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A YOUNG MAN'S RETURN TO BLIGHTY FROM THE USA IN 1944
Evacuated at the age of fourteen, a young man returns to
enlist with the RAF
~ another story from Convoy CU 28
At the age of
14 I was evacuated to the USA. I returned to
England to join the RAF in June
1944. I returned on RMS Rangitiki as part of Convoy CU 28
leaving New York City on 16th
June and arriving in Liverpool on 27th
June 1944. There were 37 merchant ships and 13 Escorts in the
convoy.
I don’t
remember a lot about the voyage except it was pretty Spartan,
sleeping in bunks erected in the refrigerators. And as a 17 year
old I had to take my shift on the anti-aircraft guns under the
tutelage of the Defensively Equipped Merchant Ships’ Brigade members
(DEMS). I do remember the radio on the public address system being
on a lot and having the news in between the playing of “Lillibolero”.
During the voyage the announcement was made on the news of the start
of the V1 doodlebug bombing of London.
I seem to
remember that the Rangitiki struggled to keep up with the convoy.
I note that during
or after all her trips from NYC to
Liverpool
during 1944 she had to spend time on repairs. I got this information
by using the links on your website one of which is about convoys. It
is a remarkable source of information on convoys. The convoy I refer
to above was in the CU series. I also found details of my outward
bound convoy in it.
Peter Biggs
April
2008
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