Stan Mayes

7. Viking Star

This page is focused on Stan’s account of his voyages on the ship. There is a history of Viking Star and additional accounts of her loss on the Benjidog website HERE.

Joining

Reporting to Tilbury Reserve Pool at end of my leave and finding coasters were signing on crews but no deep sea ships for a while, I asked for and was given a railway warrant to Liverpool on 20 May 1942. Arriving at this great and busy port I booked into the Angel Club in Dale Street - a hotel which was now being run by the Flying Angel Seamen's Mission. I then reported to the Shipping Office and was told to sign on Viking Star on the next day. So on 21st May 1942 I signed on and joined Viking Star as an AB.

The Captain was J. Mills and Chief Officer was F. McQuiston; there was a total crew of 55 plus 14 DEMS gunners. The ship was powered by coal burning boilers on the outward trip and converted to oil burning homeward. Consequently a bigger engine room crew were required.

Convoys OS 29 and ST 26

On 22 May 1942we sailed from the Mersey in Convoy OS29 and later a few more ships from the Clyde joined us to make a total of 47 ships and 10 escorts. Our Commodore ship was Elder Dempster’s Sansu and Viking Star was in position 41 - lead ship of Column 4.

The convoy was bound for Freetown and it took 21 days. In peace time this voyage in a 10 knot ship from Liverpool would be 10 days - South through the Irish Sea - but wartime took the convoy North around Ireland and well into the Atlantic to keep clear of large marauding FW aircraft operating from French occupied bases. It was an uneventful voyage until arrival at Freetown on ll June 1942. At this port the nine Army DEMS left the ship as they were no longer required as we were beyond possible air attack. 5 Royal Navy DEMS gunners remained to man the 4" gun on the poop - defence against attack from the sea. Myself and another AB had gunnery certificates and would have made up the number on the gun.

On 16 June 1942 we sailed in convoy ST26, but after 24 hours all ships dispersed and continued on independently for various destinations - ours being the Argentine. It was an uneventful voyage of 21 days and only saw one other ship the American sailing ship Tango bound for Capetown. In recent years I researched Tango and found she had an interesting history.

Buenos Aires

Arriving Buenos Aires on 7 July 1942, we commenced discharging our general cargo which included 4 racehorses in wooden stalls on the main deck at No 4.

While at Buenos Aires we had a serious fire in the ship's paint store and it was caused by saboteurs who were sympathetic to the German cause. Other allied ships suffered similar incidents including Albion Star. This ship had arrived at Buenos Aires with damage from bombing and heavy weather during January 1942, and it would be 11 months before she left that port again.

Graf Spee had been scuttled off Montevideo and the crew had originally been interned in Uruguay but many were now living in the Argentine as they had elected to live there rather than return home to Germany. We often saw groups of them in the City or at football matches. Also while at Buenos Aires four crew from our ship were admitted to hospital and they were replaced by crew from Albion Star.

From Viking Star 4th Mate J Bleasedale was replaced by 4th Mate W Fox of Albion Star; Chief Steward R Warren was replaced by Chief Steward C Hill; Chief Cook A Oram was replaced by Chief Cook F Thompson; and 2nd Cook W Bouchereaux was replaced by 2nd Cook P Quinn from Nagara of Royal Mail Line - he had been released from hospital.

Whilst in conversation with the Padre of the Seamens Mission and telling him I was from Grays Essex, he told me he had recently conducted a burial service for a lad from Grays who had been killed when he fell into the hold of the Nagara while berthed at La Plata. Harry Barrell was well known to me as being the son of the publican of the Theobalds Arms in Grays. The Padre gave me a photo of the grave to take home to Harry's parents but they never received it as it went down with Viking Star about five weeks later with among other things a ring for my 21st birthday presented by my parents when I left home to join the ship.

We loaded 6,000 tons of meat into many compartments and then came the long laborious job of replacing many plug hatches and then sealing them with oakum and pitch.

On 3 August 1942 we sailed for Montevideo arriving on the 5th and passed close to the burnt out wreck of the Graf Spee outside the harbour. At this port we loaded 1,000 tons of fertilizers and sailed on the 9 August 1942 where we would join a convoy for the UK.

Images

· Image #1 by courtesy of Stan Mayes

Viking Star Torpedoed

Sailing independently the voyage across the South Atlantic was uneventful until midday on 25 August 1942 when a Sunderland flying boat appeared and began to circle around the ship. Although we hoisted recognition flags and tried contact with an Aldis lamp there was no response and after a while she flew away.

At 16.45 we were in a position of 6.00N and 14.00W - 180 miles SW of Freetown, when two violent explosions caused the ship to roll over to her port side then came slowly upright again. Two torpedoes had struck the ship on port side amidships in the engine room. I was off watch and in my cabin at below deck - all lights went out and with much shouting we groped our way in the darkness to the companionway up to the poop deck and as we ran along the deck to our boat stations we were showered by debris thrown up by the explosions.

Both port side lifeboats had been demolished in their davits, No. 3 derricks (wooden) were shattered and No 3 lifeboat was damaged by falling debris and filled with water as it was lowered to the sea. My boat station was No. 3 the only surviving boat, and as soon as we had it in the water and boarded it we began taking men from the sea until it was overloaded with 36 survivors - its capacity was 28 persons.

Captain Mills had been helping to launch the boat then ran aft and took to a raft on his own - he was never seen alive again.

Rafts were launched and men were getting into them. The rafts of that time were constructed of empty 40 gallon drums and encased in timber, but were the means of saving countless lives.

Although sinking, the Viking Star was still moving slowly ahead and was some distance from us when another torpedo struck amidships on port side. This caused the funnel to crash down and the ship broke her back. With bows and stern pointing to the sky she sank in the shape of a huge V - it was a very sad sight to behold. Shortly after our ship had disappeared, masses of wreckage and oil came to the surface and at this time the U boat had surfaced and was approaching us in the boat. We were asked the name of the ship - cargo carried and if any officers were in the boat - to this question we replied they had been lost with the ship. The Chief-2nd and 4th Officers were in the boat and the 3rd Officer on a raft but none were wearing uniform.

The U boat crew accepted our replies and after taking photos they sailed away and submerged. The crew in the conning tower had included a tall man with a red beard now known to be Commander Ernst Kals and U-130. A few hours after sinking Viking Star, U-130 sank another British ship Beechwood of John I Jacobs Co.

Kals was later credited with sinking 24 Allied ships including three American troopships at anchor in Fedala Roads Casablanca on 12 Nov 1942. He also shelled a refinery at Curacao, and in February 1943 he became Commander of the U boat base at Lorient France.

Six crew had been killed in the engine room of the Viking Star.

Aboard the Life Rafts

Following the departure of U l30, we soon found ourselves surrounded by many sharks and barracudas and they were after the sides of beef coming to the surface from our sunken ship. We made a line fast to two rafts and used them as sea anchors, other rafts were in the distance. We remained with the two rafts through the night and occasionally sent up a distress flare and these were replied to by the distant rafts. Captain Mills was on one of those rafts and after that first night he was never seen alive again.

At dawn we hoisted sail and attempted to tow the rafts but it proved futile so Chief Officer McQuiston suggested we try to make land in the boat and have help sent to the rafts. This idea was not accepted by the men on rafts and they pointed out that we had been seen by the Sunderland flying boat and our non arrival at Freetown would prompt a search for us. We began rationing the food and water. For each man - two pieces of chocolate am, two biscuits and pemmican and a spoonful of condensed milk at midday and in the evening it was two pieces of chocolate and a malted milk tablet. Water was issued three times daily - half a cupful each time.

The lifeboat was of wooden construction and was leaking badly. Having 36 men in it, we only had 14 inches of freeboard (side above water) so it was being bailed out constantly. During the second night a strong wind caused a choppy sea and there was frantic bailing out as water came over the gunwhales. During daytime the heat of the sun was unbearable, but during the night-time it became very cold and, as most of us were wearing very little clothing, we suffered from both extremes. Our position was a few miles North of the Equator.

At dawn on 27th August the Chief Officer decided to leave the rafts and try to sail to the land, so we took G Patterson Cadet from a raft onto the boat and I then witnessed a very heroic act by A B J Daintith of Liverpool. He gave up his relatively safe place in the lifeboat to an injured DEMS gunner A Hancock from a semi-submerged raft knowing he had far less chance of survival or none at all in the shark infested seas. After passing water, provisions, blankets and a large yellow flag to the men on the rafts we set the sail and departed. The Bosun and myself steered the boat as we both had experience, mine being four and half years in coastal sailing barges. We had four hours on and four hours off at the tiller while others were on a rota in bailing out the leaking boat. A metal bailer and empty biscuit tins were used. We steered by the sun and stars as our lifeboat compass had been stolen in a recent port of call. We were constantly accompanied by sharks and often saw many barracudas, dugongs, large rays and myriads of small fish. With so many men in the boat there was much discomfort from lack of space.

Before we reached land, a dispute began among the men who were bailing out the water and attempting to settle the problem the Bosun was struck above an eye with the metal bailer causing an injury, so I remained at the tiller for the following 30 hours. I later received a Commendation from Chief Officer McQuiston. The dispute was caused by some of the crew trying to avoid their turn on the rota. It is incredible that this could occur at a time when we were fighting for survival against the sea, but such was the apathy of some of those men. What a contrast with the heroism shown by Jim Daintith a few hours earlier.

Nearing midnight on 28th we realised we were close to land with the different motion of the sea. The long rollers had become short choppy waves and about three hours later we could see the moonlit land and hear the heavy surf breaking on the beach. We lowered sail to await daylight to assess our chances of finding a landing place but the boat was being swept toward the shore and our attempts to keep the boat at sea with oars was futile. Suddenly the boat was picked up by a huge wave and we were capsized throwing everybody into the seething surf. Then followed a desperate struggle for survival - but survive we all did....

We were very fortunate in having had a following wind from the South West while sailing the boat as we could not sail against the wind in the conditions prevailing - we would have been adrift for many more days unless seen by a ship.

Struggling from the surf and reaching the beach safely, we realised it was very cold so we began to salvage the oars and sail from the surf to make a shelter from the biting wind and we were doing this when we saw a native watching us. The Chief Officer spoke to him but he ran away and then stopped and watched us again. Eventually he was satisfied we were friendly and the 2nd Mate went with him to his nearby village and soon returned with many others and among them was a young woman who told us she was a missionary and had been trained in Freetown. She informed us we were in Sierra Leone and close to the border with Liberia. After she had explained who we were to the villagers we were taken to their village and given a meal of rice and yams. We then entered mud huts to sleep a while.

Emerging from the huts later on we found every piece of our boat had been carried from the shore and was in the village. We were asked if we wanted any part of it but of course we did not. Later we left the village and began walking through the jungle in single file with natives escorting us and they were making sure the way was clear of snakes and animals. After a few hours we stopped at another village and stayed overnight. Our escort returned to their own village but the missionary stayed with us. Here we were given a meal and again slept in mud huts. Next morning we left and again we were escorted and accompanied by the missionary and later that day we arrived at a creek and stayed overnight in a village. A native was sent ahead to Bonthe to inform the District Commissioner of our presence, and next morning we were taken through swamps in canoes to deeper water where a large launch was waiting for us. After thanking the missionary and the escorts we left, and three hours later we arrived at Bonthe Shebar - nowadays know as Sherbro. We were accommodated in the homes of Swiss and French traders - they exchanged clothing, knives, tobacco and trinkets for animal hides, snakeskins and horns. Groundnuts were also produced here and occasionally a ship arrived and loaded the products.

A radio message was sent to Freetown and two days later an MTB arrived and we were taken to Freetown where on arrival we entered a hospital suffering from malaria and other tropical diseases. Freetown was a convoy port, being ideally situated geographically with a large natural harbour. It was also a Naval base and the old Union Castle liner Edinburgh Castle was moored there and in use as a Naval accommodation ship (she was rat infested and at end of war was towed to sea and scuttled). Philoctetes of Blue Funnel and City of Tokyo of Ellerman Line were in use as RN repair ships.

At Freetown we were informed that telegrams had been sent to our next of kin - Ship missing - crew presumed dead. Viking Star had been due at Freetown on the day after her sinking and it was now nine days later. We also heard that the Sunderland flying boat which we had seen had been captured by Germans who had control of Vichy French Dakar - just North of Freetown. They used it to locate Allied ships and would then radio the position to U Boats in the vicinity. The Sunderland was destroyed by a Spitfire operating from Freetown.

As days passed men were being released from hospital and accommodated in a school taken over for this purpose. A hundred or more survivors were already there. Each man had a cot bed which was protected by mosquito netting and here we were provided with essential clothing - suit, shirt, underwear, socks and shoes. Three days in the school and then some of us boarded the troopship Otranto of Orient Line for our return home. Other survivors from Viking Star returned to the UK in Esperence Bay.

On Otranto we met survivors from Tuscan Star. On her voyage from Capetown for UK the Otranto had sighted a lifeboat full of survivors from Tuscan Star which had been sunk by U 109 on 6th September. The Captain, some crew and women and children passengers were in the boat. Two other boats with survivors were rescued a few days later, nine crew had been killed.

Of Viking Star survivors on rafts, they had made the coast of Liberia in 12 days and landed 40 miles beyond our landing place. They suffered terrible agonies of sunburn and salt water boils. Unfortunately R Boardman a DEMS gunner was killed when the rafts were capsized in heavy surf. In Otranto we sailed independently and the voyage was uneventful up to our arrival in Liverpool at end of September 1942.

I was an Able Seaman on Viking Star and my pay was £22.12 s 6d per month. £10 12s 6d paid by ship owner and £12 War Risk Money paid by the Ministry of Shipping. From the day your ship was sunk all wages for the crew were stopped as in my case and was only paid again on my arrival in the UK when I reported myself alive at Tilbury Shipping Office. (Shipowners regarded us as unemployed - without a ship). My wages from Blue Star Line were backdated to the date of sinking and to the day of arrival at Liverpool. The War Risk Money paid by the Government ceased with the loss of the ship. The next of kin of seamen who lost their lives received no payments.

Some years ago I tried to contact survivors of Viking Star . During 1967 I contacted Captain John Rigiani of Blue Star Line. He was 3rd Officer of Viking Star at time of her loss and with other survivors he suffered terrible agonies while on rafts for 12 days. We corresponded for many years and on leaving the sea he became Marine Superintendent of Blue Star Line in Liverpool. On retirement he went to live in Chicago - sadly he crossed the bar in 1994. Eight years ago I contacted Cliff Maw in Leicester. He was Deck Boy in Viking Star and later in the war we again sailed together in Dolabella and saw service for ten weeks off the Normandy Beachheads. Cliff and I enjoyed a reunion shortly after our contact. I have also made contact with relatives of crew who were in Viking Star on her final voyage.

Postscripts

Some years ago I tried to contact survivors of Viking Star. During 1967 I contacted Captain John Rigiani of Blue Star Line. He was 3rd Officer of Viking Star at the time of her loss and, with other survivors, he suffered terrible agonies while on rafts for 12 days. We corresponded for many years and on leaving the sea he became Marine Superintendent of Blue Star Line in Liverpool. On retirement he went to live in Chicago - sadly he crossed the bar in 1994. Eight years ago I contacted Cliff Maw in Leicester. He was Deck Boy in Viking Star and later in the war we again sailed together in Dolabella and saw service for ten weeks off the Normandy Beachheads. Cliff and I enjoyed a reunion shortly after our contact. I have also made contact with relatives of crew who were in Viking Star on her final voyage.

Following their leave from Viking Star, three of the survivors of this tragedy - W Belford 2nd Engineer - H Wilkinson Bosun - G Patterson Apprentice, joined Empire Lakeland mid December 1942 for her maiden voyage. Sailed in ballast from Clyde in convoy ON 155 on 19th December 1942. Atrocious weather was encountered on 22nd and the ship lost the convoy, Captain F Gudgin hove to for 12 hours and the ship suffered much weather damage. Foremast heavy derrick crutch carried away signal mast broke adrift - one raft washed overboard - No 3 and No 4 lifeboats damaged - several leaks into Masters accommodation, Radio room and crew accommodation all due to bad welding. The ship builders were John Readhead & Sons South Shields. Also the vegetable locker containing 2 tons of potatoes was lost overboard.

With so much damage occurring the Master decided to return to the Clyde. Following a few days under repair, Empire Lakeland sailed in convoy for New York, and at this port she loaded war materials and later joined convoy SC 121 for the UK. West of the Hebrides they met severe weather conditions and the ship lost contact with the convoy. It was 11 March 1943, and a few hours later she was torpedoed and sunk by U-190. There were no survivors from her crew of 56 plus 6 DEMS gunners. Gerald Patterson Apprentice aged 16 of Liverpool - only sailed in two ships, both sunk.

It was considered by many that bad workmanship by shipbuilders were largely responsible for this tragedy. If the ship had not been forced to return to port which completely changed her schedule she may have survived the war.

This was another example of incompetence and a couldn't care less attitude which unfortunately existed in British Industry during WW2. Strikes in factories producing vital war materials -strikes in shipyards - strikes in docks - but never a strike by merchant seamen. If they had gone on strike the consequences would have been catastrophic. Think about it ! ! ! !

Basic Data: Viking Star

Type: Cargo Ship

Registered owners, managers and operators:

Blue Star Line

Builders: Napier & Miller

Yard: Old Kilpatrick

Country: UK

Yard number: 225

Registry: N/K

Official number: 145113

Signal letters: N/K

Call sign: N/K