Remembering dead bodies on HMS Achilles

Albert Martin describes dead bodies being moved on board the HMS Achilles during the Battle of the River Plate.

Transcript

Arthur Martin: Right opposite the canteen was the ablution block and I turned round and here's one of the chief officers had somebody on his shoulder, and I stood and watched and he opened that door and just flung him down into the ablution room there, and when I looked in there were two others where he'd thrown this chap on top of the other two.

Claire Hall: Were they dead?

AM: They were dead. These ones, he was carting them down from up where they were killed.

CH: Through shrapnel coming in?

AM: Yeah at that time. That was when the shell burst alongside the ship. That would've knocked me a bit, well it certainly did

CH: Well that was really your baptism into the life...?

AM: That's right, yeah, that's the word for it baptism. Oh, it's always there, it's there now, I can see it there now.

Albert Martin shortly after the Battle of the River Plate

Albert Martin in 2006. © Chris Hoult