12th February 1943
EXCITING ADVENTURES

A few of the exciting adventures of the British submarine, Porpoise, whose exploits in the Mediterranean during the past year or so have become almost legendary, and which survived 100 depth charges, have been recounted to the ''Express'' by a member of its crew; telegraphist John Bannister, of Star Buildings, Pontefract. John joined the Navy in June 1940, after volunteering for submarine work, and has been engaged in that dangerous work ever since, His first ship was the Oberon, but after four months he was transferred to the Porpoise. ''It was fairly routine work, and nothing exciting occured while I was on the Oberon'', he said. He admitted that ''things livened up'' after he joined the Porpoise, but was reluctant to reveal much more than that. Promptings by members of his family, however, helped him recall some of the incidents in which the vessel was involved during its months in the Mediterranean. “For some months”, he said, “the ship was engaged in keeping Malta supplied with vital cargos from Mediterranean ports, including petrol for the R.A.F. When she returned to her home base, she carried a flag which has not been seen on any other submarine in Britain. It bore the letters P.C.S., which mean ''Porpoise Carrier Service'.”

The Porpoise was the first submarine to land a cargo of petrol and mines to carry out mine laying operations during her passage. Telegraphist Bannister said the Porpoise survived more than 1200 depth charges within four days, the last 27 of which were dropped by a destroyer. He agreed that was one of his most exciting experiences. ''The attack occured early in the morning, we surfaced at midnight and were unable to dive again.'' Another exploit of the Porpoise was when she tried to ''get a line'' on two ships in Derna harbour when it was occupied by the enemy. ''We ran aground going into the harbour, because of the shallow water. We managed to get away without being detected, but we had some anxious moments.''

Later the Porpoise undertook patrol work, and he confessed that the ship had some ''good luck'' during that period, and never returned to base without sinking a vessel belonging to the enemy. It had higher than average sinkings during four or five months of patrol work than any other submarine in the Mediterranean, and during one patrol, sank a large tanker and an armed ship which was carrying benzine. The armed vessel was engaged with gunfire, and eventually had to cease fire, and was abandoned. It was the submarines first gun action and a tonic for the crew. The Porpoise's victims included a supply ship which was hit and beached, a transport ship, hit and sunk, and another probably sunk, two supply ships and the tanker.

Bannister declares that he enjoys the life and work on a submarine, with its thrills and hazards, and much prefers it to service on a surface vessel. He expects to join another submarine shortly and return to the Mediterranean. Telegraphist Bannister was born in Pontefract, and educated at St. Joseph's School. Before he joined the Navy, for seven years he was a shop assistant in London. He is unmarried, but hopes to announce his engagement shortly to a Pontefract girl. He is the only son of Mr. and Mrs J. Bannister.