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Daniel Desmond became a gunner because he had 20/20 eyesight. He was off duty at the time of the torpedo attack on Roxby and usually stayed in his uniform whilst sleeping, but on this occasion he changed into his pyjamas so was in the lifeboat like that until picked up by the Irish Beech some days later. He was hospitalized in Canada before being moved to New York and eventually repatriated to England.

Daniel is on the left and about 19 years old with his brother George who was a year younger, both in their RN uniforms. Photo courtesy of Robert Desmond