WARWICK DEEPING H 136 - GWWR

H.M T Warwick Deeping was an antisubmarine, patrol vessel fitted with asdic. In October 1940 Warwick had been patrolling the English Channel and had put into Portsmouth for stores and coal re-supply. While been re-coaled she received the order to immediately return to patrol, Despite 2 of the crew been ashore still. Warwick Deeping sailed with 2 replacements from another vessel. Back on patrol in the English Channel Warwick was very low on coal, which made her ride high in the water. Carrying out the patrol with H M T Warwick Deeping that night of 11th Oct was H M T L`Istrac. At 23.27 hrs Warwick came under attack from 5 German hit and run Destroyers, Wolf, Falke,Greif, Kondor, and the Seeadler, who where all under the command of Captain Henne. Both trawlers initially believing the 5 vessels to be British, H M T L`Istrac switching on her identification lights. L`Istrac was then immediately bombarded with shells untill her boilerroom exploded and she started to sink. The Greif then torpedoed the L`Istrac as she went to the bottom. All the survivors from the L`Istrac where picked up the following morning. The Warwick Deeping now faced the 5 vessels alone with the grim prospect of a fate similar to L`Istrac, the Germans then fired several torpedoe`s at the Warwick but as she was riding so high in the water due to low coal, the torpedoe`s passed underneath although one glanced off the side near the wheelhouse but failed to explode. Jim Fuller a former Hull trawlerman came down from the Asdic to find the wheelhouse empty and the Warwick not been steered. He took the wheel and rang for full speed to the Chief Engineer a fellow ex Hull Trawlerman. Heading for safe waters the Warwick was under constant gunfire and shelling from the chasing Germans, after several hits a shell pierced the engine room and the Warwick started to take on water. Heading for the Isle of Wight the warwick had now become difficult to handle due to the intake of water, which eventually ground the engine`s to a halt. The Warwick was now helpless and awaited the fate of the Germans, when they suddenly ceased bombardment and changed course heading away. The order was given to abandon ship and the crew took to the liferafts and carley floats, an hour later been found by a fishing boat and then towed to the Isle of Wight. The full compliment of crew 22 men survived when all the odds where against them. A true account of the resolve of Hull Trawlermen and the vessels they sailed in..