Ships, Storms & Submarines

His journals and letters are full of humour, and describe wonderfully his life at sea after he joined the Merchant Navy in 1940 as a Seagoing Radio Officer. The 14 crossings he made of the North Atlantic Ocean when German U Boats were sinking great numbers of Allied Shipping and the harrowing scenes he and his shipmates witnessed had all been written down in great detail. A keen amateur photographer, he also captured on film, the dramatic events as his ship was bombed during the Allied landings in Norway. Harry Scott, from Galashiels, has spent the last two years researching and writing a book – “The Radio Officer’s War – Ships, Storms & Submarines”, which is the story of the life of Ian Waddell from Galashiels, a relative of his wife Sheila.

A series of circumstances led Harry putting pen to paper. Harry was previously a Police Inspector and then The National Emergencies Planning Officer for the NHS in Scotland. Around the time Harry took early retirement Ian Waddell’s sister Nancy died aged 96. Margaret had died some years previously. Some in the town may remember Nancy as the Secretary to the Officer in Charge in Galashiels Police Station many years ago, and sister Margaret (Briggs) a teacher at Caddonfoot School.

Following Nancy’s death her nephew Ian Briggs discovered a number of journals and letters, which Ian Waddell had written from his time at school in Galashiels through to working as a Radio Officer. This is Harry’s first book and is Ian Waddell’s fascinating story told, in the main, using Ian’s own words and reproducing his journals, letters and photographs, because as Harry points out “no one could tell it any better”. The book is presently available through Amazon in hard copy or for Kindle by logging on to the following website: Amazon.co.uk