Chief Stwd. James Horden "Hordy" Wright
Merchant Navy Fort Cedar Lake
from:North Shields
My father James Horden Wright who died in 1983 was in the Merchant Navy from 1929-1946. My aunt suggested I should apply for his arctic star medal and I am waiting for it to arrive. She told me a little story from the war years. His family in North Shields were worried about him having received no news. Then one day one of his sisters was travelling home on a bus when the bus stopped to pick up an exhausted seaman who was staggering along the road. She realised it was her brother. He had survived the sinking of his ship by a torpedo. Everyone on the bus clapped and the driver took them to their door. He was in a terrible state. They sat him in a chair by the fire and peeled off his wet clothes. She remembers his boots were packed with wet cigarettes! He slept in the chair for three days. She says there was a report of this story in the local paper at the time and I would love to find it.
He worked for Eagle Oil and I have his discharge book. I think this story probably relates to the sinking of the "Fort Cedar Lake" on March 17, 1943 by U-Boat 665. The ship was on its maiden voyage from British Columbia, Canada to Belfast, Northern Ireland - by way of Panama Canal and New York. The U-Boat sunk Fort Cedar Lake just west of Ireland. All 50 crew members were rescued and taken to Gourock by the ship Zamalek. A few days later, on March 22, 1943, a British Whitley Aircraft released depth charges and sunk U-Boat 665. The entire crew of 46 was lost.
He also served on the following ships in the war years: San Amado 1937-1939, San Alvaro 1939-1939, San Florentino 1940-1940, San Zotico 1941-1941, San Ernesto 1941-1942, Empire Norseman 1942-1942, Fort Cedarlake 1942-43, San Cirilo 1943-1943, San Vulfrane1944-1945,
