–say Lindeners at commemoration of tragedy

By Vanessa Braithwaite

AS Lindeners on Wednesday commemorated the lives of the 43 men, women and children who perished in the explosion that occurred on the Son Chapman 52 years ago, a call was made for the memorial of this river bloodbath to be remembered nationally. A group of Lindeners and other concerned citizens journeyed to Hurudaia where a monument stands and tombs where some of the victims were buried.
Among those present at the moving service were Attorney-at-Law and former Minister of Government Llewellyn John; children of Norman Chapman, the owner of the Son Chapman; relatives of those who perished and regional officials.
Addressing the gathering, Chairman of the Regional Commemorative Committee, Charles Sampson, said even though The Son Chapman event can be described as one of the greatest acts of terrorism against Lindeners, it is being treated lightly.
“I am disappointed that after 52 years we have not stepped up and treated the Son Chapman tragedy in terms of national commemoration as that is the kind of treatment it deserves,” he contended.
Sampson compared the tragedy to other events where fewer people died, but is recognised nationally, notably the Enmore Martyrs.
He also called for the erection of a proper monument and structure at Hurudaia, so that persons visiting for the yearly memorial would be comfortable and protected from the elements.
Attorney John echoed Sampson’s views, pointing out that those persons who died should be given more respect today, contending that the explosion was an intention to punish the people of Linden by those who felt that they should not be discriminated against.
In his presentation, he also alluded to the Ballot Box Martyrs of Number 63 Village and the Enmore Martyrs who are given national recognition.
“They have put forward monuments which are lasting and we of the local authorities must campaign, we must agitate for the national statues where the events that took place so that they could always be remembered.”
Historian Winslow Parris in a sober address called on Lindeners to use the Son Chapman tragedy to heal the wounds of the past and strive for social cohesion, while former leader of the People’s National Congress (PNC) Robert Corbin sent messages of peace and national unity.
The Son Chapman tragedy occurred on July 6, 1964 at approximately 16:00 hrs. The vessel, captained by Herman Softleigh, had just left the docks of Hurudaia, a timber grant settlement 16 miles up the Demerara River after letting off three passengers. About 300 yards from Hurudaia, a loud explosion occurred killing 43 persons inclusive of four children. All those who died were of African ancestry. Pandemonium broke loose as the 27 persons and six crew men who were on the decks of the boat, and who survived the explosion, swam to shore while others were rescued by other vessels as they watched the “Son Chapman” sink.
TERRIBLE SIGHT
Donald Gentle, who lost his mother in the tragedy, related that he had just left Christianburg Government School and was heading for home at Lee Ting alley, when he observed an unusual amount of people standing on both banks of the Demerara River in the vicinity of Linden.
“What I was told as the reason why those people were standing there made me begin to cry immediately, knowing that my mother travelled every Monday on the Son Chapman,” he said.
His mother was a huckster who travelled to Georgetown every Sunday evening to purchase commodities and returned the following day with the Son Chapman.
“Unfortunately, on July 13, 1964, she did not make it back to Wismar where she lived and sold her commodities from a stall erected at the side of Burnham Drive in the vicinity of Poker’s Sand road…. She was the woman whose father pleaded with her not to travel with the Son Chapman on that particular day, because he had heard rumours of a bomb being placed on the launch. Maybe, it was because she had left nine children, including an 18-month-old baby at home that she insisted on travelling with the launch. She did not make it to Linden alive,” recalled Gentle, who was 15 years old at the time. By July 8, 32 bodies had been recovered from the river and taken to the Mackenzie Hospital morgue.
Two badly decomposed bodies were buried at Hurudaia and two in Georgetown. Some of the bodies that were identified and buried were Jean Abrams, Winifred Giles, Irene Jordan, Daphne London, Edna Dublin, Carmen Carrlyn, Alphonso Peters, Joseph Brittlebank, Frank Adams, and Evande Adams, among others.
Several theories were put forth as to the intent of the explosion and who orchestrated it. Some of the blame was placed on the PPP, the PNC, racial Indians seeking revenge for those Indians who were murdered, raped or had lost their properties to fires in Wismar. Though an answer was never given to the people of Linden, the spirit of those who died continues to live on.