familyletters.co.uk

The accident on board the Tyndareus
on 6th February 1917

J StJ P BERRYMAN

February 21, 1917

Garrison Offices,
Mess,
Wynberg.

I don’t think I ever gave you a description of what happened the night of the accident. Well, we were all at Mess when the bang went off. I was going to say when the explosion occurred, of course everyone jumped up and grabbed a life belt – somebody started. We were all out and up at our boat stations in about two minutes, and the men were all in their places – my boat was 207, I had 50 men, a couple of Chinamen and one or two of the crew – a huge volume of water was splashed up over the ship, and dead fish are found lying around all over the place. The old ship started going down a bit by the bows, but she did not do any nasty lurching which was a mercy.

There was a fairly big sea running and bright moonlight. We were in sight of land, and there were two ships in sight also. The men behaved simply splendidly, and no one seemed to fuss at all – The boats were got along without any flurry and we all started climbing and clambering down rope ladders – I got down last of my lot, and the boat was pretty full up by that time. I had been twice down to my cabin to get one or two things – I got my revolver and field glasses and the greatest godsend of all, a hundred cigarettes – I also grabbed a letter I had written to you which I posted directly we got here- We pushed off from the ship, some of the boats were already away, and some had even been picked up by one of the ships that was standing by. One was a hospital ship all lighted up with red and green lights and the other belonged to the same line of steamers as our other ship.

Well, started away, and the waves looked very different from the small boat, huge great mountains that seemed to be going to stamp our overcrowded boat any minute, of course there was no chance of rowing as the men were too crowded, and none of them knew much about it, then lots of them were sea sick, and the boat started filling with water, so we had to bail her with helmets and caps. The fellows of the crew we had with us did not seem to know much about it, so I had to take charge, and I knew less.

We got along fine at the start and got near the hospital ship, but unfortunately we got on the wrong side, and it was impossible to get the men up, we pushed off quick or we should have been smashed to pieces. Of course I did not know how to get round to the other side, what can you expect from a comic soldier? I know now how to do it – so we had to let her drift, well she drifted down towards the other ship and again we got on weather side, people shouted and gave directions but I couldn’t work it, so we drifted away again.

Then with the four oars we had out we managed to keep her head to the current, which is what we ought to have done right away, but how was a d—– land lubber to know? and we started to drift towards the ship again, we were about ¾ of a mile away and the men were a bit down, and between you and me and the ink pot I didn’t fancy our chance but we got there. We got round the stern somehow and got alongside and all got aboard safely. We were out for about 4 hours, so some of us were pretty cooked.

The accident happened about 10 minutes to 7, we were away about 7.30 and got on board the other ship about 12. There were still some boats out so we hung around to see what could be done, then we signalled to the hospital ship, and counted the men and found not a single man was missing. We hung around till the next morning and saw our old ship still afloat and a cruiser and another trying to get a rope aboard to tow her. We started back to Capetown and got in about six o’clock and they brought us straight here, so there were no casualties at all. We even saved the dogs.

J.St J.P. Berryman,

25 Middlesex Regt.

Gertrude kept this letter along with Ted’s letter about the sinking of the SS Persia and the cutting from the Cape Argus in a large brown envelope on which she wrote tersely “letters from my shipwrecked sons”. 

See also: http://www.nam.ac.uk/online-collection/detail.php?acc=2001-07-31-1

The evacuation of the troopship SS ‘Tyndareus’.
Stanley Llewellyn Wood

Dear Mother

You might buy some leather buttons 4 big 6 small like you took off that coat & get Capon to clean them with dark polish every day till they look old. I want some more & hate ’em new.

I hope to get home about 10^th.

1.2.17.

Love from Topher & me.

He got a cake from you today

H.M.S. MALAYA.
c/o G.P.O.

Wednesday. 31^st Jany

My dear Mother- So pleased to get your letter – I did’nt write to you till last Thursday 25^th because your letter did not arrive till then- I expect you have it by now. This week the Sunday letters are earlier – as I generally don’t get yours till Thursday.

I have had a line from Dick, he says he’s put in for his leave from the 10^th & will let me know as soon as he can. I don’t expect I shall be home till 2 or 3 days later- still he hopes to get a fortnight and I am hoping for about 10 days, so things ought to turn out all right.

I am awfully glad to hear Nance was down for the week end- I heard from her to-day and she simply loved it.

We have actually had some skating up here- we found a small lake on top of a hill – a tiring walk up – but quite worth it when you get there. We have violent games of ice hockey – huge fun it is. Coo – but my ankles get tired.

So glad to hear there is news of Jim – but they seem to be going a long way round – one thing though – they are safe from submarine areas now – which is the best news of the lot.

Ben does seem to have a career with her jobs – poor child it must be worrying for her. Nance told me she had given her some addresses of jobs – but I have heard no results as yet.

We had our commissioning dinner the other night – we commissioned you know just this time last year. We only had the Captain to dine in the mess -afterwards we danced and had a sing song.

Must write to Rosamond- I am glad to hear her thumb is all right again.

Wonder if those sox arrived allright. Oh and can I send my washing home the week before I come on leave – then iit will be clean for me when I come home. It was a brain wave I thought of the other day.

My best love to you all- from your ever loving son

Paul

After spending 1916 wooing Nancy, Paul sent Nancy to Guildford a lot in 1917 so she could woo his mother. Gertrude was to be a difficult mother-in-law for at least some of her sons- and daughters-in-law, and Paul was wise to make sure that Nancy won her over. Ted followed a similar strategy with Nell. And of course both Ted and Paul adored their mother and would have wanted their wives to adore her too.

Jan 26/17

Dear Mother

Very many thanks indeed for a belated mail last week. It appears the mail boat had to be put back to Marseilles, having been mined or torpedoed just outside; at least that’s the yarn, but I don’t know if there’s any truth in it. Also I got a gorgeous calendar from you -”when the boys come home” which looks ripping on the mantlepiece, & thanks most awfully for it, & the Daily Sketch all bound. There is another mail in tomorrow, it was in here today, but my letters going to Cox always roll up a day late.

Not much news here. They still continue to fill us up with officers, & 5 have joined in the last 2 days! They seem a nice lot of fellows, & 2 or 3 of them have had war experience in France, which is a good thing, & preferable to those beardless babes from Sandhurst. We have now got 16 British officers, & our complement is only 12! So I wonder what they’re playing at. 1 Colonel, 2 Captains, & 13 Subalterns!

I have been fairly gay this week, & have dined out once or twice. I have also been to watch the Delhi tennis tournament, which is very good indeed & we have seen some fine games. I lunched last Sunday with the Ricketts and had a very pleasant day. I also had some ‘flapper’ tennis with Barbara Bingley & a small friend staying with her. I think they had a day out & seemed to thoroughly enjoy it. Nell will be getting jealous! but I don’t think she need worry her pretty head much.

What a terrible explosion that was in town last week, & somehow one feels they have not published the whole of the story. It sounds dangerously near Woolwich, & I expect we shall begin to hear all sorts of rumours before long. It makes one quite ill to read about it, so ghastly to think of a thing like that happening somehow and all those poor munition workers being killed. Still I think it’s wonderful a thing like that has’nt happened before considering the enormous number of factories there must be in England now. Otherwise the news in general seems good I think, but I can’t quite fathom this concentration on the Swiss frontier, except that it proves Germany must be in desperate straits I think. The Roumanian news is decidedly more cheering, & we seem to have caught their torpedo boats nicely when they tried to escape from Zeebrugge. But how bitterly cold it sounds does’nt it.

There have been 2 gorgeous concerts this week, a Russian pianist & violinist who both played divinely. I don’t quite know why they are’nt in the army! But I’m glad they are’nt because it really was a treat to listen to them. They were only there two nights, and I went each time & thoroughly enjoyed myself, even though I know so little about music. Old Montague of Beaulieu is here, you remember I expect he was on the Persia; he is giving a lecture on ‘Aviation’ tonight; I really don’t remember him on board, & I don’t think I should recognise him if I saw him. Metcalfe is dining with me tonight, & I am dining with Miles one day next week; Cordwalles F.F’s I foresee!

From your letter I gather Jim is now definitely going to Hong Kong & is presumably well on his way there now. I wonder if he’s pleased or not or if he’d rather go to France. He enlisted so early in the war, that it seems curious he should go so far away from it when he does go anywhere. I’m most awfully sorry to hear about poor old Rosamond’s thumb; you told me a letter or two ago she had crushed it badly & it sounds very nasty, & I do hope the dear person is much better now.

The writing room for soldiers in Delaford is indeed a success, but you must have your hands pretty full what with getting them tea an’ all. I expect they thoroughly enjoyed their Christmas dinner; tomorrow’s letters ought to be the ones you wrote about Christmas time. You might mention to Mrs Hunt when you write about me & Metcalfe & Sir Charles Miles all being here together. Miles was wounded in Mesopotamia (he is with the 1^st 4^th Somersets) & Metcalfe is Asst Private Sec: to the Viceroy. I expect I told you all this before! Very sad about Mr Goughlin’s 2 sons. Yes rather Mr Britling arrived safe, but I have’nt had a minute to read him yet!

Best love to all   Yr loving son

Ted.

When the boys come home – song by Oley Speaks

http://www.loc.gov/jukebox/recordings/detail/id/6236/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oley_Speaks

Swiss tensions prior to the February Revolution in Russia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Switzerland_during_the_World_Wars

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Douglas-Scott-Montagu,_2nd_Baron_Montagu_of_Beaulieu

H.M.S. MALAYA.
c/o G.P.O.

25^th Jany    Thursday.

My dear Mother – Very many thanks for your letter – glad you liked the picture of the Church. It really is rather a nice little place now – and so nicely decorated. I’m sorry to say I believe we are losing our Chaplain – he’s going to a shore job somewhere – I hope we get as good a one as he – I like him immensely.

I thought Jane lived at 31 St Stephen’s Rd- Bayswater- & I see you put “at 31 with her” – but Nance tells me her address is 30 Collingham Place – Earls Court – I did’nt know Jane had changed her digs-

My Captain told me yesterday that all leave was stopped in France – I was talking to him about Dick. I do hope it is’nt true. I have’nt heard from Dick since I told him when to get his leave. Must be some push on now I think & he’s fairly busy.

I am glad to hear Ben is thinking of coming out with us when we get home, I am sure it will do her a lot of good don’t you? One is so apt to get in a groove of melancholia if one does’nt get a definite change of surroundings & happenings.

Fearful show that explosion- Mr Conabé has just come back from leave & told us all about it – He was in Town when it happened.

I’ve just cut my eye open a bit playing deck hockey – nothing serious in the least – but it looks sort of gooey- I fell onto some rope & sort of rubbed my face along it.

Any news of Jim yet?

Good night Mother – My very best love to you all-

Your ever loving son

Paulie

Explosion near Woolwich

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silvertown_explosion

Dear Mother.  Many thanks for sending the boots. I think you said you had sent my blue suit to Lesley Roberts & my great coat. If not please send it to them & get it pressed. Also ask Dreda to send to that shop where you get O.F. ties & get one for me. Can you give her the money. I dunno’ when I shall get home but I want to wangle it same time as Paul. I’ve got no respectable uniform at all, & I shall have to wear mufti.

Topher is quite happy with me I think. He’s awful fed up as he gets no letters nowadays!

I will write to Lesley & Roberts & tell them to get my mufti ready.

Best love to all

yr loving son

Richard

21.1.17.

P.T.O.

Quite forgot I must have dress shirts & collars got ready. Please have all those dress shirts of mine done up, some are Paul’s I know but get them done as well, then there’ll be no mistake. Also those collars of mine    There are some that came home in my kit           like this with 14 not 14½ inside. You need’nt get the 14½ washed, also my white waistcoats. Don’t send them to the wash, but to a shirt dresser, they do these things so much better & one does’nt economise on leave. It would’nt be a bad idea to send my dress clothes to Lesley & R with the dinner jacket & tell them to press them.

I daresay my dress shirts are in the black tin box I left behind.

All this most important.

Any dress ties get ’em washed

Remember your manners, Richard. Say “please”.  (Mufti is civilian kit, ie clothes that aren’t army uniform).

H.M.S. MALAYA.
c/o G.P.O.

Wednesday 17^th Jany

Dearest Mother – Thank you for your letter – yes I knew you would get it quicker – because we had a change of atmosphere for about 6 or 7 days the other day – quite pleasant it was & such a change from the monotony where we are now. The weather is simply too lovely here – nice bright sunny brisk days, & I have been ashore yesterday & today & played golf & taken a certain amount of exercise; am feeling awfully fit and well.

Yes. I have told Dick about my leave etc- there seem to be chances of it being a little later now, only a matter of days though. I am looking forward to it so. I have heard from him often – & all about Topher. It must be ripping for them both.

I am awfully sorry Ben did’nt wait a bit till she had heard from me again because I told her definitely I knew Nance would help her – Mrs Conway Gordon’s niece – I told you about her before did’nt I? – & Nance went up to Town to try & meet Ben & fix things up because she hates the idea of getting a job anywhere alone & was fearfully keen to meet Ben an’ all – she told me she was awfully disappointed. I don’t blame Ben really – but she was so keen hen she wrote first & I suggested this & now it all seems to have fallen through – for the time being- I don’t believe Ben really likes that canteen work. Nance tells me she’s got a room at Jane’s place – I told her originally to go & see Jane & see if she could fix it up – I am awfully pleased.

I was wondering whether you would ask her down one week-end – Jane could easily bring her could’nt she – will you Mother? Don’t say anything to Ben about what I have said – I may be all wrong in my ideas – but I am disappointed.

Does seem rather funny about Specs – I wonder how he manages to evade being called up. [The clue might be in the name. There was a minimal eyesight requirement for most of the services.]

Oh I am sending some clothes to be washed – garments I wore in our theatricals – I could’nt quite send them to my laundry – they’d have a fit. When you’ve washed the stockings you might give them to Jane to give back to Nance – they are hers. The other garments you might send back – as they are “property Box” now. Never mind about the ribbons!!-

Goodnight Mother-

with best love to you all-

Your ever loving son

Paul

It’s hard to tell who takes Gertrude’s patience more for granted, Paul who is reasonably polite but sends her his darning and laundry, or Richard who is more peremptory but at least doesn’t ask her to do laundry.

Paul’s considerable charm was clearly working on Nancy, but it’s impossible to know when their friendship tipped over into romance. It’s also hard to understand who was where at this time. Paul was presumably still in Rosyth which suggests Nancy’s aunt Mrs Conway Gordon was also in Scotland, but Nancy is clearly in London.

16.1.17.

My dear Mother           I don’t seem to have written to you for ages somehow. Topher is here at last & I think he likes it better than his other job. We go out riding together & I fancy it will work all right. Hope so anyhow.

I got a nice saddle from Jane at last. I wrote to Ben today & thanked her for the cream. It was bad & I couldn’t eat it. Such a pity as it looked so good. However I told her we ate it!

Snowing & freezing like blazes, I hate it & long for the nice warm East again. Ben tells me she is leaving Weybridge & going to Woolwich. Wonder if No-teeth got the ring. I am so glad it made you laugh to think of me remembering her. Of course I do.

Jim’s gone & must be nearly there by now. How lucky he is, & he’ll be seeing a part of the world I always wanted to look at. I wonder if Sheina will get a free passage out to him.

I don’t seem to have heard from you for a long time!

Best love to all

Yr loving son

Richard.

Could you send me a Tommies cooker and a refill.