RECOLLECTION

A.M. Purdy 1986

“Earliest Battle, enroute to ICELAND escorting Convoy”

One of our earliest battles was an action near ICELAND against the Royal Air Force anti-submarine plane that “attacked” our convoy (I believe late in 1941 on our second trip to Iceland.) I was on watch in the 5” gun director when this “bogey”, which had circled the convoy , emerged from the clouds and headed direct in towards us. There was no recognition signal flashed; but suddenly when about 2,000 yards away we saw what appeared to be machine gun tracers coming from the “bogey”. The Director Pointer (was it junior Johnson?) Screamed “My God, they’re firing at us!” So I calmly ordered “Commence firing.” and our one manned gun banged out about 3 or 4 shots. Where upon the “bogey” turned sharply away, and hit the deck, and sped away into the clouds.

Then the “Grits” hit the fan! HYSTERIA everywhere. First , on our bridge. Commodore Hungerford and Captain Kingsley. Next, on the aircraft to Base radio circuit. ( The plane had been hit and had a ruptured oil line, and was limping back to Reykjavik , ICELAND, ready to ditch.) Then, at the Allied Headquarters in Iceland. The plane was not a German Fockwolfe, but a Whitworth 4.

It only took me a week of research to prove that the plane had violated all the approach procedures and recognition signals. It had approached from the wrong sector, had headed directly into the center of the Convoy, and had fired the wrong color Verys Pistol Flares for that day. (Of course the flares were what we saw to be machine gun tracers. )

Finally after weeks of review and thought , all was forgotten and forgiven, except of course by Captain Kingsley who still thinks of me as “that trigger happy Purdy.” A regrettable incident, but it at least broke the boredom of that day’s convoy duty !

R-34