per ardua per mare per terram Posted 20 April , 2007 Share Posted 20 April , 2007 Anecdotal evidence from ship wrecks (and I realise that this is completely different) that I've heard is that those who tend to survive are bad swimmers because they cling to the wreckage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
historydavid Posted 20 April , 2007 Share Posted 20 April , 2007 I can quite easily believe that is true because of the reduction in physical effort required to stay afloat. However, survival also depends very much on the water temperature and/or being picked up. Best wishes David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Lund Posted 21 April , 2007 Share Posted 21 April , 2007 Hi! Does any one have a list of the survivors from HMS Hawke? Keith Lists of Hawke survivors appear in the Times on October 17th & 18th 1914. Are you looking for anyone in particular? Tony. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
per ardua per mare per terram Posted 21 April , 2007 Share Posted 21 April , 2007 I was only comparing good swimmers to bad swimmers. I agree completely that there are several other factors involved. The idea seems to have been then that a good swimmer could make it to the shore; without thinking how far away that was' let alone thinking of the effects of exposure, chances of being picked up etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Lund Posted 22 April , 2007 Share Posted 22 April , 2007 Seaman J. Pascall from Huddersfield was asleep in his hammock onboard HMS Aboukir when the torpedo struck. According to the Huddersfield Examiner he managed to stay afloat despite five foot high waves, until he was eventually rescued by a Lowestoft trawler. They reported that as the Aboukir turned over he walked down the side of the ship into the sea. At one point the suction pulled him back to the ship, injuring his back and foot. He began to swim with other survivors towards the Houge and was getting close when that ship was also torpedoed. He turned towards the Cressy and was making his way towards the ship when he saw it struck by two torpedoes. That is the only report I have seen that mentions the state of the sea at the time; not very good swimming conditions if the report is correct. Tony. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regbutler Posted 23 April , 2007 Author Share Posted 23 April , 2007 Little did I know what I was starting on opening this topic a month ago. I hope all the other Forum members have been able to add to their knowledge from all the replies as I have done. Thanks all. I have another relative who was lost at sea when X gun turret on HMS Devonshire exploded during exercises off Greece in 1929, but I don't want to start that as a topic or I will get my wrist slaped. Reg Butler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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