Nassau, N. P.
November 2nd, 1940

Sinking of S.S. Anglo Saxon by armed German raider on August 21st, 1940 at Lat. 26. 10 N. Long. 34. 09.

Sir,

On Wednesday, October 30th, a ship's boat containing two men came ashore on the Island of Eleuthera. The men were discovered lying on the beach in an advanced state of exhaustion by a farmer named Martin who was working in a field nearby and had seen the boat approaching. He obtained help and the men were removed to Governor's Harbour and the resident Commissioner reported the circumstances to the Colonial Secretary at Nassau, who issued instructions for their removal to the hospital in Nassau by aeroplane. The Chief Medical Officer went with the plane from Nassau and they were brought back and placed in hospital the next day. Although in a very weakened and emaciated condition, every hope is entertained of a rapid recovery.

2. The men, Wilbert Roy Widdicombe and Robert Tapscott, were able seamen on the S.S. Anglo Saxon, 5000 tons, of the Lowther Latta line, bound from Newport, Mon to Bahia Blanca with a cargo of coal. They are, apparently, the sole survivors of a crew numbering about 40.

3. They had with them in the boat three pocket books containing papers, the property of the junior wireless Officer Pilcher. These were delivered to the Colonial Secretary who turned them over to me for examination. Among these papers I found a rough log kept by the Chief Officer B. C. Denny from the time the boat was launched up to a short time before his death. A few entries were made subsequently by Widdicombe, A. B. As the events recorded therein tell the story of this frightful outrage by the German raider, I give it in full as follows:-

August 21st, 1940. At 8:20 p.m. in Lat. 26. 10 N. Long. 34. 09 W. attacked by German raider assumed by crew to be S.S. Weser or Weber, Hamburg America line. Vessel not sighted until she had steamed to within a mile of us. Pitch black night. First sent four shells 4 inch crashing into poop and gun platform aft. Many of crew in fo'castle were killed. She then steamed to within 3 cables and raked the decks with incendiary machine gun bullets coloured red, yellow, white and blue. Then a shell hit engine room starboard side and main boiler burst. The bridge and wireless room were raked with Pom-pom shells and machine gun bullets. Some of the crew went to boats on boat deck but were mowed down by machine gun fire. The two big boats were badly damaged. Senior wireless operator reported wireless installations smashed, unable to send S.O.S. On reporting to Master, found him presumed shot down by machine gun bullets in his cabin, saloon amidships was wrecked, poop by this time blazing and the crew few in number were told to take to the boats. The port gig, under my orders, was lowered and contained seven of the crew comprising: Chief Officer B. C. Denny; 3rd Engineer H. L. Hawkes; 2nd W/T Officer R. H. Pilcher; A.B. Widdicombe, W. R.; A.B. Tapscott, R. G.; Gunlayer F. Penny; Assistant Cook L. Morgan - of whom the 2nd operator was badly injured in the left foot by gun fire, and the 2nd cook in right foot, while gunlayer was shot through right forearm and right leg.

When gig pulled away from the vessel, the raider was lying off a half mile to port and a few minutes later fired tracer bullets into two life rafts launched from vessel. The vessel sunk stern first and shortly disappeared altogether. Raider headed off to the eastward. Assumed that Germans wanted no members of the crew left alive, and were fortunate in this boat's crew escaping observation. We lay hoved to all night with sea anchors out and at dawn could see no trace of any description. Having no instruments for navigation except boat compass, we set sail dipping lug and course started west to make W.S.W. time, trusting to God's good grace to either finding a vessel en route or striking somewhere in the Caribbean Sea.

Thursday, August 22nd, 1940. Wind N.E. 3. Slight sea, slightly confused easterly swell. Course by compass W. All's well. Medical treatment given.

August 23rd, Friday. Wind E.N.E. 3. Slight sea, slightly confused easterly swell, partly cloudy. Half a dipper of water per man 6 a.m., also half a biscuit with a little condensed milk. Sighted a vessel showing no lights at 11 p.m. Showed sea flare. She cruised around but was of the opinion she was a raider as she was heading N.N.E. We were about 100 miles from our original position. Kept quiet and let her go off.

August 24th, Saturday. 85' Crew's spirits cheerful. Wind N.W. 3/4 Cloudy, steering S.W. time. Issued half a dipper of water to each man and half a biscuit, hoping for rain showers.

August 25th, Sunday. 24' 12' 36'. Crew all well though 2nd cook and 2nd W/T wounded feet very painful and starting to swell. Rations half a dipper of water at 6 a.m. and again 6 p.m. with one biscuit per man per day, with a little condensed milk, hoping for rain showers but none around yet. Wind N.N.W. 2 cloudy, slight sea. D/L sail set. Course W.S.W. true. Nothing sighted and becalmed all day long. 6 p.m. opened 6 pound tin of boiled mutton; crew ate half which greatly improved their morale which is splendid. No sign of giving up hope. Sun set at 6:35 A.T.S. on leaving ship estimated distance covered 225 miles W.S.W. true.

August 26th, Monday. Bosun bird flew overhead. Sun rose at 6:52 a.m. A.T.S. Becalmed occasional fitful gusts. Glaring sun rays. Bale out 24 buckets daily. 6 a.m. issued meat rations out from day previous, wrapped in canvas, little taken, half dipper of water per man, little drop of condensed milk, spirits of whole crew keen, no murmur from wounded men. Hoping to sight vessel soon but praying for squalls and a decent wind. During a.m. medical treatment given by 3rd engineer and myself. W/T operator's left foot which is badly crushed bathed with salt water for an hour and last linen bandage applied, well covered up but swelling badly. 2nd cook's right foot swollen badly, ankle badly strained with bullet wound just above ankle, bathed with salt water and well bandaged. Gunlayer's right forearm washed first in fresh water, then iodine applied and bandaged. All day long blinding sun's rays and cloudless, becalmed. During afternoon first officer, 3rd engineer, gunlayer, A.B.'s Widdicombe and Tapscott dipped their bodies in water overside, taking care to keep their faces out of the water, result greatly invigorating. Rations still half dipper of water per man at 6 A.M. and 6 P.M., only eat half a biscuit per day, no need for more, and a little condensed milk. The boiled beef kept in canvas still good and the fat is appreciated. Although the W/T is weak, everyone else in good spirits and very cheerful. Keeping two watches, one myself other 3rd engineer, two A.B.'s, four on and four off. Having no nautical instruments or books on board can only rely on the compass and stars at night. Trusting to make a landfall in vicinity of Leeward Islands, with God's will and British determination. 10:30 p.m., wind freshening from eastward skimming along fine at about 5 knots.

August 27th, Tuesday. Wind E.N.E. 3 to 4, partly cloudy, no rain yet. 6 a.m. ration given, half a dipper of water, no one felt hungry. Managed to give each man a cigarette made out of newspaper and half a can of tobacco, but only 8 matches left so this luxury will soon be stopped. On Port tack heading S.W. true making about four knots and throughout night, held a lottery in evening as to who gave nearest date of being sighted or making landfall. Sun set 6:42 p.m. A.T.S.

August 28th, Wednesday. 160' During afternoon Chief Officer, 3rd Engineer, Widdicombe and Tapscott had a dip over side, felt greatly improved as body absorbed the water leaving salt on the skin, saliva came to the mouth which previously parched. Moderate to fresh E.N.E. trade, heading S.W. true. Bosun bird and ordinary black seagull flying around.

August 29th, Thursday. On our eighth day in the boat, crew's spirits extremely cheerful. W/T operator weak owing to left leg going dead. Ration still half dipper of water per man 6 a.m. and p.m. Noon half a biscuit with light condensed milk. Wind E.N.E. 4, moderate sea and swell. Gig running free on Port tack heading S.W. true. High hopes of picking up a ship or making landfall shortly, we are all putting our trust in God's hands, everyone is fit except a weakness in legs and of course great loss in weight. Do not feel particularly hungry but suffer from parched throat owning to low water ration, pity we have no lime juice or tins of fruit, which would ease matters considerably, but no one is complaining. All day long strong E.N.E. wind with strong swell, shipping a little water everywhere.

August 30th, Friday. 50' Moderate N.E. trades and swell, course W.S.W. true, rationed half a dipper of water at 6 a.m. and again at 6 p.m. Now a quarter biscuit per man, hardly touched now owing to slim issue of water, small issue of thin condensed milk, crew's spirits cheerful but W/T op getting weaker, during evening becoming becalmed, W/T op delirious kept everyone awake at night with moans.

August 31st, Saturday. 30' Becalmed, partly cloudy, nothing sighted whatsoever, have not had one speck of rain yet but living in hopes. 6:15 a.m. water issue half a dipper also at 6:30 p.m. Opened our second tin boiled mutton (six pounds) have one left, also five tins condensed milk and three-quarters case hard biscuits, water breaker half full, nine days in boat.

September 1st, Sunday. 30' During Saturday night crew felt very thirsty, boiled mutton could not be digested and some felt sick, doubled the water issue that night. 6:15 a.m. half a dipper of water per man and same in p.m. Wind S.S.W. 2 slight northerly swell, steering West true. W/T op failing slowly, hope to see something soon. 8 a.m. W/T operator R. N. Pilcher passed peaceably away. Committed his body to the deep with silent prayer.

Sept. 2nd, Monday. 6:15 a.m. issued half a dipper of water per man and same in the evening with a little condensed milk diluted with it. Wind E. 2 slight sea, steering W. true. Crew now feeling rather low, unable to masticate hard biscuit owing to low ration of water.

Suggestion for life boat stocks. At the very least two breakers of water for each boat, tins of fruit such as peaches, apricots, pears, fruit juices and lime juice, baked beans, etc. Our stores consisted of:

one tank filled with dry biscuit
11 tins condensed milk
3 tins each 6 pounds of boiled mutton
one breaker of water, half filled

[Note by R.O., at this time the writing is visibly much weaker and subsequent entries in different hand.]

Sept 3rd, Tuesday. 120' One dipper of water per man at 7 a.m. and again in evening. Things going from bad to worse, 1st mate who wrote this diary up to this point going fast. Good breezes from E.S.E.

Sept. 4th. 100' Everybody very much weaker. The mate is going fast now. 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Penny very much weaker slipped overboard. From 10 p.m. tonight 14 days out, tried to make the Leeward Islands or Porto Rica, Hayti, but the German raider given none the right to take a sextant, cronometer, extrer water, tin fruit or bottled fruit, no rum or brandy for wounded crew. Evidently intended to smash all life boat gear to kill all inquiry, but we got the small gig, seven of us by wind somewhere in vicinity of Leeward Islands.

Sept. 5th. Chief mate and 3rd Engineer go over the side no water.

Sept. 9th. 2nd cook goes mad dies. Two of us left.

Sept. 12th. A cloud burst gave us water for 6 days.

Sept. 20th. Rain again for four days. Getting very weak but trusting in God to pull us through.

R. Widdecombe                
R. Tapscott                 

Sept. 24th. All water and biscuits gone but still hoping to make land. R.W.

This concludes the entries in the log or diary which are corroborated by Widdicombe and Tapscott, who explain the fact that no entries were made after September 24th by saying that there was nothing to report, they simply drifted and sailed as best they could and that they were too weak to bother about keeping a log, a fact easily appreciated. There was an occasional shower of rain, and once they succeeded in capturing a flying fish which landed in the boat.

Widdicombe was at the wheel and the 3rd Mate on the bridge when the ship was attacked. They had no idea that another ship was in the vicinity until the raider opened fire without any warning. According to Widdicombe, the master Flynn was struck in the chest by machine gun bullets while in the act of dumping the ship's papers overboard. He also said that the raider was the Hamburg American cargo liner Weser which he said he had seen before in the River Plate and he was able to identify the silhouette of the ship.