If any creature ever got that sinking feeling, it was surely a feline sailor who got the feeling three times but waded through them all.
The black and white ship’s cat was originally named Oscar but then became known as Unsinkable Sam.
Kriegsmarine Apprenticeship
The cute feline started his sea-going career in the Kriegsmarine, the fighting navy of the Third Reich and ended his vocation in the Royal Navy. Sam was on board Bismarck, the HMS Cossack, and the HMS Ark Royal.
The Cool Part
Here comes the cool part: while all those three ships sank, Sam survived them all. Sam was no pussy and that is for certain.
Unsinkable Sam was then adopted by the crew of the HMS Ark Royal.
Ironically, this was the aircraft carrier that was instrumental in sinking the Bismarck that Sam had originally shipped out on.
Ark Royal survived several near misses and gained a reputation as a ‘lucky ship.’ Germany incorrectly reported her as sunk on multiple occasions.
The Cat Came Back
But the cat’s luck didn’t last. When returning from Malta on November 14, 1941, this ship, too, was torpedoed, this time by a German U-boat.
On this occasion, Sam was found clinging to a floating plank by a motor launch and the soggy moggy was described as ‘angry but quite unharmed’.
Mouser
But by this time, Sam had had enough. He was transferred to a job on land and spent his days hunting mice in the building of the Governor-General in Gibraltar.
Eventually, he was sent back to the UK, where he remained at a Home for Sailors in Belfast until the end of his earthly days.
According to the story, Unsinkable Sam survived the destruction of three warships in World War II and lived happily until 1955.
A pastel portrait of Sam (titled Oscar, the Bismarck’s Cat) by the artist Georgina Shaw-Baker is in the possession of the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich.
As for Sam’s legacy, it goes to show that even in the direst of circumstances, even as everything around you is crumbling down, you can still cling on to a piece of wood, get rescued, and move on to another ship and start over again.
Or it goes to show that cats really do have nine lives, all of which are absolutely worth living. Let readers know what you think
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Categories: Sea Stories
Michael Walsh Stories and Books 
A local cat with part of tail missing didn’t make it across road.
I buried it by creek.
It looked like a pinto pony so we called it Pinto.
Took in a tabby and I found $100 in an old wallet as it sat on computer desk with KC & the Sunshine Band jamming.
Kitty is always welcome here.
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Great story Mike and i want cats but stupid rental wants charge 25 dollars for pets..any.. Rents are so much that people are going to hotels. for less than living in Apartments.. I am sure Ireland is not like this hopefully.. When ever middle eastern i saw today i say Allah Akbar to them so they give me food good other wise i may get sick..!
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Would have loved to hear how he was rescued off the sunk German boat, excellent story I beleieve I’d heard before but great to share with ppl that haven’t heard it, as so many animals have had a part in our wars over the years. Glad he got to live out a peaceful retirement. To touch on the above commenter who said their landlord charges extra for pets, sadly, the last six or so years, the cost of having pets has grown out of control. Many vet shops are now owned by private equity firms and now charge outrageous amounts for services. Often times people are forced to delay or defer maintenance and other procedures they normally would have done, and sadly some are put down when sick as the bill to treat is too high. Throw in the cost of pet food (there was a 2-3 year period where it doubled in my area) luckily I am able to buy several months at a time to try and stay ahead of some of the increases, but eventually they catch up. Considering how the WEF’ers want us to not have pets for the “planet”, makes me think it;s all by design. Im down to one old timer cat and when he goes there will likely be no replacements.
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