A.B.+ALEC+WOOD.+R.N.

Wood, Alec, Ordinary Seaman, C/JX 318817, HMS Curacoa, Royal Navy Died 2nd October 1942, aged 18 Son of Mr and Mrs J H Wood, of Risley, Derbyshire Commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial; reference: 58, 2. Source: [|www.roll-of-honour.com]:

HMS Curacoa was a Ceres Class cruiser. It was built at Pembroke dockyard, laid down in July 1916 and completed February 1918. It was part of the 5th Light Cruiser Squadron, Harwich Force. She was seriously damaged by bombs from German aircraft off the Norwegian coast on 24th April 1940. She sank on 2nd October 1942 when accidentally rammed by the liner Queen Mary off the coast of Ireland. HMS Curacoa was a 4,200 ton British cruiser that, on 2nd October 1942, was detailed to escort the 83,673 ton RMS Queen Mary which was carrying 10,000 American servicemen into the Clyde. As the two ships zig-zagged into position, and with the Queen Mary steaming at 28 knots, their converging course was misjudged and the Queen Mary struck the Curacoa’s stern, pushing her broadside on. As a result, the Queen Mary sliced through the Curacoa amidships and cut her in half. The captain of the Queen Mary, who was under orders never to stop his ship for any reason, was forced to sail on. 102 men were rescued and 338 men were lost. A number of graves of men from the Curacoa can be found at Lower Beakish in Sky, Arisaig and Morar.


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