Dad’s Navy Days: “Passing the Needles” (2)

My father worked at the Norwich Co-op in the west end of Norwich for many years. He left his job there in 1941 before signing up with the RCNVR (Navy) and returned to it immediately after his last scheduled leave in the fall of 1945. Rail lines passed behind the Co-op north of Main St. and the same lines passed a train station situated on the south side of Main. CN or CP? I don’t know.

 ["Norwich Co-op fire, 1989. How did it start?

I don't know": photo by V. Whitcroft]

It was inside the train station that my father first saw the print entitled “Passing The Needles”. And after the train station closed, but before it was torn down, dad asked for the print and received it. He gave it to me many years ago and shortly after I got it home I carefully stripped off several coats of white paint from the frame and exposed the words ‘Cunard Line.’ 

I just remembered! I have a match book cover from a Cunard ship. It came with the painting, and - according to the inter web - the cover is worth about 6 pounds 50p, whatever that is.

I’ve also pieced together some answer to the question, “Why would dad want the print? Or, what prompted him to think he must have it?” Like many things in life, there may not be just one answer. In fact, in this case, there are likely several.

["The print includes many interesting details"]

In 1942, while with RCNVR, father sailed from a Scottish training base to Southhampton on the Ennerdale, and between Milford Haven, Wales and Cowes, Isle of Wight, the ship was attacked by German planes. About the attack my father writes the following:

“Eight German JU 88s came from the east, took position in the sun and attacked us from the stern. It was perhaps between eight and nine o’clock because I had undressed and climbed into my hammock next to Stoker Fred Alston.” (pg 23, “DAD, WELL DONE” - Navy Memoirs)

More to follow.

[Photos by GH]

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Please click here to read “Passing the Needles” (1)