Lot Essay
Sold with General Register and Record Office of Shipping and Seamen letter (dated 14.9.1950), forwarding the recipient's campaign issues, together with original card mailing box addressed to Mrs. M.R. Henderson of North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland.
King's Commendation London Gazette 6.7.1943.
Lloyd's Medal for Bravery at Sea 'The ship was torpedoed and sank. The crew were able to get away in lifeboats and on rafts and, with the exception of one boat containing six men, all were picked up shortly afterwards. This boat, badly damaged, waterlogged and unmanageable, drifted away and missed the rescuing vessel. The six men survived for seven days without food or water, and although land was sighted on the eighth day local currents prevented the boat from being driven inshore. There was no indication that assistance was coming, so Cadets Henderson and Strang volunteered to swim ashore. Both sacrified their lives in a gallant effort to bring help to their comrades. After leaving the boat, Cadet Henderson was not seen again and although Cadet Strang reached the shore, he died soon afterwards. The same night two others died in the boat, but the survivors were picked up two days later'.
Cadet Robert Hunter Henderson was serving aboard the S.S. Corinaldo at the time of the above incident in October 1942, when she was torpedoed while sailing with the ill-fated convoy S.L. 125, bound from Freetown to North Africa. Departing with only a small Escort on 16 October, S.L. 125 ran into major opposition ten days later:
'Sailing west of Morocco on a broad front of eleven columns, the thirty-seven Merchantmen, heavily laden with fuel oil, foodstuffs, tea and sugar, timber, manganese and iron ore, steamed right across a patrol line of eight U-Boats. Thirteen of these Merchantmen, totalling 80,000 tons, were lost' (The Fourth Service, by John Slader refers).
Amazingly, the Corinaldo had survived torpedo strikes from the U-590 and U-659, prior to succumbing to a third and final attack from the U-203 some two hours later. Unbeknown to the gallant men of these poorly defended ships, S.L. 125 had diverted significant enemy forces away from the pending landings in North Africa.
King's Commendation London Gazette 6.7.1943.
Lloyd's Medal for Bravery at Sea 'The ship was torpedoed and sank. The crew were able to get away in lifeboats and on rafts and, with the exception of one boat containing six men, all were picked up shortly afterwards. This boat, badly damaged, waterlogged and unmanageable, drifted away and missed the rescuing vessel. The six men survived for seven days without food or water, and although land was sighted on the eighth day local currents prevented the boat from being driven inshore. There was no indication that assistance was coming, so Cadets Henderson and Strang volunteered to swim ashore. Both sacrified their lives in a gallant effort to bring help to their comrades. After leaving the boat, Cadet Henderson was not seen again and although Cadet Strang reached the shore, he died soon afterwards. The same night two others died in the boat, but the survivors were picked up two days later'.
Cadet Robert Hunter Henderson was serving aboard the S.S. Corinaldo at the time of the above incident in October 1942, when she was torpedoed while sailing with the ill-fated convoy S.L. 125, bound from Freetown to North Africa. Departing with only a small Escort on 16 October, S.L. 125 ran into major opposition ten days later:
'Sailing west of Morocco on a broad front of eleven columns, the thirty-seven Merchantmen, heavily laden with fuel oil, foodstuffs, tea and sugar, timber, manganese and iron ore, steamed right across a patrol line of eight U-Boats. Thirteen of these Merchantmen, totalling 80,000 tons, were lost' (The Fourth Service, by John Slader refers).
Amazingly, the Corinaldo had survived torpedo strikes from the U-590 and U-659, prior to succumbing to a third and final attack from the U-203 some two hours later. Unbeknown to the gallant men of these poorly defended ships, S.L. 125 had diverted significant enemy forces away from the pending landings in North Africa.