Belgian Trooper SS Leopoldville, sunk by U-486. Christmas eve 1944, and 783 US troops die. Introduction. With the Battle of the Bulge underway in Europe, reinforcements were needed. At Southampton, at 0200 (2 AM ) on Christmas eve 1944, 2235 men from the US 66th. Infantry Division started to trudge wearily up the gangway of the tired old Belgian Trooper SS Leopoldville, built back in 1929, she was a veteran in carrying troops to battle. Already her log recorded 24 successful Channel crossings, and 120,000 troops had made that journey safely. But her time was nigh! This was to be her last tragic voyage. Belgian Trooper SS Leopoldville. Sunk off Cherbourg Christmas Eve 1944, by U-486. 262nd. and 264th. Regiments part of the 66th. US Infantry Division. After weeks of hanging around in camp in the southern part of England, at long last, on the 23rd. of December 1944, the 262nd. and 264th. Regiments, as part of the 66th. US Infantry Division were on the move, ordered to embark for France. The young troops drawn from almost every state of the United States hurriedly packed, were rushed off to the docks of Southampton, now left in typical Army fashion to wait and wait around over the next six hours. Now came the order to embark at 0200,( 2 AM ) another troop ship Cheshire was also involved in loading troops. But there seemed to be no plan or structure to this embarkation, the two Regiments were mixed up, one might expect that troops from one company would stay together, not so. As troops arrived, they loaded randomly, chaos reigned supreme. Much later, after Leopoldville was torpedoed, this haphazard loading pattern compounded the problem, who were missing? who might be in Cheshire? no records, no one knew the answers. Leopoldville to date. Leopoldville had to date led a charmed life, never subjected to enemy fire in her 24 Channel Crossings, safely delivering 120,000 troops. Her Captain Charles Limbor had been in command since 1942, this was just expected to be another routine crossing from England to France. As usual, troops were crowded onto benches fitted in the converted cargo hold, another 18 hours would see this voyage all over. The young soldiers mostly around the age of 21, crowded the rails to get their last glimpse of England, as the ship pulled away from Southampton docks at 0900 ( 9 AM.) It was the 24th. of December 1944, with Christmas eve but a few hours hence. They little dreamed of the disaster soon to unfold. Boat Drill ordered. The ship's broadcast system called the troops on deck for Boat Drill, but a number of them either did not hear or heed this call. Those in charge did not seek out those not present, and a very cursory drill was performed, eg launching both lifeboats and rafts was not explained or demonstrated, and but a few on deck were told how to properly enter the water whilst wearing an issued life jacket. All in all , a very unsatisfactory boat drill, one would think essential when the troops carried were soldiers, quite unused to life on board a ship. Read the rest of the story at the link! From: Belgian Trooper SS Leopoldville, sunk by U-486
The author Clive Cussler and his team rediscovered the Leopoldville on one of their shipwreck hunts. Their story is recounted in The Sea Hunters by CC and Craig Dirgo.
Not a happy story. Another incidence of disaster owing to mix-up over radio frequency, was the Operation Tiger disaster at Slapton sands in April '44, when an LST was sunk on exercise with the loss of 600 US troops, largely owing to the escorting destroyers being on a different frequency and not hearing warnings about E-boats in the area. You would have thought lessons would have been learned.
