Page 171 - Bulletin 9 2005

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This passage of his life encompassed the Great War of 1914 - 1918 and involved at least
two hair-raising experiences, the second of which inspired the use of a name in our family

which exists to this day.

The first of these experiences was in June 1918 when Pilkington, together with his boss,

Henry Burton, was on board the Kenilworth Castle heading for England to attend the
Imperial War Conference. The convoy was escorted by HMS Kent and five destroyers. In

the pitch dark of an Atlantic night the navigation plan called for a change in course but
HMS Kent got it wrong and bore down on the Kenilworth Castle. The helm was put hard

over and a collision with HMS Kent avoided, but one of the destroyers, the HMS Rival, was
struck by the Kenilworth Castle just forward of her stern, which was severed from the

remainder of her hull. The HMS Rival carried depth-charges in that area and these were

released by the collision and exploded directly under the Kenilworth Castle. She was badly
damaged and there was concern that she would be lost. Some boats were lowered and two

were swamped with the loss of fifteen lives. In the end, though, the Kenilworth Castle was

able to contain the water inflow and was able to limp into port at Plymouth with Pilkington
and his party safely on board. Aboard the gig was one Earnest Oppenheimer who, annually

for the rest of his life, sent Pilkington a telegram saying “It’s good to be alive!”

The return trip three months later was even more dramatic. The party returned aboard the
Galway Castle and two days out from Plymouth on 12 September, 1918 she was torpedoed

by a German submarine. She was mortally wounded and sank with the loss of 17 lives.

Pilkington’s earlier sailing experience stood him in good stead as he took charge of the
Captain’s Gig and handled her in heavy seas for about nine hours until the British destroyer

HMS Oriana appeared on the scene and rescued them.

Some time later, I think that it was probably in the late 30s or early 40s, Pilkington built a
house half way up Ley Road, St. James which he named “Oriana” after his rescuers. This

was the house that I grew up in, as my father bought it from Pilkington in the late 1940s or