no CHALLENGER 



had been picked up, they took pains to sort themselves into a regular unit 

 and took over a section of the food distribution duties from the ship's 

 company, and throughout behaved as if on the parade ground. 



It was a source of great personal satisfaction that Captain Elliott, Master of 

 s.s. Anselm, was among those rescued by Challenger. This fine officer was swept 

 from his bridge as the ship plunged under, but arrived on the bridge of 

 Challenger after his rescue completely unshaken and physically fit despite his 

 years. He was most anxious to be of any assistance possible and his cheerful 

 bearing was a great asset. 



Captain Elliott was 73 years of age.* 



Commander Jenks' immediate task must be to rid the ship of 

 her great burden of humanity before bad weather made her 

 unseaworthy. He hoped to rendezvous with the armed merchant 

 cruiser Cathay that night, but overcast weather had precluded the 

 convoy getting their position by sights during the last two days, 

 and to rendezvous on the high seas when one's position is doubt- 

 ful is a chancy business. When approaching the position of the 

 rendezvous towards dusk a momentary sight of Cathay was ob- 

 tained about four miles away to the south-east. Spirits soared but 

 it would have been dangerous to pass a signal either by wireless 

 or by flashing lamp in these U-boat infested waters, nor was it 

 known if Cathay had sighted the little convoy. Jenks knew 

 Cathay s course and it soon became obvious that there was nothing 

 to be done but to follow through the night, hoping to find the 

 merchant cruiser at dawn; occasional traces of Cathaj's wash 

 meeting the prevailing swell assured the Captain that she was still 

 ahead, and at daylight contact was made with her. 



Whilst the three corvettes circled round, Challenger went 

 alongside the armed merchant cruiser and discharged her human 

 cargo, the 3^ seriously injured men being hoisted in a cradle 

 worked from one of Cathay s cargo derricks. A swell was still 

 running and Challenger's external boat davit supports ground and 

 grumbled hideously against the great liner's side despite the mass 

 of tattered fenders that were constantly thrust between the two 

 ships. However, no serious damage was done and when the last 

 survivor had been routed out from the remotest corner in the 



* Captain Andrew Elliott, O.B.E., served a life-time at sea. He survived 

 two World Wars afloat and retired to Woodcombe in Somerset in 1949. He 

 died in February 19J7. 



