[James A Pratt III]

Form the book "Narvik" 263 ground crew to Norway pages 142-3

"The first item in the task given to the cruisers, of reinforcing Sickleforce, was the transport of the ground staff, stores and equipment for this squadron. It was entrusted to the Arethusa, which embarked the RAF personnel at Rosyth on April 20th. With them came fifty tons of aviation petrol in boxed two-gallon cans many of which were leaky and some forty so bad that they were rejected. This load of inflammable material piled high on her quarterdeck was viewed with undisguised disgust by the crew of the Arethusa particularly when from ships returning from the Norweian coast came ribald comments as to the joy of which the Luftwaffe would greet such a succulent target. However, the passage was in fact made in safety, the petrol being thankfully discharged at Aandalsnes on the night of the 22nd, together with a large quantity of store for Sickleforce."