COMMEMORATION: Service to mark 60th anniversary of destroyer being hit by German U-boat Ceremony for warship torpedoed on 'hell run' by Jon Rosamond Denfence Correspondent Attache expects warm welcome THE destroyer HMS THE German naval attache in Germany, have to build on the Cassandra was shep- the UK is expecting a warm co-operation and reconciliation reception from Royal Navy of the post war era.' herding vital convoys veterans at this weekend's Also attending the service through frozen seas on service In Portsmouth. will be a former First Sea Lord the `hell run' between Capt Peter Monte said the Admiral Sir Jock Slater, and Britain and Russia horrors of the Second Worid Vice-Admiral Sir Robert Gerken when her luck ran out. War were 'a long time ago - - both of whom served in A torpedo from a German U- both nations, Britain and Cassandra In the 1960s. boat tore off the bow of the Portsmouth-based warship as she escorted Convoy RA62 back £6,500 by the National Lottery Leslie, was hit off northern Nor- to the UK. to stage the event. way by a torpedo fired from Sixty-two sailors perished in The names of the 62 dead are the submarine U365. the attack on December 11, recorded on a plaque in the D- The crew of the crippled de- 1944, and it was only the skill Day Museum at Southsea and a stroyer managed to stem the and courage of the survivors memorial service is held there flood of water and the ship that saved the ship from a wa- each year. was towed 200 miles back to tery grave in the Arctic. But Joe Ince, the associ- the Kola Inlet in Russia, stern This weekend, to mark the ation's secretary, said the ven- first, by the frigate HMS Baha- 60th anniversary of the inci- ue had been switched to the mas. dent, some of them will rub Guildhall because so many peo- The U-boat was sunk soon af- shoulders with representatives pie wanted to attend. terwards by a Swordfish torpe- of the Russian and German gov- Mr Ince said: 'We're provid- do bomber from the aircraft ernments at a special service of ing the old boys with accommo- carrier HMS Campania. No al- reconciliation and remem- dation, travel and food. lied merchantmen from RA62 brance in the city. 'They had it so rough on the were lost. The Russian naval attache, Arctic convoys. This is proba- Russian labourers fitted a Captain Andrey Vanchugov, bly the last time they'll come temporary bow to Cassandra and his German counterpart, en-masse. and she returned to the UK in Capt Peter Monte, are expected 'We felt we owed it to them 1945 and was placed in reserve. to attend the service at the to organise something special A modernised Cassandra was Guildhall on Saturday. for the 60th anniversary.' recommissioned in 1960 and Cassandra, commanded by served on until 1967. Veterans of the HMS Cassan- 24-vear old Lieutenant Geordie by Guy Walker The News CREW OF U-BOAT ARE ALSO HONOURED AT EVENT IT WAS the first time Roderick Leslie Roderick and Jenni- and his sister fer Leslie had heard Jennifer Leslie the true horrors their at The Guildhall father and his crew event for HMS battled through when Cassandra, HMS Cassandra was right (046094 182) hit by a torpedo. AS WELL as remembering Swordfish torpedo bomber Cassandra Association were They got the chance to the British sailors who died, from aircraft carrier HMS awarded £6,500 by the speak to survivors whose cou- the ceremony was also a Campania just a few days National Lottery to stage the rageous efforts kept the ship service of reconciliation after the attack. The 60th anniversary event. The afloat at a ceremony to mark honouring the crew of ceremony was attended by the 60 th anniversary of the names of the 62 who died in German submarine U365 the German naval attache the 1944 catastrophe are on a attack on the destroyer. which fired the torpedo. Captain Peter Monte. plaque in the D-Day Museum While their late father, The U-boat was sunk by a Veterans of the HMS at Southsea. Lieutenant Geordle Leslie who commanded the ship aged just 24 years old, told age of the survivors that what happened. He talked Wombourne, Staffordshire, I remember being knocked them about the attack, he saved the ship from a watery about the war but it would said: 'I remember being in out. I was very lucky because never spoke about the real grave in the Arctic Ocean. always be funny anecdotes.' my hammock and was fast just 24ft in front of me a horrors of December 11, 1944. Ms Leslie, 44, added: It asleep when all of a sudden I whole part of the ship had The Portsmouth based war- elled from Bristol for the cer- was only in the run up to the was woken up by a dull thud jut disappeared' ship was shepherding vital emony at Portsmouth Guild- ceremony that we have real- and then the whole ship Former First Sea Lord, Ad- convoys through frozen seas hall, said. 'It has been abso- ly began to realise just how seemed to shudder. miral Sir Jock Stater, who on the 'hell run' between lutely incredible talking to young my father was at the ' We were ordered to go to served on the modernised Britain and Russia when, off people who served with my time the upper deck. There was no Cassandra in the 1960s, said. northern Norway, a torpedo father. Seven survivors of the Cas- panic everyone just walked ' It was a stirring tale of great from a German U- beat blew 'We have found out things sandra catastrophe were able up. courage and seamanship in off the bow. about my father that we nev- to attend the service on Sat- John Barnard, 79, from Ox- the finest tradition of the Sixty-two men died and it er knew . urday. ford, said: 'I was on lookout Royal Navy.' was only the skill and cour- 'He never talked about Cliff Wickstead, 79, from at the time of the attack and [email protected] Survivors from HMS Cassandra on the Guildhall steps with Admiral Sir Jock Slater, centre, and ViceAdmiral, Sir Robert Gerken ALL PICTURES MALCOLM WELLS (046094-193).