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WWII Survivor Recounts Torpedo Attack Survival
11 Nov
Summary
- Young marine survived sinking of HMS Charybdis in freezing waters.
- He later joined Ian Fleming's secret 30AU commando unit.
- Now the last surviving shipmate, he emphasizes remembrance.
In the frigid waters of the English Channel, 19-year-old John Eskdale narrowly survived the sinking of HMS Charybdis on October 23, 1943, after it was hit by two German torpedoes. Clinging to debris for four hours in freezing conditions, he was among the just over 100 survivors from a crew of nearly 500.
Eskdale's wartime experiences began earlier, having survived bombing raids in Bath during the Blitz at age 16. Driven by a desire to fight back, he enlisted in the Royal Marines, eventually serving on HMS Charybdis. Following the sinking, he volunteered for what was described as 'Hazardous Service'.
He discovered he had joined Ian Fleming's secret '30AU' commando unit, where he served as a driver. His duties included training for parachute jumps and participating in clandestine operations. Eskdale also narrowly missed the D-Day landings due to vehicle issues, later being sent to Australia before the planned invasion of Japan.
After the war, Eskdale worked for the British Embassy in Tokyo and the war crimes tribunal, escorting photographers through Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Decades later, he remains the last surviving shipmate from HMS Charybdis, emphasizing the crucial need for continued remembrance of the 1943 tragedy.
