Minesweeper Patrol

By Keith William Oct 8, 2017

Minesweeper Patrol

I often think about my dad,
He died with others when just a lad,
They dodged and weaved to no avail,
What there, so easily followed their trail,
No clues from the sea about, not a ripple,
The crew felt the fear of pending trouble,
All they could do was hope and pray,
That this would not be “their last day”

What a fearful time, dark’s now dawn,
It’s still out there, the Asdic did warn,
Beneath rolling waves, all knew too well,
That ‘Something’ there, could give them hell,
Alas the moment! What a terrible noise,
‘Life is over’, for most of those boys,
Ripped apart, gashed, torn asunder,
Men in the sea while she’s gone under.

Came a lifeboat, they did their best,
Saving three lads … alas, not the rest,
Minesweeper Almond she’s had her day,
Her wreck on the bottom deep does lay.
Poor Almond, she was not the first,
Good brave ship to split and burst,
Struck by a weapon, rife at the time,
The damned horrendous magnetic mine.

Often I think, did he die in vain,
The terror, that fear, the awful pain,
So many young bodies decayed and rotten,
Their ultimate sacrifice, by most forgotten,
Words often said, ” They gave their lives”,
The truth .. well known by mums and wives,
Their men were made to go, perchance to die,
Great Honour to you …. “A Political Lie.”

The spoils of war the privileged took,
Widows and orphans were given a book,
A paltry sum, not much per day,
Politically.” Men, you’re dead”.
Widows “Go’way.”
Those forced widows, proud to this very day,
Hold memories close in their special way,
While the sea out there with its ebb and flow
Changed lives more than you’ll ever know.

About the author

Keith William

188 Up Votes

An very active oldie with an assorted range of life experiences. Born into a fishing family in lowestoft. Father, grand fathers and uncles all were fishermen most of their lives. Born before WW2 so lived through many things, i.e. bombing raids, loss of my father 1942 to a mine destroying his minesweeper. Enjoyed school experiences. I say experiences because of the need to move about for war reasons, I attended school in Ardrossan, Fleetwood, Glasgow, and Lowestoft. Lived for a short time in Coventry immediately after it was blitzed. I witnessed destruction on a super scale fairly frequently. Watched coastal battles and aircraft battles in the sky above me. Some fatal to the aircrew. left school with no formal qualification. Became an apprentice Ship's Joiner for five years. Studied at the Building Department on day release and three evenings a week for five years to gain further qualifications Helped build wide range of boats. including luxury vessels, passenger cargo ships, minesweepers and Russian Trawlers. Then two years National Service in the Royal Airforce as an Airframe Mechanic. Servicing and repairing jet bombers. Flew to Norway on a special mission and experienced flying in a team of aircraft in formation team doing fly pasts over various airfields on Battle of Britain day. Ended up doing aerobatics over our own station before landing. nearly a two hour sortie. Back to the ship yard after demob. further studies. that Qualified me as a teacher. joined Nottinghamshire CC to be trained as a Craft Teacher. Spent six years working in Southwell at the Edward Cludd then returned to Norfolk and taught for 27 years at Wroxham.. Entered a car building contest and built an unusual round car that could turn on the spot. Took early retirement, and became self employed for a few years undertaking a wide range of building jobs both large and unusual. Other than all that I have a successful family of three able children.