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Her engines were again started up, but she was followed, to be attacked by the torpedo boats at night. Two torpedoes struck home, but this ship did not go down. she radioed her plight and Capetown responded:- "A Cruiser is coming to pick you up."

SKL had previously told Ruckteschell that the only Cruisers in the area, were old "C" class ones, no better armed than himself, or, Armed Merchant Cruisers of similar type to those that "Thor" had already dealt with effectively. He decided to set up an ambush, and treat any British Cruiser as "Kormoran" had done to "Sydney," and waited over the horizon, pretending to be a British ship, that was going to the aid of the US Liberty ship.

When he thought it right, off he went back to the last position of "George Clymer," but, on arrival, too late, nothing there, just away in the distance, a hint of a tripod mast of the British Cruiser, off; with the American survivors already rescued.

This ship was in fact, "Thor's" old protagonist, the Armed Merchant Cruiser, "Alcantara" she had come across the badly damaged American, sank her, and picked up her crew.

In another week, another victim, the 5,200 ton "Lylepark" from Glasgow, ex New York for the Cape carrying 8,000 tons of useflil warlike stores. She was immediately struck in the charthouse and on the boatdeck by the Raider's shells, and fires caused her abandor:i:nent. All the crew bailed out, except Captain Low, and his Chief Officer, both wished to avoid captivity.

These two intrepid sailors used a boat's falls to lower themselves into a damaged lifeboat, still alongside. It promptly sank under them, the two officers swam away, the Chief Officer taking refuge on a raft, the Captain almost worn out, at last, found a raft. The Raider steamed past, watching "Lylebank" burn. By dawn the ship sank, and 'Michel" had gone.

Low discovered the water tank on his raft was near empty, another raft ranged up alongside, this one with a full water tank. An aircraft flew over head, he fired distress rockets, to be ignored, and in despair watched it land on board a distant Carrier. A second aircraft took off; this time he was lucky, he was spotted, and very soon was rescued and aboard the British escort Carrier, "Archer."

Low was dropped off at Freetown, after another week, his Chief Officer, plus his 2nd. Officer arrived by courtesy of the "Avila Star." Captain Low arranged to take passage to Liverpool in this ship, but, on the night of the 5th. of July, "Avila Star" was torpedoed North East of the Azores.

The first lifeboat that Low was to board, quickly sank before it could take survivors, he made it into a second boat, which was immediately destroyed by a second torpedo fired at the sinking vessel. Low was tossed into the water being wounded in an arm and shoulder, he swam as best as he could, covered in oil, to be picked up by another boat, which quickly sank.

Other life boats rescued these seamen, including Low, and finally, they were picked up by a Portuguese destroyer. What a saga for one brave, determined Captain from the Merchant Navy!

'Michel" had 22 survivors from '~ylepark," and transferred them to the supply ship and blockade runner "Doggerbank"- in her former life she had been "Speybank" captured by "Atlantis" in January 1941. This supply ship had made two successlul round trips between Burope and the Far Bast.


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