Page 4 - Capt. Walter Boudreau's Story: Louisbourg Rescue, 1943, & The Sinking of the Angelus

ISSUE : Issue 64

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1993/8/1

were both of your dories used in the first attempt? Did you both row out?) Yes. One do? ry was behind the other because, I mean, we were told to get out there fast. The tide had something to do with it--but we were on? ly the guys who were doing the rowing. But, in other words: Get out there while the go? ing's good. And as I recall that was some? where around 11:30 a.m. (How good was the going?) It wasn't all that bad, but if you ever got caught in one of those (waves)--it was one of these deals where you'd have a sea breaking here, and one breaking there, and if you happened to get under it. well, that was it. But we had a dory that we could dance around and avoid them, you see. In other words, we might row this way and one of us DR. LOCK 'dSBaasaBSBD ceo AtZCC 473 Townsend St. OD'-'lOOD SYDNEY, NS FAST EMERGENCY SERVICE • ANYWHERE ON THE ISLAND • RADIO-EQUIPPED TRUCKS ON DUTY ROUND THE CLOCK • EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR MOTEL OWNERS: WE CAN SOLVE YOUR KEY & LOCK HEADACHES would look and say, "There's one there." We'd go hard right. (And you had that much control?) Oh, a dory is very maneuverable; it's like a bicycle--if you know how to row it. And I mean, these are Newfound? landers, and I'm an experienced boatman, so we knew how to handle it. (I see. How many of you were there in that dory?) Two in each dory. (How long did it take you to go from Cemetery Point out to the wreck of the SC 7091) I seem to think it was around between twenty and thirty minutes. Something like that, maybe a lit? tle longer. (Was there any doubt that you could get to the vessel?) Well, yeah. We weren't sure we could get to the vessel. We were not sure. But we thought we could. (Now when you got to the Navy vessel, did you go aboard to get these men off?) She was leaning over and we didn't go to the high side, we went to the sheltered side. And I was in the first dory. And I took my oar and pounded, got voices. There was one guy with a South Carolina accent who appeared at the window and he said, "Ooh, man. Is I ever glad to see you!" So we took off the first two men. And while we're going, the second dory is a hundred feet behind us. So that's why the two dories got out there one first, and then another one a few min? utes later. Employers Are Educators, Too! At U.C.C.B. Co-Operative Education Works It works for students. It works for you. M PE' Co-op employer benefits: • Reduced Hiring Risks • Reduced Recruitment and Training Costs • Higher Employee Retention • Students Available on a Year-Round Basis • Better Utilization of Personnel • You will work with U.C.C.B. to develop a highly trained work force, keeping our Technology Programs relevant to your needs. Information & possible funding: Funding Programs are now available to assist Nova Scotia employers who hire co-op students. Co-operative Education Department University College of Cape Breton P.O. Box 5300, Sydney, Nova Scotia B1P6L2 (902) 539-5300, Ext. 109, 350 Co-op Programs Include: Business Technology Computer Information Systems Management Paralegal Marketing Accounting Engineering Technology Civil/Construction Environmental Mechanical Electrical/Electronics. Chemical UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF CAPE BRETON So we took two and then they got in behind us and took two. We went in and we both went back on the second (trip). Taking eight men. (I see. And all these men were able to get off themselves?) Well, they were in various stag? es . We were not in a position to fool around. I mean, when they came out we just grabbed them and sling them into the boat and get the hell out of there before we all get drowned, you know. It wasn't a case of, "Did you give them first aid?" And I said, "No, you just get them the hell on the boat and get ashore before we're all in the water!" And the fish? ermen mentioned that when they got there all the men were walk? ing around the boat. Which proves again that they were there later than we were because when we got to the boat there was a block of ice and nobody could.... Nobody had been into that boat. And no? body had come out until we pound- ed. But once they started saying, "Well, there's rescue boats," naturally they all came out and scampered around the boat. (So, you brought them back to shore, and then what happened? Why did you not continue going out and bringing more people off?) Well, I think, this second

Cape Breton's Magazine