‘Dan Captained A Daring Sea Rescue’
Martin Coldicott is fascinated by the life of his relation Daniel Parker, who hit the headlines 70 years ago when his vessel took part in a perilous mission. By Gail Dixon
On Christmas night 1951 the cargo ship Flying Enterprise was en route from Hamburg to the USA, and heading for a storm. There were 10 passengers on board.
The vessel was about 400 miles west of Land’s End when it was caught in a Force 10 gale. On Boxing Day, a rogue wave slammed into the ship and it began to take on water.
Its captain Henrik Kurt Carlsen issued an SOS the following morning, by which time the ship was listing 45 degrees to port. The whole nation was gripped by the coverage on British Pathé News.
Various ships responded to the distress call, including the ocean rescue tug Turmoil captained by Frederick Daniel Parker. He is Martin Coldicott’s great uncle.
“I wish I could have met Dan, but I never had the chance,” Martin explains. “He’ll be best remembered for his bravery during the rescue of Flying
Enterprise, but his earlier life was interesting too.”
Dan was born into a family of mariners in Itchen, Southampton, in 1891. “He began working on his father’s trawler when he was aged 13, and progressed to merchant ships and luxury yachts.
“During the First World War, Dan served on armed trawlers and ships transporting troops to the Dardanelles. By his 30s he’d become a master mariner, had travelled the world and had helped to smuggle whisky to prohibition America.
“In addition, Dan served in the Second World War as a lieutenant commander on convoy escort duties and minesweepers. I’ve read that he did secret experimental work for the Admiralty, possibly involving testing radar equipment.”
Dan married Edith Laura Sumner, and they had a daughter, Janet. It’s hard to imagine how his family felt as reports emerged of Turmoil being involved in the rescue of Flying Enterprise.
Following the SOS, British and US ships had arrived and rescued all but one of the crew and passengers. Carlsen refused to leave his ship in case it could be salvaged, and spent six nights on board alone, hungry and cold.
Turmoil arrived on 3 January, and Dan sailed alongside the stricken ship so that a line could be thrown to its captain – a hazardous venture in angry seas.
“It became clear that Carlsen couldn’t secure the tow line alone, so Dan had to make a close approach to allow his first mate Kenneth Dancy to leap on board
Flying Enterprise. He attempted this without wearing a life jacket, and became famous across the world for ‘Dancy’s Leap’.”
The line was secured, and the flotilla sailed for Falmouth. Six days later, they were just 45 miles from the coast when the line broke. Carlsen and Dancy had to abandon ship and leapt into the sea before being rescued by Turmoil. Flying Enterprise disappeared under the waves.
Turmoil docked in Falmouth the th next day, heralded by cheering crowds. c “It was thrilling to see DDan interviewed on British Pathé News. He was very modest and said, ‘Of course, to us this is just an ordinary job.’ ”
Captain Carlsen’s bravery was recognised in a ticker-tape parade in New York. The crew of
Turmoil were awarded payments in appreciation of their courage, presented by the US ambassador.
“Dan was awarded an MBE the same year. He deserved it. He’d had a life of adventure, and had served his country well.
“Three years later he passed away after an accident at sea. Several newspapers ran obituaries commending his war work, as well as his expertise navigating
Turmoil through peril in 1952.”
to Dan had to make a close approach board allow his firstmate to leap on