Hadlow, James Dennison (b.1921 - d.1964) - Part 1

Conflict:
Second World War, 1939–45
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Open to contributions
Accession number:
AWM2021.7.291
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 8

22 40 Libye Dear San 1 daty and s written for a wee a tate was some vry s lately d a styaa slip treedsol which sayess to be my belf Cor the wfeb I fill done a slit trench ter what son hep wbe wl pry comes over) I cracted + ribs & tore a muchin foot the next dod we moved on the enbarted Ietter andred about 4 o'clock on a little sab about th size of the old Lne Edins. It was a bit frest but that wounds't stop the hops evg red sellingit ntusin i beld me atset wya i te lest foom s to sups to look at the boad would me you she orleps It had a by dent in the front He it appeared all out of alwencht through constant borsing. It was orignaly mont so harr about wo pope but this shat short of shiph thy lave so use these khys shore was not enough room in an of the sicks as the etir tre hill beater us to thse paas to sevn she hill we i like a lat of carys this made about 400 hundred on bard which was wile a malt uter oeig that on the return sysge if brought back 1400 t station presonts of war Hy must he pacted on shelp or smelling because l collet nore Well we sailed ot of Mecandrie Larlowr Its a sigh I want jorged for a long wbill. The larbour was cramed full if naral bissels from Mr naft are to mell byede leek. It was like reveeving the The five big air craft carriess where in oeell new T te set th a plet aed nt was in
We saw He remain of the Grand Frunck Fleet including thir alth in the water. He r writish wont use then sell shy ore absolutely get to Here was toter sip whih us & s excort it will wit y about reft bny ws gisig a be along withus & we shought it wrhible jorry at hhe sine so in the sall waves neary swariing thes never brising, that 50ft weres where goig be m us. Well we on moring rations white wretn of a lin of fiok sone doy besints Every body was feeting be pt ofth an me soe i bost sid segis s hall ply sid & it started to ran is we refired to the late It was about coft by s0ft I was hall filled up beary toxes which hell not lend t kept sliig pul we sie to the other. Tere was about so notis Hhe hall is well Galk about the Black hll of Lalsure o wer I would resur have been) Will to mke I worse veaid 3 wicks btween us I sstak light atter seen mateles ffer) It was impositile A fid son woughto be down i put bet to set on your pack & hope to sep in that position eor a waple of him of that the Norse so se had for 25 years in the Miditoron brate loose We just set thir & bung onto any sang that wa hold First of all say non sl she rollonr in ths side thn shat side ton se woaes mre wose and saited to fell in emonst we ren te are gilled out Wse yur diace if yur joing to be sick & sor ares used
its we arouded thre will just about taf stll tet as wall we staked thit seet say hom her to boild steps it sye ye wuld b here as sy wsed ovr the sick of she alooe like tell sack tine she such a weve thre we wre btr don & as lope of evor gisting out if she sunk as there was andy one set of rings in the side to clase up. Then she sut rand & bet a cruple of waves sixe on you tould hear these wosh over the seck with hurri force dh sore Hhe sep of Latch they hhe waser started wnd down she hall, the each time she struck a wane ludred of sellors of wl wol ust in spt g b any body sind so chat up &o fix it le got fosted hack. We sought we were sanx the ady & it was metrly a pance, but the after a will we wlld see that if was just each ture she struck a wave that the water wi powr in I meraged so get to kils bags as the gnt whirls past ne& wide a sit of a f heap of t round a oron support to wa I seld like g a The He far scarted we got tht much water is s wle that sr of the ship I saw someten happe that sake ae b ever at that time. it blake wa siten on his hit- &o osie of th hall mobing a ce havng on the will one hand whn all the unter well it his side & she oer to the atter side witl the woll of the ship of course he went will it setty or at abut it was to see his upt Sis bet 40 fas aross s a as I forwards sill be sp
Mort of He slates bed pur teer bitt to get muthly out & as llt ts you vry oe bed end to bet m se s we wit it i ther stanbell aroud sousetan see witr fot t aus ys Here were very fiw san left to set on by h &tt keep my pase every sil the water rush put me it carried in sll with it blakets, sariouts, buts, webling squints she belweek gos mh bats clothing I lets yf others sangs inclusing the nens porsoal belonging Mor of thes mandged to soromble ip in truet & seep out of the wator. Two of the porches wead beng through a I aad so wes makler on meo ty hepped she position & lot its soon as doy brbl sore oe clined up the rings regardless of the watr that was s to wast ben back & bid & lost at the 4 slownd. He gilled out. He wives or over nexs hiph the comparion waves have been wasted over bond. (My were be only the mears we lot of sitig from well. deek to the new port of the blipk the life boat you aan magine ha we fell. He pried a song his notoly could fut byp inbt on is t the position had wer al roughest of us worried. Hhe view were Dreeks & if he rale of taken after these bloke Inever fight for te. They wre pintaly sto ever bad be ied to sell the sit is th sip was in dowe. Ehe we wore leving the ship Ahx were selling mps of offe which would have been pu to the nen ther get tick a bit of sheth Ths most rang a don a so & sew
Up till this tine I was one of the few that bed not bn sick my seI had ben ablt b b lead down on bit bg. But ole of my baps got walted away & I was preed to sit up. Hill I dot til ee bt prt afe After sat I kept my head down & dedal dare be wiss it becan evay hire I did mre im I would be sick. He slate allh, the worch ployed the part of the Fady with the Tmp. I fond a shall holl the whik we woeld let some of the water get up the sand hall which was nortly fitt of seless by tis ine was feeling pretty elat I He vator was still po it It was infossible for she ner st get if i sick to relievt thisiteed as he would save sun swept oor hhe side. to by manged as sest sy will in Hhe lile you in gire waat a ness with ery by poatig arod in the water. W wwell sove nice. on the last but sees beatt all il though this my orached ribs & goat gave me bell & owng to the pet that I could not carry my own bit. it was sumped into the officers onfgrgebroon where it woll at get net so I was sory siety it that ye ctit a I thought of the bilorel in 1 b opa ner roon wher the wor a p crucesom curs but ivy sie I sad to get of I was soo weak. sone one ilse got up she lader p out I dont cn if Ito go ole I cont sid s hore & nade a wild h dlst for the repaired copenion way. He heard les feet ruring on the irm peades above our lead & wishd br lick just as a m oreating over she dish.
dtill et magt to my the own rsilis seve soself pul been dto between the weres he sde a prentie leap if Hhe star lat the bridge where he rilled out to us. You o re a wough yu bee get out of that sell thate with fsiherea bet of a ss mon the strnger of us but thy gt wosked back a bef drowned by the inpowing water. Lon ever sh start to sidge the fie bettheen each wave not a sish for itl I nenssed to reach se usder sod judging the time shat up the lasder on to the dick. I last s there torrifud the ship was down in a kugh I wall of water wor topt ligh was emning streight at ht. Hhe ship sorted so sill I fll the subsoy or to sep from under oe + I ned a pertie wisk the coaptnion was railory. There I hangth wave swyt alget over she slip. It felt at sough a busad wo were on me and haring me awox I must have bee at liast sft oder water as it w oght over the forewith its soon is I at of tih & spd my s se wothr one ely of sent & I solt think any body sul bt up ttairs just is I reached the t bridge Iwshed back and him the blake followiin we ged wasted back down the holl. Will I was be but lippy abut o new setatation as I was moree the life bosts, allthodge it would have been an expeniise to bunch been in sucha s to for as I could see the sex was just mounsains of water I bit dep broughs into which hhe slp would at f utt tone out affor a will is
I wal down to the engire roon I tried to bry yf a bet the back to she offiters ithes where I sred so lye sown will out rolling off At sit of an impossiblity) Some me gave me as cronge a bit of cholase but I woldet take the orange although I made a better job of the chotk The shre one sensimed food and rat th nate a aess is tor I stagged veably out siile on tt up dick its the ship Bolled shit side of the such would he under water then she le 500 10ft up in t air If you seard at the back you could see she beet in to prost I if you bet over the rail it the back you could see the profeller. She wasn't making any has way it took all hor power to kup her head on to the wenet itt wor sailors are suspicio of sailig in a ttredy Dill esturay was the same I was rich 14 itere yu are sick about i tes it leaves matting to bring up that is what is know as dry reaching + it is about Hhe meat fro fall lling in she world I see sone of the fellows in hhe wots pitiful plixt Calklnh I felt as bad) just lying on the ploor tryig No being some bng up which woent there Those were likes w wllen I tell like ltsg a wave was me our I get me ot of miry. That night I slept in the dineing roon where everything was serewed down thinking I would be dle to sleep trud around a tabe inshad of seiding from one side to the other, but the storm Gut worse inshad of better & the boad rocked & rolled that much saat everyshing was sorn loose. Tables t chair started to spdl frod on end to other watil & thought they would know the side out of the sap.
& I doit know how Hhe men that were left in the h got on thy were as weak is bittens I couldn find shengl enough to think out of th bole. Do body could o an shing for them here a fort fortune waiting for the one that finds a cure for ax stnes After staat night of tell Sunday dawne but it brought No change with it I was afing of hunger although couldnt est inything & keep it down & all & piece of bread & gan but Iit came up p it sinat time seen the f the twrds take thepain soe hpe chipe possties + some steat + I thought if only I can get something like shat I would be right to I bent down to the gullly & brought i meat of the some of the Ouh int After shal I fell a lot better & that inded o sex sectness for the rest of the trip dat that wegt an to Force officer se i warding bround losking for a vry place At by & sleep & not petty on m then solk as to come bw to his estir & I wuld slep on his crouch. opcourse I pipd at the chanc to get soe sleep & was aslep ottt 4 O'clock on the norning 3 A (Ill never forget that rate) Hhe stip struck th rocks Will I wise ip with a storl then rusted up on dick to see if or what had lappend tey then explained that she had struck the rocks & had ripped out a smple of plaks in the exains room, we were they about 2o from the wast. H they downed our life jackets + write for here to sink At that sure I wished that I hat done more sumning than what I sad done frow we was calculatig this chances onr is a mile because on only hat i an nmnly up forth ther 2 of th wor doraged

RED SHIELD HUTS & HOSTELS FOR

AUSTRALIAN TROOPS.

"My strength is as the strength of ten,

because my heart is pure"

THE SALVATION ARMY

 

23.3.40

Libya

 

Dear Mum & Family,

Don't go crook because I have not

written for a while as I've had some very horrid times

lately. I'll tell you a ^true story of a ship wrecked soldier 

which happens to be my self. On the ^eve 20th Feb. I fell 

down a slit trench (their what you hop into when jerry

comes over) & cracked 2 ribs & tore a muscle in my 

foot. The next day we moved on. We embarked at Alexandria

about 6 o'clock on a little tub about the

size of the old Idn "Idina". It was a bit fresh but 

that wouldn't stop the "Wogs" coming round selling things

including eggs & bread you get that everywhere in the

East from trains to ships to look at this boat

would give you the creeps. It had a big dent in the

front & it appeared all out of alinement through

constant bombing. It was originally meant to carry

about 40 people but their that short of ships

they have to use these things. There was not enough

room on any of the decks as the Air Force had

beaten us to those poses. So down the hole we went

like a lot of cargo. This made about 400 hundred

on board, which was quite a small number seeing

that on the return voyage it brought back 1500

Italean Italian prisoners of war. They must be packed

up on shelfs or something because we couldn't move.

Well we sailed out of Alexandria harbour. It's a night

I won't forget for a long while. The harbour was

crammed full of naval vessels from Air craft carriers

to small torpedo boats. It was like reviewing the

navy. The fine big air craft carriers where in [[??]]

The [[?]] that the German pilot dived into was in a wonderful mess

 

2

We saw the remains of the Grand French Fleet

including their wonderful subs. It is just rotting

in the water. The [[?]] British won't use them till

they are absolutely got to. There was 1 other ship

with us & 1 destroyer escort. A small [[?]] [[?]]

about 30 ft long was getting a toe along with us

& we thought it terrible funny at the time to

see the small waves waves nearly swamping them

never dreaming that 50 ft waves where going to swamp

us. Well we ^where on emerency rations which consisting of

a tin of fish & some dry biscuits. Every body was

feeling hungry so we ate our tin fish, by this

time the old boat had begun to roll pretty bad.

& it started to rain so we retired to the hole.

It was about 40 ft by [[90?]] ft & was half filled up with

heavy boxes which where not laced [[?]] ^and kept sliding

from one side to the other. There was about 80 men in

the hole as well. (Talk about the Black hole of Calcuta

I know where I would rather have been) Well to make

it worse we had 3 torches between us & not another 

light other than matches. (After) It was impossible

to find room enough to lie down. You first had to

sit on your pack & hope to sleep in that position

After a couple of hours of that the worse storm their

had for 25 years in the Mediterean broke loose.

We just sat their & hung onto any-thing that would 

hold. First of all she ^would nose-[[drive?]] then roll over on

this side then that side. Then the boxes came loose

and started to fall in amonst the men. Some-one

yelled out. Use your dixie if your going to be sick,

& weren't those dixies used. 

 

3

As we crouched there with just about 1/2" of steel between

us & death we thanked [[Christ?]] that they knew how to

build ships in Glasgow. You could here hear the waves

as they washed over the deck & she shook like hell

each time she struck a wave. There we were battened 

down & no hope of ever getting out if she sunk

as there was only one set of rings on the side to

climb up. Then she got round & met a couple of

waves side-on. You could hear these wash over the

deck with [[hurricane?]] force They tore the top of hatch

then the water started coming down the hole, then

each time she struck a wave hundred of gallons of 

water would rush in through the opening. Each time

any body tried to climb up to fix it he got

washed back. We thought we were sinking then

[[?]] & it was nearly a panic, but then after

a while [[?]] we could see that it was just

each time she struck a wave that the water would 

pour in I managed to get 5 kits bags as the [[?]]

[[swirls?]] past me & made a bit of a [[pi ?]] heap of them

round an iron support to which I held like grim death.

Then the fun started we got that much water in the hole

that every-thing started to [[(foat)]] float with the motions

of the ship. I saw something happen that made me laugh

even at that time. A bloke was sitting on his kit-bag

on one side of the hole smoking a (cirette) cigarette & only

hanging on [[wih ?]] with one hand when all the water went

to his side & then over to the other side with the

roll of the ship. of. course he went with it sitting on

his kit-bag. The funny part about it was to see his cigarette

[[?]] across the hole back-wards & forwards till he finally fell off

 

4

Most of the blokes had opened their kits to get something

out & had left them open & every one had tried to beat 

the other for a position [[?]] lie down so that every one had

their blankets around them. When the water got to about

3 ft there were very few things left to sit on dry

& I had my job cut out trying to keep my [[?]]

Every time the water rush past me it carried every

thing with it blankets, overcoats, kits, webbing equipment

steel helmets, gas masks hats clothing & lots of others

things including other mens personal belonging. Most

of them managed to scramble up on boxes & keep out

of the water. Two of the torches went bung through

been wet & most of the matches were as wet as the

men. I had some wax matches on me & they helped

the position a lot. As soon as day broke some one

climbed up the rings regardless of the water that was

trying to wash him back & had a look (at the s)

round. He yelled out. The waves are over 40 ft high & 

the companion waves have been washed over-board. (They

were the only th means we had of getting from [[?]]

deck to the main part of the ship & the life-boats)

You can imagine how we felt. We tried a song but

nobody could put any life or heart in it. The

position had even the toughest of us worried. The

crew were [["Greeks"?]]  & and if the race [[?]] takes after these 

bloke I'll never fight for them. They were positaly hope-less

even had the cheek to sell the beer as the ship was going

down. When we were leaving the ship they were selling

cups of coffee which should have been given to the men

to help them get back a bit of strength.

They must range a close 2nd to a Jew.

 

5

Up till this time I was one of the few that had not

been sick because I had been able to lay my head

down on kit-bag.  But one of my bags got washed away

& I was forced to sit up. Well I don't think I ever tast

fish again. After that I kept my head down & didn't

dare to raise it because every time I did sure enough

I would be sick. The bloke with the torch played the

part of the "Lady with the Lamp" & found a small hole through

which we could let some of the water get into the lower

hole which was mostly fill of balast. By this time I

was feeling pretty weak & the water was still pouring 

in. It was impossible for the men to get up on deck

to relieve themselves as [[the?]] would have been swept

over the side. So they managed as best they could in

the hole. You can imagine what a mess with everything 

floating around in the water. You smell some nice [[smells?]]

in the East but this beat them all. All though

this my cracked ribs & foot gave me hell & owning

to the fact that I could not carry my own kit.

it was dumped into the Officers baggage room where it

wouldn't get wet so I was very lucky in that respect

I thought of the Colonel in his ^cabin room & I decided to try

and make the Officers mess-room where there were a few

couches & arm-chairs but every-time I tried to get up

I was too weak. Some-one else got up the ladder & yelled

out. I don't care if I do go over I can't stand this [[here?]].

& made a wild dash for the repaired companion

way. We heard his feet running on the iron plates

above our head & wished him luck just as a wave

came crashing over the deck.

 

6

But he had managed to grasp the iron railings & so

save himself from being carried over. In between the 

waves he made a frantic leap up the stairs & onto

the bridge where he yelled out to us. If any of you

are game enough you can get out of that hell-hole with

a bit of luck. There was a bit of a rush among

the stronger of us but they got washed back & half

drowned by the inpouring water. How-ever they started

to judge the time between each wave & made a dash for

it. I managed to reach the ladder and judging the

time shot up the ladder & onto the deck. I just stood

there horrified, the ship was down in a trough & a wall

of water over 50 ft high was coming straight at me.

The ship started to tilt & I telf felt the decks starting

to slip from under me & I made a frantic leap ^for [[?]]

the companion way (rain) railing. There I hung ^while [[?]] this

wave swept right over the ship. It felt as though

a thousand tons were on me and tearing me away.

I must have been at least 10 ft under water as it went

right over the fore-castle. As soon as I got my breath 

& opened my eyes I seen another one coming of the same

kind & I don't think any body would ever beat my

time for going up stairs. Just as I reached the 

bridge I looked back and seen the bloke following

me get washed back down the hole. Well I was wet

but happy about my new situation as I was nearer the

life-boats, although it would have been an impossible

to launch them in such a sea. So far as I could

see the sea was just mountains of water & big deep

troughs into which the ship would plunge and forget

[[?]] to come out for a while. She would have made a great

torpedo [[?five words]]

 

7

I went down to the engine room & tried to dry of a bit

then back to the officers Mess where I tried to [[?lie]] down

with-out rolling off. (A bit of an impossibility). Some-one

gave me an orange & a bit of cholate. but I couldn't take

the orange although I made a better job of the chock. [[?]]

Then some-one mentioned food and rather than make a

mess in there I straggled weakly out-side on to the top

deck. As the ship rolled this side of the deck would 

be under water then she be 50 or 60 ft up in the air

If you stood at the back you could see the keel in

the front & if you lent over the rail at the back

you could see the propeller. She wasn't making any head-

way it took all her power to keep her head on for

the waves.

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