Sinking of Former French Chasseurs CH 6 & 7 Oct 11 '40

[PT Dockyard]

These two small ships were sunk I thnk near The Sle of Wright on this date by German destroyers. Does anyone have any details of this action? The Germans were doing a sweep called Operation "Willi"

Dave G
The PT Dockyard
http://www.ptdockyard.com

[Andy H]

Hi Dave

Oct 11th 1940
German torpedo boats FALKE, GREIF, KONDOR, SEEADLER and WOLF departed Cherbourg for another sortie to the area off the Isle of Wight.

Late on the 11th, in an engagement with anti-submarine trawler WARWICK DEEPING (445grt, Skipper J. R. Bruce RNR) and former French armed trawler LISTRAC (778grt, Lt K. P. Kirkup RNR), both of the 17th Anti Submarine Group, in 50‑25N, 01‑50W, torpedo boat GREIF sank LISTRAC with a torpedo, and torpedo boats KONDOR and FALKE sank WARWICK DEEPING with gunfire. Kirkup and eleven ratings were lost on the LISTRAC; A/S/Lt R. J. Pickford RCNVR and twenty four ratings were wounded. No crew were lost in WARWICK DEEPING.

At 0007 on the 12th, the German force contacted and sank French submarine chasers CH.6 (Lt W. B. G. Galbraith, RN) and CH.7 (S/Lt G. A. Gabbett-Mulhallen DSC, RN). The survivors of these ships were picked up by German torpedo boat GREIF. Galbraith, Temporary Acting S/Lt D. B. Walton RNVR and seven ratings were lost on the CH.6; twelve crew were taken prisoner. Gabbett-Mulhallen and eleven ratings were killed on CH.7; Acting Lt R. V. Musman RNVR and eight ratings were taken prisoner from CH.7.

Destroyers JACKAL, JAGUAR, JUPITER, KELVIN, KIPLING came out from Plymouth and two destroyers departed Portsmouth. At 0314 on the 12th, destroyer JACKAL engaged two of the German ships at 280°, 27 miles from 50N, 1W . Neither side was damaged and the German ships arrived back at Cherbourg mid-morning on the 12th

http://www.naval-history.net/xDKWW2-4010-23OCT01.htm

Regards

Andy H

[Andy H]

and this from the National Archives- CAB/66/13/3

This is the weekly resume No59 which covers the period October 10th to the 17th and is written after the week in question.

It states:-

Two French Chasseurs with British crews on patrol in this area (nr St Catherines IOW) are also missing and it is feared that they have been sunk. There is evidence that the enemy force consisted of a destroyer and 3 or 4 torpedo boats or E-Boats. Destroyer patrols were ordered to intercept the enemy and early on the 12th, HMS Jackal sighted and engaged two small craft 30miles north of Cherbourg but the enemy was soon lost in the darkness

Regards

Andy H

[PT Dockyard]

Thanks. The Chasseurs are a favorite of mine!

Dave G
the PT Dockyard
http://www.ptdockyard.com

[Urmel]

11.– 12.10.1940
Kanal
Operation »Medium«: Das brit. Schlachtschiff Revenge, gesichert durch die 5. Z-Flottille mit Javelin, Jupiter, Kelvin, Kipling, Jackal, Jaguar, Kashmir und die 3. Motorkanonenboot-Flottille mit den MGB 46, MGB 40, MGB 42, MGB 43, MGB 44, beschießen in der Nacht zum 11.10. die Hafeneinrichtungen von Cherbourg. Revenge feuert 120 x 381mm und die Zerstörer 801 x 120mm. Ein Verband mit den Kreuzern Newcastle, Emerald und den Zerstörern HMS Wanderer, Broke sowie OPR Garland und Burza feuert Leuchtgranaten.

In der Nacht zum 12.10. versenken die brit. Schnellboote MTB 22, MTB 31 und MTB 32 vor Calais die »Seelöwe«-Fischdampfer Nordenham und Brandenburg. Beide fuhren als Seenotschiffe für Flieger.

Operation »Willi«: Abends am 11.10. zweiter Vorstoß der 5. T-Flottille (KKpt. Henne) mit Greif, Kondor, Falke, Seeadler und Wolf ins Seegebiet vor der Isle of Wight. Bei Gefechten mit leichten brit. Streitkräften werden die frei-franz. U-Jäger Ch 6 und Ch 7 sowie die Trawler Listrac (778 BRT) und Warwick Deeping (445 BRT) versenkt. Auf dem Rückmarsch kurzes Gefecht mit den brit. Zerstörern Jackal, Jaguar, Jupiter, Kelvin, Kipling.

http://www.wlb-stuttgart.de/seekrieg/40-10.htm

[Urmel]

Chasseur 6 was involved in the battle for Zeeland in May:

http://www.waroverholland.nl/index.php? ... nd-sloedam

[Urmel]

http://ptdockyard.com/narrow-seas/1600- ... w2-french/

Nice picture. Your site?

[PT Dockyard]

Yes,
That is my site

Here is another great shot.


http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z206 ... seur14.jpg





Dave G
The PT Dockyard

[AVV]

Hello!

Here is another great shot.

Yes, a nice photo. Thanks for sharing!

Best regards, Aleks

[jugula]

Hi, my Dad's brother was on Chasseur 6 when it went down and was listed as missing presumed killed, does anyone have a picture of this boat?
This is an interesting topic as some of these small craft get little or no mention.

[Andy H]

Hi, my Dad's brother was on Chasseur 6 when it went down and was listed as missing presumed killed, does anyone have a picture of this boat?
This is an interesting topic as some of these small craft get little or no mention.

Hi

You may well have this, but this is a listing of those lost on CH6.

Chasseur 6, ship loss
BULLIVANT, Douglas J, Ordinary Seaman, P/JX 182179, MPK
CARRE, ROBERT M, Able Seaman, P/JX 214395, MPK
DUDLEY, Francis G, Motor Mechanic, P/MX 68669, MPK
FLEMING, Fred J, Ordinary Seaman, P/JX 188790, MPK
GALBRAITH, William B G, Lieutenant, killed
JONES, Merlin, Stoker 1c, P/KX 91150, MPK
MCEWAN, John F, Able Seaman, RNVR, P/CD/X 2450, MPK
TROTT, Leslie J, Able Seaman, P/JX 134148, MPK
WALTON, David B, Ty/Act/Sub Lieutenant, RNVR, killed

http://www.naval-history.net/xDKCas1940-10OCT.htm

If you don't already have them in your families possession and your interested you can get your Uncles service record from the Navy, with his serial number listed above.

Regards

Andy H

[M. Oldham]

My father was a 19 year old crew member of Ch6 who survived the action, was landed at Cherbourg the next morning and spent the rest of the war as a POW.
When I find any information on the incident I try to hang on to it.
The following is an example [Source: Shovlar, Steve. Dorset Shipwrecks, Freestyle Publications, Poole, 1996, p 189.

German wireless transmissions were recorded at Portland, giving a vivid picture of the action that was taking place.
00.45: "I have 30 rounds of ammunition left and the flotilla leader says gather round me."
01.00: "I have taken ten prisoners, four are wounded."
01.08: "Have sunk the late French A/S Vessel No 6 and another ship. There are seven survivors who did not want to come on board."
01.20: "Since the men refused to leave the boat there is one officer and four men shot in the boat. I have fired and the boat sank as we pulled away."
Obviously the men were given a choice. Surrender or die.

[wightspirit]

I've been researching the loss of Chasseurs 6 & 7 and have some additional information which M Oldham and jugula may find interesting. There does not appear to be an existing official report in the National Archives concerning the attack or prisoners of war so anything M Oldham can add will be very helpful. Three men from Chasseur 7 are buried in a cemetary in Portland - W J Allen, Stoker 1st Class RN, P/KX 61172,40 years, J W Askill, Telegrapher RNV(W) R.P/WRX 554, 22 years, and T B Crouch, Leading Stoker RN P/KX 83270, 26 years. Nine were reported missing presumed killed from Chasseur 6 and 11 from Chasseur 7, but some of these may have been taken as POW's. If possible please send me a PM or contact me via www.wightspirit.co.uk.

Dave W