Daily Event for May 28


The destroyer La Combattante was built in Scotland as HMS Haldon L-19, but was transferred to the Free French after she was launched. The destroyer sank three ships during her career, the German S-147 on Apr. 25, 1944,
S-141 on May 13,1944 and the third just days later.

In the darkness of May 28-29, 1944 up two targets on her radar, as the crew prepared to engage again the
targets approached. Tragically these were not German boats, but two British MTB's, MTB-732 and MTB-739. in the gun battle in the dark MTB-732 was sunk taking seventeen of her crew with her. The fact the ships were
British was not learned until later.

La Combattante herself was lost Feb. 23, 1945 when she hit a mine, 117 of her crew were lost.

© 2009 Michael W. Pocock
MaritimeQuest.com



Roll of Honour
In memory of those who lost their lives in HM MTB-732
"As long as we embrace them in our memory, their spirit will always be with us"

Name
Rate
Arter, Thomas W.
Ordinary Seaman
Boyd, William
Ordinary Seaman
Chalmers, Alexander W. L.
Able Seaman
Crowther, Frederick R.
Stoker 2nd Class
Ewan, George
Ordinary Seaman
Fawcett, Harry
Able Seaman
Heggie, James A. B.
Ordinary Seaman
Higgins, Raymond W.
Able Seaman
Hingley, Dennis
Able Seaman
Holder, Gilbert
Able Seaman
Howard, Peter D.
Able Seaman
Hughes, Thomas V.
Seaman
King, Alan J.
Sub-Lieutenant
Randell, Albert H.
Lieutenant
Ridler, Charles F. S.
Able Seaman
Walker, Desmond
Leading Motor Mechanic
Wood, Arthur E.
Stoker 1st Class


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1.
June 29, 2011

I just happened to connect to this site, my late father, David John Greengrass, served on this MTB 737.  He was with coastal service UK, Royal Marines. He ended up in Africa to serve the rest of the war there. I am his son and have been doing research on my ancestry. Large ancestry site Greengrass. Do you have the survivors names from that 1944 sinking.

Regards,
Peter Woodward
(PS: David died in England 1989)


2005 Daily Event