Personal information

Henry Squire Smith enlisted on 14 April 1941 and became HF/DF and type 286 RDF operator aboard Empire Dell. He survived her sinking and continued to sail on numerous defensively equipped merchant ships (DEMS) around the world, before being discharged as a Leading Seaman on 9 January 1946, progressing to Sea Radar(7y) R.P. in July 1943 and receiving chevrons in 1942, 1943 and 1944.

In civilian life he was an accounts clerk and a baptist lay preacher. He could not swim and on the night the ship was torpedoed he had to jump in the dark, from the listing ship into the water burning with oil. The crew knew him for his faith and asked him to pray for their plight. His pocket bible also survived.

He was however plagued by the event for the rest of his life and would not sleep unless there was a thick overcoat ready at the end of the bed. He also retained the blanket given to him by his rescuers. His family has a photo of HMCS Sheridac, but they do not know whether this was the ship that picked him up.

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