After D-Day the 1st MSF's main task was keeping the swept channel
between Portsmouth and Arromanches clear of mines. On 22nd August,
operating out of the Mulberry Harbour at Arromanches, they were
sent to clear a magnetic minefield off Cap d'Antifer. This was to
enable the battleship 'Warspite' to get closer to the French coast
to bombard the port of Le Havre still in German hands. On being
ordered back to their previous duty after a maintenance day at
Arromanches, the Commanding Officer of HMS Jason (SO 1st MSF in
the absence of the Flotilla leader) pointed out to the staff at
the minesweeping HQ that the urgent task off Cap d'Antifer was not
completed. An amending signal, cancelling the return to the
Portsmouth/Arromanches channel, was duly made.
The 1st Flotilla, led by HMS Jason and including the Britomart,
HUSSAR, Salamander and the trawler 'Colsay', began their fifth day
of minesweeping on Sunday, 27th August, 1944. At about noon on 27
August when the ships were sweeping, an RAF reconnaissance
aircraft flew over low, the pilot returning the waves from the
ships' companies. Between 1330 and 1340 on this beautiful day,
with the sea smooth as a duck pond, sixteen RAF rocket-firing
Typhoons, of 263 and 266 Squadrons accompanied by a Polish
squadron of Spitfires, swooped out of the sun and attacked the
Britomart. On their second attack, the Salamander and HUSSAR were
hit. In just over 10 minutes, two ships were burning and sinking,
a third badly damaged and on fire. Men swimming in the water were
now subjected to shelling from the German shore batteries.
HUSSAR and Britomart were sunk and HMS Salamander so severely
damaged as to be beyond economical repair. The minesweeper Jason
and the dan laying trawler Colsay were also damaged in the attack.
A total of 78 officers and ratings were killed and 149 wounded,
many seriously. Twenty two men were killed on the Britomart and
fifty five on HUSSAR. Survivors were later told to 'keep their
mouths shut about the whole affair'.
A court of inquiry, held at Arromanches two days later, found that
this appalling blunder was due to "an error in communications".
This regrettable episode occurred because the signal ordering the
1st MSF to resume their task off Cap d'Antifer, rather than
sweeping off Arromanches, was not repeated to the Flag Officer
British Assault Area. Although, therefore, the reconnaissance
aircraft had reported the ships as friendly and the leader of the
airborne Typhoons had twice questioned his orders to attack, the
shore staff persisted with the strike because it was thought that
enemy vessels were trying to enter or leave Le Havre. The RAF was
completely exonerated.
