I was on the SAS President Kruger when it sank!
This blog is an attempt to get more light on the subject. I have a created two full scrapbooks of the newspaper coverage of the event and the inquest that followed which I will scan and upload as I get the time.
I am interested in finding anyone else who may have been on the ship, or has documentation or photographs of the ship.
I was also on the PK at the time, I was a conscript in the RA department, I am busy writing a short story of my experience for my own benefit, hence finding this website
By: Lawrence Batchelor on January 14, 2009
at 4:33 pm
I was Lt L.P. Trauernicht. I was the Log Officer on board.
By: Uil Trauernicht on February 18, 2009
at 8:47 am
I was not on the ship, but I can connect you to the ships coxwain at the time, Warrant Planck. Also I have contact via Face Book with Carol Whiteley, the wife of PO Mike Whiteley who passed away. My dad is Jimmy Gleeson WO1, we lived in Da Gama Park at the time, the Whiteley’s were our next door neighbours. My brothers were friends with the Mc Masters, one of the Mc Masters was in the 16 that died on that day.
I was a 2nd year apprentice in the dockyard when the news broke, I was in the factory next to Mine sweeping base at the time.
By: Kevin Gleeson on February 20, 2009
at 6:30 am
My late father Francois Botha served on the PK for many years . He was also involved with the refurbishment of the “Taffies” to a troop carrier whilst subconded to Armscor in Durban .
By: Chris Botha on February 20, 2009
at 5:12 pm
Hi
I was on the PP serving as a radar operator and can remember the event as if it were yesterday, the howling winds, the inky blackness of the sea, the enormous swells. I remember the PK pointing up, fires burning and seeing silhouettes of seaman jumping over the side. I was on the port boat deck when we rescued the first survivor a PO in his underpants who if I remember rightly was the only mess 9 survivor.
Images that stick in my head are the gunners shooting the empty life rafta and the families waiting on the quay in Simonstown when we returned.
One person who I remember being sad about losing was a steward AB Benjamin, he was a small guy, very paraat and had a really good nature, at the time i remember thinking he would do really well in the Navy. i could go on, but just to say i am glad this site exists and well done, i will return with more contributions
By: david karpierz on March 14, 2009
at 1:15 pm
I was the Chief Tel onboard at the time of the sinking. Mike Whitely was second in charge of the BWO and a good friend.
I still have the crypto office keys, offered to the naval museum but had no reply
By: Geoff Neil on March 22, 2009
at 9:21 am
Wo Geoff Neil I had no idea you are still going how the devil are you and what are you doing with your self these days. Are you in contact with any of the other comms rates or EW people from the PK
By: Wynne fourie on July 13, 2009
at 7:31 pm
David Karpierz, I think that would have been my father. He always used to tell us that he should have been in the mess with the other men, except he didnt smoke and they all did.
He used to wake up at night, screaming that they were standing around the bed, coming to fetch him.
He was CPO, and Gunnery Instructor.
By: Daniel Botha on May 5, 2009
at 9:18 pm
I was radar operator, tanky, helmsman on the PK fething the sub MARIA VAN RIEBEECK in TOULON – FRANCE 1971 with capt GREEN
By: Gerhard van Rensburg on May 25, 2009
at 9:41 am
I was woken up in the comms mess with the impact and was tossed out of my hammock. I recall the awful noise and thought we had hit the submarine. If my memory servers me correctly I do believe I heard the action station alarm sound so I ran up to the EW office which had two of my crew mates sleeping in there at the time. I banged on the door for them to open up. Joe alexander and Fin Straugh were in the office at the time. What I found really weird was Fin was picking up his chess set and packing it away and joe was just looking around the office which was in a shambles. All our equipment was on the floor and the FH5 had ripped out the bulkhead and fallen on the floor. all Jo could say was ” We are in the kak for captains rounds today”. At this time I was still not sure what had happened. I saw a lot of the crew running up from below coming up the stairs in the captains flat and where ever they put their hands they left ffo on the bulkheads which I had cleaned the night before for captains rounds. I freaked out and shouted at them to clean up their mess. Of course no one gave a shit about what I was saying. all the while the noise was deafening. It then dawned on me to go on to the port waste and have a look what was happening. when I opened the Watertight door leading on to the port waste I saw Taffies right next to us but travelling in the opposite direction. the tought crossed my mind that I could just jump over the guard rails. Some of the Taffies crew were standing on deck staring at the pk with really blank expressions on their faces. I still had no idea what had happened. It was only when I looked aft that I saw and understood the trouble we were in. I ran in side and told Fin and Jo to get their lifejackets and I ran down to the mess to get mine. I had not yet even got dressed yet I was still in my underwear. I dashed down to the mess got a shirt my life jacket and my brand new non-skid shoes. ran back on deck. By this time the water was coming up the main alleyway by the galley and the ship was listing heavily. I climbed the stairway to the bridge which was quite difficult
By: Wynne fourie on July 13, 2009
at 7:29 pm
I am one of the wives who lost there husband in this accident. My son was 5 months old at the time, he has turned 28 o the 8/9/2009. He went for the first time August 2009 to look at the wall of remembrance. Only to find that the plauqe was smashed. What was very upseting is when he said, mom we tried picking up pieces to see if we could even find my fathers intials, but there was nothing. I still feel there is much more to this accident than what we know.
By: vanessa on September 11, 2009
at 9:44 pm