On Oct. 27, 1943 convoy KMF-25A left Liverpool bound for Alexandria, Egypt, included in the convoy were
26 merchant ships and over a dozen escorts. At least eight of these ships were troopships carrying over
28,000 U.S., British and Canadian troops. After passing Gibraltar the ships were also under air cover provided
by the RAF, however these aircraft could only go so far with the ships and had to rotate due to shortages of
machines and pilots. It was during one of these changes on Nov. 6, 1943 that the Germans took the opportunity
to attack.

About 35 aircraft from KG-26 attacked the convoy and despite a massive anti-aircraft barrage managed to
score at least four hits. The most seriously damaged ship was the USS Beatty DD-640, she was hit in the
engine room and was dead in the water. Her keel was broken and with no power for the pumps the crew could
do nothing but wait for the inevitable. It took over several hours, but the order was finally given to abandon her
and the destroyers USS Laub DD-613 and USS Parker DD-604 came alongside and removed the survivors.
At a little after 23:00 Beatty broke in half and sank, sadly twelve of her crew were lost and one man was
missing, although this was not known at the time.

Radioman 3rd Class Samuel Poland had been blown overboard by the explosion of the torpedo, along with him
a depth charge went over the side, luckily for him it failed to explode, but he was badly injured by the explosion
receiving a double compound fracture of his left leg. After the Laub and Parker left the area USS Boyle DD-600
did a final search of the area and found Poland in the water.

While the Beatty was fighting for her life three other ships were also damaged, USAT Santa Elena and the Dutch
ships Marnix van Sint Aldegonde and Ruys. Santa Elena had over 2,000 people on board including 1,848
Canadian troops and 101 nurses, while Marnix van Sint Aldegonde 2,924 troops in her hull, neither ships was
seriously damaged, but neither would survive. Ruys was the only ship to make it to port.

It was not until the following day when all the troops and most of the crew had been removed was it decided
to tow the two ships to port. However while under tow Marnix van Sint Aldegonde collided with the Santa
Elena and the damage caused both ships to be lost, four crewmen and four U.S. Navy Armed Guards were lost
during the event. One man who was in sick bay on the Marnix van Sint Aldegonde was also lost.

Because of the size of the two troopships and the small amount of damage received both ships sank slowly,
thankfully a major disaster was averted.