By Des Davies from Aberystwyth
"At 6.35am on February 6th, the lifeboat 'Frederick Angus' was again launched on orders of naval staff Officer Plymouth, requiring assistance in putting a working party aboard the Universal from the destroyer H.M.S. Southdown (which had stood off all night). The weather had moderated considerably from the previous day but the sea was choppy and there was a fresh westerly wind blowing.
The lifeboat proceeded to where the submarine was anchored and found the destroyer and the admiralty tug Mediator (which had joined the destroyer over night) standing by. The working party were transferred by the lifeboat from the destroyer to the submarine. Afterwards, at 8.35am, two men were transferred from the tug to the submarine. At 9.20am, a heaving line passed from submarine to tug, then a towing cable was hauled aboard the submarine and made fast by the working party.
On completion of this job, the lifeboat transferred 1 officer and 15 men back onto the destroyer whilst the submarine's anchor cables were slipped. The lifeboat then went alongside the Universal and took the remaining officer and men back to the tug at 10.15am. By 10.30am, the Mediator was under way with the Universal in tow (the submarine now had no crew at all aboard). The lifeboat then returned to her station at 11.10am.
The Aberystwyth lifeboat on this second day was under the command of the regular Coxswain John Daniel."
Written by Des Davies from Aberystwyth
Back to Part 1 of Des' rescue account Des' photos of past Aberystwyth lifeboats Gwyn Martin's photos of Aberystwyth harbourAberystwyth Lifeboat Crew
Submarine Rescue February 5/6 1946
First day
Cox. Evan James Davies
2nd Cox. Baden P. Davies
Bowman Ben White
Mechanic Jack Charman
Boat Signalman Desmond Davies
Crewman Morley Pryse
Second day
Cox. John Daniel |
your comments
James Jenkin, Jersey
Some public spirited individual brought a huge telescope on its stand and positioned it outside the public shelter opening on to the prom between the band stand and the Marine Hotel. He allowed us all to look at the submarine ( I was 13 years old at the time)
Richard Daniel
my father is john daniel aka spanny
Phil from Wolverhampton
My Father was the Officer on board this vessel at the time - he served in the RN during the war. Apparently they drank the locals under the table that evening!
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