The Laconia Sinking - 1942

 On 12 September 1942, 130 miles from Ascension Island, the British ship Laconia was hit by a torpedo from  German U-boat U-156. The ship was carrying 1,800 Italian POW's. In addition there were also 160 Polish guards who were tasked with the care of those prisoners. There were also 268 British Sailors, soldiers and nurses, the majority of whom were women. There were approximately 2,200 souls aboard her. 

The ship was a Cunard liner pressed into service for the war  She was hit by a second torpedo and sank.

The ship's Commander, Captain Sharp, ordered the women, children and injured into what was left of the lifeboats, most of which had been destroyed by the second torpedo. The Italian POW's were mostly killed, though a handful did survive, along with some of their Polish captors. The Italian survivors were denied entry into the lifeboats and some were even shot and bayoneted by the Polish guards. Only 415 of the 1,800 POW's survived. Most of the British and Polish survived.

The ship then sank and Captain Sharp, along with the remaining Italian prisoners were still aboard. Those who escaped were adrift in shark infested waters along with the few remaining lifeboats, which were all full of the women, children and injured. There was little hope of rescue. It was just 40 years after the loss of the Titanic.

Here is where the story takes an interesting turn. The U--boat Commander, Kapitanleutnant Werner Hartenstein, upon realizing that there were civilians, as well as POW's aboard the lifeboats, and some adrift in the water, ordered his U-boat to surface and commence rescue operations. In addition he sent for other U-boats to come and assist in this operation. 

Again, another tragic twist of fate ensued. The other U-boats who came to assist him all flew Red Cross flags as required, and even signalled that a rescue operation was underway. In spite of this, by the following morning, with rescue operations still ongoing, a USAAF B-24 Liberator sighted the U-boats and the survivors. 

In spite of the Red Cross flags and the non coded message concerning the rescue, even listing the coordinates of the U-boats, in violation of their orders to remain at radio silence to avoid detection, the B-24 attacked both the U-boats and the survivors of the Laconia. 

Hartenstein even radioed the plane to apprise Captain Richardson on the B-24 of the situation. His message was ignored and the attack continued.  Later, when Richardson said he never received the original communication from Ascension, this proved that he was not telling the truth and that there was no excuse for his actions, which forced the U-boats to submerge with their decks crowded with injured and other survivors, including the lifeboats being towed.

The result of this incident led to the Laconia Order by Admiral Donitz, which stated that hereafter his U-boat commanders were not to rescue survivors after attacks. 

Even with Vichy French ships subsequently rescuing 1,083 persons from the lifeboats and taking  aboard those picked up by the four submarines, only about 1,000  survived the sinking. The rest were lost. As a result of Captain Richardson, as many people died from the Laconia's sinking than were lost by the Titanic. In total, 98 crewmembers, 133 passengers, 33 Polish guards and about 1,400 Italian POW's perished. 

Of Titanic's total of 2,240 passengers and crew, only 706 passengers and crew survived. 1,500 were lost.

War is hell, and this incident highlights the savegry of both sides. It also highlights the assertion that in war, there are no real winners.

"The Time of Their Lives" - Abbott and Costello

 I hope you will read this. Maybe you won't watch it. But it's worth the read. It's the story of the only film Abbott and Costello ever made in which they do not play their usual comedic duo. As a matter of fact, Bud Abbott plays a dual role set 165 years apart. And that is what makes this film outstanding. The only real slapstick in it is performed briefly by Lou Costello. The two actors are presented in completely separate roles.

This story begins during the American Revolution and Costello plays a tinker named Horatio, who is in love with a servant girl named Nora. He hasn't enough money to buy her out of bondage in order to marry her, but armed with a letter of recommendation by General George Washington praising his work as a tinker and a Patriot, is poised to make both their desires a reality.

The Master of the house, Tom Danbury, is a spy for King George. His butler, Cuthbert, is played by Bud Abbott. And when he learns of the letter from General Washington, he steals that letter and hides it in a secret compartment in a clock.

Horatio decides that, rather than to wait and recover the letter to marry Nora, he will elope with her. To do this he enlists the aid of Melody, a social equal, who is in love with the Master, Tom Danbury, but knows nothing of his being a spy. Together, her and Horatio go forth to find the means of obtaining the money for Horatio to marry his love.

On the way out by horseback at night, with Melody dressed as a man, they are mistaken for traitors by General Putnam and his men. Horatio and Melody, fearing that these soldiers are British, fire a shot at them and are shot and killed as they attempt to flee. Their bodies are then stuffed down the well, and cursed to never have their spirits roam beyond the confines of the property until such time as evidence of their innocence can be uncovered. The rebels then loot the house of all its furniture and then burn it down. 

165 years pass with Horatio and Melody confined to the property. And then the local historical society, with the help of Danbury's memoirs and Dr. Greenway, the descendant of his butler, again played by Bud Abbott, rebuild the house exactly as it stood. A plaque is also placed by the well containing the two bodies which identifies them as traitors. The two must now recover both their dignity and their freedom. 

They also recover every piece of furniture that was looted, except for the original clock, which is now housed in a museum. This is the piece containing the letter which will set both Horatio and Melody free. 

This is the only film the comedy duo ever made where they are not paired as sidekicks. Instead, they play separate characters. And that, along with a wonderful plot, including 2 love stories, set over 165 years, make this film very worth watching. 

"Sweet Violets" and Other Songs Which Do Not Rhyme

 "Sweet Violets" by Jane Turzy, from 1951 was the first song I ever remember which didn't rhyme. It broke all the rules. I call it implied rhyming, which is the product of the rhythm. I was about 5 when I first heard it in 1959. My Mom had a huge collection of records from the late1920's up through the 1950's.

Another song which fit this category was "Moonlight in Vermont" by Margaret Whiting. That might have been a 78 from 1950. This was when record players had 4 speeds; 78, 45, 33-1/3 and 16 RPM's.

"Suzanne" by Leonard Cohen, recorded around 1967, almost makes the grade, except for that 3 line refrain, which rhymed "blind" with "mind". But that was more as a way of connecting, or resolving,  the verses, so to me it makes the grade..

"America", by Simon and Garfunkel, from 1972, is another real gem. That song says a lot with no rhyme at all.

"What a Piece of Work is Man", from the musical Hair, is another outstanding example of this type of song.   

There are scores of songs like these, right up through the present. They seem to be products of stream of consciousness, and so easily written. But it takes an innate talent to pull it off, marrying the lyrics to a rhythm,  rather than making the rhythm fit the lyrics.

Love to hear any titles you may have noticed which I haven't mentioned. Generally speaking I'm about 10 years behind the times. New or old, doesn't  matter.......

Up Above the Snowline

 Up above the snow line

where the cold wind blows,
it's rare to see a footprint
In freshly fallen snow.

You might see a deer track,
or some birds in search of seed.
Nobody comes out there,
unless they need to feed.

The snow hangs on the tree limbs
and it muffles all the sound
of the freshly fallen snow
covering the ground.

But sometimes late at night
when the temperature falls low,
you hear a tree limb crack and fall
softly in the snow.

Photo by Walter Francis Whitmere
Poem by Robert William's

January 24th, 2023

Happy New Year!

Here's to a Happy and Healthy 2023 to everyone! 

May you all get as much as you give;  

 in love and in health.

My Fish Story

 My Mom and Dad were not the most encouraging of parents. For instance, at the age of ten I wanted a guitar and got one- but my parents said I would never be any good at it. When I wrote they would tell me that it was good but I would never make a living at it. So it is no wonder that, when I was 12 years old and planned to use my earnings from the delivery of the NY Post to go fishing, I was told that I would catch nothing.

Setting out early that day- at least by my standards- about 10 o’clock in the morning - I headed to Sheepshead Bay which is about 1 mile from where our family’s apartment was on Avenue R and East 14th Street. I had used my weeks earnings to buy a rod , reel and fishing tackle box complete with hooks, sinkers and lures.

I set up at the end of one of the piers along Edmonds Avenue and threaded my line with a hook and a fresh , live, wriggling worm. There was not, in my estimation, a fish in the sea that could resist this attractive piece of bait.

I sat for hours, hoping, indeed praying for a bite. I felt the sudden tug on my line several times and reeled in frantically to claim my prize, I was rewarded with a sucession of an old rubber boot, a large Horseshoe Crab, and other assorted non edible residents of the Bay.

Lunch had come and gone, I feasted that day on a bologna sandwich and a Yoo Hoo-But still no fish on the line. I was already dreading going home empty handed and listening to the “I told you that you wouldn’t catch anything” that I was sure to hear from my parents and the ribbing I would have to take from my older brother.

I was still sitting there with the weight of the world coming down on me at 3 PM as I realized that yet another dream was about to be dashed by the unrelenting forces of reality. At this time of day the fishing boats began to return to their piers, laden with fresh caught Tuna, Flounder, Snapper and the like, all underscoring my failure to catch something edible.

The merchants assembled on the pier to purchase the fresh catch, which they would then take back to the various neighborhood restaurants and fish shops for sale. I was devastated by my failure to make a single catch while all about me the boats were unloading tons of fresh caught beautiful, aromatic fish.

Slowly the crowds of buyers left the piers, bound for shops, restaurants and homes where there would be fresh seafood that night. The skipper of the boat nearest me was hosing down the deck and began tossing some things into the Bay, catching my attention.

Meekly, I approached the boat and standing dejectedly with my rod and tackle box in hand, I must have made a lonely and forlorn sight. “Catch anything?” asked the skipper, pausing in his cleanup. “No, no luck today, but tomorrow I’ll try again.” was the only reply I could make. “What ya using fer bait?” asked the man. “Worms” I replied. “Well, Hell’s Bells, no wonder you didn’t get nuthin’- you need some real bait.” With that he tossed me 2 fish, each about as large as my 12 year old hand. “Try these” he said and then returned to his work.

I contemplated trying them as bait when I realized the answer to my predicament was now right in my hands. Sitting on the edge of the pier I put hooks in the mouths of my 2 Behemouths and strung them to a short lead, just like in the movies, or like Opie and Andy on TV. Now I was ready to go home.

As I entered our apartment my Mom said from the kitchen, “Didn’t catch anything, right?” Now I had her, “As a matter of fact I caught two” was my reply. Surprised, she shot back- “ Well , you got lucky that’s all.” But there must have been some surprise that I had anything at all because my Dad arrived home a short time later and took a photo of me holding my prize catch. And then they threw the fish away, because they were probably “dirty” and not to be cooked or eaten.

But if you look closely at the picture , you can see it in my eyes and the smile on my face- I had 2 fish- no matter how I got them – I had them. And for years my parents kept that photo in a frame on the piano and would proudly exclaim “Look at the fish Robert caught in Sheepshead Bay!” I think that’s the part of the story I like best.

For Phyllis Drivas

I watch as leaves fall from the trees
Like lives they fall til no one greives
And no one's left, and they all leave
life always ends this way.

Time goes by, both good and bad
Emotions pass, first joy, then sad
And when it ends we're sometimes glad
that no one's born to stay.

So why then do we take it hard,
when left here standing in the dark
Life seems empty, void and stark
and in our hearts we pray.

Reduced to only flesh and bone
We're all born to die alone
There's no reprieve from hard, cold stone
a void that's marked in grey.

From me and Sue. ❤

December 7, 2022