HMS Express
The Texel Disaster took place off the Dutch coast on the night of 31 August 1940 and involved the sinking of two Royal Navy destroyers, and damage to a third and a light cruiser.
The disaster was caused by a destroyer flotilla running into an unmarked minefield, which caused serious damage to one vessel; two more destroyers were sunk going to the aid of the first, and a light cruiser sent as an escort was slightly damaged by a mine on the return journey. In all, the disaster caused approximately 300 deaths, with a further 100 men injured or taken prisoner of war.
On the night of 31 August 1940, the British 20th Destroyer Flotilla – consisting of HMS Express, Esk, Icarus, Intrepid and Ivanhoe – sailed from Immingham to the Dutch coast northwest of Texel to lay mines.
The flotilla was joined by part of the 5th Destroyer Flotilla consisting of HMS Kelvin, Jupiter and Vortigern.
While the ships were laying mines, air reconnaissance detected a German naval force moving west from Terschelling towards Britain; fearing an invasion the 20th flotilla was ordered to intercept.
Whilst heading for this German force, the flotilla ran into a newly laid, uncharted minefield and Express was badly damaged, losing most of her bow.
The explosion caused heavy casualties: ninety of the 175 men on board were killed or wounded, including her captain, J.G. Bickford, who was injured by the explosion.The flotilla commander, Lieutenant-Commander Crouch, moved his ship, Esk, to assist Express but Esk also hit a mine and the vessel swiftly sank, killing all on board, save one man. HMS Ivanhoe then went to transfer the wounded from Express but also hit a mine and was badly damaged, the explosion killing a further 53 men and wounding the majority of the crew.
Several life rafts, carrying shipwrecked sailors, drifted into the Dutch coast where those on board were detained by the German authorities as prisoners of war.
1 September brought Kelvin and Jupiter from the 5th flotilla to help rescue the shipwrecked crews and later two light cruisers – HMS Aurora and Galatea – arrived as an escort. The Ivanhoe was scuttled by fire from Kelvin and the ships returned to port.
Jupiter towed the hulk of Express until tugs could be sent out to take over.
On the way, Galatea hit a further mine and was slightly damaged.
The final toll of the disaster was approximately 300 killed, with a further 100 injured or taken prisoner; this was the greatest loss of life suffered by Nore Command since the evacuation of Dunkirk.
The German "invasion force" turned out to be a small minelaying unit transferring from Cuxhaven to Rotterdam.
The casualties returning from the disaster, some badly burned, contributed to the myth that a German invasion had been repulsed by the use of burning oil floated on the sea.One theory amongst British civilians and press of the time laid the blame for the disaster with Lord Louis Mountbatten.
Name: Booty, Frederick Walter
Rank: Leading Steward
Age:37
No.P/LX 14748
Missing since: 01-09-1940
Next of Kin: husband of Mrs Gladys Ethel Booty, of Pauls Grove, Cosham, Portsmouth.
Portsmouth Memorial Panel: 41-1
KIA Information: Known to have been killed at North Sea, off Texel.
Name: Brown, Basil George
Rank: Able Seaman
Age:21
No.P/JX 142149
Missing since: 01-09-1940
Next of Kin: Son of Mrs Margaret Robins, of Haslemere, Surrey.
Portsmouth Memorial Panel: 38-2
KIA Information: Known to have been killed at North Sea, off Texel.
Name: Brookes,Alfred
Rank: Stoker 2nd Class
Age:22
No.P/KX 102599
Missing since: 01-09-1940
Next of Kin: Husband of Emma Brookes, Wednesbury, South Staffs.
Portsmouth Memorial Panel: 42-3
KIA Information: Known to have been killed at North Sea, off Texel.
Name: Crisp, Maurice William
Rank: Chief Petty Officer
Age:36
No.P/JX 100655
Missing since: 01-09-1940
Next of Kin: Husband of Mary Crisp, of Gosport, Hants.
Portsmouth Memorial Panel: 37-2
KIA Information: Known to have been killed at North Sea, off Texel.
Name: Carlin, Patrick
Rank: Able Seaman
Age:
No.P/CD/X 1680
Missing since: 01-09-1940
Next of Kin: son of Elizabeth Carlin, of Possil Park, Glasgow.
Portsmouth Memorial Panel: 44-2
KIA Information: Known to have been killed at North Sea, off Texel.
Name: Davies, James
Rank: Ordinary Seaman
Age:21
No.P/JX 201663
Missing since: 01-09-1940
Next of Kin: son of Joseph A. Davies, of Harrow, Middlesex.
Portsmouth Memorial Panel: 39-3
KIA Information: Known to have been killed at North Sea, off Texel.
Name: Green, George
Rank: Leading Seaman
Age:
No.P/JX 139805
Missing since: 01-09-1940
Next of Kin: Husband of Mabel F. Green, of Northwood
Portsmouth Memorial Panel: 37-2
KIA Information: Known to have been killed at North Sea, off Texel.
Name: Jack, Ernest Gordon
Rank: Able Seaman
Age:20
No.P/X 20126A
Missing since: 01-09-1940
Next of Kin: Son of Mrs Jack, of Cromarty, Rosshire.
Portsmouth Memorial Panel: 44-1
KIA Information: Known to have been killed at North Sea, off Texel.
Name: Mundy, George Albert
Rank: Able Seaman
Age:40
No.P/JX 75004
Missing since: 01-09-1940
Next of Kin: Husband of Mrs Mundy, of Littlehampton.
Portsmouth Memorial Panel: 39-1
KIA Information: Known to have been killed at North Sea, off Texel.
Name: Mundy, Henry Victor
Rank: Able Seaman
Age:38
No.P/JX 68152
Missing since: 01-09-1940
Next of Kin: Son of Mrs Mundy, of Bumstead, London.
Portsmouth Memorial Panel: 39-1
KIA Information: Known to have been killed at North Sea, off Texel.
Name: MacDonald, Murdo
Rank: Able Seaman
Age:21
No.P/JX 20510
Missing since: 01-09-1940
Next of Kin: Son of Mrs Macdonald, of Point, Stornoway.
Portsmouth Memorial Panel: 44-1
KIA Information: Known to have been killed at North Sea, off Texel.
Name: Neill, William J.
Rank: Able Seaman
Age:
No.P/UDX/1633
Missing since: 01-09-1940
Next of Kin: Son of Mrs Margaret, of Belfast.
Portsmouth Memorial Panel: 44-3
KIA Information: Known to have been killed at North Sea, off Texel.
Name: Pither, Thomas Alfred
Rank: Able Seaman
Age:40
No.P/JX 41524
Missing since: 01-09-1940
Next of Kin: Husband of Mrs Agnus May, of Dagenham.
Portsmouth Memorial Panel: 39-2
KIA Information: Known to have been killed at North Sea, off Texel.
Name: Robinson, Sylvan Clarence
Rank: Steward
Age:21
No.P/LX 23322
Missing since: 01-09-1940
Next of Kin: Son of Mrs Martha Ann Robinson, of Gosberton, Lincolnshire.
Portsmouth Memorial Panel: 43-2
KIA Information: Known to have been killed at North Sea, off Texel.
Name: Shaw, Alexander
Rank: Able Seaman
Age:
No.P/CD/X 3087
Missing since: 01-09-1940
Next of Kin: Husband of Mrs Margaret Shaw, of Glasgow.
Portsmouth Memorial Panel: 44-3
KIA Information: Known to have been killed at North Sea, off Texel.
Name: Briers, Benjamin Webb
Rank: Able Seaman
Age:23
No.P/SSX 16353
Missing since: 01-09-1940
Next of Kin: Son of of Mrs Ethel Briers, of Hampton Park, Southampton.
Portsmouth Memorial Panel: 38-2
KIA Information: Known to have been killed at North Sea, off Texel.
Name: Brown, Charles William
Rank: Able Seaman
Age:45
No.P/JX 9168
Missing since: 01-09-1940
Next of Kin: Husband of Gladys Brown, of North End, Portsmouth.
Portsmouth Memorial Panel: 38-1
KIA Information: Known to have been killed at North Sea, off Texel.
Name: Buckett, Donald James
Rank: Supply Petty Officer
Age:25
No.P/MX 48300
Missing since: 01-09-1940
Next of Kin: Son of Mrs Lily Buckett, of Copnor, Portsmouth.
Portsmouth Memorial Panel: 43-1
KIA Information: Known to have been killed at North Sea, off Texel.
Name: Campbell, William Andrew Rippey
Rank: Able Seaman
Age:
No.P/CD/X 2880
Missing since: 01-09-1940
Next of Kin: Son of Mr William N Campbell, Haghill, Glasgow.
Portsmouth Memorial Panel: 44-2
KIA Information: Known to have been killed at North Sea, off Texel.
Name: Clark, Edgar John William
Rank: Able Seaman
Age:
No.P/SSX 18950
Missing since: 01-09-1940
Next of Kin: Husband of Ivy T Clark, Stonetgate, Leicester.
Portsmouth Memorial Panel: 38-2
KIA Information: Known to have been killed at North Sea, off Texel.
Name: Girvan, James
Rank: Able Seaman
Age:
No.P/CD/X 2276
Missing since: 01-09-1940
Next of Kin: son of Mrs Girvan, of Glasgow.
Portsmouth Memorial Panel: 38-3
KIA Information: Known to have been killed at North Sea, off Texel.
Name: Hiscock, Frederick John
Rank: Petty Officer Cook
Age:
No.P/MX 48941
Missing since: 01-09-1940
Next of Kin: Son of Frederick Hiscock, of Mile end, Portsmouth.
Portsmouth Memorial Panel: 43-2
KIA Information: Known to have been killed at North Sea, off Texel.
Name: Langley,Frank.L
Rank: Petty Officer Telegrafist
Age:
No.P/JX 71231
Missing since: 01-09-1940
Next of Kin: Husband of Mrs Rosa Langley, of Portsmouth.
Portsmouth Memorial Panel: 40-3
KIA Information: Known to have been killed at North Sea, off Texel.
Name: May, James
Rank: Acting Stoker Petty Officer
Age:
No.P/KX 61502
Missing since: 01-09-1940
Next of Kin: Son of Mrs Elizabeth Annie, of Forest Hall, Norhumberland.
Portsmouth Memorial Panel: 41-2
KIA Information: Known to have been killed at North Sea, off Texel.
Name: MacLeod, Alexander McDonald Stewart
Rank: Able Seaman
Age:20
No.P/X 21125
Missing since: 01-09-1940
Next of Kin: Guardian Mrs P.Robertson, of Gromarty, Rosshire.
Portsmouth Memorial Panel: 44-1
KIA Information: Known to have been killed at North Sea, off Texel.
Name: MacLeod, Murdo
Rank: Able Seaman
Age:21
No.P/X 19442
Missing since: 01-09-1940
Next of Kin: Son of Mr Macleod, of Stornoway.
Portsmouth Memorial Panel: 44-1
KIA Information: Known to have been killed at North Sea, off Texel.
Name: Newell, Ernest Lloyd
Rank: Leading Steward
Age:24
No.P/LX 21815
Missing since: 01-09-1940
Next of Kin: Husband of Mrs Phyllis Newell, Great Haseley.
Portsmouth Memorial Panel: 43-2
KIA Information: Known to have been killed at North Sea, off Texel.
Name: Potter, Frederick G.H.
Rank: Stoker 2nd Class
Age:20
No.P/KX 103939
Missing since: 01-09-1940
Next of Kin: Son of Mrs Florence Potter, of Waddon, Croydon.
Portsmouth Memorial Panel: 42-3
KIA Information: Known to have been killed at North Sea, off Texel.
Name: Read, William
Rank: Stoker
Age:40
No.P/SSX 121947
Missing since: 01-09-1940
Next of Kin: Husband of Mrs Read, of Brighton.
Portsmouth Memorial Panel: 42-2
KIA Information: Known to have been killed at North Sea, off Texel.
Name: Taylor, Robert G.
Rank: Stoker 2nd Class
Age:21
No.P/KX 103944
Missing since: 01-09-1940
Next of Kin: Son of Mrs Jean Taylor, of Edinburgh.
Portsmouth Memorial Panel: 42-3
KIA Information: Known to have been killed at North Sea, off Texel.
Name: Brimley, Richard George
Rank: Engine Room Artificer 4th Class
Age:22
No.P/MX 61686
Missing since: 01-09-1940
Next of Kin: Son of Mrs Minnie Elizabeth Brimley, of Olney, Bucks.
Portsmouth Memorial Panel: 41-1
KIA Information: Known to have been killed at North Sea, off Texel.
Name: Brett, Richard William John
Rank: Cook
Age:20
No.P/MX 60205
Missing since: 01-09-1940
Next of Kin: Son of Mrs Mancy Brett, of Primley, Hants.
Portsmouth Memorial Panel: 43-2
KIA Information: Known to have been killed at North Sea, off Texel.
Name: Burt, Reginald Douglas
Rank: Chief Stoker
Age:
No.P/KX 56517
Missing since: 01-09-1940
Next of Kin:Husband of Mrs Robina Burt, Mile end, Portsmouth.
Portsmouth Memorial Panel: 41-2
KIA Information: Known to have been killed at North Sea, off Texel.
Name: Churchill, Henry Louis
Rank: Ldg Steward
Age:
No.P/LX 21760
Missing since: 01-09-1940
Next of Kin:Step son of Amy May, of Scholing, Southampton.
Portsmouth Memorial Panel: 43-2
KIA Information: Known to have been killed at North Sea, off Texel.
Name: Cockhill, Herbert
Rank: Able Seaman
Age:23
No.P/JX 157762
Missing since: 01-09-1940
Next of Kin:Husband of Lily, of Huddersfield, Yorks.
Portsmouth Memorial Panel: 38-2
KIA Information: Known to have been killed at North Sea, off Texel.
Name: Gray, Charles
Rank: Ldg Stoker
Age:32
No.P/KX 2052
Missing since: 01-09-1940
Next of Kin:Brother of Frederick Gray, of Yeovil, Somerset.
Portsmouth Memorial Panel: 41-3
KIA Information: Known to have been killed at North Sea, off Texel.
Name: Hollings, Bernard W.
Rank: Acting Petty Officer
Age:
No.P/JX 137419
Missing since: 01-09-1940
Next of Kin:Husband of Dora Hollings, of Grimsby.
Portsmouth Memorial Panel: 37-2
KIA Information: Known to have been killed at North Sea, off Texel.
Name: Land, Thomas. S.
Rank: Ordinary Seaman
Age:23
No.P/JX 176052
Missing since: 01-09-1940
Next of Kin: Son of Arthur Land, of Stockport.
Portsmouth Memorial Panel: 40-1
KIA Information: Known to have been killed at North Sea, off Texel.
Name: Mciver, Alexander John
Rank: Able Seaman
Age:20
No.P/JX 19909
Missing since: 01-09-1940
Next of Kin: Son of Mrs Mciver, of Knock, Stornoway.
Portsmouth Memorial Panel: 44-1
KIA Information: Known to have been killed at North Sea, off Texel.
Name: MacFarlane, John Thomas
Rank: Telegraphist
Age:22
No.P/WRX 449
Missing since: 01-09-1940
Next of Kin: Sister of Mrs Hislop, of Edinburgh.
Portsmouth Memorial Panel: 45-1
KIA Information: Known to have been killed at North Sea, off Texel.
Name: Pacey, Alfred
Rank: Able Seaman
Age:38
No.P/JX 92409
Missing since: 01-09-1940
Next of Kin: Husband of Mrs Nora Pacey, of Hull.
Portsmouth Memorial Panel: 39-1
KIA Information: Known to have been killed at North Sea, off Texel.
Name: Plums, Albert James
Rank: Leading Stoker
Age:32
No.P/KX 79221
Missing since: 01-09-1940
Next of Kin: Husband of Mrs Dorothy Plums, of Southampton.
Portsmouth Memorial Panel: 41-3
KIA Information: Known to have been killed at North Sea, off Texel.
Name: Stack, William
Rank: Able Seaman
Age:
No.P/JX 92321
Missing since: 01-09-1940
Next of Kin: Husband of Mrs Margaret Stack, of Kilfinan, Ireland.
Portsmouth Memorial Panel: 39-2
KIA Information: Known to have been killed at North Sea, off Texel.
Name: Woodward, Ivor F.
Rank: Able Seaman
Age:20
No.P/SDX 1467
Missing since: 01-09-1940
Next of Kin: Son of Mrs Bertha Woodward, of Brighton.
Portsmouth Memorial Panel: 44-3
KIA Information: Known to have been killed at North Sea, off Texel.
Name: Wright, Henry
Rank: Ordinary Seaman
Age:20
No.P/JX 184923
Missing since: 01-09-1940
Next of Kin: Son of Mrs Grace Wright, of Rothwell.
Portsmouth Memorial Panel: 40-1
KIA Information: Known to have been killed at North Sea, off Texel.