hms fidelity

HMS FIDELITY
In December 1942 Fidelity, with T Company, 40 Commando aboard, joined Convoy ON 154. The convoy was attacked by U-boats from 27 December while north of the Azores. On 29 December Fidelity, suffering from engine problems, fell out of the convoy. She launched her aircraft as an anti-submarine patrol while repairs took place. During this time her aircraft reported lifeboats to the southwest and her landing craft was sent to pick them up. These were 44 men from Empire Shackleton, the convoy commodore's ship. During the night Fidelity was making 5 knots towards the Azores, but came under attack twice. She was fired on by U-225, and later by U-615. Both U-boats were driven off when Fidelity fired back. On 30 December she was found by U-435, under the command of Siegfried Strelow at position 43°23′N 27°07′W Coordinates: 43°23′N 27°07′W and was torpedoed twice. Strelow observed the sinking, and estimated about 300 survivors in the water, but when he made his report later he was asked "whether their destruction in the prevailing weather can be counted on". This was some months after BdU’s infamous Laconia Order, instructing U-boat commanders not to assist survivors in any way, and regarded at the Nuremberg Trials as a tacit encouragement to ensure there were none. At the time of her sinking Fidelity had on board some 369 souls (274 crew, 51 Marines and 44 survivors from Empire Shackleton): All were lost. The only survivors were the eight crew of the motor torpedo boat, detached on anti-submarine patrol, who were later picked up by HMCS Woodstock (K238), and two crewmen of a seaplane that had crashed on take off on 28 December and been picked up by HMCS St. Laurent (H83). To this day 40 Commando has never reused T as a company designation in memory of the loss.