James Wafer started service as an Able Seaman during World War 1 and had survived active service as a teenage merchant man on a ship called Romney. He signed up in 1915 at the age of 18.
This is the story of my Grandad, James Wafer and his best friend and shipmate Matty Towers. In May 1943 S.S. Samaria was in West Huskisson dock at my grandfather's home port of Liverpool.
At 5.00 p.m. on Thursday 13th of May 1943, my grandfather Jim reported for duty on troop ship S.S. Samaria to J. Lowe 2nd officer.
At 5.10 p.m. he was assigned A.R.P. duty by S. Pentith 3rd officer.
From 10.00 a.m. 11.00 p.m. he was seen on his rounds attending to blackout by J. Lowe.
1.30 a.m. Friday 14th of May 1943 Jim Wafer was seen apparently asleep in Seaman Gunners Quarters by Able Seaman Stanley Poole. A little after 1.30 a.m. the last person to speak to Grandad was Able Seaman M. Towers.
When he talked to my Grandad he was told that he had a bad headache.
These were to be my grandfather's final words on earth.
At 8.00 a.m. Matty Towers looked in his bunk and then reported Grandad missing to the Bosun, J. Hynes. Shortly after, Samaria set sail for Algiers via the River Clyde, Glasgow. Samaria sailed out of Liverpool on Friday 14th of May 1943 and was on the Clyde Monday 17th of May.
Samaria sailed from Clyde 19th of May to Algiers and arrived 27th of May 1943.
At 6.25 p.m. Wednesday 26th of May 1943 P.C. William Gibb and Sgt Fox found my Grandad's body in the South West corner of the West Huskisson dock. Two days later the Coroner held an inquest into Grandad's death and the verdict was given as unascertainable. Thomas Coakley examined the body and states no violence was used in his death but his body was badly damaged, due to it being trapped for days under the lock gates of the dock. He listed drowning as the probable cause of death.
The funeral for 46 year old Jim Wafer was held on Tuesday 1st of June 1943 at St Dominic's Roman Catholic Church then burial at Ford Cemetery.
On the Samaria crew list and report of character, James Wafer and Matty Towers are consecutive number 59 & 60. For ability and general conduct both men are reported as very good.
By the 26th of June 1943 the crew of the Samaria had heard of the body of Jim Wafer being found in Liverpool. At 7.05 p.m. Matthew Towers A.B. (M.N. Gunner) fell from the gun platform on A deck to B deck, receiving head injuries. On being examined by the ship's surgeon life was found to be extinct.
At 7.45 p.m. the Samaria was about to sail. At this point the body of Matthew Towers A.B. was taken ashore by the military authorities for burial. On 28th of May 1943 he was buried in El Alia Cemetery Algiers.
The official record of these two mens' deaths falls so short of telling the whole story. Against J. Wafer it states "he failed to re-join ship" and for M. Towers it reads "died as result of accident". Strange that we have sworn coroners statements from my grandfather's inquest placing him on the ship and performing his duties, but the official entry in the log claims he failed to re-join the ship. The official records state the purser took possession of his discharge book, his I.D. card and his grey suit jacket.
For Matty Towers the three witness statements into his death are very contradictory. Those giving evidence included J. Cornwall M.N. Gunner, R. W. Orr D.E.M.S. Gunner and T. Moulton Sectionman. One statement indicates he fell forward unhindered over the gun deck another says he staggered, gripped a rail and fell backwards to his death. The third statement, quite surprising, from W. Orr, is missing from the official records although he is listed as giving evidence to the inquiry into Matty Towers death.
Matthew Towers was 48 years old when he lost his life.
