Tug's glory days 'somewhere on the south coast'

She was for sale and if I recollect correctly, she went to Italy. She had been powerful and fully equipped for salvage work.

If that same memory is in order, as a boy I saw her firefighting jets clear the London and Paris Hotel and also extinguish a motor cruiser fire in the harbour.

The name of the craft was Odtaa, translated to 'One damn thing after another', no doubt the thinking of the owner as he saw his pride and joy going up in smoke.

The Odtaa's final wetting and beaching out of the way in the harbour was performed by the little tug Richmere.

Time to return to the picture. In wartime, photos like No 1 would be subjected to the pen of the censor and although the location of the incident had been correctly stated as 'somewhere on the south coast' the plain reading of 'Eastbourne Lifeboat' on the stern of the rescue craft would leave the enemy in little doubt as to the probable area of the drama, not to mention the pilot of the Nazi plane being pretty certain as to where he made his kill.

However, the censor had complied, but surely the word Eastbourne should have been erased.

So back to the disaster. The Barnhill, like so many of the Liberty ships, was built almost on a conveyor belt, in the US. To get supplies to this country, many ships and crews were lost, but it had to continue, for apart from the food needs, there had to be a large build up of equipment for D-Day.

There are many stories and photos about the events of the plundering of this ship after she was bombed off Eastbourne in March 1940. When you are hungry, you don't want to see valuable food lost to the salt water.

The actual bombing is of greater interest. It appears that the captain was blown off his bridge and crashed to the deck.

A ship fire can produce a pretty hot deck. His injuries were such that he couldn't raise himself .

He dragged his body along until he reached a hanging bell, which he had suggested should be in position for emergencies.

A hanging cord from this he seized with his teeth and rang the bell so much that it was heard on the Foremost 22 which radioed shore to send out the lifeboat to rescue him. This was done and he survived.

One of the two figures on the roof of the Foremost 22's wheelhouse is Captain Fred Holden, according to his brother the late Bob Holden.

Fred took over as skipper of the Meeching when she came here new in 1960.

Of course, America built vessels of all types including warships, which brings to light another snippet of interest. All over the world a short message of graffiti was appearing on the wall of gents' conveniences, simply '“ Kilroy was here.

It appears James J Kilroy was an inspector of warships, and on everything he checked, in yellow he chalked 'Kilroy was here'.

The author of this information said the US servicemen set it going worldwide and concludes with, 'If you disagree with graffiti, sign a partition!'

PETER BAILEY

Peter Bailey is curator of the Newhaven Local and Maritime Museum based in its own fascinating premises in the grounds of Paradise Park in Avis Road, Newhaven. Winter opening hours are Saturdays and Sundays, 2-5pm or by arrangement. Admission 1 (accompanied children free). Contact the curator on 01273 514760. Log on to the website at www.newhavenmuseum.co.uk