1961-06-03 — Page 14

THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, JUNE 3, 1961.

A MINK FARMER, A STOR EMAN, A NAVAL OFFICER

- THEY FORM A SPECIAL CATEGORY OF SURVIVORS

THE THREE LUCKIEST MEN IN BRITAIN TODAY

On Wednesday, May 24 thero was an anniversary

that evoked a mixture of horror, sorrow and thankfulness for William Dundas, now a successful breeder of mink in the remote village of Ardris- haig in Argyllshire.

It brought those same emotions to Robert Tilburn, a civilian storeman in an Admiralty establishment in the drah, grey Durham town of Eaglescliffe; and to Ed-----

ward Briggs, a shore-calculus and tho Girvek based

primer, he

was a Navy' man

naya! signals with responsibilities. officer stationed near the Tilbur and Driger had sleepy Hampshire town enlisted as Boys 2nd Class, at of Petersfield.

reckonable emoluments of in a day in 1930. For them the

Navy

offered 11 They are all three on the Royal

clsc. three meals A right, side of 40,

but only nothing

just, They

eva 0171

n

day. keep

wary These their waistlines, and they no longer jump on and of knew buses with the gay abandon of 20 years ago.

three men acarcely оле another when Hood sailed through Den- mark Strait on May 23

There are millions of men conditions which were already

#ke Dundas, Tilbum,

Briggs in Britain today.

the

and vile, and steadily deteriorating.

SINCE BOYHOOD

Like every man aboard

Hood, however. they kney the slenifcopce of their mission.

The German battleshlo Bis- marels, a colossus of even greater But these three are in n speed. armament and hitting special

category. Just 20 power than Hood herself, had years after H.31.8. ]Kood--the come out of her long hiding in *might** and "unsinkable" the Norwegian fjords,

to bits in

Once loose in the Atlantic,

was

Hood-was blown

the Denmark Strait, belween there Greenland and Iceland, they extent of are all that b» left of a ship's the thinly company of 95 officers and 1.323 ratings,

No telling the her prey among protected convoys, A ship of her speed and power could pounce, destroy, of Mod's last and escape again and again. At the time

She had to be purcued and voyage on May 24, 1041, they

battle. This was were all professional sailors: brought to

of the moment Royal Navy had been he

high crisis of the war at sen; their fe since boyhoud.

a moment of unporollclē poten- Dundas's entry into The

intitles both for success and Royal Navy had followed the

disosier. conventional upper-clas pat-

It Was 13 minutes

past fern; from the age of 1, os a

May 24. 1941. cudet at Dartmouth, he had midnight

company went to assimilated the naval way of life, that Hood's

battle stations. Then, at the age of 17, he was

The duties of Dundas, Tilburg, sent to his Arst ship-that ship and Briggs in battle were widely

diverse.

Was Hood.

INTO ACTION

A time when his civilian temporaries were wrest ling with

15

17

גום

William Dundas

Edword Briggs

aircraft gun of the boat deck.

20 years ago they sailed with Hood

by

TIM CAREW

an the sailed to her first and last Two slashes of the kolle Battle.

freed him of a boots and

It was dawn when Hood the perial. Then, with lungs foutl Bismarck, Each had near to bursting point, The an accompanying ship, With gwed his way to the sur- Hood was Prince of Wales, face." With Bismarck, Prinz Eugen.

Four hours later the

All four shius sent tons of destroyer Electra arrived. Sho high explosive screaming across found only these three men, ex- those grey northern waters. But hausted and clinging to floating In that brief fantasile encounter, rufts, both in fact and in spirit, it was Hood against Bismarck.

Ant victory - went Bis marck.

They

were

of the Den-.

WAS TO

countless pieces of wreckage amid surrounded by the olly surface to

mark Strait. There A1 5,30

Bound; there were no bodies; pm д shell from Bismarck's Buns hit

there was no trpce of Hood, Hood

Just squarely in one of her maga Briggs-all that remained of Dundas, Tilburn, and zines and blew her to pieces.

a tolal ship's compatiy of Somehow they don't know howDuades, Tilburn,

and 418, Brings lived through The Explusion.

Dundas

managed to climb

Of their survival these three men can say tile,

"It must have been a freak

through one of the bridge of blast which saved me," says windows before Hood sank.

Briggs.

SUGL

killed

"There's

"Everyone else on the Briggs remembers only the Compass platform rending

Instantly." explosion and A huge sheet of fame is the dinintegrmed; then he

his thrashing

way water, away

whip

Was

Comments Dundas; no rational explanation of it. It was just lucki and I've been a firm believer in' it ever since," And Tilburn? "I never be- from a huge patch of blazing Beved in miracles before,"

through the

War

NO SOUND...

be

Is

Robert Tilburn with his wife and two children, Robert, øged nine, and six- week-old Susan. His son is holding a model of Hood,

on the port side oil.

Tilburn

thrown Info says. "But I do now." the sea as Hood

As made her

a Kunner himself, he Briggs was personal messen funt plunge. In the next two not prepared to accept the Her to Vice-Admiral Holland's minutes he was to experience theory that Hood was destroyed Flag Lieutenant on the com- every sensation of the drown- by of

single lucky shot. With the Royal Navy 18 an a 18-a-day Boy 2nd Class, Heroes? "Hardly," they say. pass platform.

ing man-und live.

"Throughout the action

HI Bis- Admiralty storeman. job and he lives in modest com- "All we did was save our own

is

humdrum. routine,

his wife and fort with Dundas, Tilburn, and Briggs.

in naval lives." marate's

was deadly

avithout glamour, Like a married quarters. as every other officer and rating

Dundas, Tuburn, and Briggs accurate Bunnery

million

middle aged other aboard Hood, were Imbued with

Dundas left the Royal Navy family

These three men have all today are ordinary, unspectacu men, the idea of giving just that Hittle

he finds that when he was 35. He was a there

attracted а lot of publicity: lar, and happily married men, Js bit more than his best to make

only just enough

Yet, just 20 years later, it is still Tilburn, encumbered by lieutenant-commander,

have Now money to go round. He has a they

attended the ship's nghting efficiency his oilskin, duffel coat, and heavy-

1lm

a continual source of amaze- odays, he is reticent about his son, Robert, who is nine, and premieres:

they have been ment to each of them that they own personal concern.

sea boots,

was dragged some naval career,

on television: they week old daughter, been feted as heroes.

have are all alive. And each shared the 30st.

He wants to forget about Susan. below the surface when pride and falih one of the wireless

Hood's death blow. aerials which came to men who served wrapped Itself round his feet.

"It is vivid

Briggs la still serving In meneru which in Hood.

till the always be with me... But I

Royal Navy. He sa lieutenant Then, as his senses clouded would rather never have to die commissioned

now he Wos ship: she was a legend; she over, he remembered his knife cuss

from the lower apdin." His interests deck and will stay in the was the ultimate exuression of the razor-sharp jack-knife today are centred in the breed Navy until he is told that seaman British naval might. They said carried by all seamen. He grop- ing of mink, his wife, and this is too old.

slation she was unsinkable. Many men ed desperately round his waist three children.

ant believed she was indestructible and found it.

Tilburn is, in a sense,

Dundas, as duty midshipman, was on the closed upper bridge,

at the beck and call of the Oficer of the Watch. Tilburn Wes է: gunner. His actión

Intricacies of was the

1254 a four-inch

Pocket cartoons

Marti

"Now cat this up like a good boy and maybe when you are 37 you'll be the first Briton into space.”

"Indeed, we should like to see you a member of Of course, you NATO.

would have to ploe up bull-fighting i"

A British Crossword Puzzle.

18

9

110

21

22

23

3 Halter?

ACROSS

7 Pig's delight?

B Viewed,

9 Stalk,

11 Journey,

12. Loud noise,

15 Fish-hook part,

14 Image,

17. Chose,

10 Walking rate?

10 Fast ruuner,

21 Siri

22 Venerate,

1 Pato,

13 14

16

2 Associate,

3 Drain,

DOWN

4 It's run on certain lines,

Rum,

G Blush,

10 Flower,

11 Knock for water!

15 Agreed to,

14 Deer og?

15 Actopiane,

18 Caesar's father!

Il Present,

20 Was magnetic.

6

20

23 Fastener.

YESTERDAY'S CROSSWORD. — Aorgas: 1 Stockport, B Adore, 10 Trail, 12 Row, 13 rain, 14 Lenn, 14 Lesson, 1d Scars, 18 Posted, 20 Idle, 22 Ten, 23 One, 24 Needs, 26 Wloco, 20 De- preased. Down: 2 Thom, 3 Chew, 4 Patter, & Itouma, 0 Galloping, Blanketed, Roasted, 11 Rossjui, 15 Lád, 57 Censur, IV Blove, 21 Denso, 23 Owls.

special

Hood Was more then

PARIS NI WS LETTER

ព

sik

He

The pay has improved enn- still siderably since he joined

MWHITER

The big debate: would de Gaulle

let Challe die?

Paris.

• BY THE

WAY

by Beachcomber

THE

(London Expresa Sorelco).

JACOBY

BRIDGE

TODAY'S hand is almost the

dimeulles of organs same as-yesterday's Every player has exactly the same Ing IL national bruth- high .cards und the only alycer service for lysing the changes have been slight ones breath of drivers will probably in distribution, result In a return to older methods.

The play starts in cxactly A man who can walk the the same way also. South wins lightrope while saying "Thrift- the opening heart lead in dum- low Chshoslovitch's fifth my and draws trumps with aluminium thimble throttled three leads. Then he throwa the thrush," is probably fit to West in with the queen of hearts and sits back In his chair.

drive.

Noblese n'oblige pas

It West is kind enough to lead a club South will have a When he works, in the 14chance to make his contract, acres of garden attached to his but if Went has been sitting manor house, he ties his trousers up and taking notice West Isn't with ordinary string. News going to do any such thing. item.

West Is going to lend a heart and give South a perfectly use- less ruff and discard.

the best and most Not even

expensive string, Miss Mit- ford, Even a belted earl down to his best yacht would not

such a gro

himself uncanny the way, passers-by in- Royce, complete with bar, tele- permit

at precisely air-conditioning..

A FASCINATING debate was going on here of her body visible el precent phone, refrigerator, hi-fi and infringement of the unwritten

about whether General de Gaulle would allow that moment. 53-year-old ex-General Maurice Challe to be executed for his part in the recent Algiers mutiny.

SUPER

A sentence of death, on a guilty verdict, was ECCENTRIC inevitable at his trial that was held early this week. Would he use his Presidential powers to commute It to, say, life imprisonment ?

He did.

There was here in Paris, poignant pointer to what de Gaulle's decision would be. It was In the person of Mme. Petain, widow of the late Marshal Petain, head of State

during a

the occupation,

Now 84, erippled with arthri-

The reply was a firm no.

condemn

false,

in an

'STYLED BY YVES'?

THE

of social usage. If this goes on county gentlemen who hove sold their spoons will ent pens with the last of the fæn- lly nuteruckers, fan their soup with their tweed

caps, and drinks thaiT Norwegian claret- type through farmyard' skruvs.

for Wrongful dismissal as Mr Troute skulking behind

the

girls da a

gambolling

NORTH AAK2 VAG

10

• QX108

WEAT

EAST

40763

KQ 109

4.5100

07842

+642 420

+59

6743

SOUTH (D)

VJ3

AKOT 4A373

West North East

Pass 34

Pass 4+ Par Pass

Both vulnerable

Routh

I+

嗜眠

Pass

Pass

Род

Opening lead-▼K

Pum

nows that Yves St A woman's point of view JACK ("Call me Jackie Laurent, Dior's *x-

Gleason, tho

super designer, is suing the firm DEAR SIR, American eccentric, has hit

The spectacle of such men replied through an official to her town, and the effect is focusen attention again on lawyer...

petticoats of space-borne rather like having Brendan this young man's futura Britain lost her manhood? Can pitiable one. Has Boban and Peter Ustinov at plans. the same intimate cocktail

smug complacency go further In short Pelain dead remalaed party.

a delicately sur Dior's detence will be that than to urge much subject to the full

he was not dismissed and that tured girl to get herself shot to rigour of the law ns Petain alive.

Gleason, who was paid 2,000 he was, in fact, offered a job at the moon? It may be true that dollars a week by the American the same salary of nearly £500 the spirit of Florence Nightin One theory as to why de sponsors not to appear on other week that he

gale, Boadicea, and Grace Gaulle

was getting Darling is to be found in certain could show clemency television programmes, is here to before he was called up.

Why is this ruff-discard play ttu, she continues to Ive to Challe is that de Gaulle falled play the leading role

an useless to South? Because after In a modest Paris flat on the to

The job would have been the dedicated women, but is widow's pension. A pension mutiny-us result of which be entitled Gigot.

Sultan 150 American but Paris-based dlm creation of a small non-compell-apprenticeship to public life, he does ruff in one hand and culminating in belup chosen as discard a club from the other which, by th administrative came back to power.

tive fashion house financed, as Plastic Dustbin, really he will still have the same lás Gigot, which is leg of lamb Dior guys, by Boussac.

ing club trick he started with. Irony-because her husband was The parallel s

De in French, Is the

qualification for St Laurent rejected this. name of a

Bhould West know this? sentenced to death and the Goulle failed to condemn the boozy, dent and dumb tramp

He plans now to start his own among the planeta? One doubts

*.

The anwser is that West death penalty was never carried 1958 mutineer because the whom Gleason porträyn with house. The money for that will

should know that a heart lond out-became payable to her govenment itself falled to con- every natural asset-except for come from two sources.

(Mra) Eva Billow.

chrat possibly hurt him. Ho demn them.

the fact that he is Not during her husband's lifetime.

St Laurent has just sold his deat

has been able to count South and

methoirs for £30,000 in the Marginal note

for only three spades and four Genern! Salon

and certainly not dumb. remained

United States. He is also pro-

trumps, Hence he must have throughout the May events the stays in Paris the more super enormoully rich French Indus-

stops focale longer Glen mised financial backing by the men who pose in adver- the clubs and bearis. With only accredited military and civil buoys becomes

amerits for men's clothes threp clubs he will have A}~ representative of the govern- bleery-pyed make-up that lo

the red-nosed trialist, Paul-Louth Wellier. Jock tres mere idiofle than the other heart loft and there will The execution was not carried ment.

women nedele micy that by four clubs the rull and discard St Laurent plans to open his!

be rio ruff and discard. With dally daubed on him. out only because of Petain's

De Gaulle accepted power not

In addition to Gleason, the rouse in his large Paris dpart the time dogs fashions Had he been a few from the generals but' great age.

won't help him. He hopes to show his tut on us ment.

it will be 313- fram cast Includes six highly inicill- yenra younger his fate wouki

first summer collection thin

covered that the animals look Parliament. have been the same as that of usurped power in Paris and then

Imported alley water or his first winter col-less ridiculous than the human+CARD SV/3ZĄC Had the generala Bent American

cats. offered it to do Canile I am Instead,, he was sentenced to convinced he would have re- ife imprisonment on an island, Jected it. where he died and where he is buried. His last wish was that he should be reburied in France.

EXECUTION

Laval.

Madaine Pelain ne tende two requests that his last wlah might

De Gaulle was not brought to Power by a military coup d'elat

he averted one.

DRINKING

feellop next summer.

可

Bru

beings, because they do not strike attitudea, when Bressed

marly, but merely sulit. Quote of the week: The Parit satirical journal Mud in Baba's eye Olegaon. In addition to being Canard Enchaine, referring EVERYBODY, at least pract the star of the sim, hus als to the number of senior

written up alory and the music.

Wert 14

The bidding has been

North

EAR

Pas

4

Double 24

PAR Put 4

Рам You, Boulb, hold:** cally everybody, was nearly 475 VAGGER #KARS SP

What do you

Dalmatiala ti jājs big-

TODAY'S QUESTIÓN Jualan ni kidding four hoërta

GYSL YOU BOurt bid, What do

The afory idea, he tells me, officers in prison at the sick with pxcitement when the "came from an ancient fireck moment for their part in detailed ofrangements for Baba be carted out. The first was to A though life in Paris were writer whose name begins with the Algiers mutiny: "In ecret, wedding were announced. Tag emp

Filockshcope's quiet, almost took M. Mendes-France when he was pot already jeverial 'enough X'or y.”

the past, so many Prine Minister and M. Mendes- both Brigitte Bardot

aray But the frenzy was premature, Puring diming he drinks on barracks have resembled a Babe throw aside her fance arid Branco placed the request Before Bettina has moved in Parilaméht," which refeeted it. heighbours of mine.

St. Geotges,

Serta Prign that new it is no "Smudgy Betting Nutis

Crawling like” an already know. Bardot only drinking comes Inter mang freshing to find a prison-litig hat. It is understood our partner has bid soure alune The second was in a personal el gyse: op for the Graf time His charrous bulk is carried that resembles an army early divorce, as soon after the us do now?,

that retured toʻngres' to 'Ahı appeal to Geherat de Gaulle the other day. She war getting to and from the studio in 4 barracks."!" Latter he returned. to power, to tato a taxi fiead first and lë was turqueles "and burgundy · Rolin-

ne average" of "Wx" põllies of“ feet

={London Represa Kérview);

marrlo a pomible.

(London Exprega Serologic

Aparar pu Mondaz