We wondered what the ‘help’ was. We knew that Captain Walker's sloops were about 100 miles from us when we were shot down. Say they had contacted them at 5 a.m., assuming a speed of 20 knots, they could be with us at 10 a.m. I found later that we had all done that sum, but no one dared mention it. It was just too much to hope.
The sea was running in a huge oily swell. The dinghy was riding up and down like a cork. Then once, after a particularly high wave, as we dropped into the trough, Bunny said in a quite matter of fact tone: "I don't want to raise your hopes chaps, but I think I saw a ship."
No one spoke, but as the dinghy lifted again, eleven pairs of eyes looked in the direction Bunny had indicated, and there they were! - five anti-submarine sloops under the command of Captain F. J. Walker C.B., D.S.O. and 3 bars.
How we cheered!
However we weren't out of our difficulties yet. We held George in a standing position and he waved the bag that had held the pyrotechnics. But they couldn't see us. They reached a point about five miles from us and began searching. After a while, a Liberator arrived, obviously at the request of the ships, and he went to a point about five miles the other side of us and began a search.
We knew from experience that in a broken sea like this, even a large ship is hard to see from the air. A dinghy is impossible. So what to do? Use up the last of our precious pyrotechnics, or should we keep them in reserve, just in case?
Dudley made the decision. "Activate the flame float," he said.
Our one and only flame float.
George pulled out the pin and dunked it in the water. A heart-stopping few seconds, then it flared out with billowing smoke. We had to let it go in case it damaged the dinghy. But it did the trick. The Lib came over, waggled his wings, then left for home. The sloops then came over. They lowered a launch and some matelots brought it over to take off our wounded.
Pierre was carefully handed over to them then they insisted on taking Bob. He protested that he was alright, but they reckoned that anyone with that much blood on him must have been hurt. He finally went with them. Another launch towed us to the side of HMS Starling, which had a Jacob's ladder over the side, and one by one we clambered up, again under the critical eye of Dudley who wouldn't leave the dinghy until he had passed up everything that was left of our gear.
E/461 crew about to climb Jacob’s Ladder onto HMS Starling
I found that I could climb the ladder OK but when I tried to lift my leg over the railing, I found it wouldn't move. I made a couple of ineffectual attempts, then a couple of matelots stepped forward and lifted me over and stood me on my feet. My knees buckled and I grabbed the railing, but pretended I was only looking down at the dinghy bobbing in the sea below us.
When we were all on board, Captain Walker stepped forward and introduced himself and welcomed us aboard. When he discovered we were the crew of U/461, he could hardly contain his glee. They still had some of the wreckage and bits and pieces of U461 on board, and later, he gave all of us some bits with a large part on which the ship's carpenter had affixed a plate to commemorate the sinking of U461 by U/461.
However before anything else could be done there was an important matter to attend to. Much to our surprise, 'E' was still afloat, and the ships went over to her. The tail was still pointing defiantly to the sky, the fin and tailplane well clear of the water and the tail turret - my turret - shattered by a 37mm shell.
"Do you have any secret equipment on board?" said Captain Walker.
"Yes," said Dudley.
"Then we'll have to sink it," said the Captain, and they threw a depth charge, which landed near poor old "E".
There was a mighty turbulence, then a water spout as the depth charge went off.
As the sea settled down, 'E' was still there. To us, it seemed a terrible indignity after all the poor old girl had gone through.
Captain Walker looked at Dudley, probably read his face and said: "We'll leave it."
We stood silently at the rail as we sailed away and left our faithful, magnificent 'E' to find her own way to the bottom of the sea.
We had a most pleasant cruise on the good ship Starling and Captain Walker was a most genial host. The officers among us - Dudley, Jimmy, Ivor, George and myself, had all our meals with the captain in his cabin. The N.C.O.'s went to the Petty Officer's mess and were placed on the rum ration - except of course for Pierre, who was installed in the sick bay. The flotilla was cruising in the Bay in the hope of being attacked by the new German glider bomb. (They had a cinematographer on board whose job it was, in the event of an attack, to stand on the bridge and film the bomb as it came in!)
We were not at all disappointed that the Germans failed to keep the appointment.
Just for our entertainment, the Captain put on a simulated U-boat attack. The whole flotilla sailed at full speed, dropping depth charges from the stern and throwing them out with their hedgehogs. The turmoil in the sea was unbelievable! I often wondered what that bit of entertainment cost the British taxpayer.
The ships turned and traversed the same area hoping to find some fresh fish for dinner, but surprisingly, there wasn't even one.
Fortunately for us the flotilla was due to return to its base at Milford Haven a day or two after picking us up, so again, we heard "course for home" and again felt that mixture of pleasure and relief and the rise in our spirits.
On the way into the Haven, the Starling pulled into Pembroke Dock and dropped us off at our own doorstep. I still remember the feel of the solid, steady land under my Feet. It felt good.
We were debriefed at the Ops Room, and the debriefing report, (Form Orange), was endorsed by the Station Commanding Officer: "An example of what can be done by a well-trained and disciplined crew."
The Squadron Commander added: "Concur."
...................................CREW of U/461...............CREW of E/461
Captain........................D. Marrows.......................D. Marrows
First Pilot......................P.C. Leigh (Jimmy).............P.C. Leigh
Second Pilot..................P.E. Taplin.......................I.V.R. Peatty (Ivor)
Navigator......................J.S. Rolland.....................W.G. Done
Engineer.......................G.M. Watson (Paddy)........J.T. Eshelby
Fitter ...........................A.N. Pearce (Bubbles).........A.N. Pearce
Rigger............................F. Bamber (Pierre)............F. Bamber
1st Wireless Op...............P.T. Jensen.....................P.T. Jensen
2nd Wireless Op ............H.H. Morgan...................R.L. Webster
3rd Wireless Op...............R.L. Webster...................P.R. Criddle (Dick)
Air gunner.....................D.C. Sidney (Bunny)...........D.C. Sidney