Page 72 - "Cap" Cowley - A Salvage Tug Captain

ISSUE : Issue 54

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1990/6/1

The Leicester as liilliiilliiR''''''''' found. From Capt. -jsmiffm i||||j|IW' Cowley's scrap- Ixjok: "Message re? ceived from Search & Rescue relayed through SS Trooero. September 16, 1948: 'British steam? er Leicester aban? doned at position 40.27N,55.10W.' - • ** (Approximately 420 miles southeast of ' Halifax.) Josephine ..'_-?4. sailed approximate- ;' • • ly 10.30 a.m. 16th. • _,'?' Lillian also diverted from Gaspar to aid Josephine, noon 16th....23 crew members were taken by Cecil M. Bean and 18 by der were lost during hurricane. Josephine and Lillian made a combined search with radar of 3120 square miles 17th and 6000 the 18th.... It was presumed that (Leicester) went down. Joseohine was ordered back to North Sydney, and Lillian to Halifax." The remain- square miles on Then, another gale came up. And we couldn't stay alongside any more. And it got worse and worse. And I backed off, and I anchored about a mile away. And the storm got so bad the anchor carried away. And I lost my an? chor and I lost the cable. So then I had to steam around all night, come back in the morning. Had a look and--here was the ship, she'd pounded to pieces on the rocks in the storm. (The Orion, the ship that you came to save.) The ship I'd come to save, yeah. So there was nothing worth saving any more. We lost our pumps and.... So, we had to give that up as a bad job. (And when this is given up as a bad job, you get nothing.) No, no, nothing at all. So I sent a signal to tell the Foundation Company the ship was a total loss. And then '' ''fA%'f'f??'''m> "WeCcome to your home away from home! These signs invite you to come make new friends and experience a unique way to enjoy Cape Breton's famed hospitaiity. For more information, drop in at any Cape Breton Tourist Bureau or write to P.O. Box 1750, Sydney, N.S. B1P6T7 1-800-565-9464 Attention; Ray Peters J 'ienvenue cfiez nous! Aux etabiissements arborant ces enseignes, vous trouverez des Inotes chaleureux qui vous feront decouvrir i'hospltaiite Iegendaire du Cap-Breton. Pour plus de renseignements, adressez-vous d n'importe quel bureau d'information touristique du Cap-Breton ou ecrivez d M. Ray Peters, C.P, 1750, Sydney (N.E) B1P6T7 1-800-565-9464 they came back with the report saying that the Leicester had been sighted again by an? other merchant ship in another position. To go back and look for the Leicester again! So we had to turn round and drive her all the way back there again. The Lillian had been sent out before us. And she only had to go from Halifax. And of course, we had to go from Belle Isle Strait, which is much further. So she was out there search? ing around and searching around. And then we finally got out and started searching. And then, the Leicester was reported again. Then we got a signal saying the Lillian had found her, sighted her. Of course, they gave us her position by code, so that the Dutch one won't get it. And I steamed down and got there around about 1 o'clock in the morning. Found the Leicester, and what a sight she was--listed right over! The ballast that she was carrying in the 'tween decks had shifted over when she got hit by this hur? ricane. And all the ballast had gone from the 'tween decks over onto the other side, down below. So, away she went. Now, the crew had deserted her then, be? cause they thought she was going to cap? size. And there was--I think it was 4 men were lost, when she transferred the crew to this American ship. And they took the crew off--picked them up out of the water, anyway. But of course, that was all past by the time we got up to her. (She was still afloat. But, listing?) Yeah, listing--40? list. mlco DEPARTMENT STORES Celebrating ' 25 Years of Savings ' 'at our Sydney Rivery Location CAPE BRETON SHOPPING PLAZA - SYDNEY RIVER MAYFLOWER MALL - GRAND LAKE ROAD - SYDNEY PORT HAWKESBURY SHOPPING CENTRE WooIco will meet any local competitor's advertised prices* *0THERS SAY IT... WOOLCO GUARANTEES IT! Just bring In any Competitor's current Ad. If our price on the identical item isn't already as low, or lower than their advertised price we will immediately meet their price! We exclude gimmick promotions (Scratch & Save), & entire Department, entire Store percentage off Promotions. We reserve the right to limit quantities. USE OUR CONVENIENT LAYAWAY PLAN

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