World War II and the children's experience
Page 1
Written by Louis Walder, sole survivor amongst the children in Michael's life boat
Dear Sir,
The first time I saw Mr. Rennie, your son, after the torpedoing of the ship at 10 p.m. on the Tuesday night, was when he was helping the children to get to their lifeboat, often at great risk to himself as the ship was badly damaged.
Then when he could do no more he got into my lifeboat and sat on the seat holding two small children in his arms.
Then the rope by which the lifeboat was being lowered jammed, and so he cut it through with his penknife so as to make it easier. Then whilst the boat was being lowered the rest of the way down, it tilted up and the occupants were catapulted into the stormy sea, your son included.
Here I lost sight of him until later on when I saw him on a raft. The lifeboat in which I was, managed to pick him and others up. After he had been in the boat some time he saw a number of children in the water in danger of drowning so he promptly dived in and again and again to rescue them; which he did most successfully.
The other men warned him repeatedly not to do so as he would get exhausted; but he said, "There are still children in the water and I must get them." The other men did their best for the children already in the boat in helping them.
This naturally exhausted your son a great deal but he continued encouraging the people with words of comfort.
Then the seas got much rougher and the waves higher and higher and the boat got very water-logged, the water reaching to my chest about four feet deep. The water-level rose much higher and we were seized with cramp and got very stiff. Still Mr. Rennie persuaded us that help would be coming, and even told us what to do when health came.
Then at about 6 p.m. on the Wednesday evening, Mr. Rennie caught sight of a warship and tried to stand up on is unsteady seat (which, as everybody said, was the act of a very brave man) in order to wave to attract the attention of the warship.
However, this was when the tragedy occurred; owing to his repeated efforts to rescue the drowning children, Mr. Rennie's condition was naturally more exhausted than the other men's; and owing to the great strain your dear son collapsed, and fell, I think dead into the water which field the water-logged boat. The men in the boat tried with all their strength to lift him out of the water, but being themselves exhausted, and Mr. Rennie being deadweight, it was impossible to do so; and so he died in helping others right to the end.
His last words were, "Hurrah! Here comes the destroyer. Thank God."
A Czech and a German refugee were sitting near your son, and one of them said a prayer for your son in which the others joined. I am sorry I am so far away, as I expect you would like to talk to me about your son. I am sure he was a very brave man.
Your sincerely,
Louis Walder