Ballymena 1939-1945

In May 1940, Able Seaman Hugh Reynolds, then of High Street, was among the sweating, gasping crew of the ill fated HM Submarine Seal.
The sub was lying on the seabed of the Kattegat with her crew being slowly poisoned and seemingly no chance of escape.
Above them, German forces waited for the inevitable. Eventually the ship had no option but to surface and raise the white flag of surrender - the first time British warship had surrendered since 1812.
Fatal Ascent - HMS Seal 1940, is a hard-back book measuring 240 mm x 160 mm and containing 272 pages of exceedingly well-researched material.
And for the family of the late Seaman Reynolds, the publication has helped fill in gaps in their family history of the incident.
Hugh was the father of local man Lawrence from Broughhane and Uncle of Ballymoney Street publican, Stephen Reynolds.
In fact, Stephen keeps a picture of the submarine in the bar of his newly refurbished 'Front Page' premises.
The two met last week to chat about the book and recall one mysterious aspect of the story which is part and parcel of their family history.
Lawrence explains: "In an old newspaper cutting, it is reported that my grandmother had a dream of the danger her son was in."
The cutting states: "On Saturday evening, a telegram was received from the Admiralty – 'Sorry to inform you that your son is missing, believed to be a prisoner of war.'"
And the story continued: "All day, Mrs. Reynolds had been waiting on the fateful telegram, for on the previous night she dreamt that her boy was in danger. In her dream she vividly saw him climb up a steep rock and shout vehemently, 'Oh daddy come and help me.'"

Able Seaman Reynolds spent the remainder of the war in various German POW camps but he rarely spoke about his service or experiences.
"Perhaps I should have asked him more," muses Lawrence. "But then again he was very private about such matters."
Mr. Samuel Reynolds, brother of the late Hugh, agreed: "Most of the men who had experiences of action like that would not speak about what happened to them, unless they were talking with old comrades."
In the book, author Melanie Wiggins quotes extensively from old letters and papers who Lawrence was able to provide.
Put together in a chronological order of events, the book firstly tells the story of the ship and then the fate of the members of her crew.
Altogether, this is an excellent account of a little known series of personal adventures which commenced with the loss of one of HM ships. It is also one that is well worth reading.