By A MERCHANT SERVICE CAPTAIN.
A FEW months ago my ship, a large liner, was one of a convoy of liners detailed to carry a Canadian division across the Atlantic Ocean.
After the troops had embarked, no officer or man was allowed ashore in order to preserve the secrecy of the sailing.
But, in some way, the Germans knew, and the evening before our departure “Lord Haw-Haw” announced that all was known. He even gave the very ship’s name on the German wireless and announced that not one vessel would succeed in reaching Great Britain.
This news rather depressed some of the troops, but, personally, I felt it a challenge from Satan, and going to my cabin I got on my knees before God, and like Hezekiah of old, told the Lord all about it.
The next day we started, and at noon the line of stately ships packed with troops steamed out of harbour. As we did so we left a sunlit port for as dense a fog as one could ever get at sea. No vessel could see another. Navigation was dangerous and difficult, and this caused some murmuring on board: but, realising the safety that fog gave us from the enemy, I welcomed the fog and pointed out its protective value.
The Germans had not made this threat of sinking us without meaning it. I had the Commodore of the Convoy on board, and so was in touch with all Admiralty messages. During the days and nights taken to cross the Atlantic on the special route given us by the Admiralty (which was altered by them from time to time), submarines were again and again reported, and always on our route.
We had only left port a few hours when a U-boat was heard talking to another close to the convoy. Evidently they had been lying in wait for us and failed to find us in God’s fog.
For three days and nights the fog continued. Submarines were around us, and more than once we had orders to change our route on their account.
On the fourth day the weather cleared, but in the afternoon we got reports of two submarines ahead of us, one to starboard and the other to port of our route. We held on, keeping a sharp look-out, and passed safely between them at the darkest hour of the night.
More submarines were reported, and our route was changed in consequence. The Admiralty wirelessly a drastic alteration of course, which we had just carried out, when another message came telling us that submarines had been located forty miles ahead of us on our new route; but we were told to hold on and keep a sharp look-out for them. As we were steaming about 13 knots that meant that in three hours’ time we should be among them. Our own arm was weak, but we leaned on the stronger arm of God. While orders were coming through the weather began to get thick. Thicker and thicker the fog grew until just when we had arrived at the spot where the submarines were reported to be, the fog was dense. It then gradually thinned until three hours later when 40 miles beyond the danger spot, it cleared altogether.
* The above interesting cutting was sent us by Mr. Arch. Robertson, missionary, Tain. It throws some light on the dangers with which our merchant navy men are confronted with on the Seven Seas and the manner in which some at least, face them. We should never forget these noble men who are risking life itself that they may bring food and munitions of war to us. Let all our praying people give them a place in their prayers at a throne of grace.—Editor.
On the forenoon of the following day our last warning of danger was wirelessly to us. Enemy aeroplanes were 170 miles to the west of us. I afterwards learnt that they had been sent specially to find us and bomb us. But they failed also, and that evening, as “Lord Haw-Haw” announced that the Germans had carried out their threat and every ship in the convoy had been sunk, about 200 officers and men attended a voluntary Thanksgiving Service on board my ship, and together publicly thanked God for keeping them safe.
At 6 a.m. the convoy reached port without one casualty to man or vessel during the whole voyage! Once again we were convinced that God had been our refuge and strength.