D-DAY HEROES:

[Administrator]

New York Times praises Merchant Marine as D-Day Heroes during Normandy Invasion

HEROES!

New York Times, Saturday, June 10, 1944

MERCHANT SEAMEN ARE D-DAY HEROES

By Wireless to THE NEW YORK TIMES.

LONDON, June 9 -- D-day would not have been possible without the Merchant Marine. Now that the long-awaited day is history and great Allied forces have been landed in France, it is permitted to indicate the part played by these intrepid civilians, whose deeds for the most part have gone unsung.

Probably it is not generally realized that the Merchant Marine has the largest ratio of casualties of any branch of the services, and many of the names on the list are not classified "wounded" or "missing." They were those of the men whose grave is the sea.

The whole picture of the merchant marine's heroic deeds will not be available for some time because of security. Working side by side with the British merchant navy and the Allied fleets, the American merchant marine has reached a new peak of glory, and into this latest venture it has brought all the hard-earned experience of such historic episodes as the African landings and the bitterly fought Arctic runs to Russia.

LINK

[Administrator]

D-Day Heroes:

Come and stand in memory
Of men who fought and died.
They gave their lives in Normandy,
Remember them with pride.

Solders, Airmen, Sailors
Airborne and Marines
Who in civvy life were Tailors
And men who worked machines.

British and Canadians
And men from USA.
Forces from the Commonwealth
They all were there that day.

To Juno, Sword and Utah
Beaches of renown.
Also Gold and Omaha
That's where the ramps went down.

The battle raged in Normandy
Many lives were lost
The war must end in victory
And this must be the cost.

When my life is over
And I reach "The Other Side"
I'll meet my friends from Normandy
And shake their hands with pride.

Cyril W Crain

[Administrator]

Re: D-day: MN 1

In the build up to the Normandy landings on 6th June 1944 the immense task of transporting the concrete Phoenix's, which formed Mulberrry Harbours, which would be used to supply the allies in the invasion of Europe was left to the Merchant Navy Deep Sea Rescue Tugs of which 160 were deployed for this task which also included the towing and sinking 59 Merchant ships to form a breakwater codenamed Gooseberry. These breakwaters helped create a deep water port approximately the size of Dover. The tugs were also used for "Operation Pluto" to tow the huge drums for the oil pipelines which supplied 1.25 million gallons of fuel every day to the liberating armies.

Around the southern ports of England nearly 1,500 Merchant ships of all shapes and sizes and 50,000 Merchant Seamen, every last man a volunteer had been assembled, with over 300 ship sent over to in the first invasion waves between the 6th and 7th June, with many of the small coastal ships simply running themselves onto the beachhead to await the outgoing tide to unload their vital cargo of war materials.

One of the first casualties from the invasion fleet was the cargo ship Sambut, 7,219grt, (MOWT, P. Henderson and Co.) Loaded with a cargo of military vehicles, ammunition, cased petrol and nearly 600 troops bound for the Normandy beaches joined one of the first waves of the invasion fleet sailing from Southend on the 6th June 1944 in the 12 ship Convoy ETM-1. The same day 15 nautical miles North-West of Calais, the convoy came under attack from German shore batteries. Two 16 inch shells slammed into the Sambut setting fire to the petrol and vehicles in number two hold, while blowing a hole through the side of the ship above the water line killing the Second and Third Engineers and an estimated 130 troops lost, many drowning after abandoning ship. Unable to fight the raging fires and in danger of exploding the ship was ordered abandoned. A large number of rafts were launched with all the men going over the side, the Master, Chief Officer and pilot the last to leave. The survivors were rescued by a number of motor launches a short time later and landed at Dover. The body of one other crewmember was eventually recovered and buried at Dover (St. James) Cemetery. An escort vessel was deployed to sink the blazing ship to prevent a hazard to other sections of the invasion fleet, but finally sank on her own in position 51’ 08N 01’ 33E before they arrived at the scene.

Cargo ship Fort Pic, 7,130grt, (MOWT, J.&C. Harrison mgrs) loaded with a cargo of war stores and 567 troops bound for the D-Day Landings sailed from Southend on the 8th June 1944 in the 14 ship Convoy ETM-3, arriving at Gold Beach, Normandy the following day. On the 10th June off the beachhead the ship was attacked by German aircraft and strafed with cannon fire and suffered slight bomb damage and the ships Second and Third Radio Officers and one DEMS gunner were killed by shrapnel. Two other crewmembers died later from wounds the same day and are buried at Southampton (Hollybrook) Cemetery.

Cargo ship Albert. C. Field, 1,764grt (Upper Lakes & St. Lawrence Transportation Co. Ltd) loaded with a cargo of ammunition and bags of mail for American troops at Normandy and was to join up with the 18 ship Convoy EC-14, which sailed from Southend on the 17th June 1944 bound for the Seine Bay. The following day just before midnight South-East of the Isle of Wight in position 50’ 28N 01’ 46W the Albert C. Field was hit by a German aerial torpedo amidships setting fire to the bags of mail in number two hold and blowing both lifeboats out of their davits. Three rafts were quickly released and the crew began to abandon ship. Within three minutes of being hit the ship broke in two and sank taking four crewmembers with her. The survivors were picked up by the naval trawler HMT Herschell and landed at Portsmouth the following day.

Billy McGee

[Administrator]

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

[Administrator]

Re: D-day: MN 3:

Cargo ship Glendinning, 1,927grt, (Gibson, George & Co.) had finished discharging her cargo at the Arromanches beach head at Normandy and joined up with the 28 ship Convoy FTC-27, which departed the Seine Bay on the 5th July 1944 bound for Southend. The same day, 17 nautical miles South of Worthing the ship was struck by a single torpedo from U-953. The torpedo detonated between number two hold and the bridge, splitting the ship in two. One boat was successfully launched, but the Master suffering from a fractured skull and a couple of his Officers were forced to jump overboard as the ship sank in position 50’ 32N 00’ 22W, with the loss of one crewmember who died when he fell between the ships side and the lifeboat, an army storekeeper and one DEMS gunners who was trapped in the wreckage. The survivors were rescued by a number of motor launches and the wounded Master was transferred to the Destroyer HMS Fernie, but died from his wounds and was later buried ashore at Gillingham (Woodlands) Cemetery.

Cargo ship Iddesleigh, 5,205grt, (W.J. Tatem) loaded with a general cargo and 80 troops bound for Sword Beach at Normandy joined up with the 18 ship Convoy ETM-57, which departed Southend on the 6th August 1944 and arrived and anchored off the Seine Bay the following day. On the 10th August the ship was rocked by a huge explosion near the engine room and severely damaged killing two men in the engine room and one of the troops. With the engine room, boiler room and number four hold flooding rapidly, the troops were given the order to abandon ship, while retaining a small skeleton crew. The ship was eventually taken in tow and beached on Sword Beach and was eventually declared a total loss. The explosion was believed to have been caused by a German one man “Neger” torpedo.

Cargo ship Orminster, 5,712grt, (South American Saint Line) having finished discharging her cargo of war materials at Juno Beach at Normandy the ship joined the Southend bound 12 ship Convoy FTM-74, which departed the Seine Bay on the 25th August 1944. After falling behind the main convoy the same day with boiler trouble the Orminster was intercepted by U-480, 45 nautical miles North-West of Cap d’Antifer, France. Struck by a single torpedo in number five hold, blowing off the propeller and opening up the ship to the in rushing sea, and within ten minutes sank killing one crewmember and four DEMS gunners. The fifty-nine survivors were rescued by the Corvette HMS Pennwort and the naval trawler HMS Damsay and landed at Portsmouth. One other DEMS gunner died later from his wounds.

There were many other incidents, which could have been covered, but I am trying to show, that even after the beachheads had been secured, the Merchant Navy were still under constant threat from German forces in regards to mines, U-boats, etc even two month later while still supplying the Allied armies. Simple things like water were even shipped over the France in many of the small coastal tankers, to keep up with demand. To put it into perceptive, just from Southend itself 129 convoys consisting of 2,394 ship ran to the Seine Bay from June to October 1944. Once the Scheldt Estuary and the port of Antwerp had been captured by the Allies in November 1944, The TAM series of 172 convoys, consisting of 1,626 Merchant ships entered the port between December 1944 up until May 1945 to support the Allied advance. So desperate where the Germans to halt shipping at Antwerp, they even began using the V-2 rocket against the port and city, but still the Merchant men volunteered to run the gauntlet. How these men and the Merchant service have almost been written out of the history of WWII is beyond reason and is why they were never allowed to officially march at the Cenotaph in London until 1999. Truly the Forgotten Fourth Service........... until now.

Billy McGee