LST 420

Discussion in 'The War at Sea' started by Chris Raymond Antcliffe, Nov 10, 2008.

  1. Chris Raymond Antcliffe

    Chris Raymond Antcliffe Junior Member

    I am currently researching the LST 420 which was my uncles craft, Percy Raymond Lindsey! He died on the 7th of November 1944 after LST 420 hit a mine. I am new to threads and forums and was wondering if anyone could help. I am looking for any information on him, his crew, or craft. I believe he was also on H.M.S Dommett and did basic training at Butlins in Skegness. I was wondering if anyone could help. I have looked through streams of pages on the internet but have only come across limited information.
    Thanks.

    Chris :poppy:
     
  2. Philip Reinders

    Philip Reinders Very Senior Member

    could this be in Holland, Schelde area, Operation Infutuate?
     
  3. Buteman

    Buteman 336/102 LAA Regiment (7 Lincolns), RA

    Welcome to the site Chris.

    I found an American site when I was looking for an LST that transported part of my Dad's regiment to Normandy in June 1944.

    If you click on the link below, the entry confirms that LST 420 struck a mine on 7 November 1944 and what it was doing at the time. It has all of the technical info on the LST as well, that I found interesting.

    Tank Landing Ship LST

    I tried contacting the webmaster several times for further info, but they did not bother to respond.

    Hope this is of some help to you.

    Regards - Robert

    PS - Looked for PR Lindsey on the CWGC website, but could not find his details. Is that the correct spelling of his name?
     
  4. Mathsmal

    Mathsmal Senior Member

  5. Chris Raymond Antcliffe

    Chris Raymond Antcliffe Junior Member

    Thank you for looking, very much appreciated. His surname is spelt without the D, it is Linsey.
     
  6. englandphil

    englandphil Very Senior Member

    Thank you for looking, very much appreciated. His surname is spelt without the D, it is Linsey.

    Chris, your uncle is listed towards the very bottom of column 2 panel 91 on the PNM. (Sorry its not very clear)

    Phil

    [​IMG]
     
  7. robin105

    robin105 Junior Member

    LST-420 left Dover on 7 November with a party of airmen, trucks and supplies for RAF personnel in Belgium. It was unable to enter the port of Ostend because of a severe storm and the captain decided to return to England. The ship was still within sight of Ostend when it hit and mine, split in two, and sank. Fourteen officers and 224 other ranks were lost. Only 31 were saved. It was the greatest loss of lives on a British landing craft during the war. Many of the casualties were buried at Ostend and at Blankenberge cemeteries in Belgium. Above the wreck today is a marker buoy "LST 420."
     
  8. Mike L

    Mike L Very Senior Member

    Wow - how strange.
    The very first name on Phil's picture of the memorial is Leading Wireman S. G. Armstead. He was Stanley Armstead MX510022 and died on 19th October 1944 when HMLCT488 foundered and sank 'due to stress of weather' along with 5 other LCTs. They were part of convoy OS92/KMS66 and were under tow to the Far East when a gale caught them in the Irish Sea. My Uncle, Martin Long, (Petty Officer Motor Mechanic) was also lost on LCT488 and I have carried out a lot of research into the losses. I have a (poor quality) photo of Stanley and an account of the convoy written by a member of his family. The journalist Ray Connelly's Father died on another of the LCTs lost than night and Ray wrote an article about it in Readers Digest (June 1995). An account of the convoy and losses can be found on the Combined Operations website:
    9TH LCT FLOTILLA

    Mike
     
  9. Dave55

    Dave55 Atlanta, USA

    Fantastic replys to Chris' question. Very moving for me for some reason.

    That LST link was interesting as well. I didn't know that any of them were diesel powered.

    I've only recently figured out GMs naming convention for their diesels. The first number is the number of cylinders and the following numbers are the displacement per cylinder. The 6-71 used in the diesel Shermans was an inline six with each cylinder displacing 71 cubic inches for 426 cu per engine. The 71 sereries was made in both inline and V configurations from single cylinder up to V-16s

    The diesel LST(2) had two GM 12-567s, according to site that Ramacal posted. Neat engine. GM 12-567 Diesel Engine for LST.

    I worked with a WWII navy vet in the early eighties. When I found out he served on an LST I got all excited and asked him to tell me about it. He said, "We got hit by a kamikaze and a lot of guys got killed. Not a lot to tell about it." I felt like a dummy, of course.

    Dave
     
  10. Jonathan Ball

    Jonathan Ball It's a way of life.

    Wow - how strange.
    The very first name on Phil's picture of the memorial is Leading Wireman S. G. Armstead. He was Stanley Armstead MX510022 and died on 19th October 1944 when HMLCT488 foundered and sank 'due to stress of weather' along with 5 other LCTs. They were part of convoy OS92/KMS66 and were under tow to the Far East when a gale caught them in the Irish Sea. My Uncle, Martin Long, (Petty Officer Motor Mechanic) was also lost on LCT488 and I have carried out a lot of research into the losses. I have a (poor quality) photo of Stanley and an account of the convoy written by a member of his family. The journalist Ray Connelly's Father died on another of the LCTs lost than night and Ray wrote an article about it in Readers Digest (June 1995). An account of the convoy and losses can be found on the Combined Operations website:
    9TH LCT FLOTILLA

    Mike

    Thanks for the link to 9th LCT Flotilla Mike. My Grandfather was aboard the Empire Camp as part of that convoy and until tonight I knew nothing of the tragedy you describe. A full list of the convoy OS92/KMS66 is here:

    Arnold Hague database OS/ KMS convoys
     
  11. Mike L

    Mike L Very Senior Member

    Hi Jonathan and thanks for that link to the Hague database, very useful. If you follow the link on the Hague database to 'external data' you will find a list that I found a few years ago that is incomplete (only lists 2 LCTs as lost) and when I contatcted the owner with more info (British warships lost WW2) he seemed unwilling to modify his data. Glad to see Hague is apparently complete!
    If you are interested in seeing more info on this convoy and the LCTs PM me with your email address, or I might even start a new thread about it!

    Mike
     
    Jonathan Ball likes this.
  12. Jonathan Ball

    Jonathan Ball It's a way of life.

    Love to see some more info Mike, PM sent.
     
  13. The Majors Batman

    The Majors Batman Junior Member

    Just found this post I have been trying compile a list of all who perished on board this vessel as my late father in law was one of the 30 who survived , all my wife said was he was torpedoed, but since his death in 1985 I have found that it was a mine.
    He was serving in the RAF BSRU never said anything what he did or what happened I even went to Runnymede with him but not a mention on that visit, when I was going for my R.A.E. he give me a booklet of his Learn Morse in Seven Days I was puzzled how it came it his possesion, now I know.
    He talked about a life long friendship made with a Belgium family whom he was billeted with but not about that fateful day
     
  14. Buteman

    Buteman 336/102 LAA Regiment (7 Lincolns), RA

    There is a war diary at Kew, if you can get someone to copy it:-

    WO361/471

    Scope and content - Casualties at sea: LST 420 (landing ship tank), sunk 7 November 44

    Hope this helps.

    Shame this did not crop up earlier, as I was at Kew today.

    Regards - Rob

    PS - If it's anything like another LST loss I looked at, it'll be a board of enquiry report.
     
  15. Buteman

    Buteman 336/102 LAA Regiment (7 Lincolns), RA

    I think these names are on a link someone else posted before.

    LST.420, ship loss

    BAKER, Alec A, Petty Officer Motor Mechanic, C/MX 622811, MPK
    BAKER, Ronald J, Engine Room Artificer 4c, D/MX 75177, MPK
    BALLANTYNE, Charles, Able Seaman, D/JX 304046, MPK
    BUSHBY, Harry H, Ty/Petty Officer, D/J 90879, MPK
    CARTER, Geoffrey A, Act/Able Seaman, C/JX 317070, MPK
    CHORLEY, Frederick T J, Ty/Leading Stoker, D/KX 161529, MPK
    DINSMORE, Robert J, Leading Telegraphist, D/JX 153254, MPK
    DOWLING, William V, Ty/Act/Sub Lieutenant, RNVR, killed
    DOWMAN, Francis H, Able Seaman, D/JX 152439, MPK
    DREDGE, Charles J, Stoker 1c, D/KX 107336, MPK
    DUXBURY, Chatburn, Ordinary Signalman, D/JX 250935, DOW
    EDWARDS, Frederick C F, Able Seaman, D/JX 365203, MPK
    EVERETT, Douglas H, Ty/Act/Lieutenant Commander, RNR, MPK
    FOREMAN, Samuel, Able Seaman, D/JX 198120, MPK
    GIBSON, John, Act/Engine Room Artificer 4c, D/MX 102960, MPK
    GOODWIN, William, Able Seaman, D/JX 364027, MPK
    GRANGE, Reginald, Able Seaman, D/JX 364009, MPK
    GREEN, Frederick D, Act/Able Seaman, D/JX 366993, MPK
    GREENWOOD, Trevor, Petty Officer Motor Mechanic, C/MX 90595, MPK
    HARDWICK, Sydney J, Ty/Leading Stoker, RFR, C/K 63127, MPK
    HOUGHTON, Arthur H, Ty/Leading Seaman, D/JX 140287, MPK
    INSLEY, Cecil P, Leading Stores Assistant, D/MX 573309, MPK
    JARRETT, John E, Petty Officer, D/JX 139200, MPK
    JOHNSON, Frederick R E, Petty Officer Cook (S), D/MX 51984, MPK
    LEAVEY, Arthur J, Leading Steward, D/LX 22930, killed
    LEMON, Kenneth R, Leading Motor Mechanic, C/MX 690765, MPK
    LINSEY, Percy R, Assistant Steward, D/LX 573965, MPK
    LLOYD, William E, Ty/Act/Leading Stoker, D/KX 133039, MPK
    MASTERS, Frederick, Act/Engine Room Artificer 4c, P/MX 99842, MPK
    MASTERS, Sidney H, Telegraphist, D/JX 271836, MPK
    MCLEOD, William R, Steward, D/LX 24652, MPK
    MCMIKEN, George E, Ty/Leading Seaman, D/SSX 27679, MPK
    MORRIS, Henry, Act/Stoker 1c, D/KX 133584, MPK
    PEARSON, Edward, Stoker 1c, D/KX 94803, MPK
    PORTER, Kenneth W, Assistant Cook, D/MX 730300, MPK
    POWELL, Philip W, Stoker 1c, D/KX 601017, MPK
    PRESS, Leslie B, Stoker 1c, D/KX 162718, MPK
    PRINGLE, Arnold W, Supply Assistant, D/MX 671121, killed
    RENDLE, Ernest E L, Stoker 1c, D/KX 128800, MPK
    RILEY, John T, Signalman, 1954 (RNZN), MPK
    ROBLEY, Thomas P, Able Seaman, RNVR, D/MDX 2998, MPK
    ROSBOROUGH, John A, Act/Able Seaman, D/JX 732178, MPK
    SEAMAN, Philip W, Stoker 1c, D/KX 123859, MPK
    SHEARER, George P, Act/Shipwright 4c, D/MX 75279, MPK
    SOUTHWARD, Thomas, Ty/Act/Leading Stoker, D/KX 129117, MPK
    STEPHENS, Albert, Stoker 1c, C/KX 146503, MPK
    SULLIVAN, Leslie R, Ordinary Telegraphist, D/JX 344690, MPK
    TAYLOR, William, Able Seaman, D/JX 237857, MPK
    TURNBULL, Harry, Act/Able Seaman, D/JX 368402, MPK
    UTTLEY, Fred, Act/Able Seaman, D/JX 368285, MPK
    WEBB, Albert E D, Cook (O), D/MX 84800, MPK
    WILLIAMS, Edward C, Stoker 1c, D/KX 138828, MPK
    WILSON, Arthur Q, Leading Motor Mechanic, C/MX 116430, MPK
    WILSON, Reginald A, Stoker 1c, D/KX 144600, MPK
    WOOD, Arthur, Stoker 1c, D/KX 161006, MPK
     
  16. englandphil

    englandphil Very Senior Member

    One of my Widnes Casualties was killed onboard LST 420, so here is the info that I have.

    Engine Room Artificer 4th Class JOHN GIBSON
    D/MX 102960, H.M.L.S.T. 420., Royal Navy
    who died age 22, on 07 November 1944
    Son of John William and Eva Mary Gibson, of Widnes, Lancashire.

    Remembered with honour

    OOSTENDE NEW COMMUNAL CEMETERY

    GIBSON, JOHN.JPG

    Widnes Weekly News December 1st. 1944 - Missing, Presumed Killed
    Mr. And Mrs. J.W. Gibson of 113 Leigh Avenue, Widnes, have received news of the loss of their only son, Engine Room Artificer John Gibson, R.N. In a communication dated November 21st expressing sympathy on behalf of the officers and men of the Royal Navy, it is stated that he had been reported missing, presumed killed, when the ship on which he was serving was engaged on operations in connection with the landings in Holland.

    E.R.A. Gibson, who enlisted in September 1942, was 22 years of age, and three months after joining the Navy was transferred to America to finish his training. He remained there for four months, during which he met with extraordinary kindness and hospitality, particularly in Chicago.

    His two years service was packed with thrills and adventure, for he voyaged to North Africa and there took part in the Sicilian and Italian landings, and again in Normandy on D-Day- followed later by landings on the Belgian and Dutch coasts. He was home on short leave a week before he went on his last voyage.


    LST.420, ship loss
    The Royal Navy
    Type Tank landing ship
    Class LST
    Pennant LST 420
    Built by Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard Inc. (Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.)
    Ordered
    Laid down 6 Nov, 1942
    Launched 5 Dec, 1942
    Commissioned 15 Feb, 1943
    Lost 7 Nov, 1944
    Loss position

    History Mined and sunk in the English Channel on 7 November 1944.
    Former name USS LST 420

    Transferred to Royal Navy, 15 Feb 1943. Sunk by a mine off Ostend on 7 Nov 1944 while in RN service

    The LST was a British landing vessel build on an American shipyard. The ship was launched on November 6th 1942 from the "Bethlehem Faifield " shipyard at Baltimore.
    The LST was 109 meters long, 16,5 meters wide, measured 1.625 Brt. and was able to do 10 knots. On November 7th 1944, the LST was on the way from Dover to Ostend along with the LST 405, 367, 320 and 200. On board they had trucks and supplies for the RAF-personnel. A severe storm was going on that night and the access to the port of Ostend was denied. Therefore, the convoi was forced to change course and go to Small Downs in the Thames mouth.

    On the way, the LST had a collision whit a German mine close tot the bow and broke in two parts. 55 soldiers and an unknown number of passengers lost there lives that night. This was the greatest loss of human lives on a British landingcraft during WW2.

    The bowsection (or what ‘s left of it) and the sternsection are a small mile away from each other. The bowsection was recovered in 1989 by TVB. The sternsection delivers an echo from 4 to 6 meters.
    LST-420 was ferrying RAF personnel to Belguim, but was unable to enter the port of Ostend due to adverse weather. On returning to England, it struck a mine. Killed crew and RAF passengers are buried at Ostend and Blankenberge cemeteries, Belgium. Source - Leendert Holleman, B-Brugge
     
  17. The Majors Batman

    The Majors Batman Junior Member

  18. englandphil

    englandphil Very Senior Member

    There is a war diary at Kew, if you can get someone to copy it:-

    WO361/471

    Scope and content - Casualties at sea: LST 420 (landing ship tank), sunk 7 November 44

    Hope this helps.

    Shame this did not crop up earlier, as I was at Kew today.

    Regards - Rob

    PS - If it's anything like another LST loss I looked at, it'll be a board of enquiry report.

    Have now got a copy of WO361/471 and will happily do any lookups. At 1st glance it only covers the passangers and not the crew.

    P
     
  19. ritsonvaljos

    ritsonvaljos Senior Member

    Have now got a copy of WO361/471 and will happily do any lookups. At 1st glance it only covers the passangers and not the crew.P

    Thanks, Phil.

    Do you know if LAC John Leech, RAFVR was listed as one of the RAFVR passengers lost off Oostende with LST 420 by any chance please?

    The CWGC list LAC Leech's death as 07/11/1944. He is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

    Thanks in advance for your assistance.
     
  20. englandphil

    englandphil Very Senior Member

    Thanks, Phil.

    Do you know if LAC John Leech, RAFVR was listed as one of the RAFVR passengers lost off Oostende with LST 420 by any chance please?

    The CWGC list LAC Leech's death as 07/11/1944. He is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

    Thanks in advance for your assistance.

    Have been through the file, but i am afraid that it only covers Army personell, and there is no mengion of leech.

    P
     

Share This Page