大象传媒

I served aboard the Destroyer H.M.S Brilliant (Penant H84) from the 13/11/1944 to the 15/6/1945 when above action took place.
On December 24th,1944 the troopships S.S.Leopoldville, and the S.S.Cheshire left Southampton to cross the Channel. H.M.S. Brilliant, H.M.S Anthony H40, H.M.S.Hotham and the Free and the French frigate Croix de Lorraine were the escorts. H.M.S. Brilliant then signaled the Troopship Leopoldville and the other vessels to commenence zagging, a command that had never before been given to the Leopoldville during a Channel crossing, but which seemed advisable due to recent increased submarine activity. At 14-30hrs, the Brilliant hoisted the Black Flag to warn the escorts that a submarine contact had been made. We moved out to drop depth charges. At 14-45hrs the alert was canceled, but another alert was called at 15-00hrs, again being canceled at 15-10hrs. The convoy resumed its diamond-shaped formation, with Brilliant, Leopoldville, Cheshire, and Croix de Lorraine in a line, the Anthony and Hotham taking wing positions, and recommenced zigzagging at 13 knots.
The Leopoldville was transporting American soldiers across the channel to re-enforce the troops at the Battle of the Bulge, so we were told. At 17-45hrs, a torpedo, fired by the U486, struck the Leopoldville, on the starboard side aft and exploded in Number 4 Hold, approximately 5 miles off CHERBOURG.
H.M.S. Brilliant went along the port side of the troopship we had put our starboard fenders over the side; the sea swell was causing a rise and fall of between 12ft to 20ft. The scrambling nets were hanging down the Leopoldvilles's port side and the American soldiers were coming down on to our deck. I was detailed to help the men who had started to jump down on to our steel decks, from a height of approximately 40ft. Unfortunately there were a number of casualties, bones were being broken when they landed on our deck; some men fell between the two vessels and were crushed as the two vessels crashed into each other. To avoid any further injuries, if possible, all our hammocks from the mess-decks were brought up from below and laid on the starboard upper deck to cushion the fall of the soldiers.
We told the servicemen to spread themselves as evenly as possible all over the ship, above and below decks to avoid the possibility of capsizing. Having taken on about 500 men, we had to pull away from the Leopoldville as there was only a few inches of free board. I was very much aware of this, as I had positioned myself on the stern port quarter. To use an old naval expression, we could easily have been "pooped" As we headed for the port of Cherbourg. The other escorts in the convoy were still hunting for the U-boat 486. The scene on entering Cherbourg harbour was one of chaos, most of the ships along the quay had suffered the fate of being scuttled by the Germans. There was one berth available on our port side as we entered the harbour. There was just enough space, lengthways, to get along side but the captain was unable to berth the ship just by using his two propellers. After about 15 minutes, an American soldier came to the rescue with his jeep. A line was thrown to him from our stern section, he placed it over his Jeep's tow hook and slowly pulled the stern along side of the quay then placed the line over a bollard. He repeated the same action at the bow. The gangway was put out for the American servicemen to start dis-embarking. I saw them putting their English money into a GI's tin hat as they left the ship, which was handed to one of our officers. It was in appreciation at their rescue. It is on record that HMS BRILLIANT rescued approximately 500 men at that first attempt but on our return to rescue more men, the LEOPOLDVILLE had sunk. The losses so I have read were 802 soldiers, 493 were never found. This catastrophe was kept under wraps and not disclosed for many many years. It was a great embarrassment to the British & American Governments. After discharging the American Troops we made our way back to the Leopoldville but it had sunk.

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