Continued .... The American ship FLYING ENTERPRISE in the other direction from Rotterdam to New York ran into the same storm and reported being damaged on 25 December. On 28th the FLYING ENTERPRISE reported being in a severe hurricane at 49o 20' N, 17o 20' W - situation grave - 30 degree port list - just drifting. Seven other ships in the Western Approaches were in difficulties. IRENE OLDENDORFF was in the German Bight sailing from Emden for Sweden, but sank off Borkum without sending any distress signal. The wreck was found by divers about 4.00am on 31 December. Six more ships were in distress in the North Sea. The German tug WOTAN left Harwich on the 26th and the SEEFALKE left Borkum. WOTAN was damaged by heavy seas and had to put into Falmouth. Altogether 29 ships were in difficulties, of which seven were lost during the Christmas week. SEEFALKE reached the ADOLF LEONHARDT on 1 January 1952 and TURMOIL successfully towed the tanker MACTRA into Falmouth and brought her to anchorage in the bay this same day. The weather was so bad that harbour tugs could not approach and the MACTRA captain requested TURMOIL to continue standing by until relieved on 2 January when she sailed out for the FLYING ENTERPRISE with extra complement, including a supernumerary Chief Officer, for this difficult operation. Meanwhile, the American destroyer JOHN W. WEEKS had reached the FLYING ENTERPRISE to relieve the merchant ships that had been standing by. After dark on 3 January TURMOIL arrived on the scene, being guided for the last few miles by searchlights from the JOHN W. WEEKS, but any attempt to connect in darkness appeared too risky, so TURMOIL stood by until daylight. Repeated attempts on 4 January all ended in failure, including several attempts after I (Kenneth Dancy) boarded the casualty. Darkness again forced any further attempts to be postponed. On 5 January success came and the joyful tow began at 3 to 3 and a half knots. On the morning of 6 January the the flotilla was delighted with the sight of the French tug ABEILLE 25 which had joined up during the night, and the WILLARD KEITH which had relieved the JOHN W. WEEKS. To be continued ..... ***** Ron Mapplebeck (UK)