HDML 1229

McGruer, Clynder, Scotland 19/10/42

Known Crew

TLt C J G O’Brien TSLt HMS St Christopher for MLs 20/4/42 Commanding Officer HDML 1229 24/8/42 TLt 12/2/43 Commanding Officer ML 355 12/10/44
TLt P De L Butcher RNVR 3rd ML Flotilla HMS St Angelo (Malta) 11/42 ML 134 6/2/43 TSLt 14/2/43 Operation Husky – Invasion of Sicily Operation Shingle Landings at Anzio HMS Gregale (Malta) ML 135 24/2/44 TLt 14/2/45 Commanding Officer HDML 1229 9/5/45
TSLt Arthur Attwell HDML 1229 1944-45
TLt D F Milligan RNZNVR TSLt 30/4/42 HMS Forte IV (Falmouth) for MLs 3/8/42 Commanding Officer HDML 1229 2/12/44 TLt 30/10/44

Wartime Activities

Transported as deck cargo, with two other HDMLs, in SS City of Christchurch as part of convoy KMS 11.
21/03/43 SS City of Christchurch in convoy KMS 11, transporting three HDMLs, was bombed and badly damaged off Portugal by an Fw 200 of I/KG.40. Her master intended to make Lisbon and left the convoy escorted by HMCS Morden..
22/03/43 By 1645, SS City of Christchurch had her stern awash and was abandoned, with the crew being taken off by HMCS Morden. Before leaving, the crew cast off the lashings on the HDMLs in the hope that they would float off. HMCS Morden then fired into the forward part of the ship to increase the chances of her sinking horizontally. Around 1900, SS City of Christchurch sank. HDML 1229 and one other floated clear but the other boat hds a broken back. A volunteer crew from HMCS Morden was then put aboard HDML 1229 and they sailed her to Gibraltar arriving two days later.
Mediterranean
Aegean

Post War History

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