# DEMS gunners Sabotage watch & other work



## Chris G Anderson (Oct 11, 2013)

My father was a DEMS gunner, Maritime Regiment Royal Artillery. I’ve been looking at his 1944 diary and some other notes he left. At the time he was a Bombardier on a Dutch tanker called “Backhuysen”. There’s a couple of things I hope someone might be able to cast some light on.

He says in the diary that in 1944 he was on “_sabotage watch_”, first of all in New York and then in Philadelphia. What did that involve ? It seems only to be in US ports. Was there a threat of sabotage in the US and nowhere else ? 

In some notes he left he says, “_I was bombardier in charge of 4 or 5 gunners. There was also Naval Petty Officer and three Naval ratings. The men worked and the PO, a naval rating and I kept watch and we all shared the earnings. The men were quite happy because they always got a good night’s sleep, the other three of us did four on and eight hours off watch._” What “work” would he be referring to and who would be paying them the “earnings” - the Army or the ship owner/operator ? 

While in mid-Atlantic in August 1944 (in convoy GUS47) his diary says “_5 men started work_”. Later, in Newport News (USA) he says in his diary, “_Signed work sheets – each man earned £5.9.6d_”. He doesn’t say what for. Any ideas or assistance would be much appreciated.
Chris Anderson


----------



## John Rogers (May 11, 2004)

Sabotage was a big threat in the US in the war from German and Japanese spies,the FBI was always on the look-out for them.


----------



## Chris G Anderson (Oct 11, 2013)

Thanks for the information, John, much appreciated


----------

