From Kenneth Dancy

A PERMANENT TEESSHIPS FEATURE

New page 10 December 2005
TEESSHIPS

The FLYING ENTERPRISE Saga
Page 6

Jump to:
Page 1 - 50 Years Ago! (revised 10.12.05)
Page 2 - Map and Photos (revised 02.06.04)
Page 3 - Personal Memories (revised 10.12.05)
Page 4 - Today! (new 10.07.04)
Page 5 - TURMOIL (new 06.08.05)
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What a great delight, thrill and honour it has been to hear from the main surviving participant in the FE saga, no less than from Kenneth Dancy himself.

(From TURMOIL by Ewart Brookes)

His covering note said:
Dear Ron, Your TEESSHIPS site has drawn my attention and interest for some time, especially the memories of so many people of very tender age at the time that the FLYING ENTERPRISE went down.

That that episode has stuck in the memory of so many for so many years!

Now I would like to submit my memories of those hectic days and include some details that I think describe the general events and conditions in the shipping world at the time.

And this is the detailed content of his recollections:
The first weeks of December 1951, will be remembered by many as weeks when the British National Newspapers had no front page headlines that were not political. Winston Churchill occupied a great deal of space. But suddenly things changed. Churchill and politics were swept from the front page and just one item of news occupied that space for two weeks - the fate of an American ship. And this was not confined to the British Press – the story was followed worldwide and featured regularly in those early days of News on Television.

But in the total story of the turn of the year 1951-52 there is far more.

More than a Flying Enterprise

During the last week of 1951 the most severe storm in 75 years swept the Western Approaches to the English Channel.

R.M.S. Queen Mary arrived 3 days late as a result of this storm as it swept from the Atlantic across the British Islands and the North Sea. 7 ships sank and 22 others were severely damaged.

In England 63 people were killed.

Compare this with the Great Storm of 26-27 November 1703 when about 150 ships were lost, taking 8000 sailors' lives, and 123 people were killed in England. That storm also destroyed the old Eddystone lighthouse.

As far as I have been able to research, the first indication of the 1951 storm came from the other side of the Atlantic: the German freighter ADOLF LEONHARDT sailed from Norfolk, Virginia on 17th December bound for Bremen. On the following day (18th) she reported being in a storm of wind force 11. About 10.00am on 26th she reported that her rudder was gone.

The American ship FLYING ENTERPRISE in the other direction from Rotterdam to New York ran into the same storm and reported being damaged on 25th December. On 28th the FLYING ENTERPRISE reported being in a severe hurricane at 49⁰20’ N 17⁰20^’W - situation grave - 30⁰ port list - just drifting.

Seven other ships in the Western Approaches were in difficulties.

IRENE OLDENDORFF was in the German Bight sailing from Emden for Sweden, but sank off Borkum without sending any distress signal. The wreck was found by divers about 4 am on December 31st. Six more ships were in distress in the North Sea. The German tug WOTAN left Harwich on 26th and the SEEFALKE left Borkum. WOTAN was damaged by heavy seas and had to put into Falmouth. Altogether 29 ships were in difficulties, of which seven were lost during the Christmas week.

SEEFALKE reached the ADOLF LEONHARDT on 1st January 1952 and TURMOIL successfully towed the tanker MACTRA into Falmouth and brought her to anchorage in the bay this same day. The weather was so bad that harbour tugs could not approach and the MACTRA captain requested TURMOIL to continue standing by until relieved on 2nd January when she sailed out for the FLYING ENTERPRISE with extra complement, including a supernumerary Chief Officer, for this difficult operation.

Meanwhile, the American destroyer JOHN W. WEEKS had reached the FLYING ENTERPRISE to relieve the merchant ships that had been standing by.

After dark on 3rd January TURMOIL arrived on the scene, being guided for the last few miles by searchlights from the JOHN W. WEEKS, but any attempt to connect in darkness appeared too risky, so TURMOIL stood by until daylight.

Repeated attempts on 4th January all ended in failure, including several attempts after I had boarded the casualty. Darkness again forced any further attempts to be postponed. On 5th January success came and the joyful tow began at 3 to 3½ knots.

On the morning of 6th January the flotilla was delighted with the sight of the French tug ABEILLE 25 which had joined up during the night, and the WILLARD KEITH which had relieved the JOHN W. WEEKS.

On 8th January the weather worsened and TURMOIL had to heave to with the casualty in heavy seas. At about 1.30 am on 9th the towline parted. The continuing storm prevented any attempt to reconnect throughout 9th January. On 10th January the casualty wallowed in heavy seas. The Lizard lifeboat was standing by and the Trinity House SATELLITE carrying breeches buoy rescue equipment arrived on the scene.

During this day, as the casualty settled lower in the water and took on a heavier list, the Lizard lifeboat was relieved by the Cadgwith lifeboat and Lieut.-Commander E.R. Suthers took off from Culdrose in a rescue helicopter, but was forced back by the storm.

During the afternoon the FLYING ENTERPRISE lay flat on her side. With tugs TURMOIL, DEXTEROUS, ENGLISHMAN, and ABEILLE 25, and the Trinity House SATELLITE standing by, the casualty was abandoned at twenty-two minutes past three. At eleven minutes past four, like a living thing, she was gone - with whistle, siren, and foghorn salutes from the flotilla - and tears in my eyes!

Kenneth Roger Dancy
Master Mariner

Many, many, thanks Ken for sharing these recollections with us.

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Previously, Ken had responded on some other matters raised within these FE pages:

Referring to the script from Morven Flemming:
TEESSHIPS - FLYING ENTERPRISE - Page 3 - Personal Memories - Pure fantasy!!!!!!!!
MAYBE SOMEBODY WAS MASQUERADING AS Ken Dancy!

Sorry, Ken Dancy has never been to Khorramshar and has great difficulty in finding any iota of truth in the words describing his actions with regard to the TURMOIL and FLYING ENTERPRISE.
He has never boarded a Strick line ship for any reason whatever.
He was not awarded an OBE or Lloyds Medal, but a medal for Industrial Heroism by the Daily Herald and an illuminated citation from the American Institute of Marine Underwriters.

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FLYING ENTERPRISE Saga - Page 3 - Personal Memories: Mr. R. Daglish [son of rope maker]

The fact is that the towline parted but it was not the main hawser but the extension that was worn through by friction in the fairlead (Carlsen at first used butter to lubricate as this was the only material he had at hand until the destroyer passed a can of grease.) This extension had an eye which was necessary for the shackle that was used to secure it back on itself after passing round the bollard. This was a very tricky and dangerous part of the operation but was essential because there was no power in the FLYING ENTERPRISE - everything had to be done by hand and if the messenger line had parted while the two men were bent over to secure the shackle they would have been struck by the shackle and eye!

After the towline parted, the bollards had to be cleared to make way for reconnection. It was while busy with this operation that a high wave burst over the bows and carried Carlsen down the sloping deck. But fortunately he grasped a lower bollard and was not swept overboard. It was a close shave which shook him and exhausted him so that he decided to return to rest in the cabin.

Belaying a towline, as described by Mr Daglish, was not possible in these extreme conditions with no mechanical power available. I have used that method with two lines, both supplied by a casualty. I hauled the lines in and then had complete control over the length used.

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