I was drafted to H.M.S. WOLSEY a V and W class Destroyer and served aboard her from 26/3/1943 until the 10/5/1943 (Penant D98 launched 14/5/1918 changed to LO2 IN 1939,Speed 35 knots, scrapped in 1947). Her sea duties were to escort east coast shipping from the mouth of the River Thames northwards to Dunfirmline on the Firth of Forth, and back down to the Thames. This run was nicknamed the TRAMLINES but as the Thames was approached the nickname changed to E BOAT ALLEY. By day we were attacked by enemy aircraft and at night by the E Boats. The E Boat was a very fast craft, its main armament being her torpedoes, plus light machines guns. Obviously the main object was to sink ships. Under the cover of darkness they would tie up to one of the many buoys that were anchored to the sea bed all the way down the east coast. These marker buoys, in peace time, were there to mark out the north south sea lanes. The E Boats with their engines muffled for silent running, waited for a passing convoy. They would attack at full speed making a run at the vessel of their choosing. Our four inch guns were not able to lay and train to fire at such a low target in the water. Small arms were used to ward off these attacks and some times we were successful. After the war I chanced to meet an ex German prisoner of war who had served on E Boats. He was interned in a camp near the town of Market Weighton in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. When the time came to be repatriated he chose to remain in that area. He had become fluent in English by the time I met him. In conversation I told him that I had served in the R.Navy and no doubt we might have chased each other up and down E Boat Alley. He admitted to me that the day he was captured was the best thing that had happened to him. I found him to be a pleasant man. One particular day as we were sailing north, a small fleet of fishing vessels was sited as they were returning to their home port of Whitby. The Captain hailed one of them to come along side and made arrangments to take on board a supply of fish. We then went ahead at half speed and dropped a depth charge with a deep setting. The explosion brought to the surface enough stunned fish to compensate the fishermen. As the WOLSEY was going in for repairs on its arrival back at Sheerness, in the Thames Estuary, I was quite prepared for my draft back to Chatham Depot. It was the C.W. six month sea time Syndrome once again.