OLD AZURIANS
ASSOCIATION
William Campsie & the sinking of two ships.
The cargo liner SS Harpasa was sailing in a convoy from Calcutta to Mombassa on 5 April 1942, but was slower than the other ships and had dropped behind. In the afternoon the lone ship was spotted by two Japanese aircraft which attacked at low level, dropping five bombs into No. 5 hold, the contents of which immediately caught fire. The flames spread rapidly towards the stern where guns were mounted. Fireman Harden heroically went aft to jettison the ammunition, an act for which he was subsequently awarded the BEM.
The Harpasa was sinking and the order to abandon ship was given. The ship blew up at 1700 hours. The convoy was 15 miles ahead when the SS Tak Sang, commanded by the acting Commodore of the convoy, turned back at 1730 and picked up survivors from the Harpasa.
Early the next morning the captain reported that he had sighted a British fleet. He was mistaken; the ships he saw were Japanese. The order to abandon ship was given when a Japanese cruiser opened fire at close range. The Tak Sang sank within a few minutes. Those who made it to a lifeboat reached shore the next day, but 12 survivors from the Harpasa, including Willam Campsie, aged just 17, had been killed in this second attack.
William Campsie
Donated by William Smith