1917
Helen Rowe - Royal Commission ...
Marian is quite right - 1917 was the height of U-boat attacks on Elder Dempster ships traveling the route from Liverpool to West Africa, and this letter sent by Rev. Hughes says it all! This was on one of my slides for my talk in Colwyn Bay in 2017 - probably where the idea came from?
June 1st, 1917.
Rev. Alfred Dibundu, Native Pastor, Akwa Town, Cameroons.
My dear Alfred,
I am now busy packing my books, which I will forward about the end of this month. …..They will reach you I hope, by the beginning of August. I shall put the address on each of them, "Rev. Alfred Dibundu, Native Pastor, Akwa Town, Cameroons, W. Africa, via Messrs. Elder Dempster & Co., Liverpool."
The Cameroon Hymn and Tune Book, 2,000 in number, will be …addressed in the same way. I desire to send the things in different steamers, and sail myself in a third, so that the German submarines at any rate, will not get everything.
Please convey my most sincere Christian regards and best wishes to all Native Christians and accept same yourself.
May God bless you all.
Yours very sincerely,
W. HUGHES.
Extract from 'Third Visit of the Rev. W. Hughes, Colwyn Bay, to the West Coast of Africa: https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/rbc/lcrbmrp/t8071/t8071.pdf