DISASTER IN OOSTEND WITH CANADIAN MOTOR TORPEDO BOATS ON 14th FEBRUARY 1945
(Kindly researched and translated from the Flemish archives by Ms. Lidy Wauters.)
REPORT
Our sources inform us that on 14th February 19454 in the harbor of Oostend, behind the station, a catastrophe has taken place. 5 Canadian and 7 British torpedo boats were destroyed.
The accident happened after the liberation of Oostend (8 September 1944), but before the Armistice. No source mentions that this accident was committed deliberately. The exact circumstances are still unknown. The complete report of this accident has been described in the book of McANDREW, Bill, RAWLING, Bill, WHITBY, Michael. La Libération. Les Canadiens en Europe. Québec (Art Global), 1995. The disaster has been caused accidentally, but the outcome was disastrous. Earlier that day, gasoline has been transferred to the boats. Accidentally some gasoline fell into the water, caught fire and set the boats on fire. Several explosions took place. The damage on the pier and the stockade was enormous.
The exact number of victims is still uncertain, probably 66 victims: 26 Canadians and 40 British. The most reliable and exhaustive list of the victims is mentioned in Naval Historical branch. However, they are specifying that the list could be incorrect. With the data we received from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission this list of the names of the victims was, with reserve, completed with the places of their graves.
ANALYSIS OF THE HISTORICAL SOURCES AND LITERATURE
Date: 14th February 1945
PLACE
Harbor, behind the sea-station, corner Carferry and Fishers-creek
REPORT
A wooden motor torpedo boat caught fire. 11 other wooden boats drifted away into the harbor. The soldiers, located in the decks below lost their lives; soldiers located on the upper-decks jumped into the water and tried to rescue themselves by swimming under the fire.
DAMAGE
The pier and the stockade of the carferry-harbor were destroyed by the explosions.
CAUSE
Unknown
Earlier that day, the boats have been filled with gasoline : probably some gasoline has been thrown into the water and caused the fire
The boats caught fire when the gasoline started burning in the water while loading the boats on a truck
Due to a mechanical failure of the motor of one of the boats some colorless gasoline dripped into the water and caught fire.
LOSSES
5 motorboats torpedo of the 29th Canadian Motor Torpedo Boat Flotilla
5 Canadian boats and 7 British boats
12 motor torpedo boats
12 motor torpedo boats of which 5 of the 29th Canadian Motor Torpedo Boat Flotilla
VICTIMS
21 known victims, died on 14th February 1945 and are buried in Oostend
25 sailors of the Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve
26 Canadian victims of the 29th MTB Flotilla
28 Canadian and 35 British sailors
29 Canadian victims (7+1+6+1+10+4)
29 victims died that day and are buried in Belgium
53 soldiers of the Royal Navy and the Royal Canadian Navy
64 victims of which 29 victims of the Canadian Motor Torpedo Boat Flotilla
66 victims (of which 4 died on 15th February 1945) i.e. 40 British and 26 Canadian victims.
WAR GRAVES AND MEMORIAL
21 victims – 3 Canadians and 18 British soldiers are buried in Oostend, 3 Canadians in Adegem and 8 British in Plymouth, 4 British in Plymouth, 6 British in Chatham and 20 Canadians in Halifax are mentioned in the memorial
21 victims are buried in the British Park of Honor in the Stuiverstreet in Oostend.
21 victims, 3 Canadians and 18 British are buried in Oostend.
21 victims, 3 Canadians and 18 British soldiers are buried in Oostend. At first instance 3 other Canadian victims were buried in Oostend, but on 23.06.1945 the corpses have been transported to Adegem. Furthermore, there has been mentioned that 3 other corpses have been removed to Adegem, but in reality this never happened given the fact that they remain at Oostend. At least, 28 non-identified bodies of the Royal Navy and 8 other non-identified bodies have been buried without any mention.
29 victims : 21 buried in Oostend, 3 in Adegem Canadian War Cemetery in Maldegem, 4 in Schoonselhof Antwerp and 1 in Evere (Brussels).
Gravestone of 3 identified victims.
SOURCES
Funeral record Stuiverstreet, Oostend, 1945
Letter Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Carol Gamble, 14.08.2001
Register Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Internet 01.10.2001.
Literature: See original document.
RESEARCH ON THE FIELD
Archives Oostend (Claudia Vermaut)
Library of Oostend (Claudia Vermaut)
Cemetery Stuiverstreet Oostend (Koen Verwaerde).
