The boy sailor who grew into a U-boat hunter
MY DAD Tom, born and raised in Belfast, was a boy sailor who became a U-boat hunter.
He was 17 when he joined the Royal Navy in 1937 and, because war was declared shortly after, he used to joke that they’d been looking for volunteers and he made the mistake of stepping forward. But he didn’t regret it.
He had a wealth of funny anecdotes, focused on the adventure and the camaraderie.
His favourite tale was when his ship was hit by a torpedo. He told us the crew were clambering up the gangways to get out when the Chief Petty Officer stopped them and said: ‘Don’t forget you are sailors. Stand still!’ When they stopped, the officer ran up in front of them. He laughed so much at that.
In 1940, he qualified as a submarine detector (sonar operator) and discovered a talent for it.
Once, he and his shipmates sank three U-boats in one patrol and made the news bulletins.
Much of his war was spent escorting merchant vessels across the Atlantic and to Russia. He also saw action in the Mediterranean, Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean. Of all his medals, the thing he treasured most was his kukri knife, presented to him by the Gurkhas after he helped land some of them in Basra.
When home on leave, his sister set him up on a double date and he met my mum, Isabella. For the wedding, the neighbours saved up their sugar rations to make a cake. He was a good father to my sister and I, firm but fair.
After the war, he eventually set up as a painter and decorator. I joined him in the business later. In 1973, I moved from Belfast — it was the height of the Troubles — to Bognor. Mum and Dad uprooted to join us. He loved it by the sea.
The only great sadness in his life was when Mum died eight years ago. They did everything together — darts, bowling, even going to the football. He adored his four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Dad died aged 97. He typified a generation who went to war quietly and never made a fuss. That’s what was extraordinary about men like him.
TOM PARKE, born February 19, 1920, died February 10, 2018, aged 97.