Daily Post, Tues, Oct 1st, 1940
TRAWLER ATTACKED BY GERMAN PLANE
A fisherman severely injured when a German plane attacked a Fleetwood trawler landed back in port yesterday. He was Jack CALVERT of Carlton Ave, Blackpool and he was taken to hospital and detained.
” We were fishing when the plane dived to attack us” said a member of the crew. “
When we first sighted the plane we carried on with our work thinking it was British. But within seconds our deck was swept with machine-gun bullets. There was a scamper for safety, most of the crew making for the shelter of the galley, but in the rush CALVERT was hit. One of his legs was badly gashed, while he had numerous wounds on his back. The plane immediately flew off the attack lasting about five minutes.”
“ This is the third time our skipper, Mr E. HARRIS of Lowther Rd, Fleetwood, has been either bombed or machine-gunned for his ship was twice attacked during the Dunkirk evacuation."
xxxx
Oct 3rd 1940
NAVAL TRAWLER LOST
An Admiralty communique last night stated:-
The Board of the Admiralty regrets to announce that HM. Trawler RECOIL, [Lieut I. M. WILSON. RNVR] is overdue and must be considered lost. Next-of-kin have been informed.
xxxx
38 YEARS IN THE LIFEBOAT SERVICE
After 38yrs in the lifeboat service Mr Robin WILLIAMS the well known coxswain of the Llandudno lifeboat has resigned for reasons of health. One of a family of lifeboat men Mr WILLIAMS joined the service when he was 16 and has been a coxswain for the past 11yrs.
xxxx
EXPLOSION WRECKS BATTERY ROOM
FRENCHMAN ONE OF TWO MEN KILLED
The Coroner of a North West port held an inquest yesterday on two men who lost their lives through an explosion on a ship they were working on .
The men were Stephen CORRIS, aged 38, journeyman joiner of 56 Ince Ave, Liverpool and Mario Philippe M. A. PELISSIER-HERMITTE, aged 27, ship’s electrician of Bordeaux.
Alterations were being made in the emergency wireless room on the bridge deck of the ship when there was a violent explosion in the adjoining battery room. PELISSIER-HERMITTE who was in the battery room was killed instantly and CORRIS died later from injuries, 3 other men were injured.
The battery room was wrecked and the force of the explosion blew down the bulkhead separating the battery room and the emergency wireless room.
Expert evidence was that the explosion probably caused by the sparking of a defective battery resulting in the ignition of hydrogen and air. There was no sign whatever of sabotage.
A verdict of accidental death was recorded.
Mr M. O. MORRIS for the managers of the ship, said, PELISSIER-HERMITTE had elected to serve under General De Gaullle and was particularly loyal an zealous.
xxxx
Copyright 2002 / To date