HMS Wessex - WW2

[stott]

Here is a story. My father-in-Law, Francis Brachi was a sub-lieutenant on Wessex during the second World War. He was on the Bridge when he spotted a coil of rope on the fore deck in the wrong place and was about to get huffy about it when the ship was hit.

Apparently the bridge was struck and he was thrown through the air missing all of the rigging; and where did he land? in that coil of rope.

All on the bridge were lost. He was the only survivor. Obviously he was protected in order that he should have a beautiful baby girl for me to marry.

Can anyone tell me more.

[stontamar]

Hi Stot

HMS WESSEX (Lt.Cdr. W.A.R. Cartwright, RN), in company with HMS VIMIERA and OPR BURZA were ordered to shell German armour positions at Sangatte Hill, west of Calais, when at approximately 16:30 on the 24 May 1940 they were attacked by a large formation of German Stuka dive-bombers. During this attack the first wave bombed and hit HMS WESSEX with three bombs, which sank the ship (position 51.01N, 01.45E), ORP BURZA was damaged but saved because the aircraft had expended all their bombs. HMS VIMIERA was also badly damaged and but managed to rescue the survivors from HMS WESSEX and avoided being sunk by escaping into a smoke screen and then limped back to Sheerness.

Casualty Lists of the Royal Navy and Dominion Navies, World War 2, researched & compiled by Don Kindell, only lists five men lost on HMS WESSEX that day and they were all stoker junior or senior rates. This would suggest one or more of the three bombs dropped either entered the boiler or engine compartment and the deaths were caused as a result of the explosion or there was a sudden flooding of these compartment. There is no mention of the bridge party, or officers on the bridge having been killed. However that does not there were not other casualties not listed by Don Kindell but from what information I have it appears that at least the commanding officer, Lt Cdr Cartwright RN, survived and he most definitely would have been on the bridge during the action. The air attack may have developed without warning but as his ship was engaging enemy position ashore he would have been on the bridge exercising command.

It also strikes me that if the ship was in action against German armour and then attacked by, what some sources states, a group of 27 bombers the last thing on a young sub-lieutenant mind would be to get “huffy” about a coil of rope. I also doubt if an RN ship cleared for action stations would have a coil of rope left laying on the fore deck or anywhere else for that matter.

Undoubtedly HMS WESSEX was subjected to a swift and overwhelming air attack resulting in her loss and the death of some of her crew. The rest of the events, as is very often the case with family reminiscences, may be open to interpretation.

For further research may I suggest you consult The National Archive, which holds the Ships Log for 1939 – Jan 1940 (ADM 53/111121-26 and 113430) and also the damage report files held in ADM 267/110.

Finally if you contact the Commonwealth War Graves Commission they should be able to provide a list of casualties by date and unit so that you can confirm if there were only five men lost or it the death toll was higher. They should also be able to produce a list of names of those recorded on their Roll of Honour data-base.

I hope you find this account of some use.

Regards

stontamar

[stewart mcloughlin]

Alderson, Adam, P.O. Stoker
Brown, Leonard Reginald, P.O. Stoker
Kidney, John, P.O. Stoker
Murkett, Cyril George, Stoker 2nd
Phillips, Thomas, Stoker 1st
all died on the day and are remembered on the Portsmouth Memorial.

Caisley, William, Stoker 1st, died of wounds 25 May and is buried in Deal cemetery.

Other casualties or who may have died later of wounds, unknown. Fuller details of individuals from CWGC of course

Hope this helps.

Stewart McLoughlin

[stott]

Was there another Wessex launched in '43? what happened to her.

[jainso31]

Perhaps you may be pleased to learn of the 2nd HMS WESSEX:(

jainso31


http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-10DD-63W-Wessex2.htm