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HMS Matabele

Dave M

Dave M

Pheasey Born Bumper
HMS Matabele Lost as sea today

M.G.Scott a local lad

Today pictures in Sutton Churchyard Rectory Rd
 
Only two survived of the 238 crew of 'Tribal' class destroyer HMS Matabele, torpedoed by a German U boat whilst protecting a convoy from Hvalfjörður, Iceland to Archangel, Russia. Many survivors froze in the ice-cold water before they could be rescued. RIP.
 
My old friend Bob, who I go to see in South Wales was on the same convoy, and he knew some of the crew of the Matebele. Bob felt very frustrated at the time because being a ships engineer he was downstairs while the rescue was taking place. Bob's ship was astern of The Matebele and so they had to put the brakes on as it were to help in the rescue. I don't know what ship he was on when the above sinking took place but he was on HMS Trinidad for some time, and that one was lost with virtually all hands. On another ship they were torpedoed twice and he lost many friends. To get an idea of how cold the water was in the Nort Atlantic where these poor men were floundering, read the story about HMS Trinidad. On one convoy they were in danger from German U. Boats, The Trinidad fired off a salvo of torpedoes and it was so cold that the steering on one of them froze. It went round in a circle and came back to hit the Trinidad.
 
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