediately replied..."Dennis Crosby!" and then he very nearly dropped the phone in surprise. We had a terrific conversation and got caught up on everything that had happened since 1948. In 1954, one year after Stuart emigrated to the U.S. he began sailing upon U.S. ships. That same year he purchased a very special automobile -- a new Mercedes 300SL Gullwing Sportscar. Stuart stayed with the same company, an oil company, for the next 31 years. He met and married his lovely Wife, Marianna, in 1971. They did not have children, but Stuart told me that he still owned the 1954 Mercedes. In fact, both he and Marianna were members of a prestigious Antique Auto Society and they travelled far and wide in the U.S. to attend various shows and conventions. Before we said good-bye, Stuart and I promised to stay in touch and write each other. A few years passed and then in July of 2001 I received a short letter from Stuart (Stuart only writes short letters!) informing me that he and Marianna would be attending an Auto Show in Victoria, British Columbia for the five days of September 25th to the 30th. "Could Grita and I," Stuart wrote, "perhaps drive down there and have lunch with them on the 26th of September?" Victoria is only about a three hour drive from where we live, so I was delighted to reply that we certainly could make the trip and should be there before noon. On Wednesday morning, September 26th, Grita and I drove down to Victoria Left to Right: Grita, Stuart and Marianna and arrived at the "Empress", where Stuart and Marianna were staying, at 11:30 am. The moment we met, Stuart and I recognised each other immediately -- fifty-four years slipped away so very easily. Marianna and Grita seemed to take a liking to each other right away and it turned out that Marianna was as enthusiastic about cooking as is Grita. Stuart and I talked of our past experiences. We all had lunch together and later found a quiet corner of the hotel in which to continue enthralling each other with our tales. Finally, we had to part company at 4:00 pm in order for Grita and I to make the return journey home. It was wonderful to see Stuart again after so many years and also to meet his charming Wife, Marianna! Written By: Dennis Malvern Crosby December 6th, 2001 THE END