81 years ago 337 men of the Royal Navy died in an accident involving one of the most famous ships in the world, and, owing to the exigencies of war, the accident went unreported. But the men who died deserve to be remembered.
By September of 1944, the Western Allies had broken out of the Normandy beachehead, and suddenly and quickly moved across northern France . By September 7th, the 90th division was stretched across the northern sector on Patton’s Third Army’s left, advancing slowly northeast. As they did so the German defenders made a risky attack in an effort to spoil the allied advance, cutting through Allied lines in a surprise action at the small town of Mairy-Mannville.