Sub Lieutenant John Garnett, his second-in-command, remembers:

(The picture shows MFV 2003 at high speed off Tresco)

"There were always good stories surrounding Daniel Lomenech.

"On one occasion, he had to take MFV 2023 back to Cowes for an engine overhaul. They had to join a convoy because they were supposed to be a 6-knot fishing boat. As they came through the gate off Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight, everyone formed up - as is proper - in order of Naval seniority.

"A Hunt class destroyer went first, then came Daniel Lomenech as a Lieutenant RNVR in his little fishing boat, followed by all the merchant ships.....

"Coming up to Cowes, the Hunt class destroyer increased its speed because they wanted some leave that night. They went to 12 knots, as did the little fishing vessel behind him. So he increased speed again - and so did the little fishing boat.

"Finally the Hunt went to 20 knots, and the fishing boat followed. The senior officer of the convoy on the destroyer signalled to Daniel “What’s your maximum speed?”. Daniel flashed back “You would be surprised” and put her up to 28 knots, ran round the destroyer’s bow and shot into Cowes.

"He had totally compromised the secret boat and there was talk of a court martial, but I expect - as usual - he got away with it.....

"On another occasion, coming back with agents from a successful operation, we thought all was going well, but you always pay for it.

"At 2300 we were off Brest 30 miles off-shore when a huge searchlight picked us out. We thought a destroyer had got us at last, we didn’t know what it was as we hadn’t yet heard about the Lee Light Wellington bombers which would pick up German subs on the surface by radar and then drop their depth-charges.

"On this occasion, God was kind to us as the pilot must have looked first and seen it was a fishing boat not a submarine. The coxswain on watch never really recovered from that appalling experience....!"

(The picture shows Sub Lt Steven Mackenzie - another of Lomenech's crew. See Part Three for his story)

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