Nor’easter

Heroes Remember

Nor’easter

Transcript

On the way to Bermuda, we picked up a Nor’easter. And I think the force five or four were the winds. And I never saw water, even on Lake Superior, pile that high. And the ship, by God, she did some things I thought she was auditioning for the national ballet. Plow down, stern out of the water, screws screaming in the air and then go the other way. And the guys in the engine room on the throttles trying to time it so that the only way we got forward motion was when the stern was in the water. Lay over on one side and then get tired of that, lay over on the other side, all of the crockery would come flying out of the ... in the mess. And that it was so rough, that in our communications mess there was 22 men and of the 22, there was only four of us that weren’t sick. My chum and I in the wireless and two signalmen and we stood... I remember being in the wireless office 24-hours a day four hours at a time. We never left it. And the cooks were so sick. They had two seamen there cooking and all they cooked was wieners and sauerkraut and served that for three meals a day. If you liked sauerkraut, you were in heaven. If you didn’t, you were in hell.

Description

Mr. Irwin gives an excellent account of riding out a Nor’easter.

Robert Irwin

Mr. Irwin was born in Toronto, Ontario on April 9, 1921. He lost his father in a car accident while a boy. Because his mother had to work, he and his brother were taken under the wing of the local YMCA, where they both became excellent competitive swimmers. Once old enough, Mr. Irwin worked on the lake boats on Lake Superior. Shortly before enlisting, he also worked for General Electric, where he was promised a job upon his return from active service. Mr. Irwin trained as a wireless operator and, after doing shore duty in the Halifax communications centre, joined the frigate HMCS Prince Rupert, which was assigned to convoy duty. Mr. Irwin spent his entire time at sea aboard this vessel. Notable events during his duty include a possible sub kill off Ireland and the rescue of survivors from a torpedoed British warship in the same action. After leaving the service, General Electric made good on its promise, and Mr. Irwin pursued a 40 year career with them. He now resides in London, Ontario.

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