What is Happening to Eric?

 

You may be wondering what has been happening to Eric over the last few days.  This is the story that Eric told me, over 45 years later:

The ship, having been hit by four torpedoes, broke up and sank very quickly.  Eye witness estimates say it only took four or five minutes.  Eric leapt in the sea and, joining up with a couple of other men, they kept together, staying afloat.  Because the Eagle was escorting a convoy, there were ships around to pick up survivors, but Eric and his companions were not rescued until they had spent more than two hours in the water.  Eric was found to be suffering from hypothermia and was hospitalised in Gibraltar.  When other survivors were being transported to the UK, Eric was deemed too ill to travel. 

A total of 929 men were saved from the Eagle's crew and 131 officers and men died.

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