Fully dressed, ex-soldier Herbert John Lamouréux, 22, of 1202 Main St., Fitchburg, Mass., struggled for an hour in the rough, icy sea before he clambered nearly exhausted, onto a tock three miles from shore.

A naval launch rescued him and British immigration officials regretfully deported him at once because he had no entrance visa. He was placed aboard the liner Argentina, which is taking him back to the United States.

After his attempt had failed, Lamouréux declared: “This is awful tough. All I want is to see my wife and daughter. I’ve been counting the days. Why can’t I have a break?

“Why should we be separated? We were so happy together.”

Lamouréux had lived with his wife, a former member of Britain’s land army, in Liverpool until he had to return to the United States for demobilization from the Army.

For months, he said, he waited for her to join him, and then he heard about the baby. Failing to get a visa to return to Britain, his eagerness became desperation. Finally, he sailed from New York aboard the Russville Victory as a mess attendant, deciding to take his chances on getting ashore when the ship reached England. He dived overboard after landing officials told him he could not go down the gangway into the Tender.

Lamouréux was granted a 24-hour leave from his ship, the Nathan Tawson, to see his wife Veronica and his infant daughter in Liverpool.

After visiting his family he began his journey back to port of Barry, Wales, from which his ship will sail for the United States at midnight.

He shipped out of the United States with the intention of visiting his family. When he heard that the ship would not dock, he attempted to swim five miles ashore. He was picked up by a navel launch and deported by British Immigration officials. His next ship stopped in England.