Dunkirk warship name plaques raised

Two name plaques from a warship torpedoed at Dunkirk have been returned to Britain at a ceremony in Ypres today.

The crest and footplate from the destroyer HMS Wakeful were presented to Britain’s ambassador to Belgium, Richard Kinchen, by Flemish transport minister Gilbert Bossuyt. They are destined for a final home at the Royal Naval Museum in Portsmouth.

The vessel from which they came remains an official maritime war grave, 13 miles off the Belgian coast, in just 57ft of water. . .

HMS Wakeful was torpedoed on May 29 1940 while carrying 650 soldiers being evacuated from the Bray dunes near Dunkirk. Wakeful broke in two and sank in 15 seconds. Only 25 crew and one soldier were saved.

In 2002, as larger modern ships with deeper drafts regularly passed above, the prospect of moving the maritime war grave dismayed the few survivors and relatives of those who died.

Instead it was decided to remove part of HMS Wakeful’s superstructure, including funnels and navigation equipment, and secure them to the ship’s side

Posted by David on January 26, 2004 10:11 PM