Eric Heywood who fought in the Burma Campaign during the Second World War, recalls a dramatic incident in the Atlantic back in 1941.

“We were embarking on a troopship, the Empress of India. The military was preparing a large convoy,” recalls Eric, 93, of Low Moor. “We put to sea and joined up with the Clyde Convoy near Ireland.

“We were posted to different parts of the ship for various duties. About four days out a soldier on our mess deck fell, broke his neck and died. A sea burial was arranged and on that day an albatross sea bird landed on a lifeboat.

“It stopped there for the length of the funeral, about 40 minutes. We were at a standstill all this time, engines closed down.

“The body was sewn into sail cloth and covered with the Union Flag.

“The convoy by this time was about two horizons away. We knew we were in the middle of German U-boats.”

Eric continues: “As the body slipped into the sea the albatross circled a couple of times and flew off.

“The ship got under way and tried to gain some distance between us and the convoy. All eyes were looking for tell-tale periscopes.

“We were very fortunate and caught up after about two hours. We stopped at Freetown for provisions and water. The youngsters from the town were diving for coins the troops threw, they called them the ‘Glasgow Tanners’.

“We left there and on to Cape Town without casualties. The other half of the convoy went on to Durban, South Africa. Thanks be to God.”