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- I have written a short history of the Scythia,mainly because I wished to include into the history of the "1st.Kings Dragoon Guards". There was an inquirey in our local paper "Leicester Mercury" about a ship in Algiers harbour
in WW2. On November1st. 1940 the cunard White Star "Scythia" sailed from Liverpool to the middle east taking the First KDG to war. This was the first time she had been used as a troop ship. On March 11th 1948 the "Scythia" docked at Liverpool to bring home the 1stKDG, leaving behind many comrades on the battlefields of North Africa,Italy and Greece.The Scythia was torpedoed by an aerial torpedo, she limped into harbour and settled on the bottom on November23rd.1942.Of the 4,300 men on board there were only five casualties.I have reports from local men that were onboard at the time and collated them into a little booklet, including photographs. She was salvaged and taken for repair to New York in January 1942. I should point out that I was on board for the Regimental return on March 11th 1948,having borded at Tobruk. amongst the anecdotes that I have recorded is one from Mr Norman Rich of Oadby in leicestershire, he was abord the "Empress of Australia" anchored in Algiers when Scythia was struck,"the mail from home was lost and also musical instruments for use in forming a unit band for entertaining troops in North Africa,she just managed to stagger into harbour and disembark her troops" explained Mr Rich.On a happier note it was possible to salvage some of the musical instruments and with others obtained from street markets in Algiers a dance band was formed which in 1944 had Spike Milligan on trumpet.more details of the Scythia(which was scrapped in 1945 by Wards of Sheffield,so, built in 1921 she had an interesting life,if of interest to anyone,more details from me. Brian Simpson. ex 1st.KDG. email brian@tankpark.freeserve.co.uk
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