Letter from Florrie Treharne re the sinking Athenia, Anchor Donaldson Line, September 1939.

Letter from Florrie Treharne to Phyllis, re her surviving the sinking by torpedo of the Athenia, September 1939. Transcript: Transcript of DX/2393 - Letter from Florrie Treharne to donor's mother, Phyllis, re her surviving the sinking of the Athenia, September 1939, by Sarah Starkey, Curator of Maritime Archives, 27th March 2007. Note: the copyright holder of the letter is unknown, not to be reproduced without an effort to locate them. 22 Morden Street Hamilton Ontario Nov 8 -1939 My Dear Phyllis, No doubt you will think me terrible for not answering your kind and ? letter which I received in Galway, but really I haven’t felt like writing, but now I am feeling more like myself, but I soon get tired. Well dear, I had a terrible experience, we was torpedoed about 7.30 on Sunday night, we got into our life boats about 8 o’clock or just after and we was on the open sea while 4 o’clock next morning. I was lading water out of our boat, we was soaked to the skin, all our clothes dryed on us 3 times. I got a very bad sprained ankle and 2 cuts on my leg, but that has all gone now. Was we ever glad when we was picked up. I never want to got through it again but God was good everybody was sick in our boat, all but ½ doz of us. We was picked up by the Norweign boat and we landed in Galway about 10 o’clock on Tuesday morning we were there while Saturday and then went to Glasgow we was there while Thursday afternoon and then we went to the train and straight on the boat again. Oh how we felt when we got on the boat again. I landed home on the 25th of Sept and when I got home Treharne was in Montreal waiting for me and I was here in Hamilton. Oh how disappointed I was I think he was worse than I was. He has been pretty sick since I came home, but he is a lot better now. Give my love to your uncle Jim and tell him I got home quite safe and everybody I no. I would love to have a line from you any time. Give our kind regards to your husband although I never met him, also the children. Thanking you once again for the lovely letter you sent to me, with much love and all good wishes, from yours sincerely Florrie (Treharne)