'We stand together': Royal Navy sailors honour those killed in HMS Collingwood Second World War bombing
Sailors gathered to pay their respects to those that served before them
A solemn memorial service was held at a Royal Navy base commemorating one of its greatest tragedies.
Serving personnel united to mark the 83rd anniversary of the bombing of HMS Collingwood during the Second World War. Memorial proceedings were held on June 18, the same day that 33 young sailors lost their lives when a German bomber struck the base in 1943.
Captain John Cromie, Commanding Officer for the Fareham base, said: “Today, we stand together as a naval community to honour those who lost their lives here 83 years ago. They answered the call to serve with courage and commitment, embodying the very values we continue to uphold. Though their time in uniform was tragically short, their sacrifice remains an enduring part of our naval legacy.”
In the early hours of June 18, 1943, a German aircraft dropped a 50kg high-explosive bomb on an accommodation hut. This resulted in the death of multiple sailors, many of them aged between 17 or 18 years old. Most had only been serving in the Royal Navy for a fortnight.
CO Cromie laid a wreath in tribute to the sailors at the spot where the accommodation hut had stood. The base’s Executive Officer, Commander Fraser Hunt, also took part in the service among other senior staff. The annual memorial signifies to trainees the sacrifices made by those who came before them.