Author
Joan Banfield nee Street
Branch
Royal Navy and Royal Marines
Personal Stories
Alfred Street was a Gunner in the Defensively Equipped Merchant Ships (DEMS) which was later renamed the Maritime Royal Artillery during WWII.
After two voyages to America (where he and Arthur Bowes were taken to the home of the Whitney family for the weekend) he sailed to Gibraltar. On the return journey there was an explosion onboard and the Captain ordered the abandonment to the lifeboats. Alfred said the Asian crew were praying loudly all night. Come morning the ship was still afloat so the Captain ordered them all to reboard and they limped home to Liverpool – prayers answered.
In the late summer of 1943 the newly built BEHAR loaded up her first cargo and set sail for Australia calling at ports in South Africa and India en route. She was not in convoy.
While in an Indian port Alfred was hospitalised after being injured in an air raid by the Japanese. He rejoined BEHAR and continued to Australia where he enjoyed a wonderful Christmas on a “lovely beach”.
On their return journey there was an engine breakdown and they were a fortnight late, during which time the Japanese cruiser TONE spotted her and mercilessly shelled her until she sank and most of the survivors slaughtered. Lifeboats were deliberately rammed, men machine-gunned in the water, and those picked up, more often than not, either beheaded or bayoneted. This March 9th 1944.
Four lifeboats crowded with 104 survivors got away from the sinking ship and were later taken onboard TONE. The captain was ordered to keep only 35 PoWs and the remainder were executed – first beaten then beheaded. The atrocity took place on March 18/19 1944.
After the war Alfred’s mother advertised asking anyone with further information to visit. A young man did show up but Alfred’s mother didn’t note his name or address. It is now believed that he was Walter Griffiths, RN Petty Officer in charge of the 17 DEMS Gunners.
PO Griffiths was one of the 35 chosen survivors from the sinking of the BEHAR put in a PoW Camp in Batania. He survived the war and died in 2002. It was probably he who reported the atrocity and gave evidence at the War Crimes trial.
Altogether 800 merchant seamen were murdered by the Japanese.