I arrived in Chatham depot on the 11th May 1943. I was drafted, on the 10th June 1943, to the Frigate SENNEN,her pennant was Y21. A lease lend Coast Guard Cutter the CHAMPLAIN built 1929 transferred to Royal Navy 12/5/1941. I remained aboard from 11/6/1943 until the 15/6/1943. She was in the fishing port of Grimsby, on the south bank of the river Humber.I arrived on board late at night and was surprised to find her in dry dock undergoing repairs. The duty officer had no idea as to why I had been sent, and with the frigate in a state of repair, his next question came as a surprise. He inquired as to where my home was. I said that I lived in the city of Hull, just across the river. He then decided to give me day leave during the four days I was there, while he found out what to do with me, but he said that I must report back each night for possible fire watch duties. There were no duties really and as it was impossible to sleep on board, and there being no food I slept ashore for the next 4 nights in a Salvation Army hostel, after I had informed the duty officer where I was billeted. Every morning I proceeded by train, a short journey, to the New Holland Ferry across the river Humber to the Hull Minerva Pier and then on to my home by bus.
One evening while I was having a meal in the hostel, the air raid sirens sounded, the bombs that were dropped that night were, later to be known as "butterfly bombs". As they descended, the outer casings were released allowing a number of small anti-personnel bombs to be scattered over a large area. As they descended, a fluttering sound could be heard which was caused by the two small "metal wings" rotating, which slowed their decent, so as to have a soft landing. The second function of the" metal wings" as they rotated, was to prime the bomb. Some exploded on impact with the ground, some landed in the trees and were suspended by their "wings" on the branches of trees, others caught on guttering, telephone wires, chimney stacks. It was dangerous to touch them. A young Naval Rating was seriously injured that night after kicking one of these bombs just outside the Hostel. The Salvation officer and I tried to help him but he died before the Ambulance arrived. The police and the army were put in charge of trying to make them safe. The public was asked to report any sighting but under no circumstance attempt to move them. Those on the ground had sand bags placed around them by the Home Guard, leaving a vantage opening for a expert rifleman to fire from a safe distance to explode it. There was complete terror among the population of the town for many months as these bombs turned up in the most unexpected places. Even to this day, it could be possible to come across one of the butterfly bombs. In my four days stay, the officer had reported the situation to his superiors and was instructed to send me back to Chatham the date being the 16/6/1943.