The loss of the Island Cruising Club yacht “Nicolette” in August 1970

[Frogmogman]

No luck from a first sweep, (I had a look on the site of the archives nationales).

I think that the author Roland Mornet, author of "Les naufrages de Vendée" would be a good person to ask, if I can find a way of contacting him.

Des Sleightholm mentions the incident in his book "A funny old life", although I think the motive he ascribes to the incident is entirely fanciful. In Brook Richards' definitive account of clandestine naval operations in and out of occupied France, the use of fishing vessels was only in the very early days after the occupation, and there is no evidence at all of running agents in and out as far South as the Vendée; it practically all happened on the North Brittany coast. What's more, if we had been using this route, why would the RAF feel the need to shoot up fishermen who were being used as a cover ?

I highly recommend Brook Richards' book.
Secret Flotillas Vol 1: Clandestine Sea Operations to Brittany 1940-44: Richards, Brook: 9781781590805: Amazon.com: Books

 

[JonA]

Thank you- I would find any information interesting. and add to my understanding.

Having looked again at some of the writeups , I think some are a bit misleading about who was below deck, but I guess it was only me that knows. I did not know exactly what happened that led up to the sinking of the Nicolette as I was not on deck. But suffice to say those in the cockpit (apart from the one who jumped onto the trawler) were under water and all had to get to the surface to get on the liferaft so any of us could so easily have drowned.

Janet saying how she had heard reminded me about how news got about 50years ago. Nicolette and her skipper were very well loved in Salcombe. So many sailors and fishermen heard when it was out on the 6.00AM news that the yacht Nicolette had been in a collision and sunk. The ship to ship radio waves must have been overloaded that morning as the news went in todays speech "viral". My poor father too heard it at 6.00am and my parents had a very long wait to be told I was safe.

harry potter link to the Vende Globe Collison of Boris Hermann was really interesting but modern alarms fail too as well as people not keeping a good watch. He was lucky. We were very unlucky.

I was young and like any mid 20,s was getting on with my life when, some time later the legal case was reported. So don't really know the outcome. It was much harder for the skipper who not only had lost his boat but three of his crew, through the inexplicable behavior of the fishing trawler.

Fran

 

[Frogmogman]

I have written to the Olona.Histoire.Assoc (Sables d'Olonne Historical Association) to ask if any of their members can throw any further light on their incident and it's aftermath, specifically the prosecution of Henri Ridon.

FWIW the Wrecksite site seems to be back up again.

 

[sailorwill88]

Thanks for all the updates. I thought the ICC had a 6-meter as well, but perhaps I am just confused!

 

[Frogmogman]

I have written to the Olona.Histoire.Assoc (Sables d'Olonne Historical Association) to ask if any of their members can throw any further light on their incident and it's aftermath, specifically the prosecution of Henri Ridon.

FWIW the Wrecksite site seems to be back up again.

Sadly, I did not receive a reply.