Canadian Naval Forces "Interview with Lieut. Cully" page 3
Description
- Media Type
- Image
- Item Type
- Documents
- Description
- Page 3 of the Canadian Navy interview with Lieutenant Cully describing action of HMCS Oakville on August 28, 1942.
- Notes
- Memorandum: To Naval Broadcasting Officer
- Inscriptions
- Boat's crew was ordered away by Fenwick (Captain's voice not very strong). Cully relayed the order from the deck. The boat's crew knew that Lawrence and Powell had boarded the sub. (Detail on latter follows in second section). About this time, they discovered that all the lights on the ship were out, the lighting plant being damaged. Cully went aft to see what the situation was. He found that the #2 boiler room was flooded, the water-tight doors were closed, and all stokers safe. A leading stoker climbed up on top of the boiler and released steam, a very risky job. The immediate job, from Cully's standpoint, was to secure emergency lighting and control damage, which meant shoring up bulkheads with lumber kept for the purpose, and pumping out #2 boiler room. All hands manned hand pump to assist the other pumps. Prior to starting work, Cully went above and reported damage to Captain. On his way, he overheard a rating say that Lawrence and Powell were aboard sub. Worried for fear the port boat did not know these men were aboard sub and might conceivably be now in the water, he suggested that the stab'd boat be sent away also. This was done, although it later developed that the port boat did know that Lawrence and Powell had boarded the sub.
In the meantime, the American destroyer had arrived on the scene and the Oakville asked her to stand by the boarding party.
The port boat picked up Lawrence and Powell, after they had jumped from the sinking sub, and took them to the American destroyer. Lawrence stayed aboard. Powell returned to the Oakville in the port boat which was towed by the American's motor launch. Later, Lawrence returned to the ship in the stab"d boat which was sent for him. The Oakville first knew of the results of the boarding when the American destroyer signaled that Lawrence and Powell were aboard. Once the bulkheads were stored up, they got under way. The following are verbatim signals from the Oakville signal log, more or less in continuity. They were given to me as a concession bu Lieut. Cully, and were selected and read out by him.
To the Lee (American destroyer): 11;48. "Close me"
Lee to Oakville: "Am closing."
Oakville to Lee: "Please close sub. Our boarding party on board."
Lee to Oakville: "What is your target."
Oakville to Lee: "Sub rammed twice."
Lee to Oakville: "Do you need assistance."
Oakville to Lee: "No." - 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
Website:
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