The Navy Lark

My grandad William Pratt (top left in the photo) was in the Royal Navy during the Second World War. I've got a photograph of him somewhere in his uniform. I've been looking everywhere for it but I can't find it. I also have one of him with my nan on their wedding day which I also can't find. But I did find one of him with some other chaps from his submarine crew.

He started life out as a stoker on the submarine H M Seal. This even has it's link with Liverpool as it had it's first test run on the Mersey (my grandad wasn't in the crew then though).

It was a mine clearing submarine, deep under the sea. A VERY dangerous job, one wrong move and the whole submarine could blow up and along with it all it's crew.

During 1940 they were on their way somewhere and the submarine got tangled up in somes mines and they could not go anywhere, stuck and running out of air and time.

Their only hope was to be rescued. In May 1940 they were rescued, but by some Germans Officers who captured the submarine and the crew. Prisoners for the rest of war. He was very lucky and survived.

He worked his way up to the best job according to my mum. When he left the Navy though I

have been told he spent all his money on drink. I am not surprised I think the war affected so many people.

In 1961 a book called 'Will Not We Fear' By C.E.T. Warren and James Benson. It tells the story of what happened to them. My nan had a copy so I read it, but I have my own now which I managed to source from Ebay.

My grandad was never able to tell me about what happened to him as I was only 4 years old when he died. All I can remember about him was sitting on his knee, getting piggy backs and knuckle sandwiches. I had no idea what a hero he was and what he went through.

I know he was very ill I remember before he died he looked bad. He was only 58, he died from Lung cancer, due to smoking.