13 September, 1943 In the book, And If I Perish about nurses in WWII, which I just read, there is a chapter about the sinking of the HMHS Newfoundland, a hospital ship. Shown below. I realize that during war not everybody obeyed the Geneva Conventions, but as far as i know, the Allied countries did not purposely bomb aid stations or hospitals, as the Germans did, according to this book. I understand that mistakes can be made. At the time this ship was bombed it was night, the ship was fully lighted, as hospital ships were required to be, and painted with the red crosses, also they were more than the required 20 miles away from any battle ship. So my question is, does anyone have a record of the German who sunk this ship, and if so, what did his superiors do, if anything? Thanks!!!
I won't have an answer, but do have a question. Is this the ship that was sunk on the way to Sicily? My memory is a little foggy, so I've gone searching. Wikpedia says: "On 23 July 1943, during the Sicily Campaign, she was torpedoed , either by the Italian submarine Ascianghi or U 407." From The 'Angels of Anzio': ".. the night of 13 September German planes bombed the British hospital ship H.M.S. Newfoundland while it was en route to Salerno carrying the nurses. Bands of green lights and brilliantly illuminated red crosses clearly identified the Newfoundland as a hospital ship. Before the ship sank, British vessels rescued all 103 nurses aboard and evacuated them to Bizerte, Tunisia. Four nurses suffered minor wounds for which the Army later awarded them the Purple Heart. The others boarded another ship and arrived at Salerno ten days later. " The ship did not sink, but limped into Malta and then went to Boston where it was reparied and refitted. It later served in the Pacific. At H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - Naval and Other Memories of William F. Stone This gentleman served on HMS Newfoundland: "Newfoundland" was part of the 15th Cruiser Squadron, which itself was part of "Force K" under the Command of Rear Admiral Harcourt, who flew his flag from the "Newfoundland." On 9th July we sailed from Malta and rendezvoused with some of the landing craft. During Operation "Husky" D-Day, 10th July, 1943, "Newfoundland," together with "Orion," "Mauritius," and "Uganda" the three other Cruisers in the 15th Squadron, provided support to the advancing troops by keeping up a shore bombardment. "Newfoundland" is recorded as having provided bombardment support on four separate occasions during that day. During the next couple of weeks this support of the landings continued. Then, just after mid-day on 23rd July, "Newfoundland" sailed from Augusta heading for Malta. The ship had got up to a speed of 25 knots when, at 13:38 she was hit on the port side by a torpedo. I remember that there was quite a bit of damage to the ship - the rudders were blown off together with 6 bulkheads at the stern. Sadly, one man working on the quarterdeck was killed. As "Newfoundland" limped towards Malta, a search for the submarine was immediately started by H.M.S Laforey and the other ships of the 8th Destroyer Flotilla. This chase was soon to prove successful. At 15:41 "Laforey" was herself subjected to a torpedo attack but the tables were soon turned. "Laforey" and "Eclipse" managed to force the Italian submarine, "Ascianghi," to the surface where she was sunk by gunfire at 16:23. When we arrived at Malta "Newfoundland" was patched up. We were told more permanent repairs would be done elsewhere, which we all thought meant back in England. However, as we left the Mediterranean, we were told that we were on our way to Boston in the United States! A while after this came the news that I had been recommended for a Mention in Dispatches for my work in "Newfoundland" during the "Husky" Operations. My award was eventually gazetted in the London Gazette on 30th December 1943 and I received a bronze oak leaf emblem to pin to the ribbon of my Campaign medal. No clear answer on who torpedoed HMS Newfoundland, but if it was Ascianghi the above individual says it was sunk. As for U407, HyperWar: US Submarine Losses in World War II [German U-Boat Losses] lists German U Boat casualties and the information says that the last commander was Kolbus, and it was sunk Sept 19 1944 by HMS Troubridge, Terpeischore & ORP Garland at 36-27N, 24-33. Hope this helps! Michelle
Same boat, the torpedo incident happened earlier. The nurses were headed for the Salerno beach-head. According to this book they were supposed to off-load on 12 September, but the coast was being bombed and the harbor was full of war ships. So they set out to sea and waoted for our boys to clear the coast.
Yes I did! I really liked how the authors followed the course of the war with the nurses travels. I was pretty shocked to learn that the hospitals were bombed as much as they were though!
anybody got a record of the German flights that day? just curious to see what happened here, and if the pilot even knew what he had bombed. thanks
let me ask this: can you confirm the date exactly as we may have a LW bomber unit Scott, am a bit confused July or Sept.13th 43 ?
ok then bud here ya go, and this is so brief almost not worth putting down into text. the LW unit III./KG 40 attacked and hit the British cruiser "Uganda", the destroyers "Loyal" and the "Nubian" were also damaged but unfortunately the Newfoundland was sunk...... so a person wonders if the hospital ship had some sort of sea escort in her area ? sunk by Kondors ?
the book states that they spent around 36 hours trying to put out the fires and search for survivors. They did not succeed and the ship was declared beyond all hope of recovery. Those on board were taken off and HMHS Newfoundland had to be sunk by USS Plunkett. I am not surprised that a hospital ship was bombed but was really curious if the pilot would claim it as a "hit" or wahtever you call it! Thanks for the info!
Scott who is they ? ......looking for survivors, from the heavier British war ships or ? my reference does not state it was an evening attack
sorry let me clarify, the Newfoundland was approx 20 miles off the coast of Salerno on the 12th of September when they were dive bombed, the ship then moved to a distance of 40 miles off the coast, they were then joined by 3 other hospital ships. The Newfoundland was bombed for the second time on 13 Sept, at 5:15 in the morning. The ship that came to help was the St. Andrew. Shen sent her lifeboats over, as the Newfoundlands lifeboats were on fire. Hope that helps, thanks again!!
Just to clarify, HMS Newfoundland and HMHS Newfoundland were different ships. It seems the hospital ship was only requisitioned as such in September 1943, by which time HMS Newfoundland was having an extended stay being repaired in Boston. She had arrived there in August following the torpedo damage on 23 July, which blew her rudder off, making the Atlantic crossing somewhat challenging. My father was an engineer officer on HMS Newfoundland, and I have his diaries recording the period.
