The Story of Rescue at Sea: A Harrowing Tale of Survival

The SS Politician

The SS Politician was a Norwegian merchant vessel built in 1931. She was 419 feet long and weighed 5,126 tons. On January 12, 1941, the Politician left Liverpool bound for St. John's, Newfoundland, with a cargo of 11,000 cases of whiskey. The voyage was uneventful until the ship reached the Outer Hebrides, off the west coast of Scotland.

The Storm

On January 14, 1941, the Politician encountered a Force 10 gale. The winds whipped up the waves to mountainous heights, and the ship began taking on water. The crew fought desperately to keep the ship afloat, but by nightfall the Politician was holed below the waterline and sinking fast.

Tamarin of Tortola: A Story of Rescue At Sea

by Philip Donlay

4.7 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1906 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	56 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

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The SOS

As the ship began to sink, the crew sent out an SOS. However, due to the war, most of the rescue ships were on other duties and help was not to be had. By nightfall, the Politician was on her side and the crew were abandoning ship. They took to the lifeboats and began the perilous journey to shore.

The Rescue

The lifeboats made their way to the coast of the Isle of Lewis, where they were met by rescuers from the local lifeboat station. The crew of the Politician were exhausted and hypothermic, but they were all alive.

The Aftermath

The SS Politician sank in the early hours of January 15, 1941. The wreck of the ship lies in 120 feet of water, about 1 mile off the coast of the Isle of Lewis. The crew of the Polician were awarded the Lloyd's Medal for Bravery at Sea for their courage and determination in the face of adversity. The rescue of the crew of the SS Politician is a remarkable story of courage and survival. It is a story that should never be forgotten.

Epilogue

In 2016, a team of divers from the University of St. Andrews conducted a survey of the wreck of the Politician. The divers discovered that the ship is still largely intact, and they were able to recover a number of artifacts from the wreck, including bottles of whiskey. The discovery of the Politician's wreck is a reminder of the tragic events of January 1941, and it is a testament to the courage and resilience of the crew.

Further Reading

• SS Politician on Wrecksite.eu
• The SS Politician: The forgotten wartime shipwreck off the Isle of Lewis
• Divers recover whisky from WWII shipwreck off Isle of Lewis

Tamarin of Tortola: A Story of Rescue At Sea

by Philip Donlay

4.7 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1906 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	56 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

FREE