CONFIDENTIAL
REPORT OF AN INTERVIEW WITH CAPTAIN R. L. JONES
MASTER OF THE S. S. HALO
SHIPPING CASUALTIES SECTION
TRADE DIVISION
25th March 1941
CAPTAIN JONES:
We were bound from the Tyne to Beckton Gas Works with a cargo of 3000 tons of coal. The ship was armed with a 12 pounder, 2 Lewis guns and 1 stripped Lewis. The crew, with myself, numbered 23 including 2 naval gunners, 2 men were killed and 2 are missing. The confidential books were handed in to the N. C. S. O., London. The ship was degaussed and the apparatus was switched on.
We completed the journey from the Tyne without incident and anchored at 1600 on the 21st March about 500 feet off Beckton Gas Works Pier No. 1. The river was calm, wind N. W. force 2. fine weather with good visibility. The pilot was on board and at 1705 we commenced to heave up. At 1710 the anchor was off the ground and we manoeuvred slow ahead, slow astern to a position within 200 feet of No. 1 Pier. The engines were going slow astern when at 1715 there was a loud explosion, no flame, but a column of water and coal was thrown into the air, and there was a disturbance of the water all around the ship. The explosion occurred under the forefoot, the beams of No. 2 and 3 holds were blown into the air and landed on the fore part of the bridge, the decks were split across about 100 feet from the bow, and the coal and water came up through the crack. The bottom plates of these 2 holds were badly buckled.
Four of the crew, who were forward at the time, were missing, the forward part of the ship having settled right away until it touched bottom with the fo’castle head just awash. As the water flooded into the ship, I realised that there was a likelihood of the boilers bursting, so when a tug shortly came alongside, we abandoned ship. A police boat searched for survivors but found no one. The next afternoon, 22nd March, the body of the Mate, who had been on the fo’castle head at the time, was found in the after end of No. 1 hold; the other man who is missing was found on Sunday night underneath the fo’castle head amongst wreckage.
There was another ship, “MR. THERM”, was about a ship’s length ahead of us when the explosion occurred; she was also heaving up her anchor but stopped immediately. There were also a number of other ships passing up the river. The tide was at half flood and we were heading downstream. The Captain of another ship was rowing ashore and just before we blew up he heard a “ticking” sound, so they pulled away for all they were worth.
The upper part of the vessel is still showing above water at low tide, but she is now flooded in all compartments.
I have been in East Coast convoys since the war began, mostly in this ship.
DISTRIBUTION:
D. T. D. Cdr. Robertson MacDonald. N. I. D. 8 Cdr. Oswald, D. N. O., London D. T. S. D. Lt. Cdr. Wilson C. IN C. Western Approaches. D. N. C. Bath Files. |
Admiral Sir Fredk. Dreyer Rear-Admiral Taylor N. I. D. 9 Sec. to A. C. N. S. Lt. Crd. Edwards Crd. R Winn Mr. Allen D. T. M. I. |