Remembering Today 9/4/42 Mess Room Boy M.Allan M.V. San Delfino (London)

Discussion in 'The War at Sea' started by CL1, Apr 9, 2014.

  1. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

  2. Bernard85

    Bernard85 WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    good day cl1 today,05:50 am.re:remembering today.9/4/42.mess room boy.m.allan,m.v.san delfino.(london)may he rest in peace.regards bernard85
     
  3. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

  4. Joe Brown

    Joe Brown WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Remembering this Day with deep sadness the loss of Malcolm Allan in our battle to defend our country and honour the courage and bravery of a very young lad.
     
  5. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    Panel Tower Hill Memorial
     

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  6. Steven O'Brien

    Steven O'Brien New Member

    Hi there, Malcolm Allan was my great uncle, he ran away to sign up when he was only 15.
     
    Peter Clare likes this.
  7. Billy McGee

    Billy McGee Senior Member

    ALLAN, Mess Room Boy, MALCOLM, M.V. San Delfino (London). Merchant Navy. 9th April 1942. Age 17. Son of Robert and Jeanie Allan, of Banknock, Stirlingshire.

    Tanker San Delfino, 8,072grt, (Eagle Oil Shipping Co. Ltd) sailed independently from Houston, Texas on the 3rd April 1942 with a cargo of aviation spirit bound for Hull via Halifax, Nova Scotia. On the 10th April East of Cape Hatteras the ship was intercepted by U-203. Struck by one torpedo in number two tank, the ship immediately caught fire and without waiting for orders the Chief Engineer stopped the engines. The order to abandon ship was given. Three of the ships Engineers trapped down aft made a dash across the flying bridge through the flames, where they found one of the ships DEMS gunners, who was severely burned and beyond help, so left him. As one of the boats was cast off it drifted directly into the flames burning across the sea and was immediately enveloped in the flames killing twenty-four crewmembers and two DEMS gunners. The Masters boat was launched, but remained attached by the painter and was pulled along as the ship was making headway. Not wanting to meet the same fate as the other boat he had witnessed drift into the flames, for fifteen minutes they remained alongside until the ship began to slow down. As they were waiting alongside one of the ships Junior Engineers suddenly appeared along the deck. He had originally been in the other boat, but as it was being lowered, he could see what was going to happen so had climbed back onboard and running through the flames made it to the Masters boat. Once the ship had slowed down enough the survivors rowed for all they were worth to pull clear of the ship until at a safe distance. Suddenly a faint cry for help was heard and scanning the surrounding area, one of the ships gunners was found floating in the sea. After pulling him onboard, he said another two gunners had jumped over the side with him and after searching the area found one man, but the other had been lost. After drifting for two hours the twenty-two survivors were picked up by a small wooden trawler and later transferred to an American patrol boat the same day and landed at Morehead, North Carolina. The San Delfino eventually sank in position 35’ 35N 75’ 06W. The body of one crewmember eventually washed ashore off Morehead and was interned at Morehead City (Bay View) Cemetery. The body of the ships 4th Engineer was found off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina and interned at Cape Hatteras (US Coast Guard) Burial Ground.
     

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