An interesting letter has been received by the relatives of Cpl Harvie G. Clayton (Army Service Corps), of Biscot Road, and son of Mr and Mrs Clayton, of 84 Cromwell Road. Until January last he was employed by hat manufacturer Mr F. S. Biggs, of Guildford Street, as an accountant. On joining up he immediately got his stripes.

On the way to Salonica he had some exciting experiences through his ship being torpedoed, but he arrived safely at last. In his letter dated May 17th, Cpl Clayton described the details of his journey by rail and boat. He then continues:

"We had nearly finished breakfast when all of a sudden we heard a very heavy thud and crackling noise, and water at once started to rush down into our mess room. We, of course, knew at once what had happened, and I well remember saying to another chap who sat at the table beside me, 'They have got us'.

"We all snatched up our lifebelts and, after a little scramble, managed to get on deck to the lifeboats that we had been told to go to, but I had had a good shower-bath getting up the gangway from the mess room. Our boat was lowered about 20 minutes after, and I followed the other chap and slid down the rope into the small boat. We were then told to stand by and not to go far away from the ship.

"After I had been in the boat about an hour I was sick, and so I laid at the bottom of the boat and did not actually see the ship sink. Luckily the ship had a cargo of wood on board. This kept her afloat longer than she would have done.

"She sank about an hour and a half after she was struck but, sorry to say, this did not enable all to be saved. We were about 350 miles, roughly, from our destination and about 100 miles from the nearest place where we could get help.

"Our escort cruised round the spot for about three hours, but nobody appears to have seen anything of the sub. A wireless message had already been sent out before we left the ship and answered, but it would be four hours before help would arrive.

"About 11 am, as near as I can say, our escort stopped and picked up all the men in the boats, and the sailors were exceptionally good to us, and those that needed clothing were soon supplied with something or other. As it happened I had not taken my clothes off that night at all, so I was already dressed when it occurred. But some had no shoes on; others were in their shirt and trousers only. They also supplied us with hot coffee as soon as we got aboard.

"About this time two more ships appeared on the horizon which showed that the message that it would take four hours was correct. They were told that everybody had been picked up (that were in the boats) and that their help was not needed, and so they went off again.

"About 11.30 our escort started off to her base, which was reached about 6.30 in the evening, a mater of about 100 miles - and did she shift, I can tell you, although she was crowded with the men picked up.

"We were given a good slice of bread and bully beef about dinner time, and as I felt better after getting on board I was jolly hungry and enjoyed this meal. A petty officer took another chap and myself down to his mess for tea, which we thoroughly enjoyed.

"We were sent aboard another boat which was being repaired in the bay and stayed there until the following Tuesday morning. We had a very monotonous time on board this boat and could buy nothing at all, and so we were jolly pleased when 25 of our party were told on the Monday night to be ready at 6 o'clock next morning to proceed to Salonica.

"By coincidence it happened that we were going on the same ship that picked us up, and I can tell you we had a jolly fine trip. The sailors treated us like lords, and we should not have minded if we had a longer journey to go.

"We arrived about 7.30 Wednesday evening and were taken ashore about 8.30, when a motor lorry took us to the Expeditionary Force Canteen Headquarters and they had a meal ready for us on arrival. They made us as comfortable as they possibly could, the fellows there lending us some of their blankets. The next day we were fitted out again with underclothing, blankets etc...I am pleased to say I am now getting on well and have very little to grumble about."

[Beds & Herts Saturday Telegraph: June 23rd, 1917]