The powerful story behind a Mariners' Park memorial

On 11 November, 1940 – Armistice Day – a 16-year old deckboy watched in dismay as his ship Automedon was shelled and boarded by the German raider Atlantis in the Indian Ocean. What happened next may have led to Japan’s entry into the Second World War, and changed the course of history.

Because onboard the Automedon, unknown to all but its master, was a slender green bag designed to rapidly allow water ingress if it was thrown overboard. This was to prevent the documents within from falling into enemy hands – documents which, in this case, could provide a treasure trove of military intelligence to any hostile power planning to attack British Imperial possessions in the far east.

Eighty years later, the dedication of a bench at the Nautilus Mariners’ Park Estate in Wallasey to that deckboy – late resident Frank Walker – led author Peter Thomson to discover the story. Published with assistance from the Merchant Navy Association, it details not only the capture of Automedon but also Walker’s experiences as a prisoner of war, and the book is well worth a read for anyone looking for a window into a fascinating historical turning point.

Frank’s Bench: a grave mistake or a Churchill conspiracy
By Captain Peter Thomson
Self published, £9.99 (available in the Nautilus Bookshop)
ISBN: 979 83921 28501