During July / early August 1942, MANCHESTER was detailed to join the large naval force that was being assembled to provide the escort for what possibly was the most famous and most important single convoy operation of World War II. The relief of Malta - OPERATION PEDESTAL.
2nd August 1942 - MANCHESTER sailed from the Clyde in company with the cruisers NIGERIA - flying the flag of Rear Admiral Burrough, KENYA and CAIRO and the escorting destroyers ASHANTI, BICESTER, BRAMHAM, DERWENT, FORESIGHT, FURY, ICARUS, INTREPID, LEDBURY, PATHFINDER and PENN together with four of the fourteen convoy merchantmen - SANTA ELISA, ALMERIA LYKES, PORT CHALMERS and the tanker OHIO.
10th August 1942 - The ships that had sailed from the Clyde were joined by the main covering force of the battleships NELSON and RODNEY, the aircraft carriers EAGLE, FURIOUS, INDOMITABLE and VICTORIOUS and the cruisers CHARYBDIS, PHOEBE and SIRIUS in the Straits of Gibraltar and together with the other ten merchantmen BRISBANE STAR, DORSET, CLAN FERGUSON, DEUCALION, EMPIRE HOPE, GLENORCHY, MELBOURNE STAR, ROCHESTER CASTLE, WAIMARAMA and WAIRANGI.
The story of OPERATION PEDESTAL is well documented elsewhere, but suffice to say the Royal Navy lost an aircraft carrier, two cruisers and a destroyer whilst other ships were extensively damaged and only five merchantmen made it to Malta.
13th August 1942 - At 0105 local time when in position 36.50N, 11.10E some 4 miles off Kellibia, Tunisia, MANCHESTER was struck amidships on the starboard side by two torpedoes fired by Italian torpedo boats MAS16 and MAS22 and among the compartments flooded were the engine room, after boiler room and the 4" magazine. The ship was completely disabled with no power and developed a 12 degree list. Casualties were mercifully light at circa 15.
Some 158 members of the ship's company were taken off by the destroyer PATHFINDER whilst others were subsequently rescued from rafts by ESKIMO and SOMALI. However, efforts to control the flooding and enable the ship to return to Gibraltar proved unsuccessful and scuttling charges were placed. After the remainder of the ship's company had abandoned ship the charges were detonated - a torpedo from PATHFINDER is reported to have assisted in the sinking.
HMS MANCHESTER sank at 0400 local time on the 13th August, 1942.
Those members of the ship's company not picked up by the destroyers managed to get ashore in Tunisia where they were interned in appalling conditions by the pro-German Vichy French Authorities.
Primary sources of information -
A. HMS MANCHESTER - Operational history - supplied by Secretary Maurice Broad.
B. Service Histories of RN Warships in World War II by Geoffrey Mason.
C. Malta Convoy - by Peter Shankland and Anthony Hunter 1961.
Note: The website of the MELBOURNE STAR, www.melbournestar.co.uk one of the surviving merchantmen of OPERATION PEDESTAL is well worth a visit.
