Reply To: James Gordon Anstruther Smith (1920-?) [Merchant Seaman / later 232221, Cadet, Corps of Royal Engineers]
Huddersfield Examiner 21 October 1939, page 3:
MIRFIELD MAN’S STORY
On Ship Torpedoed in Atlantic
Mr. Gordon Smith, son of Dr. J. A. Smith, of King Street, Mirfield, who is known in the Slaithwaite district, was a member of the crew of the merchant ship Sneaton, which was sunk in the Atlantic by a German submarine last week-end. He has just returned home and told an interesting story of his experiences to a representative of “The England” on Monday.
Mr. Smith said he had been a deck hand in the ship, which left Cardiff last Wednesday week. It was Saturday morning when they were torpedoed. The crew were picked up by a Belgian oil tanker and landed in England on Monday.
There were thirty-three on board at the time, and after the ship had been hit the submarine commander asked if they had sufficient food. He said he was sorry for what he had done and told them to stay around about where they were and they would soon he picked up by a British warship.