We were there for I think it was two days because there were
minesweepers around there cleaning up the mines and different
stuff. Still got a troop ship going ashore because there were
soldiers after the invasion there was days after there were
still troops coming, Americans and different things. So we
decided that we were going back, they wanted us to go in convoys
again now. So we were heading for Belfast, going to Ireland and
this big crash. So we bumped into a Canadian corvette I believe
it was. Maybe it was a corvette. Broke us almost in two. I don’t
know how many people were killed on that, but there was a few
broke up anyway. Anyway, another destroyer, a Canadian
destroyer, towed her off. I believe she was heading over in
Belfast somewhere to get repairs I guess. But she was ruined, I
don’t think she ever sailed anymore. Just cracked right off,
just about what I seen anyway. I seen a ship with a big hole in it
I don’t know if it was somebody’s fault or what was done or why
But I’ll tell you this one, this was a good one. When we
were taking waters, it bent the nose off of the carrier, a big
hole in it with water coming in fast. So, I said I must go up
and see what is in my locker because I had a few cents in there,
a few coppers not much because we weren’t getting very much pay.
And a few chocolate bars and a couple of cigarettes and stuff,
going down in my locker. So when I was going by this bunk, this
fellow was asleep in the bunk. I said, “Hey, hey, get up boy for
the love of heavens the ship is going down.” He said, “What?”
I said, “Ship is going down.” It was up to my knees just about in
water then. And he said, “What are you telling me for,
it’s not my ship!”