No One Volunteered AS the 13th Man! Tollesbury's Fame in the Navy
Reporter finds that in the little fishing village of Tollesbury, as many as 12 Tollesburians have been in the ships company.
One of the original war-time crew of the MALAHNE was Chief Petty Officer John Bowles, who lives in Tollesbury. His Captain, Lieut-Commander Hubert Wheeler, R.N., knew of the fame of Tollesburians for their seaworthiness. So, when he wanted more crew, he either sent C.P.O. Bowles home to ask his old pals to volunteer, or asked him to send his wife a telegram, telling her to find one or two men for the MALAHNE. That was how twelve Tollesbury men came to serve on the same ship. "But I just couldn't get a thirteenth manto go," Mrs Bowles told me.

The twelve from Tollesbury who have served on the MALAHNE are: Chief Petty-Officer John Bowles, Steward R. Frost, Second Steward W. Murrell, Mess Stewards S. Berry and F. Collins, Cook S. Crees, Leading Seaman R.W. Leavett, Seamen E. Wash, Heard, Clarke, Folks, J. Frost.

From Essex Newsman.

Date: 2 October 1943