Saturday news

By tk
Saturday, July 12, 2003

*Port Royal Town Manager Van Willis is working at solving some of the town's challenges in dealing with the state Ports Authority, which controls much of the town's riverfront
-Beaufort Gazette, 7-12-03

*Port Royal taking a bite out of commercial shark tooth digs
-Hilton Head Island Packet Online, 7-12-03

*Census: Savannah population sliding
-Florida Times Union, 7-12-03

*Historical structures survey detects 19 different architectural styles at Beach
-Ponte Vedra Beaches Leader,  7-12-03

It was certainly the responsibility of SOE to keep the convoy Commodore and his Vice Commodore up to date with all relevant naval signals, as the Merchant ships did not have the capabiltity to do this for themselves. Stephen at the Board of Inquiry said that these signals had been passed on, but they had not received any acknowledgements, nor were any transmissions logged, it seems a very slap dash approach by the ship's communication department, and of the overseeing of their methods by Stephen himself. Of course, all very convenient at any subsequent Inquiry, no way of checking up with what had reportedly been going on signalwise between the SOE's ship Dunver, the MAC ships or the convoy leaders ships.

Rear Admiral Murray, C in C Canadian North West Atlantic, in his report to the Naval Secretary observed:

"from the evidence of laxity in handling communications on board HMCS Dunver, it is very reasonable to believe that any errors or omissions occured in that ship."

The Chief of Staff to Murray quickly acted to put in force the handling of allied submarines on independent passage to stop a similar accident happening again. A bit like "Closing the stable door after the horse has escaped." A new  procedure for handling like situations in the future was approved just after midnight on the day the Inquiry had sat.

Immediate Findings of Board of Inquiry.
The findings in the main focussed on Dunver's communication Department which: "appears to be run in a most irregular manner."

Commander Stephen was granted the benefit of the doubt, if not in a pursuasive way:

"The fact that in the latest Admiralty U-Boat situation report had indicated that a U-Boat might be in the vicinity of the convoy, possibly explains the failure of the Senior Officer Escort to realize the true position."

Some blame was cast on C in C Western Approaches:

"The original routes combined with the sailing times of La Perle and ONM 243 indicated that a diversion might be necessary. The diversion of La Perle, when made, was not sufficiently drastic to increse her separation from the convoy to a sufficient extent."

Lieutenant Ottervaenger was totally exonerated for his part in the sinking of La Perle.

Carrying the SOE aboard one of the Escort Ships.
It was always difficult carrying the Escort Commander in a ship that had its own Captain, who was junior to the Escort Commander. It posed risks of divided command, when the system appoints an officer to command an Escort or Support Group rather than a ship. As it was once observed: " It would be like having a high powered elderly relative living with you. It is confusing to the crew."

Investigation of Dunver's Communication Department.
No blame was attached to the ratings of the Communications Staff since "their supervision had been inadequate and unsatisfactory." On the 15th. Of August the Naval Secretary in Ottowa informed C in C Canadian Northwest Atlantic:

"Both the Captain of Dunver and the Group Signals Officer had incurred the severe displeasure of the Department for not exercising closer supervision over the signals of the group."

Admiral Murray passed this on to Commodore Taylor, Flag Officer Newfoundland, requiring him to pass this reprimand to the two officers concerned.

Staff Officers at St John's were appalled at this decision.
It seemed to them, that the Commanding Officer of Dunver, only a Lieutenant, as was the Group Signals Officer, were carrying the can for the inefficiency and lack of any effort by Commander George Stephen to sort out his role with respect of the Communications Department in Dunver. It was recommended that Naval Service Headquarters revise their decision.

In due course, Naval Headquarters took this advice and ordered two separate actions:

1. C in C CNA was to inform Acting Commander George Stephen "He had incurred the severe displeasure of the Department for failure to to exercise complete control over the escorts in his Command."
2. The order to inform both the Commanding Officer of Dunver, and the Group Signals Officer they had incurred the severe displeasure of the Department was cancelled, and these officers were to be so informed.

It was a remarkable and almost unique reversal of a Naval Board disciplinary measure, at last some justice appears to have been achieved.

George Stephen was only confirmed in his Acting Commander rank after his demobiliization in July 1946. There is little doubt that the unfortunate La Perle episode put paid to further promotion, employment in the RCN, or indeed to an offer for a commission in the Permanent Naval Forces of his country.

Conclusion.
La Perle should never have become a victim to friendly fire. Acting Commander George Stephen can count himself very lucky that the sudden and inopertune appendectomy on Leading Signalman John Seale, prevented him from giving evidence at both the Board of Inquiry and the Dunver's Communication's Department investigation. If he had been available, there is a strong possiblity that George Stephen would have been called to face a Court Martial, as I believe he should have done.

The charge: "Sheer incompetence, leading to the unfortunate sinking of the Free French Submarine La Perle."

U-Boat 869 believed sunk off Gibraltar in 1945, turns up on the bottom off New Jersey, USA.

Reported to have been sunk on the 28th. of February 1945, off Gibraltar by the US Destroyer Escort USS Fowler, and the French Sub Chaser L'Indescret, was the German U-Boat, U-859.

Not so apparently, this boat had been ordered to move her operational area from off shore America to close to Gibraltar by Admiral Donitz of U-Boat Command. This order was never received, and she stayed operational off America, here she became sunk, self destroyed.

One of her own torpedoes was fired, on a circular course it came back to bite her, and she was hit to sink off New Jersey with all hands, here to lay unknown and undiscovered, until a two man diving team located her on the 12th. of September in 1991.

The accompanying chart of the Atlantic shows her true position with a red circle, whilst the red cross depicts her previously wrongly reported lost position.

On the 31st. of August in 1997, another dive by the same team were to make the first real indentification by finding a knife, this was inscribed with the name of a former crew member one Martin Horenburg. Then a rusty box of spare parts was recovered, this had a brass plate on it, when cleaned up, this plate carried the number of the mystery U-Boat, U-869, plus her manufacturer's name from Bremen.

At last the truth was finally revealed, as again the ocean had been forced to yield up a closely held secret over the past 52 years.

 Dear Sir

I was surfing the net for information on the Wyatt Earp for my dad & came across your article "Wyatt Earp: A SHIP OF SEVERAL NAMES AND A  LIFETIME OF ADVENTURE".

My dad Richard Manser, known as Snowy in the navy, was on the ship in  1947-1948 and went to Antarctica with Norman (Knocker) White.  Dad would  like to know if Norman is still alive. If so, could you or someone be able  to give he a number or an address so he can contact him.

Dad is in contact will Bill Cook, Bob Guilbert and a few other crew members from HMAS Wyatt Earp.

Thank you for the article it made him happy to see the ship mentioned in history.

Katrina Manser

Dear Katrina,

Yes, thankfully Knocker White is still around. I am pleased that your Dad got some pleasure from my piece about the old Wyatt Earp.

Regards,
Mackenzie Gregory.