RAN BLOCKADE

Hokitika Guardian, 7 December 1940, Page 6

RAN BLOCKADE

AVITH “POTATO.” JONES

SYDNEY, November .2:1! a A man • who ran ,the. blockade:; in the Spanish civil war wiili .the famous .Captain “Potato” Jones is in Sydney. • • He is Corporal Stanley Jleatb, of the Provost Corps, stationed at Fremantle, AVestern Australia. Retired Navy man, deep sea, and pearl diver, - Heath .ha* adventurous career. .' . • “7 rst met Captain Jones in. 1936. I had been ill, and : Ajt?asAbooking for a job. A friend took .me down to his office. There I .saw a s}iort, thick-set, tallyjbald maan. • - \ “ ‘f?o y,ou Tvant a joJ?, jlrpistqrV” be said, ‘j’m looking fqr An; -mud pilot. The p.ay’s ,£,4Q ,a about it?’ 1 ■ L. ' “T took a deep breath,” “The Day was.most attractive. I told the olf] man I had no. p/rperslwith me, .and he said lie wasn’t, worrying. So T wqiit back'.for my duds, and in.a few,hours sailed!'A.-' “When ,th.e en ntaiu told ( npy be,, Wfi* tlie .fam.o.us .‘Potato’’ Jpmes. .Ijirreaylr' ’ nnsged pu.+. T had .not oc.fsfciqns heefihse, i ted (that nqy. .Rut I knew I wa.s -iuMor some exeitenmyt:. A..'. Aj'AAA“Laa jjyA 11 ’ “I with ljim .fqUrj yovapfjCs-L. tyo to AJulqncia and . .cel on a. ’A A-.•yyi -,c.

irej-e ca r qyiijg .food y forj.^he Loyalists.:’ A U ’ A' ‘F

“At Barcelona,* on our a first .trip, the cargo. • was shifted by young women, and children.' ' They ’ open cases, pf condensed milk so the kids could carry itj tijx jthe 'Vkafiv two tins at a time,. -

• -On our first visit'to,. Valencia, the same, tipng hqppetjqd! ..§qt whiip. 'the unloading was at its height Franco Sept over, six places, carrying Alight and incendiary bombs. A .’-A seemer to. unleach their whole 4p.gd. Jn no . time front, was„ alight .'Thq town.. wa i s!%dly' ■ damaged. ' A

“How we escaped danjiqg;e; I know. ’ .• . /vV.V.’.'A y

“A ship, tied up, ajA;the-!wharf about one hundred yards j away "'as ;s.truck . by , a;-;.b^n^bi t -.! ; right through the 'hatches. .without exploding. . . A" .. .Aj : ' j' “We watched the' ship, gradually sinking, until It disappeared-'!' 7 v'. “The- slaughter of women - and children was sickening. ’ “During it all, >‘Potaio’ r Jones was remarkably, calm. /He refused to take shelter. . .... -. • -A.‘-A-,

“ ‘l’m an old. man,’ he said ‘and when my time comes I’ll get one. Tn the meantime, I’m not .Worrying'.’ ” [Captain “Potato” Jones, ":■& ;,W-elsh sailor, -nearing 70, ran they Spanish blockade many times witii .tne tiny vessel Marie Llewellyn.- -;Aj v [fie took part in the evacuation of the B.K.F. frem/D.iuikirk' in June]