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Photos of Wigan
Photos of Wigan



Wigan Album

WORLD WAR 2

6 Comments

HMS MOURNE 1944
HMS MOURNE 1944
Photo: Keith Bowen
Views: 3,943
Item #: 12848
A photo of frigate HMS MOURNE which participated in the D Day landings of June 1944 but was torpedoed on the 15th of that month off Lizard's Point. Wiganer Ken Guy, aged 20, a Telegraphist was lost, along with 102 other crew members and 8 Officers. There were a few survivors, one of whom said that after the Mourne was hit the rest of the British group of frigates left them and it was an American ship that picked them up after 6 hours in the water. The U boat 676 that sunk the Mourne was itself sunk 3 days later.

Comment by: Keith on 15th December 2009 at 12:09

Perhaps I should have also said that I have a distinct memory of Ken Guy, even though I was just over 2 years old. He was walking down Clarington Grove, Higher Ince in full naval uniform to visit his then girlfriend, my auntie and because we'd been warned not to go near the canal (it was at the bottom of the street) I told him, not to go near the canal, "you'll drown". A few weeks later the Mourne was sunk and Ken was lost.

Comment by: Ashley on 16th December 2009 at 11:26

I googled HMS Mourne and found the torpedo had passed the frigate but the Captain ordered an increase in speed, presumably to move out of the way of any other torpedoes. Unfortunately this was an acoustic torpedo which responded to the noise of the propellor and it turned and hit the ship with devastating results, increasing speed moments later perhaps would have saved the Mourne.

Comment by: Keith on 19th December 2009 at 13:20

This is very vague so I don't know if anyone can help but a lister posted a message on wiganworld that contained the name Kenneth Guy, a workmate of his during the war years and although I can't be !00% certain I thought Wm. Park works was mentioned. Sorry to be so vague but if this rings any bells I'd appreciate contact with the person who submitted it.

Comment by: Lorraine on 14th March 2016 at 13:31

My grandfather, Jimmy Heaps was on the Mourne when she went down. He was in the water about 6 hours before they were rescued. He had breathed in a lot of oil, and his chest was badly affected. He was a very lucky man to have survived. He was also one of the oldest crew members. He had served in WW1, and signed up again for WW2. He was 44 when the Mourne went down.

Comment by: Eileen Walsh on 18th February 2019 at 20:42

Hi, We are researching World War Two with Local Memories and would like to include the photograph and information in our research book which is to be printed. Thank you

Comment by: Robert clarke on 12th November 2019 at 14:56

I do not think the Mourne was involved in d-day as it was on convoy duty in the North Atlantic at the time. My father was one of the survivors said he was picked up by a returning Destroyer. On returning to Drake the Survivors were issued with an American survivors kit this might be where the confusion comes from

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