The Strathallan Story

LEN HUMPHREY 1924-2003

In previous newsletters we gave the story of the "Strathallan" troopship, its demise and the people involved. This story was meticulously researched by Ken Chambers, gathering the facts, and writing to those that were involved. Alf Blackett our member in Austria was one of the survivors, and he struck up a friendship with one of the crewmen a Len Humphrey. Alf and Len met in April 1989 and had their photograph taken together. In May of this year Alf had the sad news of Len passing away, the letter was by Len's son Peter. Peter had tried to contact all of his dad's friends, but some had no addresses, but in due course was able to get in contact with Alf. Len lost his wife in the early part of the year, and with his heart disease, he almost gave up on himself. He continued to represent all merchant seamen as President of the Plymouth Merchant Navy Association right up to the last minute. Len and his son Peter went together to London in August 2003 for the Strathallan re-union at Greenwich Maritime Museum . Atlantic Day is due and Peter has been invited by the Merchant Navy Association to attend the ceremony at the Barbican steps as a member of HM Coastguard Search and Rescue. I am sure that Peter's thoughts will be with his father and all those that gave the great sacrifice for our freedom today.

The Merchant Navy was always referred to as the "Fourth Service" and was treated very differently in various ways. One of these ways was when a person was torpedoed, just like Len, his pay was stopped from that minute, until he was aboard another ship and working; looking back at those wartime days it was rather sad of a government to do that. In my hometown of Barry it is only a few years ago that a monument was erected to the Merchant Navy depicting the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian and Antarctic Oceans on the four faces. This homage to our Merchant Navy friends was long overdue. BRIAN RICH 7/04

(This article was taken from the Gloster Gladiator Issue 169. July 2004)