Signalman Douglas Chudley, HMMTB 494, RN

D.C. CHUDLEY

SIGNALMAN. R.N. P/JX 700850

H.M.M.T.B. 494

7TH APRIL 1945 AGE 18

 

IN TREASURED MEMORY OF OUR DEAR DOUG.

O GOD, WE GIVE HIM NOW INTO THY KEEPING

 

P/JX 700850 Signalman Douglas Charles Chudley, MTB 494, Royal Navy.

Born on 21st. September 1926 at Marylebone, London, the son of Harvey James and Gertrude Clara Chudley, nee Wigzell, later of Halstead, Essex.

Died in action the North Sea on 7th. April 1945, aged 18.

Buried in Sec. 25. Grave 532 at Normanston Drive cemetery, Lowestoft, Suffolk.

 

During the night of the Saturday 7th. April 1945, near Smith's Knoll off the Norfolk coast, three MTB's of 22nd. MTB Flotilla, MTB 493, 494 and 497, based at HMS Mantis in Lowestoft, Suffolk clashed with five of their German counterparts from 2. Schnellbootsflotille, based at Den Helder in Holland. The German's mission was to lay mines in the east coast convoy route.

Just after 02.12, MTB 494, commanded by T/Lt. Jack May, RNVR, was rammed by S 176, commanded by Lt. Friedrich-Wilhelm Stockfleth. After the ramming MTB 494 turned upside down and sank in position 52 degrees 50 mins N, 2 degrees 55 mins. E. German POW'S involved in the battle stated that 'Although cut in half and sinking, MTB 494 continued to fire her guns'. S 176 was stopped after taking some serious hits in action with MTB 497, commanded by T/Lt. A.T.J. Harrington, RNVR and with S 176 burning, Lt. Stockfleth blew-up his boat and sank it.

MTB 493, commanded by T/Lt. Alexander Duncan Foster RNVR, smashed into S 177, commanded by Lt. Karl Boseniuk. Immediately afterwards MTB 493 came to an abrupt halt, it had been badly damaged and only a small section of its bow was left intact. S 177 continued on until it's engine room filled with water and the engines stopped. After several futile attempts by S 174, commanded by Lt. Hans-Juergen Stohwasser, to tow S 177, the crew were taken off and S 177 was blown up and sunk. T/Lt. Foster was awarded the DSC for his gallantry.

The following day, RAF launch HSL 2558, almost certainly from No. 24 Air Sea Rescue Unit at Gorleston, Norfolk, found 5 British and 3 German life-rafts, all were empty. Later another raft was sighted which HSL 2558 found contained the bodies of Lt. May and three of his crew from MTB 494. Subsequently, HSL 2558 had the sad task of bringing back more bodies from MTB 494. Only three crew members of MTB 494 survived, all the other fourteen members of the crew onboard MTB 494 that night perished.

 

KILLED IN ACTION.

 

T/Lt. Jack May RNVR.

 

P/JX 262015 Able Seaman

Charles Augustus 'Gus' Holland, aged 23.

 

C/JX 378644 Able Seaman Anthony Worcester Dandie, aged 20.

 

P/JX 700850 Signalman Douglas Charles Chudley, aged 18.

 

C/JX 354779 Able Seaman Frank Crowder, aged 23.

 

P/SSX 35669 Able Seaman Leslie Frederick Vine, aged 22.

 

MISSING.

The death of each person listed below was subsequently confirmed.

 

T/Sub Lt. Ian Turner MacFarlane RNVR, aged 21.

 

T/Midshipman Ian Rochester Naylor RNVR, aged 18.

 

D/JX 349131 Leading Seaman Ralph Edward Jones, aged 21.

 

C/JX 559374 Able Seaman George Rudolph Shoosmith, aged 19.

 

P/KX 153796 Stoker 1st. Class Charles Simmons.

 

D/KX 139149 Acting Leading Stoker Jeffrey Slater, aged 24.

 

P/JX 402999 Telegraphist Arthur Treece.

 

P/MX 543586 Petty Officer Motor Mechanic Victor Marcus Wheeler, aged 28.

 

SURVIVORS.

Slightly Injured.

 

P/JX 389691 Able Seaman Charles Coombes.

 

P/JX 201176 Telegraphist Herbert 'Bert' Markham.

 

P/JX 297405 Able Seaman Aubray Taylor.

 

MTB 494

Length: 71ft. 9 in.

Beam: 20 ft. 3 in.

Draught: 5ft. 9 in.

Displacement: 51.6 ton

Engines: 3 x Packard petrol engines

Engine output: 3 x 1,35 hp

Speed: 39 knots

Armament:

1 x Mk. VIII 6 pounder, forward

2 x 20 mm anti-aircraft guns

4 x .303 in. anti-aircraft guns

2 x 18 in. torpedo tubes

Builder: British Power Boat Co, Hythe, Southampton, Hampshire

Ordered: 25th. September 1943

Commissioned: 9th. November 1944

Sunk: 7th. April 1945

 

 

 

 

 

 

Done