245499 PO. Alfred Hamilton "Scouse" Eaton CdeG.Royal Navy HMS Philoctetes from:Liverpool My father, Alfred Eaton, told me quite a bit about Freetown. He certainly mentioned HMS Philoctetes as one ship on which he served. What he thought of Freetown is pretty much summed up by impressions on similar sites of those who were there. One additional story was of crew having been invited to a party by a local chief 'King' Caulker. Plenty of food and drink and a good time had by all until a man from Grimsby named Rafferty shouted 'where are the women?' The party came to an abrupt end. There is an interruption between ships on my Dad's service record, from 1941 to 1942 approx. This is accounted for, I believe, as the time that his minesweeper (name unknown) was torpedoed and sunk. He and one other reached shore and were detained by Vichy French forces. I do not know where, but conditions were bad and he was badly wounded with shrapnel. However, arrival of US forces saw surrender of the French in North Africa and my Dad's release and repatriation to a hospital in Scotland. One of his mates on this ship was from Lowestoft. I do not know his name except he was known as Yarboy.
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