Bumper Boats

[Guest]

I'm not a "Naval type" but have always had a keen interest in history. The ramming of the two destroyers you mention certainly are well known and recorded facts although probably kept pretty hush hush during the war. Indeed collisions between destroyers and larger ships when weaving in their zig zags to escort convoys or naval task forces was, sadly, fairly frequent.

 

[Guest]

I was watching tele the other night and saw a programme about the Queens during the war. One of them the Mary I believe collided with and sank a destroyer escort at one point. This reminded me of when I was a kid during the latter part of the war when my mother took us to Liverpool (my home town is Portsmouth)for about six minths to be with my father who was serving on the KG5 which had if my memory serves also collided with and sank a destroyer. I have never seen anything in any book about this are there any naval types out there who have heard of this. I realise that this probably classified information at the time but I can't believe it still is.

 

[Guest]

Re: Bumper Boats.....From, Captains in conflict by Ralf Barker.

On 2 October 1942 the Queen Mary sailing alone at 29 knots, on a programed zig.zag course that reduced her meen speed by 2 knots. Aproached the Irish coast to meet her escorts. HMS Curacoa an anti-aircraft cruiser with a flat out speed of 25 knots was the first to meet her as the destroyers had been held up by heavy weather. In order to stay in contact as long as possible Curacoa turned ahead of her, and at full speed steered a strait course for the Clyde. Queen Mary's c Captain believed as escorted vessel he should stick to his course and Curacoa should keep clear. Curacoa's Captain believed the overtaking vessel should keep clear, and when distracted by the aproaching destroyers on the horizon was run down. After several inquires and court cases. the final apeal to the House of Lords found the fault was 2 thirds Curacoa, 1 third Queen Mary.

There were 101 survivors and 329 men lost.