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Božo Prpić (Bob Prpich)

( 1904 - ? )

Biography

Born in 1904 in Ravni Dabar near Karlobag, Podgorje region located on slopes of Velebit mountain. As a child he guarded livestock on Velebit and later in Slavonia until he finally left for North America, to Canadian forests and mines. In Canada he joined workers movement and become official in miners union. Pripć also joined editorial team of communist controlled newspaper "Slobodna misao" (Free Thought) in Toronto renamed to "Novosti" after a ban.

In May 1942, representative of UK War department arrived to editorial department of "Novosti" with request for 30 to 40 persons which would be inserted into occupied Yugoslavia. Request specifically asked for active communists on which British counted to be reliable to carry out active sabotages and wouldn't be give up in difficult situations. After meting between representative of Central Committee of Communist Party of Canada Smith, emigrant representative Nikola Kovačević - Stari and Edo Jardas with British colonel (William Bailey?) selection of men begun.

Božo Prpić was selected in the first group formed in June 1942 with Nikola Kovačević, Joso Šarić (Joe Sharic), Emil Vrkljan, Stevo Serdar, Lazar Jelić, Miha Klobučar and Luka Biljan. They were called on 22 July to one month of physical, explosives and wireless training at barracks of Military District No. 2 near Toronto. Training finished on 20 August and after farewell party arrived at St. John on 1 September to shipped to Cairo.

Last voyage of the 'Andreas'

Under disguise as 'civilian technicians' group boarded Greek freighter 'Andreas' on 6 September for three month voyage around Africa, another group would follow aboard 'Star of Alexandria'. Group was appalled by condition of old steamer 'Andreas', 11000 freighter built back in 1919 in England for Dutch company which sold it to Mexico and Mexico to Greece, which lacked any kind of accommodation for passengers forcing half of the group to sleep in hallways.

Despite high risk from German submarines 'Andreas' didn't have watch duties and there was no blackout on the ship during the night. From St. John to New York ship followed the coastline arriving four days later where it stayed another four days waiting for convoy to assemble. On 15 September around 8 a.m. convoy of 28 ship including two Canadian destroyers and two corvettes as escorts set sail for Trinidad. On the fifth day U-Boat was reported sighted and sunk by the escorts, no other attacks occurred until finally on fourteenth day 'Andreas' sailed in Port of Spain.

Here ship stayed for the next three weeks with malfunctions preventing it from joining convoys. Mixed crew of 39 Greeks, 3 English, 2 French, one Dutch, Chinese, Latvian and Trinidad nationals was kept virtually imprisoned on the old ship and hated the captain who didn't allow anyone taking a shore leave fearing they wouldn't return. Only captain and first mate went to town with young black female often escorting the captain which everyone thought was the main reason for ship malfunctions keeping it in a port.

Finally on 24 October 1942, fifth convoy was formed with 'Andreas' joining 21 other freighters escorted this time by two British destroyers and two corvettes. On third day convoy was dissolved, with stern 75mm gun manned by 5 British soldiers being useless defense against torpedo crew saw it as a death sentence. In the sunset of 4 November torpedo was spotted just in time for ship to change course West towards Brazil using darkness of the night and rough sea in hope of escape. During night one or more subs caught up with 'Andreas' and opened murderous fire from its deck gun and machine-guns. Short burst was also fired in direction of the life boat. According to Wreak Site it wasn't a German U-boat but Italian submarine Leonardo da Vinci, commanded by Italian ace, Lieutenant Gianfranco Gazzana Priaroggia which sank 'Andreas' and several other vessels in the area.

Božo Prpić and Emil Vrkljan attempted to reach life boats but machine-gun fire killed Vrljan forcing Prpić to take cover running into Jelić and badly wounded Luka Biljan. Soon Prpić too was wounded in his right arm but continued to his search for life boat and survivors of his group on sinking ship but found only Miha Klobučar. Jelić continued the search but while lowering life boat into rough sea Biljan fell into sea leaving Prpić, Jelić, Klobučar and two English crewmen, radioman Spark and 17-year old called Longo, none of them was a real sailor or even knew how to swim.

Rescue

Life boat riddled with bullets had most of its supplies destroyed or long past expiration date. Prpić wound in wrist from shrapnel still in his arm cased him to lose lot of blood. Survivors sent next hellish six days without water, storm during night give them much needed water. Finally on day 12 they were spotted by Liberty class ship '? Johnson' whose sailor union president persuade ship captain E.C. Venetianer (possibly Edward Venetianer from Bronx, 1891 - 1963) to stop ship and pick up survivors despite U-boat threat. They were rescued 601 miles north of Equator, right in the center of the sea route from French Guyana to Liberia while they were sunk 119 miles south of Equator and 450 miles from Brazilian coast which makes direct distance of 720 miles, it is impossible to know how much they have actually crossed while drifting in damaged life boat.

Prpić and other quickly recovered aboard while being taken back to Trinidad. With only minor event of running aground while sailing through shallow waters to avoid U-boats, survivors arrived to Port of Spain on 26 November 1942. Here they found out that Kovačević, Serdar and Šarić survived and are in Pernambuco in Brazil. Šarić and Serdar took plane to Trinidad and rejoined the group, badly wounded Kovačević stayed behind.

Egypt and Palestine

Group again sailed for Cairo on 15 December 1942 this time aboard Egyptian passenger ship 'El Nil' which also carried 107 various American experts for military installations in Northern Africa. 'El Nil' took the same route as 'Andreas' and had no armament but managed to arrive safely to Capetown and finally Suez on 7 February 1943. Group was stationed in Cairo and given a rest which allowed Pripić to check his arm which still had shrapnel in it and was ordered for electric massage to remove it. After few days joined by the second group which arrived to Egypt week later without problems, both group begun their parachute training with individuals being sent to two weeks advance parachute training at Ramat David in Haifa, Palestine in Special Training School 102.

Prpić together with Joso Šarić were sent in April and made their first jump from Halifax on 16 April. After completing their five jumps training was completed and they returned to Cairo. From Libyan airfield at Derna on 6 May 1943 aircraft at last took Prpić, Šimimić and Šarić into Yugoslavia.

Lika, Croatia

Night para-droop took place over Krbava field with burning letters T and D on the ground only signals given by Yugoslav Partisans.

Ranks

• Sergent in British army
• Major in Yugoslav army

Decorations

• ?

Died

?

Assignments

Reference

• Božo Prpić: Preko Atlantika u partizane, pages 170-172
• Roy MacLaren: Canadians behind enemy lines, 1939-1945
• SS Andreas

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