LST (491) - Naval Cruise Book

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A-Gaqhfif 4925 .mwvm 4- Eastward Ho!--Destination U. K. On February 28 we sailed for the United King- dom. It was a large convoy with various types of ships and cargo. The trip was a bit rough at times, but most of our men were now getting used to the sea. We did have some excitement though. We had been sailing about four days in a very thick fog. The ships ahead and astern were sometimes not visible even during the daytime. About seven o'clock one morning we had a collision with a Canadian fishing boat. It was proceed- ing in the opposite direction and hit our port bow, punching a small hole in the skin of the ship. It all hap- pened so fast and the fog was so thick that we could barely see the vessel. We were not permitted to stop or break radio silence, but fortunately, on arrival in Europe, we learned that there had been no casualties and little damage had been done to the vessel. Convoys don't stop for anything or anybody. Too much is at stake and the ships had to get through to their respec- tive destinations. One evening just at dusk we received a signal to change course as the escort had received a submarine contact. We knew that it was a German sub as none of ours were operating along this particular route. About 14

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THE SHAKEDOWN The patrol boat rammed our starboard side, and as it had a sharp bow, we had a hole to patch. We remained in Halifax about seven days to await the arrival of addi- tional ships for the convoy. The Smoker held at the Royal Navy Gymnasium was quite a success and an en- joyable evening for all who attended. All of the LST's in the harbor sent groups up to play ,basketball and each ship had several entries in the boxing show. There were a number of excellent boxing bouts. Although our Quartermaster Harold Summers boxed beautifully, he was not awarded the decision in his particular bout. The most exciting bout of the evening was between the 49l's entry, Wes Loudon and a cook from the LST 492. Loudon's opponent rushed at him swinging and slug- ging with all he could give. Loudon started to Hght back and iight hard. In about a minute and a half Wes was declared the winner. His opponent was on the deck. He did not sail with the convoy, but was sent to the hospital. During our stay in Halifax we encountered a terriiic blizzard. Plenty of snow fell and the wind was severe. One of the bitts on which our stern lines were secured to the deck, pulled loose from the deck on our fantail, and, as the decks were covered with snow and water, some of the boys sleeping below received an unexpected shower. 13

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. EASTWARD Ho! - DESTINATION U. K. eleven o'clock that evening the following signal was heard from the escort to the Commodore, Have sighted submarine, request permission to ram. The reply from the Commodore was Permission granted. About one-half hour later the escort again called the Commo- dore and delivered the following message: Submarine destroyed, am picking up survivors. And to that the Commodore replied Well done. The following morn- ing the escort that had sunk the submarine came close aboard our starboard side so that she might properly adjust her anti-submarine gear and devices. The escort was a Corvette of the Royal Navy and she looked mighty proud, her bow, covered with diesel oil, and pitching up and down in the rough sea. Because of the submarine menace off the coast of France and the approaches to the English Carmel and Irish Sea, it was necessary for us to sail north around the Northern part of Ireland and thence down the Irish Sea. And so the first land we sighted of the Old World was that of Northern Ireland, probably the mountains of the Mourne. We received orders to pro- ceed to Milford Haven, Wales, where we anchored in the Bay outside the harbor on March 16, 1944 to await further orders. The country side was beautiful, neatly .kept and peaceful. The sheep and cattle were grazing on the fields and on the hills, but it was not diflicult to observe that this was not an England at peace, but an England at war. Many planes were flying overhead and we could easily identify the Spitfires. There were bar- rage balloons scattered about the town and port area 15