Canadian Naval Forces "Interview with Lieut. Cully" page 2
Description
- Media Type
- Image
- Item Type
- Documents
- Description
- Page 2 of the Canadian Navy interview with Lieutenant Cully regarding action of HMCS Oakville on August 28, 1942.
- Notes
- Memorandum: To Naval Broadcasting Officer
- Inscriptions
- bridge. Then Fenwick sighted the sub. Apparently, he had just previously come on deck. When called by the bosun's mate, he thought he was merely being called to go on watch, and had stepped into the compass shelter to sign the night order book (captain's book of instructions to the Officer of the Watch), had stepped out, glanced out over the water and sighted the sub. He shouted "Submarine, on port bow, less than 200 yards away". At this point Cully went aft to the depth charges. He was not very explicit about his actions, understandably saying that his job was a rather roving one during an action, and he could not recall just exactly what he was doing at any given time, with very few exceptions. When Fenwick sighted the sub, the Captain altered course to ram. The Oakville missed the sub, spun around hard over, and prepared to ram again. All guns opened up at this point including the Orlikon, the 4", and the .50 Cal. machine guns. Inquired as instructed re Orlikon routine. Two men are normally required to operate the gun, one who actually operates it and the other passes ammunition. No verbal commands and responses are used. And there was just one man on the Orlikon during this action.
As the Oakville missed the sub and went past her, Cully who was aft, saw her on the port quarter. Off- watch stokers, fire-party, etc were standing around, and Cully ordered them to go get rifles and pistols, which they did. He also went below and secured his pistol and gas mask, then went up on the focsle deck to gun platform. The Oakville approached to ram again, struck the sub a glancing blow, and came about again. This time they were approaching the sub on a collision bearing, every gun aboard firing, and Cully believes that it was at this time that the 4" knocked off the sub's gun. The sub passed ahead of the ship, and the ship came about in line with her, overtook her, and passed her, the sub bumping along the side, the stab'd side. As the sub passed astern, depth charges were dropped which exploded beneath the sub. Then the Oakville came about and solidly rammed the sub, slid up on top of her, slid off and came along side. (The port side. It was at this time that the two men boarded her.) Cully was right up in the bow and when he saw the collision was imminent, he ran below to see that the asdic man in the asdic well got clear and also to see what damage wassustained. The asdic man had left, and just then the collision came, and Cully came above to see what was happening. At this point the story is understandably a trifle confused. The port boat was ordered away, as a boarding party. Attention: Omission above. 6th line in second paragraph this page.."struck a glancing blow." At this point, Cully heard Lawrence call out, "Away boarding party." To continue. - Date Of Event
- 28 Aug 1942
- Subject(s)
- Collection
- HMCS Oakville - E. Stewart, Curator
- Language of Item
- English
- Copyright Statement
- Copyright status unknown. Responsibility for determining the copyright status and any use rests exclusively with the user.
- Contact
- Oakville MuseumEmail:oakvillemuseum@oakville.ca
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