Post by KG on Jun 6, 2018 19:54:47 GMT
Re: D-day: MN 2
Cargo ship Derrycunihy, 7,093grt, (McGowan & Gross Ltd) loaded with a cargo of military stores and 583 troops bound for Sword Beach at Normandy sailed from Southend in the 14 ship Convoy ETM-15 on the 23rd June 1944. The following day in the Seine Bay the ship’s movements triggered a German acoustic mine, which split the ship in two. The forward section remained afloat, but the stern section, though still attached by the keel plates, sank within twenty seconds. To make matters worse, an ammunition truck on the ship exploded, igniting the spilled oil on the surface of the surrounding water. Between 150 to 189 of the troops who had been in number five hold perished, though a few men escaped by swimming through the hatch opening, after her hatch boards had been blown off. Fifteen of her twenty-five DEMS gunners also perished along with nine of her crewmembers. The survivors were eventually rescued by a number of motor launches.
Passenger ferry Maid of Orleans, 2,348grt, (Southern Railway Co.) had been converted into a landing ship for troops taking part in the D-Day Landings. On the 28th June 1944 while returning from the Normandy beaches the ship was hit by a torpedo from U-988 about 34 nautical miles South-East of St. Catherine’s Point, Isle of Wight and sank within thirty minutes in position 50’ 10N 00’ 40W along with five crewmembers. The ninety-three survivors were rescued by the Frigate HMS Hotham, the Destroyer HMS Eglington and the tug Empire Roger and landed at Portsmouth. The ships Third Engineer died two days later and is buried in the Portsmouth (Kingston) Cemetery.
Cargo ship Empire Portia, 7,058grt, (MOWT, Common Bros.) sailed from the Normandy beaches in ballast bound for Portsmouth in the 16 ship Convoy FTM-22, which departed the Seine Bay on the 29th June 1944. The same day 14 nautical miles South, South-East of Bognor Regis the ship was rocked by a huge explosion killing five men in the engine room. The ship was taken in tow by a landing craft, but the tow parted and the ship grounded on the Peel Bank near Ryde, Isle of Wight where two of the bodies were recovered and buried ashore. The initial credit for the loss of the Empire Portia was given to U-988, as the U-boat was known to be operating in the area at the time, but this U-boat was sunk the same day, lost with all hands before any reports could be sent, so it is possible the ship had actually detonated a mine.
Another ship lost on her seventh trip to the beach head was the Infantry landing ship Empire Broadsword, 7,177grt, (MOWT, Cunard, White Star Ltd) bound for Omaha Beach with over one hundred Royal Marines onboard. The ship had already successfully landed over 10,000 troops ashore when she joined the 3 ship Convoy ECP-22, which departed Southampton on the 2nd July 1944. The same day in the Seine Bay just under two miles from the Omaha beached the Empire Broadsword was rocked by a number of huge explosions and sank in thirty minutes in position 49’ 29N 00’ 54W along with one crewmember, two naval staff and one DEMS gunners. The survivors were picked up by an American naval vessel and transferred over the Empire Battleaxe, where one other crewmember died from his injuries. It is believed the ship detonated up to three German Oyster mines which had been dropped earlier by the Luftwaffe.
Tanker Empire Rosebery, 2,370grt, (MOWT, C. Rowbotham & Sons) sailed in ballast from Port-en-Bessen in the Seine Bay bound for Hamble in the Solent. On the 24th August 1944 just under 2 nautical miles from the beaches at Arromanches the ship was rocked by a huge explosion after striking a mine and sank after breaking into three pieces sank in position 49’ 22N 00’ 36W with the loss of eleven crewmembers and three DEMS gunners. The survivors were picked up by a minesweeper in the area and landed at Arromanches. The bodies of the Chief Officer, Chief and Second Engineers were later recovered and are buried at the Ryes War Cemetery at Calvados, France.
Billy McGee
Cargo ship Derrycunihy, 7,093grt, (McGowan & Gross Ltd) loaded with a cargo of military stores and 583 troops bound for Sword Beach at Normandy sailed from Southend in the 14 ship Convoy ETM-15 on the 23rd June 1944. The following day in the Seine Bay the ship’s movements triggered a German acoustic mine, which split the ship in two. The forward section remained afloat, but the stern section, though still attached by the keel plates, sank within twenty seconds. To make matters worse, an ammunition truck on the ship exploded, igniting the spilled oil on the surface of the surrounding water. Between 150 to 189 of the troops who had been in number five hold perished, though a few men escaped by swimming through the hatch opening, after her hatch boards had been blown off. Fifteen of her twenty-five DEMS gunners also perished along with nine of her crewmembers. The survivors were eventually rescued by a number of motor launches.
Passenger ferry Maid of Orleans, 2,348grt, (Southern Railway Co.) had been converted into a landing ship for troops taking part in the D-Day Landings. On the 28th June 1944 while returning from the Normandy beaches the ship was hit by a torpedo from U-988 about 34 nautical miles South-East of St. Catherine’s Point, Isle of Wight and sank within thirty minutes in position 50’ 10N 00’ 40W along with five crewmembers. The ninety-three survivors were rescued by the Frigate HMS Hotham, the Destroyer HMS Eglington and the tug Empire Roger and landed at Portsmouth. The ships Third Engineer died two days later and is buried in the Portsmouth (Kingston) Cemetery.
Cargo ship Empire Portia, 7,058grt, (MOWT, Common Bros.) sailed from the Normandy beaches in ballast bound for Portsmouth in the 16 ship Convoy FTM-22, which departed the Seine Bay on the 29th June 1944. The same day 14 nautical miles South, South-East of Bognor Regis the ship was rocked by a huge explosion killing five men in the engine room. The ship was taken in tow by a landing craft, but the tow parted and the ship grounded on the Peel Bank near Ryde, Isle of Wight where two of the bodies were recovered and buried ashore. The initial credit for the loss of the Empire Portia was given to U-988, as the U-boat was known to be operating in the area at the time, but this U-boat was sunk the same day, lost with all hands before any reports could be sent, so it is possible the ship had actually detonated a mine.
Another ship lost on her seventh trip to the beach head was the Infantry landing ship Empire Broadsword, 7,177grt, (MOWT, Cunard, White Star Ltd) bound for Omaha Beach with over one hundred Royal Marines onboard. The ship had already successfully landed over 10,000 troops ashore when she joined the 3 ship Convoy ECP-22, which departed Southampton on the 2nd July 1944. The same day in the Seine Bay just under two miles from the Omaha beached the Empire Broadsword was rocked by a number of huge explosions and sank in thirty minutes in position 49’ 29N 00’ 54W along with one crewmember, two naval staff and one DEMS gunners. The survivors were picked up by an American naval vessel and transferred over the Empire Battleaxe, where one other crewmember died from his injuries. It is believed the ship detonated up to three German Oyster mines which had been dropped earlier by the Luftwaffe.
Tanker Empire Rosebery, 2,370grt, (MOWT, C. Rowbotham & Sons) sailed in ballast from Port-en-Bessen in the Seine Bay bound for Hamble in the Solent. On the 24th August 1944 just under 2 nautical miles from the beaches at Arromanches the ship was rocked by a huge explosion after striking a mine and sank after breaking into three pieces sank in position 49’ 22N 00’ 36W with the loss of eleven crewmembers and three DEMS gunners. The survivors were picked up by a minesweeper in the area and landed at Arromanches. The bodies of the Chief Officer, Chief and Second Engineers were later recovered and are buried at the Ryes War Cemetery at Calvados, France.
Billy McGee