OA3. William Frederick Stevenson
Royal Navy HMS Wildfire
from:10 Elis St Masbrough
My dad William Stevenson told me a story when he was a chief gunner on the many ships he was based on. He told me how he was on HMS Pembroke and he was stationed in Chatham doing his training. He was wearing shorts one day during the summer when I joked about his hot legs laughingly. When I noticed he had scars all down one leg and a bit on the other. It was then I found the pivotal moment when he began to tell me his terrifying moment they were under attack. He said they were firing above at the planes and trying to avoid getting torpedoed from the sea Subs and U boats. But he said he remembered a cry of "incoming torpedo". Dad said he was pushed and as their boat sank he was in the water in pain and hearing his fellow comrades screaming for help. He adds there was fire on the water but when I asked where he was, what ship he was on and the country, he shut down and wouldn't say any more.
Checking his list of ships he was on HMS Tyne and HMS Wildfire III. To name a few.
