The English Channel

In the English Channel, the Belgian transport ship SS Leopoldville was torpedoed and sunk off the coast of France on the 24^th December 1944. Prior to the war Leopoldville had beenan 11,500 tonne passenger liner and in September 1940 she was converted to a troopship in Liverpool. On that fateful day, Leopoldville was part of a six- vessel convoy heading from Southampton to Cherbourg transporting U.S. reinforcements for the Battle of the Bulge. Leaving Southampton Leopoldville and another troopship HMS Cheshire were escorted by two destroyers and two frigates ln a diamond formation. The convoy was within 5 miles (8 km) from Cherbourg when Leopoldville was struck by one of two torpedoes launched by German U-boat, U-486. The torpedo struck the starboard side of Leopoldville and exploded killing approximately 300 troops. With water flooding into the ship the captain, who did not speak English, announced “Abandon Ship” in Flemish. Few U.S. troops understood the instructions and they joined the crew in the departing lifeboats. The remainder not realising Leopoldville was gradually sinking stayed aboard. Three of the escorts searched for U-486, but one destroyer came alongside the port side of Leopoldville whose scrambling nets were out.  U.S. troops began to climb down the nets onto the upper deck of the destroyer. The destroyer could only accommodate approximately 500 troops who could scramble aboard. She left for Cherbourg leaving behind about 1,200 soldiers in the slowly sinking ship. The Allies could not communicate as the various armies were transmitting on different radio frequencies. The minimal crews of vessels moored at Cherbourg were not able to assist as the remaining crew members were enjoying Christmas festivities. Belated efforts by ships moored did manage to rescue some survivors but only after Leopoldville had sunk. Of the 2,235 U.S. troops on board over 500 went down with the ship. A further 250 died from injuries, drowning or hypothermia. The captain of Leopoldville together with four crewmembers went down with the ship. An unknown number of British soldiers died also. German U-boat U-486 returned to their base in Norway in January 1945. The remaining U.S soldiers were ordered not to reveal details to their families as their letters would be highly censored. The details of the sinking of Leopoldville was kept from the press, and the whole incident was hushed up. All documents relating to the incident remained classified until 1996.

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