LITHERLAND AT WAR

1939-1945

by Bob Anderson, Bootle Times, November, 1943


William Norman Croft A.R.P. Messenger Aged 17 Killed in Palmerston Drive Due to enemy action on 4th May, 1941 Son of Thomas & Elizabeth Croft 14 Blisworth Street Litherland • • •	C/NX 2460 Robert Henry Lewis Royal Naval Canteen Service Aged 18 Killed in Action 18th November, 1943 Aboard H.M.S. “Chanticleer” Son of Selwyn & Jessie Lewis 4 Blisworth Street Litherland Commemorated Chatham Naval Memorial

CHATHAM NAVAL MEMORIAL HMS CHANTICLEER (Black Swan class Sloop)
B a t t l e H o n o u r s SICILY 1943 - ATLANTIC 1943
1943
November	2nd	Sailed from Freetown with ships of Group as escort for inward Convoy SL139 during passage to Liverpool
	16th	Remained with escort when SL139 merged with Convoy MKS for passage to Liverpool
	18th	During defence of convoy, from attacks by SCHILL U-Boat Group, hit by acoustic torpedo (T5 - GNAT) fired from U515 in position 39.47N 20 12W (250 miles ENE of San Miguel Island, Azores Stern blown off and taken in tow to Ponta Delgado, Azores - 28 of ship's company were lost
	22nd	De-equipped and Paid off
December		Towed to Horta, Azores by Salvage Vessel SALVEDA
The hulk was used as Base Ship for RN personnel serving at Horta and was renamed HESPERIDES. On 31st December 1943 this identity was changed to LUSITANIA II but the ship continued to be used as the Base Ship for the remainder of the European war when she was again Paid Off. The hulk was sold for breaking up in Lisbon in 1946.

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