Continued .... On 8 January the weather worsened and TURMOIL had to heave to with the casualty in heavy seas. At about 1.30am on 9th the towline parted. The continuing storm prevented any attempt to reconnect throughout 9 January. On 10 Janaury the casualty wallowed in heavy seas. The Lizard lifeboat was standing by and the Tinity House SATELLITE carrying breeches buoy rescue equipment arrived on the scene. During this day, as the casualty settled lower in the water and took on a heavier list, the Lizard lifeboat was relieved by the Cadgwith lifeboat and Lieut.-Commander E.R. Suthers took off from Culdrose in a rescue helicopter, but was forced back by the storm. During the afternoon the FLYING ENTERPRISE lay flat on her side. With tugs TURMOIL, DEXTEROUS, ENGLISHMAN, and ABEILLE 25, and the Tinity House SATELLITE standing by, the casualty was abandoned at twenty-two minutes past three. At eleven minutes past four, like a living thing, she was gone - with whistle, siren, and foghorn salutes from the flotilla - and tears in my eyes! Kenneth Roger Dancy Master Mariner Other snippets Ken Dancy had previously supplied were: He was awarded a medal for Industrial Heroism by the Daily Herald and an illuminated citation from the American Institute of Marine Underwriters. The fact is that the towline parted but it was not the main hawser but the extension that was worn through by friction in the fairlead (Carlsen at first used butter to lubricate as this was the only material he had at hand until the destroyer passed a can of grease). This extension had an eye which was necessary for the shackle that was used to secure it back on itself after passing round the bollard. This was a very tricky and dangerous part of the operation but was essential because there was no power in the FLYING ENTERPRISE - everything had to be done by hand and if the messenger line had parted while the two men were bent over to secure the shackles they would have been struck by the shackle and eye! After the towline parted, the bollards had to be cleared to make way for reconnection. It was while busy with this operation that a high wave burst over the bows and carried Carlsen down the sloping deck. But fortunately he grasped a lower bollard and was not swept overboard. It was a close shave which shook him and enhausted him so that he decided to return to rest in the cabin. Belaying a towline was not possible in these extreme conditions with no mechanical power available. I have used that method with two lines, both supplied by a casualty. I hauled the lines in and then had complete control over the length used. ***** Ron Mapplebeck (UK)

Many thanks Ron, Whilst reading the eye-witness account visions of rather grainy, perhaps salt-stained pictures, that were put together by Pathé News, and shown at cinemas around the country, albeit some weeks after the event, suddenly came back again. Although I'm not sure now whether they were newsreel pictures, or stills with an accompanying voice-over ? Most grateful Paul On Wed, 21 Aug 2013 21:04:59 +0100, Ron Mapplebeck <[email protected]> wrote: >Continued .... > >On 8 January the weather worsened and TURMOIL had to heave to with the >casualty in heavy seas. At about 1.30am on 9th the towline parted. The >continuing storm prevented any attempt to reconnect throughout 9 >January. On 10 Janaury the casualty wallowed in heavy seas. The Lizard >lifeboat was standing by and the Tinity House SATELLITE carrying >breeches buoy rescue equipment arrived on the scene. >During this day, as the casualty settled lower in the water and took on >a heavier list, the Lizard lifeboat was relieved by the Cadgwith >lifeboat and Lieut.-Commander E.R. Suthers took off from Culdrose in a >rescue helicopter, but was forced back by the storm. >During the afternoon the FLYING ENTERPRISE lay flat on her side. With >tugs TURMOIL, DEXTEROUS, ENGLISHMAN, and ABEILLE 25, and the Tinity >House SATELLITE standing by, the casualty was abandoned at twenty-two >minutes past three. At eleven minutes past four, like a living thing, >she was gone - with whistle, siren, and foghorn salutes from the >flotilla - and tears in my eyes! > >Kenneth Roger Dancy >Master Mariner > >Other snippets Ken Dancy had previously supplied were: >He was awarded a medal for Industrial Heroism by the Daily Herald and an >illuminated citation from the American Institute of Marine Underwriters. > >The fact is that the towline parted but it was not the main hawser but >the extension that was worn through by friction in the fairlead (Carlsen >at first used butter to lubricate as this was the only material he had >at hand until the destroyer passed a can of grease). This extension had >an eye which was necessary for the shackle that was used to secure it >back on itself after passing round the bollard. This was a very tricky >and dangerous part of the operation but was essential because there was >no power in the FLYING ENTERPRISE - everything had to be done by hand >and if the messenger line had parted while the two men were bent over to >secure the shackles they would have been struck by the shackle and eye! >After the towline parted, the bollards had to be cleared to make way for >reconnection. It was while busy with this operation that a high wave >burst over the bows and carried Carlsen down the sloping deck. But >fortunately he grasped a lower bollard and was not swept overboard. It >was a close shave which shook him and enhausted him so that he decided >to return to rest in the cabin. >Belaying a towline was not possible in these extreme conditions with no >mechanical power available. I have used that method with two lines, both >supplied by a casualty. I hauled the lines in and then had complete >control over the length used. >***** > >Ron Mapplebeck (UK) > >------------------------------- >To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message 50° 33' N, 2° 26' W http://www.pbenyon.plus.com/Naval.html

May i extend my thanks for dramatic events, it brings back memories of a young teenager amoungst millions who were following the event moment by moment. Thank you. On 2013-08-21, at 2:04 PM, Ron Mapplebeck <[email protected]> wrote: > Continued .... > > On 8 January the weather worsened and TURMOIL had to heave to with the > casualty in heavy seas. At about 1.30am on 9th the towline parted. The > continuing storm prevented any attempt to reconnect throughout 9 > January. On 10 Janaury the casualty wallowed in heavy seas. The Lizard > lifeboat was standing by and the Tinity House SATELLITE carrying > breeches buoy rescue equipment arrived on the scene. > During this day, as the casualty settled lower in the water and took on > a heavier list, the Lizard lifeboat was relieved by the Cadgwith > lifeboat and Lieut.-Commander E.R. Suthers took off from Culdrose in a > rescue helicopter, but was forced back by the storm. > During the afternoon the FLYING ENTERPRISE lay flat on her side. With > tugs TURMOIL, DEXTEROUS, ENGLISHMAN, and ABEILLE 25, and the Tinity > House SATELLITE standing by, the casualty was abandoned at twenty-two > minutes past three. At eleven minutes past four, like a living thing, > she was gone - with whistle, siren, and foghorn salutes from the > flotilla - and tears in my eyes! > > Kenneth Roger Dancy > Master Mariner > > Other snippets Ken Dancy had previously supplied were: > He was awarded a medal for Industrial Heroism by the Daily Herald and an > illuminated citation from the American Institute of Marine Underwriters. > > The fact is that the towline parted but it was not the main hawser but > the extension that was worn through by friction in the fairlead (Carlsen > at first used butter to lubricate as this was the only material he had > at hand until the destroyer passed a can of grease). This extension had > an eye which was necessary for the shackle that was used to secure it > back on itself after passing round the bollard. This was a very tricky > and dangerous part of the operation but was essential because there was > no power in the FLYING ENTERPRISE - everything had to be done by hand > and if the messenger line had parted while the two men were bent over to > secure the shackles they would have been struck by the shackle and eye! > After the towline parted, the bollards had to be cleared to make way for > reconnection. It was while busy with this operation that a high wave > burst over the bows and carried Carlsen down the sloping deck. But > fortunately he grasped a lower bollard and was not swept overboard. It > was a close shave which shook him and enhausted him so that he decided > to return to rest in the cabin. > Belaying a towline was not possible in these extreme conditions with no > mechanical power available. I have used that method with two lines, both > supplied by a casualty. I hauled the lines in and then had complete > control over the length used. > ***** > > Ron Mapplebeck (UK) > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message