SGB 5 during operation Jubilee

[Steve49]

I've been researching Operation Jubilee/Dieppe Raid for some time and have been trying to identify the RN casualties suffered during the day.

After the clash with the German coastal convoy SGB5 is recorded as suffering crew casualties of 1 killed and 13 wounded. I have identifies the 2 Officers and 11 OR crew who were wounded, but have not been able to identify the crewmember who was killed. Does anyone have any ideas?

Regards

Steve

[Pioneer]

Welcome aboard 'Steve49'

SGB 5 (HMS Grey Owl) is listed as having 1 fatal casualty in the site's Research database.
Able Seaman KENNETH MORPHET
Service No: P/JX 295548 Navy: Royal Navy Unit: H.M.S.G.B. Grey Owl Date: 5th September 1943 Age: 22 Burial or Memorial: NELSON CEMETERY (Spec. Memorial.) Next of Kin: SON OF TOM AND SARAH MORPHET, OF NELSON. ALTERNATIVE COMMEMORATION - BURIED IN GREAT MARSDEN (ST. JOHN) CHURCHYARD.
The database can also show Awards made to SGB Grey Owl crew members.
Research/Personel/Awards/Unit/SGB Grey Owl.

[Steve49]

Thanks for that, unfortunately the date in question for my unidentified casualty is the 19th August 1942 and CWGC don't list any casualties for SGB5 on that date.

I presume like many of the Naval personnel lost during the raid, the casualty is listed under a different unit. I have managed to identify many of such personnel, but I have ten such casualties, who I've not been able to attach to a craft/vessel/unit. So I presume that the SGB5 casualty is one of the below sailors.

CURTIS, Stanley S, Able Seaman, P/JX 221703 (Victory III), MPK [PoM]
HARDING, William J, Able Seaman, P/JX 231281 (Excellent), killed [PoM]
LAWSON, George, Able Seaman, C/JX 277100 (Pembroke), killed [DIEPPE CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY, HAUTOT-SUR-MER]
MARRISON, Samuel M R, Ordinary Seaman, C/JX 213042 (Pembroke II), MPK [ChM]
McGINN, John, Able Seaman, RNVR, P/CD/X 2817 (Victory III), MPK [PoM]
MITCHELL, James E, Able Seaman, P/JX 273423 (Victory III), MPK [PoM]
PHEBY, Ralph F, Able Seaman, P/JX 223930 (Victory III), MPK [DIEPPE CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY, HAUTOT-SUR-MER]
ROSE, George S, Able Seaman, P/JX 194574 (Victory III), MPK [PoM]
SHEATH, Norman R T, Able Seaman, P/JX 276455 (Victory III), MPK [PoM]
THOW, Walter S, Ordinary Seaman, D/JX 304022 (Drake IV), MPK [PlyM]

Regards,

Steve

[Pioneer]

Hello again Steve49
An excellent work that lists all ships and boats that took part in Operation Jubilee, can be found at
https://www.navy.gov.au/sites/default/f ... ary_33.pdf
A comprehensive account in PDF format, that on page 59 lists SGB5 and ML346 as being attached to
Group 5 'Yellow Beach'
Best of luck with your research
Regards

[Admin]

Hello Steve

Just to add some thoughts. It's possible the casualty we have listed for SGB 5 succumbed to wounds gained on the 19th August, but if there was one definite casualty on the day then the CWGC brings up some additional twenty-five odd casualties for Victory, Drake, Pembroke and Excellent, besides those you have already listed. McGINN, ROSE, SHEATH and MITCHELL are all shown by the CWGC as Victory (Combined Operations) so it's likely you could discount those, and similarly those with a grave at Dieppe unless the casualty fell overboard and was washed ashore, since SGB 5 was reportedly seven miles from shore when it encountered the German naval force which fired on the boat. Some of the additional casualties listed by CGWC for the day are shown as having gained awards, and a quick cross check with our awards database indicates all of them can be discounted too. There are no known Coastal Forces bases listed against any of the CWGC casualties. Finally some of the names are listed as on naval memorials only, indicating lost at sea, which again may not fit with the casualty in question.

Regards
Admin

[Steve49]

Hi,

Thanks for that. I've covered various personnel who died of wounds over the following days and none of them were assigned to SGB5. As post raid casualty lists record all the wounded personnel from SGB5, I do wonder if the report of a death from SGB5 might in error.

Regards,

Steve

[Admin]

Looking again at the one known casualty for SGB 5 (Grey Owl) I now realise that occurred in September 1943, which is over a year later than Dieppe. Apparently the source for the claim of one casualty may derive from an extract of the report by Commander D.B. Wyburd, RN, Appendix 7 to Enclosure 13, pp.47-51. In Naval Force Commander's Report No. NFJ 0221/92, 30 August 1942, NAC, RQ 24/10872/232C2 (D48), (SGB 5);

I think any casualty for SGB 5 would have been listed under the boat, or if not, would have come under HMS Aggressive, the Coastal Forces base at Newhaven, where the 1st SGB Flotilla was based at the time.