He was one of only two crewmen who made it ashore alive after an appalling maritime disaster in the Faroe Islands, which saw the Royal Navy record its worst losses of the Second World War.
William Craig Smith spent more than three days stranded on a raft and endured the agony of watching his comrades die one by one as they drifted in the North Atlantic without food or water.
Sadly, the 26-year-old Glasgwegian’s battle for survival ended tragically. He died of his wounds shortly after reaching dry land, leaving a wife and a newborn son who he never got to meet.
Able Seaman Smith was one of eight Royal Navy sailors buried side-by-side in a cemetery in the island’s capital, Torshavn.
They ended up on the islands after the German battle cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau sunk the British aircraft carrier HMS Glorious and her two destroyer escorts HMS Ardent and HMS Acasta.
The sinking of the ships, which were returning home from Norway, on
June 8, 1940, resulted in the loss of 1,519 British and Maltese sailors, marines and airmen.
Researchers uncovered an account of Able Seaman Smith’s last few days in a memoir written almost 50 years ago by Leading Seaman Nick Carter, who was the only man to make it home from the wreck of HMS Acasta.
His book, which is now out of print, describes how he spent three days and 19 hours with his friend “Smithy” on a Carley Float, the standard life-raft fitted to warships.
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When Mr Carter swam to the raft, his friend and messmate Smithy was already there and seemed “all right”.
But it soon became apparent he was desperately ill, barely talking or moving and suffering from “paroxysms of choking”. Together they watched the Acasta sink with the captain still on the bridge, calmly smoking a cigarette as he went down with his ship.
The book described wounded men on the raft, toppling into the water as they died.
As the bodies piled up on the vessel, corpses had to be tipped off in an attempt to make room for those still in the water. Around 60-70 corpses were put overboard.
The death toll was so great that eventually only seven men were left alive on three rafts.
Mr Carter, Mr Smith and one other sailor, who later died before they could be rescued, were on one raft.
“Smithy sat in the centre, legs outstretched, head down, eyes closed, the water lapping around his waist. He had not moved or uttered a sound for hours, and they’d been afraid that he would fall off if they left him on the edge of the raft,” Mr Carter wrote.
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The three of them sat “muffled in the clothing of the dead”, becoming thirstier and thirstier. At one point, Smithy said he was going to make a cup of tea, stood up and made for the side before his comrades grabbed him.
Another time, he confided in Mr Carter that his wife Mary Ann had given birth to their son William just a few weeks before.
Eventually, the two sailors were picked up by the Faroes-bound Norwegian trawler Bourgen.
After he was rescued, Mr Carter found Smithy in the trawler skipper’s cabin.
Although Smithy’s face was “chalk white”, Mr Carter was hopeful that his friend would pull through and reminded him that he had his baby to live for.
“He was a good lad, always full of fun on board,” Mr Carter recalled. The pair shared a joke, but Smithy did not think he would make it and thanked Mr Carter for all that he had done for him.
Mr Carter left the cabin and never saw his comrade again.
Details of his desperate struggle came to light after UK Government Scotland Minister Iain Stewart visited his grave in Torshavn, while on a trade mission to Denmark.
He said: “I was deeply moved when I learnt of the ordeal suffered by Able Seaman Smith and his comrades when I visited Torshavn cemetery.
“It was a privilege to lay a wreath in memory of all those who gave their lives for us.
"Their sacrifice must never be forgotten. During the last war close bonds were forged between the UK and the Faroe Islands, which are still strong today.”
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