SS Empire Javelin served as a troop ship in Operation Overlord, starting with the initial landings on the beaches on 6 June 1944 ("D-Day").[1] She was lost on 28 December 1944 while in convoy to France with 1,483 troops aboard somewhere around the midpoint between Southampton, southern England, and Le Havre, France.[2] She may have been torpedoed by German submarine U-322, active in the area on the same day,[3] or struck a mine.[4]
Empire Javelin arrived in Portsmouth late in the summer of 1943 where she took delivery of 18 British designed Thornycroft Landing Craft Assault (LCA's). Sailing north, the Merchant Navy and Royal Navy crews spent many weeks in training off Holy Loch in Scotland, practicing raising and lowering her LCA's and firing her protective anti-aircraft guns in preparation for D-Day.[citation needed]
L'Escarmouche, a Free French that rescued the survivors of Empire Javelin
Loss, December 28th, 1944
Empire Javelin embarked 1,483 US servicemen at Southampton for Le Havre, France on 28 December 1944. She was in convoy with USS LST-325 and escorted by the Free French frigate L'Escarmouche. In the English Channel on the afternoon of the 28th there was an explosion without warning at 50°5′N1°0′W / 50.083°N 1.000°W / 50.083; -1.000; at least 20 people died and 20 more injured.[10] The L'Escarmouche was called alongside once the extent of the damage had been assessed, and for approximately an hour the men on board the Empire Javelin jumped from the ship. HMS Hargood arrived to assist, standing off nearby on submarine watch. Two minutes after the last man jumped off, there was a large explosion and the ship began settling by the stern. About 10 minutes later she was completely submerged.[10][11]
Empire Javelin on sea trials in Holy Loch, 1943
Initially it was thought that the ship had been torpedoed by German submarine U-772,[12] but it was later revealed that U-772 was sunk earlier that month.[13] Another U-boat, U-322, was active in the area on the same day, and was sunk on the next day south of Weymouth.[3] There is no definitive proof of what sank the Empire Javelin although she was probably sunk by a mine.[4]
Notesedit
^"Omaha Beach: American Troops". D-Day: The assault. D-Day: Etat Des Lieux.
^Schoichet's account of the sinking of Empire Javelin: [1]"Noon of December 28 found us approaching the half way mark in the channel...Suddenly, without warning, the whole world erupted."
^ abPocock, Michael W. "Daily Event for December 28, 2007". Maritime Quest.
^ abHelgason, Guðmundur (1995–2014). "Empire Javelin". Ships not hit by U-boats. Guðmundur Helgason.
empire, javelin, infantry, landing, ship, designated, large, service, with, latter, part, second, world, launched, october, 1943, united, states, maritime, commission, subtype, thirteen, similar, ships, built, consolidated, steel, corporation, history, united,. SS Empire Javelin was an Infantry Landing Ship designated an LSI Large in service with the UK in the latter part of the Second World War Launched on 25 October 1943 she was a United States Maritime Commission C1 S AY1 subtype one of thirteen similar ships built by Consolidated Steel Corporation History United Kingdom NameCape Lobos laid down Empire Javelin completed OwnerMoWT OperatorBlue Star Line Port of registryLondon BuilderConsolidated Steel Corporation Wilmington CA Launched25 October 1943 CompletedJanuary 1944 IdentificationUK official number 169774 Call sign MYMQ FateSunk on 28 December 1944 General characteristics Tonnage7 177 GRT tonnage under deck 6 087 4 823 NRT Displacement11 650 long tons Length396 5 ft 120 9 m Beam60 1 ft 18 3 m Depth35 0 ft 10 7 m Propulsion2 steam turbines single screw Sensors and processing systemswireless direction finding gyrocompass Armament1 4 inch gun 1 12 pdr gun 12 Oerlikon 20 mm cannon SS Empire Javelin served as a troop ship in Operation Overlord starting with the initial landings on the beaches on 6 June 1944 D Day 1 She was lost on 28 December 1944 while in convoy to France with 1 483 troops aboard somewhere around the midpoint between Southampton southern England and Le Havre France 2 She may have been torpedoed by German submarine U 322 active in the area on the same day 3 or struck a mine 4 Contents 1 History 1 1 Action on D Day 2 Notes 3 References 4 Further readingHistory editEmpire Javelin was built by Consolidated Steel Corporation Wilmington California as the Cape Lobos and transferred under the terms of lend lease on completion in January 1944 5 6 She was bareboat chartered by the War Shipping Administration to the Ministry of War Transport and managed by Blue Star Line 6 7 Action on D Day edit Empire Javelin arrived in Portsmouth late in the summer of 1943 where she took delivery of 18 British designed Thornycroft Landing Craft Assault LCA s Sailing north the Merchant Navy and Royal Navy crews spent many weeks in training off Holy Loch in Scotland practicing raising and lowering her LCA s and firing her protective anti aircraft guns in preparation for D Day citation needed The ship sailed from Portland Harbour anchorage on 5 June 1944 destined for Dog Green Omaha Beach Normandy after embarking troops of the 1st Battalion 116th Infantry regiment of US 29th Division by landing craft from Weymouth Dorset 8 Members of Company A 116th Infantry were from Bedford Virginia where the United States National D Day Memorial is located The 551st Landing Craft Assault LCA Flotilla crewed by Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve RNVR of Combined Operations was based aboard Empire Javelin on D Day Six of the eighteen LCAs of the flotilla were lost on 6 June with the remainder being severely damaged 9 nbsp L Escarmouche a Free French that rescued the survivors of Empire Javelin Loss December 28th 1944Empire Javelin embarked 1 483 US servicemen at Southampton for Le Havre France on 28 December 1944 She was in convoy with USS LST 325 and escorted by the Free French frigate L Escarmouche In the English Channel on the afternoon of the 28th there was an explosion without warning at 50 5 N 1 0 W 50 083 N 1 000 W 50 083 1 000 at least 20 people died and 20 more injured 10 The L Escarmouche was called alongside once the extent of the damage had been assessed and for approximately an hour the men on board the Empire Javelin jumped from the ship HMS Hargood arrived to assist standing off nearby on submarine watch Two minutes after the last man jumped off there was a large explosion and the ship began settling by the stern About 10 minutes later she was completely submerged 10 11 nbsp Empire Javelin on sea trials in Holy Loch 1943 Initially it was thought that the ship had been torpedoed by German submarine U 772 12 but it was later revealed that U 772 was sunk earlier that month 13 Another U boat U 322 was active in the area on the same day and was sunk on the next day south of Weymouth 3 There is no definitive proof of what sank the Empire Javelin although she was probably sunk by a mine 4 Notes edit Omaha Beach American Troops D Day The assault D Day Etat Des Lieux Schoichet s account of the sinking of Empire Javelin 1 Noon of December 28 found us approaching the half way mark in the channel Suddenly without warning the whole world erupted a b Pocock Michael W Daily Event for December 28 2007 Maritime Quest a b Helgason Gudmundur 1995 2014 Empire Javelin Ships not hit by U boats Gudmundur Helgason Colledge Ships of the Royal Navy p 113 a b Lloyd s Register Steamers amp Motorships PDF 1945 Retrieved 17 March 2014 Empire H I J The Empire Ships Mariners Winser John de S 1994 The D day Ships Kendal World Ship Society p 37 ISBN 0 905617 75 4 BBC WW2 People s War the Royal Navy on Omaha Beach a b The Daily Mirror 11 July 1945 Some pictures of the sinking can be seen here Mitchell WH Sawyer LA 1990 The Empire Ships 2nd ed London Lloyd s of London Press p 427 ISBN 1 85044 275 4 Helgason Gudmundur 1995 2014 U 772 List of all U boats Gudmundur Helgason References editColledge J J Warlow Ben 2006 1969 Ships of the Royal Navy The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy Rev ed London Chatham Publishing ISBN 978 1 86176 281 8 Further reading editBalkoski Joseph 2006 Omaha Beach D Day June 6 1944 Mechanicsburg PA Stackpole Books ISBN 978 0 8117 3376 2 Kay Bujak Phillip 2024 Empire Javelin D Day Assault Ship Pen and Sword Maritime ISBN 9781399035811 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title SS Empire Javelin amp oldid 1225253227, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
