At 16:06 on this day, some sixty eight years ago, one of the many unremembered stories of World War Two took place. H.M.S. Loyalty was an Algerine Class Minesweeper and was engaged in minesweeping duties in the English Channel. During the course of one sweep, another vessel in the flotilla cut across the stern of Loyalty releasing the paravane. The Captain of H.M.S. Loyalty had no option other than to reduce speed and turn around to recover the paravane. Other vessels in the flotilla continued on with their sweep.
Unbeknownst to the Captain and crew of Loyalty a more sinister danger than mines lay waiting for them. U-480, commanded by Oberleutnant Hans-Joachim Forster, was engaged on its second war patrol. Flushed with the success of the sinking of H.M.C.S. Alberni, a Corvette, the day before, Forster took his chance. A single Gnat torpedo was fired at the Loyalty hitting her in the stern and causing irrepairable damage.
Jack was on the bridge acting as lookout having come on duty just minutes before. Scanning the waters ahead of the vessel, Jack was completely unaware of what was about to happen until the torpedo struck. Almost immediately following the explosion, the stern began to go underwater. It was obvious that Loyalty was about to sink and about to sink quickly. It took just seven minutes. Racing from the bridge, Jack managed to grab a lifejacket from a deck locker and was scrambling to the forward end of the ship which, by now, was rearing out of the water. He jumped into the sea and found himself near a carley float. Scrambling aboard with several others he was just in time to see Loyalty slip below the surface of the water.
Around thirty survivors bobbed around for a few hours until they were eventually rescued by a couple of passing landing craft. Jack’s best friend was among those who didn’t make it to safety. When dragged aboard the landing craft they were working to resuscitate the Captain, Lieutenant Commander James E Maltby RNR, but they were unsuccessful. The survivors were given a generous tot of rum, except for Jack, who, at 18, was considered too young for the rum and had to make do with a lime cordial and a cup of cocoa.
Jack went on to serve aboard H.M.S. Bermuda and at the end of the war was involved in the repatriation of PoW’s from Formosa and Shanghai. Following his discharge a life at peace followed. At 87 he’s as sprightly as can be expected with a razor sharp mind and very vivid memories of his war. Jack, a neighbour, has known me all my life, 51 years now, but it is only in the last year or two that he has begun to tell his story. The old chap who I used to see driving to and from work, or just said hello to as we passed each other in the street, has some astonishing stories to tell.
But then again, haven’t they all if we only find the time to listen.
Regards,
kev35
By: kalymnosphil - 3rd October 2012 at 09:28
Survivors of the Loyalty
I am new to this site but am wondering if there are any survivors of HMS Loyalty who would like to contact an old shipmate. My father Eric Le brun Noel (Known as “Lebby”) was a survivor of the sinking of the Prince of Wales by the Japaneese in 1941 and also the Loyalty in 1944, there is a thriving “Prince of Wales survivors(and family)” society but nothing I am aware of for the Loyalty. My father is 89 now so it would be nice to renew any old aquaintances for him. I can be contacted on: [email]philip.n@live.co.uk[/email].
By: kev35 - 23rd August 2012 at 09:53
There’s a bit more to the ending of the Loyalty, from the other side. It seems U-480 was the world’s first stealth submarine. Her outer hull was fitted with a rubberised coating which made it far more difficult for the ASDIC in use at the time to detect her. Whether this was in any way significant in her attacks made in those few days in August 1944 we’ll never know. It should be noted that following the sinking of the Alberni and the Loyalty on the 21st and 22nd, she sank a further two merchant ships on the 23rd and 25th. On U-480’s first war patrol in June and July ’44, she had been attacked by a Catalina of 162 Squadron and had indeed shot down the aircraft.
The aircraft was captained by Laurance (?) Sherman and carried a crew of eight. Three of the crew were killed in the initial ditching with the remaining five managing to board a life raft. When the liferaft was discovered by a Norwegian Whaler some ten days later, only one of the crew, J E Roberts, remained alive. He was taken aboard the whaler and eventually handed over to the Germans.
On U-480’s final war patrol, she was lost between the 29th of January and the 20th February 1945. For all her capability in avoiding detection by surface ships she was unable to avoid the minefield D2 which was regularly moved. The stern of U-480 struck a mine and the submarine sank with the loss of all 48 on board.
In 1997 the wreck was discovered by divers and it was confirmed that it was definitely the U-480. It now has the status of a war grave and is listed under the Protection of Military Remains Act, as is Loyalty which has also been dived upon.
Regards,
kev35
By: Moggy C - 23rd August 2012 at 09:46
Another tiny incident in the overall scheme of things, but wars are made-up of millions of tiny incidents stitched together.
HMS Loyalty
As for the U-boat? It was sunk between 29 January and about 20 February 1945 in minefield Brazier D2 in position 50.22.04N, 001.44.10W not that far from where Loyalty lies. The entire crew of 48 were lost.
Moggy
By: Edgar Brooks - 22nd August 2012 at 23:32
It seems that a reluctance to discuss events, like that, is a widespread (and understandable) emotion. I knew a man, who was a member of HMS Hood’s crew, but was hospitalised just before her final voyage; until the day he died, he would never speak of the ship, or his shipmates.
By: critter592 - 22nd August 2012 at 22:44
I have to admit, that I’d not heard of the HMS Loyalty incident.
Thank you Kev.
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August 22, 2012 at 6:39 pm