MV Elpenor and typhoon Wanda - 1st September 1962
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The photo shows Elpenor taken in Hong Kong shortly before they were hit by a typhoon that took the paint of the front of the masts, vents and any exposed parts of the ship! |
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Jim Hammill was an AB and was on the Elpenor for 7 months writes:
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As far as I can remember we were caught in the typhoon in Hong kong in either Sept 62 or the end of Jan 63. I know it was highlighted in the London Gazette as I had pictures of it at the time and for years. Now I have them lost them. The US navy Carrier Kitty Hawk and her flotilla of escorts were there at the and put to sea just before it struck, but we were on a buoy and stayed put. At the height of the storm a Japanese Ship on the next set of buoys to us got in to difficulty and the Pilot cutter came out to her. As the Pilot jumped on to the Pilot ladder the cutter was hit by a wave and smashed against the side of the Ship,the 2 crew and the Pilot were rescued by the Japanese crew. They had done brilliant work as it was raging at the time and we were watching out the portholes in the sailors Rec Room. I would love to know if anyone else remembers this episode. |
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The Master was Capt Hall and the Mate was a "gentleman" called Teare - he wasn't very keen on us middies and gave us a hard time! At the time the song "a little bitty tear let me down" was in vogue and so whenever he was in earshot we used to sing it. It drove him mad!! I was on the bridge for most of the duration of the typhoon, being in charge of the movement book! I did venture up for'd (crawling on hands and knees) with the Mate at one stage to check on the cables, wires and mooring ropes attached to the buoy as both anchors had been hung-off and both cables were made fast to the buoy. I do remember the engines being run at half ahead for some time to keep us up to the buoy, and I certainly remember the bridge front and the wheelhouse windows being covered in brown paint!! The masts and kingposts had been sandblasted! |
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