The Regent Lion Story

    Paul Campbell: "At the time, Carmine Forenzo and Jim Deal, both of our engine room gang, were in the after crew's quarters. Both were up and getting ready to go on watch when they heard the torpedo go right under them and promptly headed for their battle stations. Neither of them had ever heard a noise like that. There was also a card game going on in the compartment; everybody threw their cards in the air and headed for their battle stations. When they heard the general alarm, they were way ahead of it!
    We then ran back alongside the convoy at full speed and dropped an embarrassing barrage near the tanker to drive the U-boat down. The explosion of our depth charges countermined a second torpedo that was apparently headed for us only a few yards away. Thus, we missed a second attack by a matter of seconds. This torpedo was fired about five to ten minutes after the first one.
    We went alongside the torpedoed tanker, which was awash at the stern, and got pumps and hoses aboard to keep her afloat. It was a hairy maneuver in a choppy sea. We put fenders over to avoid sparks from the two ships rubbing each other and igniting her cargo of aviation gasoline. We could see fumes rising in the air. When Charlie Krull got his damage control party aboard, the tanker captain came aft, offered Charlie a cigar, and lit both of them with all the fumes rising around us! I was horrified, but the captain was just trying to show Charlie his appreciation for our saving his ship. While alongside the tanker, I told our engine room to keep up steam and have the men stand by the throttles. If the tanker caught fire or exploded, they were to back full without further orders, our only chance of saving the ship. A British tug came out of Gibraltar and took over a few hours later.
    The Robinson crew will never forget that experience. But we accomplished our mission, and several commendations were issued later by the Commander in Chief of the Atlantic Fleet. The "Rockin' Robbie" was a lucky ship. 
    When I went below from the bridge later that evening, our ship's medical officer Dr. Kuber, motioned me into his cabin, broke out a couple bottles of Scotch, poured one into a glass and handed it to me. It was the only drink I ever had aboard a navy ship. My only criticism is that he should have done it for every man aboard because each did such a magnificent job. And I'm sure they were all just as pooped as I was."    

Courtesy of the National Archives.

Note: Letter from Steve Ellis to Paul Campbell just prior to the 1994 reunion. 

May 3, 1994   

Dear Paul, 

    Please accept this long overdue thank you letter. I want you to know how very much I appreciate your kindness in sending me a photocopy of your drawing of the “ROCKIN R0BBIE” in action in the Straits of Gibraltar on February 17, 1945.  The sentiments you wrote on it are very meaningful to me.  Thank you very much for it.  It has been nicely framed and hangs along side a replica of Winslow Homer's “Eight Bells”, one of my favorite paintings of all time, in the “Great Room” of our home here at the Cape. 

            The torpedoing of the REGENT LION and your written account of the action really brings back to life what happened so long ago.  I remember the General Quarters alarm and of going up the double ladder from the aft living quarters, turning to the left, going through the double doors of the light lock and stepping out onto the main deck into the blinding light of the morning sunshine. So bright I had to pause for lust a moment to let my eyes become accustomed to it.  At almost that same moment seeing a tanker stern drop at least twenty some feet from the torpedo it had just taken in the stern, this was probably the REGENT LION.  Then running QP the Port side Main Deck to the forward ladder to the Boat Deck then up the vertical ladder to the Signal Bridge and finally up the vertical ladder to the back of the Flying Bridge bearing left around the Range Finder tower to the three steps to the OOD deck grating then into the Sound Hut. As I grabbed the hand rail at the front of the OOD deck bulkhead just before I had to swing my head to the left and down so that I could swing myself into the Sound Hut I looked slightly out, 50-60 feet, and down into the water about 15-20 feet and thought I saw a torpedo coming at us from a direction of approximately 300 degrees relative. I clearly remember thinking where the hell is the wake? And do I swing in or stay out of the Sound Hut for the explosion. As this thought was racing through my mind I was in the act of swinging in. You have to remember that from the time I spotted the torpedo to swinging in this all took place in a split second, no time to really do anything other than what I had been trained to do. Marvelous isn't it what training will do!

            I also remember that we were firing a depth charge pattern, on your orders I later learned, but instead of the usual thirteen charge pattern you ordered them to keep going and when you were advised that the K-Guns could not be loaded that quickly you told them to keep rolling them from the stern racks. I can clearly remember thinking to myself “I wonder what we will use if we really need it”. Of course by this time we were coming up to Flank speed and the Sound gear was useless. 

            The reason I ran up the Port side Main Deck is that I had tried the Starboard side a few times on our shake down earlier on but found out that there were too many people in the traffic to make good time to the bridge.  So I had learned that by running up the Port side the interference of men running aft was minimal and by the time I got to that first ladder it was usually empty of men coming down......  Trust me it was quicker. 

            As for the torpedo coming at us the only time I can think of was that the U-Boat Skipper must have thought we were a Destroyer and set his torpedo depth too deep. I have always been grateful that we were a DE and drew much less water because of it. Over the years when I have thought about this event; I have always wondered how close to the Sonar dome that torpedo came because it was probably sticking down far enough to have exploded that torpedo if it had hit it.  The man upstairs surely had us all by the hand that day!  As you say the ROCKIN ROBBIE was a lucky ship! 

            I remember watching the convoy proceeding on through the Straits and slowly disappearing to the East. By this time you had maneuvered us onto the Starboard quarter of the REGENT LION. Charlie Krull and his boys had jumped over and started the Handy Billie pumps and Charlie was busily throwing shells over the side of the REGENT LION. You had given your orders to the Engine Room calling for emergency astern at your command if the anticipated explosion and fire might occur. By this time I was standing on the Starboard side of the Flying Bridge watching two of the REGENT LION crew in a life boat Sitting in a sea of glistening fuel when one of them reached for his shirt pocket and my heart stopped for I knew that he was reaching for a cigarette. I tried to get your attention but you were too busy with what was going on at the Bow; sure enough the damn fool lit the cigarette I could not believe that he did not set every thing off. Finally I pulled at your shirtsleeve and said "Captain, these guys are smoking in the life boat”. You said "where?" and I pointed to them you picked up your megaphone and shouted at them to "Put it out" and then turned back to the rescue. I don't think you saw what happened next but it is forever etched in my mind.  The guy in the lifeboat threw the lighted cigarette over the side into the fuel-covered water!  I was absolutely paralyzed; I could not believe what I saw.  NOTHING HAPPENED! The rescue went on. My God, I sweat every time I think about that guy in the lifeboat dropping that lighted cigarette into the glistening fuel-covered water and expecting the fiery explosion that never happened.  And I always wonder why not!

            My memory also is of the Sound gear crapping out on us and my not being able to determine why but finally asking for your permission to go down to the lower sound room to check things out in case there was something wrong down there. And of you not being overjoyed with the idea but finally sending orders down thorough the ship that I was coming and to have the waterproof doors and hatches open for me as I raced down so that It would compromise our water tight Integrity for as short a time as possible. One thing I think about the most connected with this event is that in passing from one compartment to another particularly in the darkened forward mess hail of the men, seven or eight of them, that were there for damage control being secured in their compartment with little if anything to keep them busy and no way of being able to see or be aware of what was going on and of them being below the water line. These are the real hero's to my way of thinking. I could find nothing wrong in the lower Sound room and returned to the Bridge to report it to you. I do not remember what the problem was or when it was corrected just that it crapped out on us. 

            This is the first time I have ever committed to paper my thoughts and memories.  It is important to me to do so before we meet and to avoid my memories being tainted with other War stories. I am really looking forward to seeing you next week in Washington for the big event. Mal has done such a great job of pushing for this recognition. Enclosed are photocopies of the RO-501 action and of pictures of destroyers that are not us but easily could have been. 

            When we talked a year ago you said from time to time you get to Marion approximately 50 miles from us and then you said you knew where Chatham was.  We are just nine miles North of Chatham and approximately a mile and one half back from the outer beach i.e. Nauset beach in Fast Orleans.  In the most recent issue of National Audubon it was rated as one of the best ten beaches in the country.  It is and we love it here.  We would consider it an honor if when you are up this way you would stop by to see us. Keep us posted if you should be near by and we will come get you. 

            Lastly, let me express my sincere thanks to you for bringing us all back in one piece. We have five wonderful grown children and seven grandchildren, all girls. 

With my warmest personal regards, 

///SIGNED “Stephen”///

U-300

    This chokepoint is the area through which all boats entering the Mediterranean had to traverse. The Straits of Gibraltar itself was a very dangerous part of the journey as it is very narrow and was always heavily patrolled by allied vessels. U-boats did patrol these waters as they were used heavily for shipping, among others to sustain the war in Africa.

The positions indicated by squares are boats that were heading for the Mediterranean.