Two Survived: The Timeless Wwii Epic Of Seventy Days At Sea In An Open Boat

by Guy Pearce Jones

On August 21, 1940, a Nazi raider torpedoed the British merchantman Anglo-Saxon and machine-gunned the survivors as they tried to escape in their lifeboats. One little boat escaped with seven men. Five of them perished, but Robert Tapscott and Wilbert Widdicombe endured for seventy full days and 2,300 miles to landfall on the other side of the Atlantic. This is the incredible account of their ordeal, one of the most thrilling stories of the sea ever written―and one that almost never came to light. “It has seldom happened,” writes William McFee in the introduction, “that a narrative so circumstantial, so entirely stripped of all humbug and false sentiment, has come out of the depths of the sea, to inspire us with admiration for human valor.” In the tradition of the Shackleton adventure and Nathaniel Philbrick's In the Heart of the Sea , Two Survived is an unforgettable true story of survival against the very longest odds.

Genres: Nonfiction, Survival, World War II, Adventure

160 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2001

Reviews

[Tomi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story of two men who survived the sinking of their boat by a German torpedo. They lived 70 days in a small sailing ship, cackled a jelly boat, until landing on the Leeward Islands. Starvation and thirst dogged them and their companions all died. These two made it to land and were cared for in the Leewards. Thousands of miles with no water or food; an invigorating story of the will to live.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The is a harrowing book and a true one. 7 crew members of a British merchant ship was torpedoed. The 7 men were in boat from the torpedoed ship. In anticipation of this disaster, each smaller boat like this one had food and water on board. In the middle of the Atlantic, the men struggle to retain their emotions under control and their access to the built-in supplies of food and water. (Cargo ships during WWII had these carefully stowed supplies in such a case). As the days at sea progress, the crew struggled over the rationing of water and food. A couple of them choose to to go overboard and some just die. Eventually, the crew members left number 2 and they are barely able to go on. Fortunately the two of them end up in the Bahamas. I read out loud in the car (because I hate car radio); we are docents on a WWII cargo ship that made 4 trips across the Atlantic and 11 trips across the English Channel, carrying the supplies needed for crew members in the two boats on the boat deck and 4 rafts which also carried supplies in case of the ship's being torpedoed. Now I cannot look at the rafts of the two boats on the boat deck without the men who were lost during WWII.

[Joanne Klepal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an easy and simple read of an amazing story of survival.

It appears the book was written around 1940, so expect some of the language and grammar and terminology to appear a bit strange.

The story it self was a fascinating read nd shows how will power or the mind (your thoughts) can play in the decision to overcome some drastic circumstances or to give into them.

The description on the back of the book and that in other reviews gives a good overview of the context of the story.

[Luke · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is a quick read and I enjoyed it.

A bit of advice, if you’re currently reading the book, don’t look up how these two passed away after they survived everything they did. I was curious how their lives were after they made it through all they did and it’s sad.

[Diane · Rating 2 out of 5]

My first realization was that I am terribly provincial. This was first published in 1940 - what? It is supposed to be about WW II! But, of course, Britain and much of the world was already at war in 1940. An unsophisticated but honest account of two sailors who escape from a sinking ship near the Cape Verde Islands and sail/float 2500 plus miles to the Bahamas. In many ways all these survival books are pretty much the same, but I love them. I find the human mind and will fascinating.

[Licha · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love survival stories, but this story didn't quite do it for me. Being that there were two survivors at the time the book was written, the story could have had more detail and emotion. It makes me wonder if the author interviewed them and to what extent. What were each of the two survivors thinking, feeling, fearing during this ordeal? It missed the boat (no pun intended) in capturing what could have been a compelling human drama.

[John Mccullough · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fast-paced account of survival of two men from a boat torpedoed by a German raider,probably the H K. Weser or a sister ship, H K Orion. The men survive for 70 days in a tiny jolly-boat which can barely seat them. Of the seven men who make it to the jolly-boat after the attack, only 2 made it to Eleuthera, an island in the Caribbean. A good read of a book reprint ted in 2001 from its original publication in 1940.

[Leland Dalton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a harrowing true story. It certainly shows the depths of negativity included in a war conflict. The book is well written and will keep you on the edge of you're seat. I might read this book again someday.

[Heather Kolb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listened to the abridged version on audiobook.

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

A testament to the human spirit and heart.