Hull seaman's horror watching 12 crew die from dehydration and sharks after torpedo struck ship

A photographer taken on board HMS Rapid, capturing the moment Colin Armitage and fellow survivor Kenneth Cooke were rescued
-Credit: (Image: Reach Publishing Services Limited)


The astonishing true story of a survivor of a shipwreck who spent more than 50 days adrift on a liferaft has been brought to life by his granddaughter.

Colin Armitage from Melton near Hull and Kenneth Cooke from Bridlington were the only men left alive out of the 14 who made it onto the tiny raft after a horrifying seven weeks of surviving on meagre rations of food and water during the Second World War. They had been aboard the cargo ship SS Lulworth Hill when it was struck by a torpedo from an Italian submarine.

While Colin was never able to speak about what happened, Ken kept a diary of their hopeless weeks at sea as the rest of the crew gradually perished. Some were said to have suffered delirium and jumped overboard only to be eaten by sharks.

Others died from gangrenous wounds, from drinking seawater, from dehydration and sunstroke. Eventually, Colin and Ken were discovered by the HMS Rapid and rescued. They both received the Lloyd's Medal, awarded for bravery at sea, and the George Medal.

Former Hull Daily Mail writer Louise Beech sadly never met her grandfather Colin because he passed away aged 28, just five years after the war ended. But she has written a critically acclaimed book and a play about her grandfather's harrowing ordeal called How To Be Brave which shows how his heroism deeply inspired the descendants he never met.

Writer Louise Beech with the plaque to her grandfather Colin Armitage near The Minerva in Hull
Writer Louise Beech with the plaque to her grandfather Colin Armitage near The Minerva in Hull -Credit:Louise Beech

Louise said: "Colin Armitage was a merchant seaman during the Second World War. On the 19th of March 1943 he was on the SS Lulworth Hill and it was hit by a torpedo and it sank in two minutes.

"It's always been a big family story and I've been fascinated by it. The reason I ended up writing about it is because my daughter was diagnosed with Type I diabetes when she was seven and we had a really difficult time where she didn't want to have the injections.

Colin Armitage from Melton near Hull
Colin Armitage from Melton near Hull survived the sinking of SS Lulworth Hill but sadly died aged just 28 -Credit:Supplied

"In the end, I started telling her stories to persuade her to do them. I told her this kind of epic tale of her great-grandad Colin's survival and it kind of helped her be brave which is where the title comes from.

"I just knew this telling of the story - a mum and daughter in a future world and the two men drifting on the sea - was an epic tale and that was why I ended up writing it as a short story, then a play, then a book."

As a short story, it was shortlisted for the Bridport Prize which gave Louise "the confidence to make it bigger". As a novel, How To Be Brave was named an Amazon top 10 read and a Guardian readers' pick.

Last year, Louise pitched the play to the Artistic Director of East Riding Theatre, Richard Avery, and he "loved it". The play is on tour across Hull and the East Riding starting October 22, including shows at Hull Truck Theatre and East Riding Theatre in Beverley and smaller village venues.

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Instead of using her name and her daughter's name, Louise has named the characters of the mother and daughter Natalie and Rose respectively. Their story intertwines with Colin's.

Louise said: "We see the mum and daughter struggling with the diagnosis of diabetes and the two stories join spiritually. Rose often dreams of her granddad and vice-versa so they meet across time, across the ocean. There is an element of magic realism. It tells both stories equally."

Other Lives Productions are touring with How To Be Brave from October 22. This includes Hull, Beverley, North Ferriby, Bridlington, Barton-upon-Humber, and more.

Dates are as follows:

  • Tuesday 22nd October. Etton Village Hall, HU17 7PG. Tickets are £10 for reservations ring 01482 862752 or 07772 189142 or email otherlivesproductions@yahoo.co.uk

  • Wednesday 23rd October. The Friarage Theatre, Yarm, Princess Alexandra Auditorium. Tickets are £12 - £15 for reservations ring 01642 792587 or go to www.thepaaonline.org/whatson/

  • Thursday 24th October. Terrington Village Hall, YO60 6PZ. Tickets are £10 for reservations ring 01653 648394 or email terringtonvillagehallinfo@gmail.com

  • Friday 25th October LA7 7AS. Beetham, The Heron Theatre. Tickets are £12 - £15 for reservations go to https://theherontheatre.com/

  • Saturday 26th October. Lockington Village Hall, YO25 9SN. Tickets are £10 for reservations ring 01430 810005 / 07758 785223 or email i.gaydon@btinternet.com

  • Sunday 27th October. Monk Fryston and Hillam Community Centre, LS25 5EA. Tickets are £10 for reservations ring 07790 018745 or email Bookings@mfhcc.com

  • Tuesday 29th October. Barton-upon-Humber, Joseph Wright Hall, DN18 5QP. Tickets are £10 for reservations ring 01652 635172

  • Wednesday 30th October. Staithes, St Peter’s Centre, TS13 5DB. Tickets are £11 for reservations go to https://buytickets.at/stpeterscentre/1276362

  • Thursday 31st October. EPPiC Theatre, Ecclesfield, S35 9TP. Tickets are £10 for reservations 0114 240 2624 or email tickets@ecclesfieldprioryplayers.co.uk

  • Friday 1st & Saturday 2nd November at 8.00pm. Hull Truck Theatre, Godber Studio, HU2 8LB. Tickets are £12.50 - £13.50 for reservations tel 01482 323638 or go to www.hulltruck.co.uk/whats-on/

  • Sunday 3rd November. York, theatre@41 YO31 7PB. Tickets are £12 - £15 for reservations go to tickets.41monkgate.co.uk

  • Monday 4th November. Hutton-le-Hole Village Hall, YO62 6UA. Tickets are £10 for reservations email booking.hlhvillagehall@gmail.com

  • Wednesday 6th November. Sancton Village Hall, YO43 4QY. Tickets are £10 for reservations ring 07944 622276 or email sanctonhall@gmail.com

  • Thursday 7th November. Gilling East Village Hall, YO62 4JJ. Tickets are £10 for reservations email gillingeastevents@hotmail.co.uk

  • Friday 8th November. Helmsley Arts Centre YO62 5DW. Tickets are £7 (under 18 years old) - £14 for reservations ring 01439 771700

  • Saturday 9th November. North Ferriby Village Hall, HU14 3AA. Tickets are £15 for reservations ring 07555 347968, email ferribyvillagehall@outlook.com or go to https://www.ferribyvillagehall.org.uk/bookings/

  • Sunday 10th November, 2.30pm matinee. Bridlington Spotlight Theatre, YO15 3DZ. Tickets are £12 for reservations ring 01262 678258 or go to spotlighttheatrebrid.co.uk

  • Tuesday 12th to Saturday 16th November. Beverley, East Riding Theatre, HU17 9BE Tickets are £15 - £20 for reservations ring 01482 874050 or email boxoffice@eastridingtheatre.co.uk