tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127717.post4802724916656110343..comments2023-10-18T11:31:18.688+01:00Comments on impossible songs: HMS Daffodilimpossible songshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06220130689715302729noreply@blogger.comBlogger47125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127717.post-29861106727336635992023-04-19T15:40:30.118+01:002023-04-19T15:40:30.118+01:00William Edmunds, He is a distant relation of mine ...William Edmunds, He is a distant relation of mine too.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127717.post-76548584244715085602023-02-11T00:31:04.168+00:002023-02-11T00:31:04.168+00:00Cheers Andrew, I do have Arthur Allen's photog...Cheers Andrew, I do have Arthur Allen's photograph if you would like me to send it to you. Take care, regards, John.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127717.post-54537347821428389322023-02-10T15:07:37.868+00:002023-02-10T15:07:37.868+00:00Yes I remember reading your post and have just fam...Yes I remember reading your post and have just familiarised myself with it again.<br />Really interesting, and yes I agree, very sad.<br />It’s lovely that people still remember them and their memory lives on, no matter how painful.<br />To think that Arthur Allen would have most likely known my uncle. It’s a strange world really.<br />I have had the survivors photos many years and made a few enquiries at the time but they have been put away and then I spotted this blog after doing some research on my father and his family.<br />Well thanks for your post, I’m hoping I can reunite at least some of the photos and put names to the long forgotten faces.<br />Best wishes.<br />AndrewAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127717.post-31819585238193754432023-02-09T23:24:18.195+00:002023-02-09T23:24:18.195+00:00Thank-you for your post Andrew. I previously post...Thank-you for your post Andrew. I previously posted on the death of AB Arthur Allen; he was the then boyfriend of our now late mother Elsie. Mum maintained contact with AB Allen's parents and they treated my sister and I with love typically experienced from a doting grandparent. So sad.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127717.post-43388057373143908822023-02-09T21:58:39.607+00:002023-02-09T21:58:39.607+00:00Many thanks.Many thanks.Andrewnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127717.post-12402492533940171062023-02-09T21:37:35.113+00:002023-02-09T21:37:35.113+00:00Thanks for the info Andrew, just to confirm this b...Thanks for the info Andrew, just to confirm this blog is still active.impossible songshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06220130689715302729noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127717.post-64986057092759525032023-02-09T21:23:49.180+00:002023-02-09T21:23:49.180+00:00I’m not sure if this blog is still active but thou...I’m not sure if this blog is still active but thought I’d add a comment to see what comes back.<br />My uncle survived the sinking of the Daffodil in 1945 and we sadly lost him in 1984.<br />He married but never had children and I came in possession of his medals and some photographs. There are a number of passport size photos who I believe were ‘the survivors’ of the sinking.<br />Sadly no names but happy to share them if this would be of interest (I would need to find them however as they are ‘somewhere safe’)!<br />Kind regards.<br />Andrew<br />P.S. I can find the list of those who sadly lost their lives but to date I have not been able to find the names of those that survived. Although I have just found some information at the National Archives and wondered if anyone had purchased these documents?Andrewnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127717.post-90790444568929436292022-06-09T11:39:10.438+01:002022-06-09T11:39:10.438+01:00My great uncle was Henry Mayborn Smith and I’ve ju...My great uncle was Henry Mayborn Smith and I’ve just searched this up after reading a letter from his wife Elsie telling my grandmother (Henry’s sister) of his passing. So very sad. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127717.post-87561656006420704092021-08-05T05:39:27.500+01:002021-08-05T05:39:27.500+01:00My Grandfather, AB William (Bill) Jordan from Char...My Grandfather, AB William (Bill) Jordan from Charlton was a crew member on the Daffodil at the time of her loss. He told me that he survived, along with his pal 'Jock' from Prestwick, as the train they were travelling in from London to Portsmouth (I think) after some home leave was delayed due to an air-raid. They missed the sailing, literally watching the ship leave the harbour and so had to stay in the barracks that night (Nelson?), only to learn that the ship had been sunk soon afterwards. Later, he was assigned to the Fleet post office (at Nelson?) and the section he worked on was for certain ships, some of whose names began with the letter 'D'. He had to ask to be taken off that section as he kept having to deal with letters that had been sent to his old shipmates who had recently died. He was very proud of his 'hostilities only' service in the RN, having previously served on HMS Liverpool during the convoys to Russia and to Malta when it was torpedoed. There's a terrific pamphlet about HMS Daffodil that I found on-line called 'The Loss of the Train Ferry HMS Daffodil' click this link to the Maritime Archaeology trust:<br />https://www.google.com/search?q=The+Loss+of+the+Train+Ferry+HMS+Daffodil&oq=The+Loss+of+the+Train+Ferry+HMS+Daffodil&aqs=edge..69i57.1214313756j0j0&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8<br />Many websites continue to say that only 9 men lost their lives, but the true total is 33 men lost (as listed by the CWGC).Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17101180779122278400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127717.post-76850116035053852652021-01-14T15:31:14.468+00:002021-01-14T15:31:14.468+00:00I'm researching Bernard Walker who was lost wh...I'm researching Bernard Walker who was lost when HMS Daffodil sank that night. Any information would be appreciated.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18325182167680118722noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127717.post-45068479311100547182021-01-14T15:03:37.134+00:002021-01-14T15:03:37.134+00:00Just read this post. I'm research Bernard Walk...Just read this post. I'm research Bernard Walker who served on HMS Daffodil and lost his life that night. Any further information would be appreciated.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18325182167680118722noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127717.post-64716589870063381922019-12-02T17:34:59.654+00:002019-12-02T17:34:59.654+00:00My father Michael Bysouth (aka Ike) served as a st...My father Michael Bysouth (aka Ike) served as a stoker on HMS Daffodil, he was sunk at some stage during the war, but don't know whether it was on the Daffodil, upon his death my mother received a lovely letter from a Mr George Dickinson who served with him on the Daffodil Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127717.post-84433946549737848692019-12-01T21:57:19.295+00:002019-12-01T21:57:19.295+00:00HI Fran. I'm not sure when you posted this but...HI Fran. I'm not sure when you posted this but wondering if you father is still in Florida?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02030298248714849353noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127717.post-68727792020811079092019-04-24T23:02:16.717+01:002019-04-24T23:02:16.717+01:00Thank you for sharing this, will certainly check o...Thank you for sharing this, will certainly check out the video.impossible songshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06220130689715302729noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127717.post-55906394464829048722019-04-24T11:42:27.431+01:002019-04-24T11:42:27.431+01:00My husband's grandfather Charles Edward Bird d...My husband's grandfather Charles Edward Bird died on this ship. There is a video on Youtube of a dive to the ship. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13552762582881460680noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127717.post-34196890151461067852018-03-30T05:54:01.262+01:002018-03-30T05:54:01.262+01:00Hello, My father, John Burgess, served on the Daff...Hello, My father, John Burgess, served on the Daffodil in WW2, I have only this year, 2018, found out about it. Dad never, ever spoke about his service in the war, I found out from the Royal Navy by making a request for his war records. Dad died 32 years ago aged 66 and Mum only died 2 years ago 10 days before her 92nd birthday. Dad was a brilliant dad and I still love him so very much. Thank you everyone for all your comments so I can learn something about what my dad had been through. God Bless. Diane BurgessAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14652384027800458325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127717.post-89485680260128953332017-10-29T05:08:17.469+00:002017-10-29T05:08:17.469+00:00Hello, I have just read through the many tributes ...Hello, I have just read through the many tributes to the sinking of HMS Daffodil on 17 March 1945 and writing this message through somewhat misty-eyes. One of the sailors killed that night, AB Arthur ALLEN (photo available), was dating my mother at the time. She is still living with us in Adelaide, South Australia. She went on to marry another sailor, but has been widowed since 2000. In about 2005 my sister and I took Mum to the Dieppe Cemetery and located the graves of those who perished on the Daffodil, it was indeed a very sad and special moment. A couple of years ago Mum said there were only ever two loves in her life, one being AB ALLEN and the other our late father. Mum's health and memory have suffered over recent years through Alzheimer's but I she is able to remember events from the long past and can still recount living in the East End of London during the blitz.<br /><br />Just thought I would share this with you. Here's to the memory of our defence personnel - all gave some, but some gave all - I wonder as they look down if they think their sacrifices was all worthwhile.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02684412927028464507noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127717.post-51401567679488573662016-11-03T09:46:13.182+00:002016-11-03T09:46:13.182+00:00A relation of my husband died on this ship William...A relation of my husband died on this ship William Edmunds. Thank you for your lovely site. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04926211013489484189noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127717.post-10828057544174332352016-11-03T09:44:24.914+00:002016-11-03T09:44:24.914+00:00A relation of my husband died on this ship William...A relation of my husband died on this ship William Edmunds. Thank you for your lovely site. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04926211013489484189noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127717.post-53839353376810355992016-09-08T14:20:22.595+01:002016-09-08T14:20:22.595+01:00I wud b very grateful if anybody cud remember my m...I wud b very grateful if anybody cud remember my mum's uncle able seaman harry pardoe he jumped overboard wen it was sinking and died thanks xAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17041730250993458844noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127717.post-75522730560500385942015-11-02T13:31:43.192+00:002015-11-02T13:31:43.192+00:00my father went down on HMS Daffodil in1945 he was ...my father went down on HMS Daffodil in1945 he was LT Edward Lochhead RNVR I would be most grateful if anyone remembers him I was born the 6th march 1945 I was named Edwina daffodil after the ship. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127717.post-58646482382285133122013-10-25T17:53:14.202+01:002013-10-25T17:53:14.202+01:00I was on duty steering a course for home when the...I was on duty steering a course for home when the explosion occured at about 11.20 pm. After a dreadful time in the icy sea ,a MGB {ex German E Boat} .came alongside the carly float we were clinging to . A rope ladder was lowered , but climbing it was impossible due to our condition. A line was then lowered and with great difficulty I managed to get the bight {loop} under the arms and over the shoulders of the three other men glinging to the float . It was a hazardous time each one being hauled up the steep side of the boat due to the heavy swell and the fear of the man being rescued slipping out of the loop back into the pitch black night and icy sea.fortunately this did not occur . Once on board board we were given Rum and the crew worked relentlessly to recover ou circulation and body temperatures . Unfortunately one of us was unable to be saved despite the valient efforts of the crew men working on him. The MGB 333 took us into Dieppe wher wrapped in blankets we were put into Ambulances and taken to an American field Hospital for several days , being allowed attend the funeral of shipmates burriel's in the Canadian Cemetry again'st their normal procedure <br />Jim Gill Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127717.post-77733604206806104972012-04-12T16:06:47.247+01:002012-04-12T16:06:47.247+01:00I asked my dad to give me some idea of what it was...I asked my dad to give me some idea of what it was like to live aboard the Daffodil and he told me the following: I was assigned to the Daffodil for 10 months. They were a supply ship and went to Cherbourg right after the Allies invaded. France had been devastated during the pre D-Day blitz and they delivered everything from entire locomotive trains to Eisenhower's staff car. During one of their Channel crossings, they rode out a hurricane with 90mph winds. He said they were too scared to be sick. They would ferry supplies back and forth making hundreds of Channel crossings...all their deliveries went to Cherbourg, LaHavre & Dieppe...they didn't go any further south and they never had shore leave in France. The food aboard ship was good...stews and soups and the like. My dad's mess was with the radiomen, coders, signalmen, cooks, supply men & stewards and he said that they were the ones you really got to know the best...the mates you shared mess with. They would occupy their off duty time either sleeping or playing games of cards and playing darts, which was the big favorite. The shifts were 4 hours on 4 hours off ...the Dog Watch being 4- 6 pm and 6 -8 pm which they would vary in order for the men to all be fed. He said Dick Wooten was a pretty good barber so he made a wee bit of pocket change cutting hair. When they were off duty and in Southampton, they would go to the dance halls but there wasn't much to do in Southampton. When they had shore leave, they were severely limited by how far they could go from the ship...and military police were always about asking to see your papers...so if any family or friends wanted to see them...they would have had to go to Southampton. One of my dad's duties when they were in port was letting the men know if they had a telephone call as they would hook up to the telephone lines. My dad was really young and only 19. He remembers there was only one other guy aboard that was his age...all the rest were older. <br /><br />When I asked him what his time aboard the Daffodil was like, Dad said it was “a job”. They were all doing their individual assigned jobs and they all worked very hard at them as well. So not much socializing went on. He did say that the only contact he personally had with the engine room crew (where most of the immediate casualties occurred) would have been when he needed to get distilled water for his batteries...so it was quite limited. That being said, this was no air craft carrier and was not a huge ship...the crew numbered only around 90 or 100 so everyone saw everyone in passing at one time or another even if the didn't personally interact much with each other. To this day, he feels an indelible bond with the men he served with. If anyone wishes to contact him, they can reach him at fswall@gmail.com <br /><br /><br />Here is a link to the cemeteries in Dieppe. Hautot-Sur-Mer (the Canadian War Cemetary)<br /><br />https://mail-attachment.googleusercontent.com/attachment/?ui=2&ik=c8cd6e00d7&view=att&th=13031d306d75117e&attid=0.1&disp=inline&safe=1&zw&saduie=AG9B_P_qAgMOuJVy3RduBJOjwKjL&sadet=1334078997602&sads=gofmmaEjhjd5NRRflg_S-3ezHKk&sadssc=1<br /><br />Fran Steven PutnamUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18086047135649753781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127717.post-78640582507569752572012-04-12T16:05:58.012+01:002012-04-12T16:05:58.012+01:00The ship listed to it's side and the abandon s...The ship listed to it's side and the abandon ship was given. Dad said they literally ran down the side on the ship into the water. Never having been to church in his life, he said that this is the first time he remembers praying "God help me". You see to this day, other than being able to float a bit, my dad cannot swim very well. He never saw a life boat and isn't sure they were ever deployed. He did see a Carley float...a temporary flotation device that was made of canvas. There were a bunch of guys on one of them that had gotten into the rum and he could hear them singing. He got onto a floating crate and paddled like mad to get as far away from the ship as possible before it went down. It was dark, the water was freezing, he was covered in oil ..he wrapped the rope on the crate around his hands & arms because he couldn't feel them any longer. He was afraid he would pass out...(which is exactly what happened) One guy swam up to him ...he doesn't know who he was...but didn't stay with him on the crate..he thinks because the other guy found something better to hang on to. All the men called out to each other in the dark, checking on each other.<br /><br />My dad was picked up by a MGB (motor gun boat) and taken to an American field hospital in Aqua d'Battaille, France with about 8 other shipmates. There was also a tug boat that came up from France to search for and pick up survivors. He saw Dick Wooten who was a good swimmer helping a number of the guys onto the tug. Dick was a real hero. Dad saw him pulled under the wake of the tug and didn't survive. Dad said he remembers seeing their Lt..may have been a Lt Commander ..in the water...he was an older man..dad doesn't think he survived.The other survivors went to a British field hospital. They were all reunited about 1 week later and gathered to bury 26 of their mates. He said they were buried together in what they called at the time, "The Canadian Cemetery". He said that most of them had not survived the cold water and probably died of hypothermia. The survivors were put on the same ship to go back to England. He remembers the Captain (a much older man who was called out of retirement and back into active duty) speaking with them and talking about all the different men that did not survive. My dad's group were awarded a DSM (Distinguished Service Medal) Here is the article I found about the ship's doctor.......he was made a MBE...which I gather is a level of knighthood<br />http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2059439/pdf/brmedj03842-0028c.pdf Seriously, after hearing this story, it is a miracle that any of them survived!! Dad said that they were in the water for hours before any help arrived.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18086047135649753781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7127717.post-54631014984615007712012-04-12T16:04:41.317+01:002012-04-12T16:04:41.317+01:00An update, I spoke again with my father, Jim Steve...An update, I spoke again with my father, Jim Steven (James Bertram Steven), a Radioman, regarding the HMS Daffodil he gave me some more details of the night the Daffodil went down. They had left Southampton fully loaded and after unloading the ship in France, they were headed back to England. The mine that hit them was an acoustic mine that was attracted to the sound of the ship's engines. They were 1 mile off the coast of France. He said there was only one explosion...the initial one caused by the mine ..and it literally lifted the Daffodil out of the water. He was on watch and alone in the room with the Coder...the radio equipment was thrown everywhere but he was able to get a transmitter up and running so they could send out the distress signal. He said the ship floated for quite a long time and it seemed unclear as to whether she was going to go down so "we were able to get quite a lot of work done." His ..I think he said ..equipment officer ??... told him and the Coder to go down below deck to see if anyone needed help. He saw the ship's doctor (who had a back injury...he had not been on duty, was asleep and had been thrown from his bunk during the explosion). The doctor was crawling on his hands and knees working on a badly burned Stoker...my father thinks this is the one who lived for a few days before he passed away (Albert Gilbert). <br /><br /> After seeing the ship's doctor, he said that he saw Norman Ward, a Shipwright..sort of a carpenter, I guess. Norman was working with a platform and 2X4's trying to stop the sea water from coming into the ship. Norman was not injured in the blast but did not survive.<br /><br />The ship listed to it's side and the abandon ship was given. Dad said they literally ran down the side on the ship into the water. Never having been to church in his life, he said that this is the first time he remembers praying "God help me". You see to this day, other than being able to float a bit, my dad cannot swim very well. He never saw a life boat and isn't sure they were ever deployed. He did see a Carley float...a temporary flotation device that was made of canvas. There were a bunch of guys on one of them that had gotten into the rum and he could hear them singing. He got onto a floating crate and paddled like mad to get as far away from the ship as possible before it went down. It was dark, the water was freezing, he was covered in oil ..he wrapped the rope on the crate around his hands & arms because he couldn't feel them any longer. He was afraid he would pass out...(which is exactly what happened) One guy swam up to him ...he doesn't know who he was...but didn't stay with him on the crate..he thinks because the other guy found something better to hang on to. All the men called out to each other in the dark, checking on each other.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18086047135649753781noreply@blogger.com