A close shave - and then a real one for this South Shields man rescued at sea
What a story this South Shields man had to tell.
Mr D Carmona survived when his ship exploded after hitting a mine in 1939.
Picked up by a Polish ship
Then he was one of only 15 survivors to be picked up by a Polish destroyer after his ship, the Sheaf Crest sunk with 30 lives lost.
And then he coolly posed for this photo when the Press caught up with him while he had another close shave - this time at a London barbers before returning to South Tyneside.
Rescued off the coast
The photo, which was taken in December 1939, comes to us courtesy of the fantastic Getty Images archives.
The Sheaf Crest was a steamer which was based in Newcastle but in November 1939, she hit a mine and sank within minutes.
Our thanks go to Getty Images for the nostalgic photo.
Share your own family’s stories of war heroism
We want to know if you had a relative with a remarkable story to tell from the Second World War.
As the 80th anniversary of the end of the war approaches, we want to pay tribute to those who bravely lived through it, by sharing their memories.
Tell us more by emailing [email protected]