Salvors

SALVORS - UNCUT AND UNFINISHED.


The story covers three time frames, 1942 the middle of the Second World War, the ensuing years, and finally the present day.

It tells of how the lives of several men, their families and friends are linked in a deadly mystery involving the loss of life, a large quantity of uncut diamonds and gold bullion, and how they become drawn into another far greater loss.

In 1942 a British unarmed Liberator aircraft leaves the Belgian Congo carrying not only uncut diamonds and gold but five high ranking United States Army officers on a secret visit to Britain. They had joined the aircraft in Egypt but towards the end of its journey the aircraft is shot down by two spitfires who mistake it for an enemy plane, all on board are lost, no efforts were made to recover the aircraft or its contents, the relatives of those on board were informed their loved ones were lost in action, this is based on a true event.

After the loss is known a senior member of the Ministry of Mines in the Congo, removes all records of the transaction from the files.

A family member of one of the US officers promises the widow that one day he would make sure her husband's remains will be returned to the USA for burial.
He dies before he can achieve this so his son undertakes to carry out the task, as his chosen profession is that of Marine Engineer he feels qualified to achieve this.
It is not until many years later he can obtain any information about his Grandfather's death, there is a limit to what the records show in the US archives, so he plans a trip to England to meet an old friend from Cambridge to gather more details.

Two other parties develop a great interest in the aircraft and contents, they show they will go to any lengths necessary to achieve their objectives. These individuals clash sometimes violently, involving innocent members of the families and their friends in this battle for what they hold dearest, family or greed.

The international fight attracts the interest of many parties involved in the initial movement of the aircraft and its contents, they want part of the action this leaves a trail of dead and injured bodies.

The attempts to find and salvage the remains of the aircraft and its contents is one of immense hardship, fighting the physical elements above the water, and the never ending struggle to get the sea to give up it's secrets, the lives of those involved will never be the same again.

Barry Jyam.