The Start Of A Big Adventure

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Have got 3 more loads to take over there, 13^th off we go again this time off Dieppe, the lay went off ok. 14^th back to Pompey, 15^th loaded up another 180 mines 16^th left for Cherbourg arrive half (a mile) from their coast, but the shore batteries spot us, they are throwing shells at us, hope we stop one we might get some leave then, we lay a smoke screen and hide behind it, these mines must be layed (sic) undetected or it’s of no value at all, we retire to the Channel again and wait, our bombers are sent to bomb Cherbourg just to distract their attention from us, we run...

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in again to the half mile limit and at 1am started to lay, 2am all mine are laid, a sight of relief to know they are all off the ship, we are again spotted by the lurking E-boats, but we go into action and sink two of them, the captain calls in down for more speed as there are dozens of them closing in around us, we do the speed this secret ship was made (designed) to do and get clear of them ok, very lucky the waves are coming right over us as the speed we are doing is unheard of in any Navy and it’s a great secret. We arrive in Pompey 9am, 19^th we load again,186, it’s getting us down, eat, sleep…

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and all these eggs along side of you, we all chalk our names on them and put on one of the last load(s), a big present to Hitler from all at Jasamin (sic) Place Wingham*. 21^st we set off again to Cherbourg and thank heaven it’s the last load for across that side. 1am 22^nd all mines laid and the rain and fog help us greatly, 22^nd full speed to Milford Haven and left the same day en-route for our base. 24^th Arrived at base and loaded with 190 mines for a big job once again it Bergen.

*Jasmine Place, Wingham, Nr, Canterbury, Kent where Albert & Nora Pettman lived, Wingham is a small village in the county of Kent in the far south east corner of England, surrounded by farms and often referred to as the Garden of England. Check it out on Google Earth, its still a very lovely place. Albert and Nora lived in Wingham all their lives and brought up their four children, Gordon, Daphne, Derek and Stella there. Many of the grandchildren and great grand children still live in this beautiful village today.

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We have had 5 hours in port, sailing for Norway, it’s bitter cold and far to rough for mine laying, hope the weather is better in the Fjords, everyone is fed up to the hilt and fight occur very frequently, its everyone’s nerves being strained to the upmost, no sleep for nights and work work, still it’s a job that must be done. Now who can come off watch for two hours and sleep with hugh Pills (sic) * around you, still, its all in my 22 years, but we are all expecting to get a few days in harbour before to long and have actually heard chaps say “ please Mr Bomber or please Mr Shell ..”

* I guess is it’s another name for the mines “Huge Pills”

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send us all on leave for a few days. We know that the remainder of the ships that went to Malta with the convoy with us have had leave for going through that lot; we get ours later, yes “later”. 25^th loaded up with 268 “pills”, sailed full speed for Norway, our objective being Bergen again, 1.10 26^th the laid the “pills” ok and everything went per plan. PM 26^tharrived at out base. 27^th loaded up with 260 special submarine mines, 8pm left to lay mine field of the east coast of Scotland just past Aberdeen, a very easy job as its our own mine belt we are to finish...

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off. 7am 28^th, arrived back at base and loaded up with another 180 Sub mines, proceeded at full speed to our mine, this time to the western approaches, fairly easy day but it’s right in the U-boat area, we are attacked by a big Condor flying boat “German”. Blaze away at it, he lets go a load, but (it) falls fairly wide of us, it’s a good job they don’t hit us by a bomb when we are full of eggs, but it would be no use worrying if the did because we wouldn’t know anything of it. 29^th arrived Milford* for mines loaded 180, 30^th went to Norway and laid them..

*Milford Haven

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31st, went off ok, the thick mist rain hid us from the shore, the moon is far to bight now. Oct1st arrive at base and I hear that we shall not attempt to go over there while this moon is full, Oct 3^rd loaded up again with 156 submarine mines for our own mine belt reaching from Aberdeen to Scapa, a fairly quiet job, Oct 4^th* sailed for the western approaches the weather is very bad, Oct 5^th en-route to the Isle of Skye, our base, we have got to two or three days in, that means plenty of extra work for us, altho’ we shall get a night…

*Albert’s Birthday. I note he does not mention it.

Friday, 3 March 2017