Personal information

Frederick George Deal served as Able Seaman in the Royal Navy during World War One, mainly aboard the battleship HMS Lord Nelson. While in the Merchant Navy during World War Two he survived the sinking of San Alberto on 9 December 1939 and then served aboard British Integrity, Lucerna, British Genius and Voco between 1940 and 1942.

Sinking of Cerinthus
He also survived the sinking of the Cerinthus, when it was torpedoed on 9 November 1942. He was in the lifeboat, which was rescued after 22/23 days and taken to Freetown. He remained on a hospital ship for ten weeks suffering from the effects of gangrene, following the horrendous experience in the open lifeboat during which time he existed on a ration of about one gallon of water. He then spent three months in a Shore Hospital before returning to the UK where he was admitted to a hospital in Glasgow. His discharge book gives his date of discharge from Cerinthus as 9 November 1942 at sea. He did not return to sea again, as this last experience rendered him physically unfit for service