Son made the effort to tell dad’s Royal Navy story

An amateur author has written a book detailing his  96-year-old father’s adventures in the Royal Navy during World War Two.

Michael Pearman’s father, Edric, was a PO Coxswain based in St George’s while the conflict raged in the early 1940s.

The book is called ‘Socci’, which was the nickname given to Mr Pearman senior as a young boy growing up in the East End.

And the collection of short stories trace his childhood growing up on the water and his role in the Navy during the war.

Mr Pearman Junior told the Bermuda Sun: “My father has lived an incredibly interesting life and he has always told us stories about his days in the Navy right from when we were children.

“As a boy his father would take him out of school to help tender in passengers from the ships that anchored out at Murray’s Anchorage.

“This interest in the sea led him to join the Royal Navy during the Second World and get into all kinds of adventures like the time he met Babe Ruth. He was trusted and respected by his colleagues in the Navy. He was very proud of his position and took his role very seriously.”

The book is made up of 32 chapters, each of which tells a specific story in Mr Pearman Snr’s life.

And many of the illustrations have been provided by Mr Pearman Junior and his two children Maychel and Seth.

Mr Pearman Junior hopes to get the book published in the new year and believes it could prove popular as a bedtime story for children.

He added: “I am not a professional writer or anything like that but I thought it was important that we collated all these great stories my father has told us over the years so we have them forever.

“He is one of the last of his generation still alive and he can remember times in Bermuda’s history the way few can today. I hope that others will find it interesting.

“I think it will be interesting to anyone with an eye for maritime matters and history but it would also make a great children’s book for bedtime.

“We have tried to tell his stories the way he remembers them with his sense of humour and as much detail of names and places as he can remember.

“It’s been very much a family project with everyone helping out. I’m now just looking at ways of getting it published in 2014 and would welcome any advice.” 

Can you help? If anyone would like to contact Mr Pearman Jnr with advice on getting his book published you can call him on 336-9804.