HMS Hurricane

[mrbassman]

My father was the helmsman on the Hurricane at the time it was sunk in 1943, I would like to contact any survivors and/or members of their families. I am also looking for more information on the sinking, where they were going and the name of the rescue ship

[stan]

To the person who's father was a signalman on HMS Hurricane in 1941 - 1943. He must have been a messmate of mine. I have a photograph of several members of five mess taken in Gibraltar in 1943 and your father may possibly be on it.

Please let me know your surname and how to contact you. You may either email me at valstan@talktalk.net or telephone 01934 522307.

Stan.

[stan]

I served on HMS Hurricane for the full second commission from December 1941 to her sinking in 1943. I have a photograph of her taken in the
Bay of Biscay in July 1943, also one shortly before her sinking . If this message is read by any other interested person I should be glad to hear from you. If you care to phone me on 01934 522307 I,d be glad to have a chat and arrange to send you copies.

Stan.

[tonclass]

Would love to see the other pic Stan. Can you scan it and post it on the site ?
Rik

[jbryce1437]

I received a very interesting letter and some photographs from Stan and will post the crew photographs on this thread for him, in the hope that someone will either spot themselves or know someone in the photos. Stan would be delighted to hear from any of his old shipmates.
Unfortunately, the quality of the images is not great, but they should be recognisable.
The first photograph is of a group of four people sitting on the ships deck and Stan has caption the names, left to right, as
Eric Hughes HF/DF, Unknown, John Asher L/Tel, Jack Porter L/Tel.

[jbryce1437]

The second photograph contains around twenty members of the Hurricane's crew. Stan is sitting with the lifebelt around him.
Front row, left to right, ? Stevens - Signalman, Stan Simister - Coder, Jack Porter - L/Tel, Geraint Evans - Coder.
Second row, left to right, Jock McNeil - L/Sig, Unknown, Conroy - HF/DF, Peacock - Tel, Hayward - Sig.
Across the Back, left to right, Frank Dunhill - Sig, Unknown, Eric Batty - Tel, M Jones - HF/DF, Kennedy - Tel, Pusser Bray - PO, Unknown, Todd Sweeney - Sig, Nutty Sharp - L/Tel, Eric Hughes - HF/DF, "Lotty" Love - Tel.

[jbryce1437]

These two photographs show the damage to the stern of the ship and were taken just before she sank.
Stan says of her sinking:-
"This should never have happened. In company with an old V & W destroyer, two corvettes and the river class frigate Glenarm, we sailed, I believe, to escort an American aircraft carrier group enroute to the UK. First to leave was the V & W, then the corvettes and we finished up with just the Glenarm for company.
Just after sailing, we had received and de-coded an "all ships" signal to the effect that the Germans had invented an acoustic torpedo named the GNAT, which homed in on a ship's propellor. Instructions were that, when making an attack on a submarine, the approach should only be at slow speed.
During the Last Dog watch on Christmas Eve, I was actually on watch, when Action Stations was sounded. Apparently, the HF/DF boys had picked up a signal from a submarine. What happened to that signal about the GNAT torpedo remains a mystery to me to the present day. It was properly decoded and passed to the appropriate channels but it must never have reached the people that mattered.
It was full steam ahead!
We were doing our nuts in the W/T station, bawling up the voice pipe, but all to no avail. We bought it, but kept afloat all night, pumping, with the Glenarm circling, but come daylight there were instructions to let her go, and we transferred by boats and floats to the Glenarm. These two photographs show her final moments.

[Batstiger]

Hope you don't mind Jim I've darkened the crew pic to make the faces more recognisable.

[jbryce1437]

Thats ok by me. Was pushed for time after scanning and didnt have time to adjust them.

Jim

[Nathan Hart]

Hi,
This is probably a long-shot, but my Great Uncle, Henry ("Harry") Pannifer [C/J 113484], was one of the few men killed when HMS Hurricane was torpedoed in 1943. I was wondering whether anyone knew him or had any further information about his service or how he died. I already have the information from: www.uboat.net, but that is pretty much it.
Thanks very much. Nathan Hart

[dennis a feary]

Mr Bass / Nathan, find here details of U 415 and the sinking of HMS HURRICANE ;

U 415
Type: VII.C, ocean-going.
Constructor: Danziger Werft, Danzig.
Armament: 14 Torpedoes, 1 x 88mm, 1 x twin 37mm, 2 x twin 20mm.
Commissioned: 5.8.42. Operational: February, 1943.
Service Life: 23. Operational Life: 16. Patrols: 5.
Theatre: Atlantic. Sank HMS Hurricane (DD), escorting c/v OS.62, on
24.12.43; 2 m/vs (10,403 grt). On 6.4.43 rescued survivors from U
167 (KK K. Sturm). On 1.5.43 attacked by Wellington N/172 Sqd. RAF
Chivenor, (Sgt P.W. Phillips), after detection by radar and
illumination by Leigh light, with 6 DC's. U 415 was damaged. Later
U 415 was sighted by Sunderland M/461 Sqd. RAAF Pembroke Dock, (Flt Lt
E.C. Smith), which made two attacks with DC's. A few hours later U
415 was sighted by Whitley E/612 Sqd. RAF Davidstow Moor (F.Sgt N.
Earnshaw), which also made two attacks with DC's. U 415 was damaged
but reached port on 5.5.43. Came under a series of attacks by a
Mariner of USN, off the mouth of the Orinoco, on 19.7.43. Claimed
the destruction of an Allied aircraft on 29.10.43. On 5.1.44, after
detection by radar, and illumination by flares, attacked by Halifax
R/58 Sqd. RAF St. Davids (Flt Lt I.J.M. Christie) with 6 DC's. U 415
had been damaged but reached port the next day. On 17.3.44 damaged
by escort to c/v CU.17. Shot down Liberator 224 Sqd. (Flt Lt
Buchan-Hepburn) on 7.6.44. On 7.6.44 attacked by Wellington G/179
Sqd. RAF Predannack (Flt Lt W.J. Hill) with DC's; U 415 was again
damaged and returned to Brest. Last Action: 14.7.44, 1.U-Flotille,
sunk by mine in position 48.22N 04.29W, in Brest. U 415 had been
alongside, and ordered out because of an impending air attack, and
in the absence of KL Werner, (who was ashore and had not been warned)
the craft, under the command of the 1.WO, was sunk. 3 crewmen were lost.
Commanders: KL K. Neide 08.42-04.44. KL H. Werner 04.44-07.44.
M/V attacked/damaged/sunk : Ashantian(S), Wanstead(S), (Neide).

Sadsac

[Nathan Hart]

Thanks for the info on U-415. Cheers - Nathan

[Blighty]

Just been doing a bit of web surfing and came across this thread. Commander Paterson was my grandfather. Never knew him however would be interested in any info you have on him. Interestingly he kept a detailed diary however there is no mention of HMS Hurricane anywhere. Not his proudest moment given the length of time he was in command I would guess. Could probably rustle up some photos next time I see my folks!

[Furlong]

My father served on HMS Hurricane, I believe he was an officer on it when it was sunk. I would be glad of any contacts or information.

[astraltrader]

Decent pictures of Hurricane are hard to find and looking through the ones I have this is probably the best although hardly brilliant.