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PASSAGE TO DESTINY REVIEW OF BRIAN CRABB'S BOOK "PASSAGE TO DESTINY" by
Captain Spencer Drummond RN
In February 1944, this small troopship was torpedoed near Addu Atoll whilst in convoy from Mombasa to Colombo. She sank in under two minutes and only 214 survived of 1,511 on board. One survivor was Chief Stoker Petty Officer Percival Crabb RN whose son, Brian, has recently interviewed a number of survivors and made an exhaustive search through old records to produce an excellent account of events leading up to the attack; the subsequent A/S hunt; the Board of Inquiry and the reactions od C-in-C Eastern Fleet (Admiral Somerville) and the Admiralty. There are many quotations and reports made at the time and, more poignant, survivors’ accounts on how they managed to escape from the capsizing ship and the horror of being depth charged in the water. More amusing was the reaction of a gunner (T) when one after another of his precious torpedoes failed to hit an almost stationary surfaced submarine! The convoy consisted of five small troopships and was carrying some 6,000 personnel, mostly Army. The WWI cruiser Hawkins (not A/S fitted) was the only through escort and Escort Force Commander. Although the convoy speed was well in excess of 11 knots, above which regulations laid down that convoys should zigzag, it was decided not to do so, in part because no submarines were known to be in the area. 12 February dawned fair and calm and destroyers Petard and Paladin joined as A/S escort for the last two days to Colombo. (An intended third destroyer had a defect). They took station one on each bow and zigzagged. At 1433 the Khedive Ismail was torpedoed on her starboard side abreast the engine room and a few seconds later another one hit her abreast the boiler room. She rapidly heeled over to starboard on to her beam ends, broke in two and sank within two minutes. Most of those on board were trapped below although a few escaped through portholes or by getting on deck. Those on deck who were able to get overboard from the near vertical decks were usually sucked down with the ship – not all survived this. Some 30 liferafts floated off as did a few lifeboats, mostly capsized. The convoy dispersed, reformed and moved on whilst Petard and Paladin came back to search for the submarine. This did not prove easy and it was 30 minutes before the first depth charge attack was made on an uncertain target underneath where survivors were scattered – many were still in the water although officers were attempting to herd them together and get them on to rafts. As opportunity offered ships’ boats were put down. After over an hour of attacks a large Japanese submarine suddenly surfaced at 1620. As she then appeared impervious to gun and DC attacks and fearing she might dive, Paladin set course to ram her. She failed and ended up with a hydroplane slice in her engine room extending 80 ft aft and was herself in danger of sinking! The Senior Officer, Petard, took over and decided to torpedo the sub with a single shot which missed. So did the next five single shots! Happily No. 7 hit and the submarine sank. Next morning Petard reached Addu Atoll with Paladin in tow thus leaving the convoy with no A/S escort. Higher Authorities were critical of the decision that the convoy should not zigzag. One might also comment on the tactics of the destroyers; however they did ‘get their man’. The author considers that more of the Eastern Fleet’s limited assets should have been devoted to the protection of human lives nor is he happy about DCs near survivors. Although some of his terminology suggests he is not a naval man he has put together a very good detailed account of a short and tragic incident of war. |