Capt. Sid. Wood
of Milton, who is now 82 years of age started barging as third hand
of the LORNA in the 1890's, and went on to be third hand of MILDREDA,
ALARM and WINDWARD; mate of the FIVE SISTERS, ALARM and master of
LYDIA, TEETOTALER, RAND, KLONDYKE, ENTERPRISE, SAMUEL, and the FLORA
Captian Wood
joined the LYDIA, then owned by Richardson's of Vauxhall, in 1913.
And in her he experienced the Great Gale of December 1914.
LYDIA was lying off Canvey Island windbound, riding to 15 fathoms
of chain, and laden with a freight of bricks, when the December gale
sprang up.
The young mate went up for'ard to release a bit more chain, but Sid
shouted and told him to come back aft quickly. His shout was none
too soon, for syddenly LYDIA's forehold burst and the barge started
to go down.
"Yer gotta come aft now, qick jump into the boat" Sid shouted.
He followed the mate into the barge boat, and had just enough time
to chop through the painter with an axe before LYDIA nose-dived to
the bottom. Sid Reckons that he still keeps that axe with him today.
Sid and his young mate managed to reach the Canvey Island shore and
made their way to a lonely farmhouse. There they learnt than a number
of their fellow bargemen had lost their lives that night.
It was
several days before the pair of them got back to Sittingbourne. They
received some queer looks when they walked into the local pub for
both men had been reported missing presumed drowned, by the local
newspaper.
Captain
Wood later joined up in Kitchener's Army and served for four and a
half years in the water transport. On his return after demobilisation
he went master of Wills and Packhams's TEETOTALER.
