MONDAY 27 NOVEMBER 1944
SATURDAY 16 DECEMBER 1944
TWO BLACK DAY’S AT ANTWERP
2nd Army
TWO MEMBERS OF
73 COMPANY (TC)
KILLED
TWO WOUNDED
THREE MEMBERS AND 1 CIVILIAN
OF 224 PROVOST COMPANY WOUNDED
TWO MEMBERS OF
185 (PORTS) COMPANY WOUNDED
1 MEMBER OF
602 COMPANY (VP) WOUNDED
BLACK DAYS AT ANTWERP 27th NOVEMBER 1944
Extract from a report submitted to DPM L of C 28 Nov 1944 by APM 7 Base Sub Area War Diary WO171/754.
I have to report for your information that at ANTWERP on 27 NOV 44 at about 12 noon an enemy missile fell outside the CMP INFO POST in KEYSERLEI. This is the main street in ANTWERP and at the time this thoroughfare was packed with military personnel and civilians.
Four OR's of 73 Company (traffic control) were directing traffic. NCOs of 244 Pro Coy and 602 Vulnerable Points Coy, together with RAF and American Provost were on duty in the Info Post. The following OR's were amongst the casualties:
73 Company Traffic Control
4545256 Pte Colley R Killed
1144420 LCpl Wood J Killed
3382200 LCpl Perkins L W Wounded (seriously)
13023132 Pte Mawson E W Wounded (seriously)
244 Provost Company
7690641 W/Cpl Hill A Wounded (seriously)
7688542 W/Cpl Cawood Wounded
14516673 LCpl Deakin H. Wounded (seriously)
Mr E Sobry civilian Interpreter Superficial wounds
185 Provost Company (Ports) - VP Wing
5576265 W/Cpl Reynolds F H R Wounded
185 Provost Company (Ports) - Provost Wing
14358916 LCpl Buckingham H W Wounded
602 Company (VP)
3440595 Cpl Aspden J Wounded
Many civilian casualties occurred in this incident. The whole of 244 Pro Coy, 73 TC Coy and those of 185 Pro Coy (Ports) and 602 Coy (VP) who could be spared, were dispatched to the scene of the incident and diversions were immediately laid on. All ranks assisted in clearing the wounded to hospital and the dead were taken to the civilian mortuary. Throughout the day the CMP under command worked with untiring energy and I have received many verbal comments as to their excellent behaviour in handling the many problems which arose during the course of the incident and also in the period which ensued.
I would like to add that in this connection special praise should be given to Capt Wilby and Lieut Lewis-Parker and I would also like to place on record the excellent work which these two officers carried out. I shall inform you from time to time as to the state of the injured personnel.
Signed C B E Cowie
Maj
APM 7 Base Sub Area
4545256 Pte Richard Colley age 33
Buried Schoonselhof Cemetery, Antwerp grave A. 23
inscription on gravestone:
Our hopes, or love have gone with you.
--------------------------
1144420 L/Cpl James Wood age 40
Buried in Schoonselhof Cemetery, Antwerp grave I. A. 22
inscription on gravestone:
We loved him in life, let us not forget him in death.
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SATURDAY 16TH DECEMBER 1944
BLACK DAY AT ANTWERP
TWELVE MEMBERS OF
185 PORTS COMPANY
&
ONE MEMBER OF
227 PROVOST COMPANY
DIED
2nd Army
BLACK DAY AT ANTWERP 16TH DECEMBER 1944
Extracted from the War Diary of 185 Ports Company CMP
Held by the National Archive file ref no WO171/3380
16TH December 1944
15.20hrs
V2 fell on Rex Cinema adjoining HQ this unit, and completely destroyed the main hall of the cinema and the rear part of the Company offices and Sergeants Mess. There were 20 persons in the Company Offices composed of APM, WOI, and 13 other ranks, and five civilian employees. Of these APM, 2 Sergeants and all the civilians were extricated alive within a few minutes of the occurrence.
18.00hrs
Pay Corporal and Ration Corporal extricated from ruins of Coy HQ both alive but severely injured.
20.00hrs
One VP (Vulnerable Points) Private taken alive from bombed HQ.
23.00hrs
Chief Clerk extricated alive from bombed HQ. Believed to be over 1,100 people, civilians and troops in the Rex Cinema, most of which expected killed.
17th December 1944
1 Sergeant and 1 Private, both VP, died in 9th British General Hospital during the night. Known personnel now missing are 1 WOI, 1 L/Sgt, 6 LCpl's, 1 Pte ACC. 2 LCpl's were seen entering the Rex Cinema half an hour before the V2 struck it.
11.30hrs
Body of 1 LCpl recovered from the wreckage of Rex Cinema. Rescue work on the wreck of Company Offices went on throughout the day and night but no further men were found.
Capt Yorke, OC 244 Provost Company took over as acting APM and this unit set up temporary HQ at the HQ of 244 Provost Company. No strength returns submitted - all records at present missing or destroyed by enemy action. Enemy V1 & V2 action is fairly consistent throughout the day and enemy planes overhead during night.
18th December 1944
15.30hrs
Body of 1 LCpl (P) (Provost) recovered from wreckage of Rex Cinema. Seven persons now missing are believed killed.
Colonel Callaghan DPM War Office visited this unit with PM 21 Army Group.
18th December 1944
Total unit casualties are seventeen. Reinforcements applied for. Duties on docks continuing as normal..
19th December 1944
No. 83 SIS section arrived to take over SIS duties Ports and came under command. Full section of 15 OR's and subaltern. (83 Section Special Investigations Branch).
0700hrs
Body of LSgt recovered from debris of Coy HW. Six are missing now. Foggy weather seemed to give the enemy incentive to send over V1's and V2's at frequent intervals. No reports of damage in the port area.
20th December 1944
12.30hrs
Body of ACC private found in wreckage of Coy HW. 5 now missing, Fair amount of stores and office records salvaged from ruins. Weather still very foggy, holding up shipping and air transport. 7 Base Sub-Area have arranged burials of all troops killed in the V2 incident.
21st December 1944
0800hrs
Body of 1 LCpl recovered in debris of Coy HQ, 4 now missing. New HQ set up at 136 Frankirklei. Fog is still persistent and enemy V1 and V2 activity still persistent. Pilferage arrests are still frequent in the port area.
22nd December 1944
Barge control checkpoint set up and commenced operations, mouth of Albert canal. Bodies of RSM, and 2 LCpls recovered from wrecked old Coy HQ. One body is still missing. Reinforcements arrive 1 officer, 1 Sgt Provost, 1 Corporal Provost, 9 Lance Corporals Provost, 5 Privates Vulnerable Points.
23rd December 1944
No trace of the missing man to-day. Search is still going on. Salvaged material still coming from ruins. APM (Maj Mason) evacuated to the UK as a result of injuries received in V2 incident 16th inst. Moderate V1 and V2 activity throughout the day.
24th December 1944
Combined CMP units in the area delivered Xmas parcels to 120 poor children in Antwerp, purchased from a common fund raised by the units concerned. No trace of missing LCpl. in ruins of old Coy HQ. Police dogs of 702 Company Vulnerable Points used to try and locate the body without result. Slight V1 and V2 activity during the day. Enemy planes overhead after dark..
25th December 1944
12.00hrs
Staff lieutenant (Lieutenant L Abbott) visited members of Coy in 109 General Hospital at Malines who had been injured by V2 on 16th inst.
15.00hrs
Staff Lieutenant visited civilian employees in hospital and at homes - all injured in V2 incident 16th inst. APM 7 Base Sub-Area visited this unit and attended men's Xmas dinner.
26th December 1944
Still no trace of missing LCpl search and salvage parties still operating but with no success... Company HQ now fully operates from a new location at 136 Frankrijklei. Part I order No.3 published.
CMP NCO'S WHO DIED IN THE EXPLOSION
All are buried in the Schoonselhof Cemetery, Antwerp
4921861 LCpl Leslie Charles Acford age 30
Buried in grave V. C. 41.
No inscription on gravestone.
-----------------------------
7686790 LCpl John Richard Bunce age 32
Buried in grave V. C. 81.
No inscription on gravestone
----------------------------
13035669 LCpl Arthur Douglas Duke age 30
Buried grave V C. 32.
Inscription on gravestone:
In loving memory of a darling husband, sleep beloved and take thy rest.
----------------------------
14516436 L/Cpl Joseph Hedley Ted Hawkins age 37
Buried in grave V. D. 31.
Inscription on gravestone:
To live in the hearts we love is not to die.
--------------------------
3238235 LCpl Joseph Edward Jones age 40
Buried in grave E. C. 31.
Inscription on gravestone
Years pass but memories remain.
--------------------------
1839134 LCpl Gerorge William Alfred John Nisbet age 38
Buried in grave V. D. 29.
Inscription on gravestone:
In loving memory of our beloved only son. Mother & Dad.
--------------------------
1596074 Pte John Smith age 31
Army Catering Corps attached to CMP
Buried in grave V. A. 58.
Inscription on gravestone:
Duty nobly done, rest in peace.
------------------------
315784 WO I (RSM) Ernest Southyon age 37
Buried in grave V. C. 46.
Inscription on gravestone:
And by his life and deeds of worth he left a goodly record on earth. RIP.
------------------------
2652187 Cpl Reginald Fennel Thompson age 38
Buried in grave I. C. 32.
Inscription on gravestone:
Always in our thoughts, his loving wife and family.
------------------------
14304739 LCpl James Richard Toyne age 36
Buried in grave V. A. 63.
Inscription on gravestone:
Sadly missed by his wife and loving daughters, Dorothy and Kathleen.
------------------------
7689635 Cpl Levi Yates Age 33
Buried in grave V. A. 19.
Inscription on gravestone:
We have made a shrine of every place where we have held thy hand and seen thy face.
--------------------------
3323384 Cpl Andrew MacQueen Age 29
224 Pro Coy Died Of Wounds 20/12/1944
Buried in grave V. A. 75.
Inscription on gravestone:
Till the dawn breaks and the shadows flee. Forever Remembered.
-----------------------
Entry in Unit War Diary WO 171/7825
22 May 1945
Gives a list of the Port Coy Casualties WOI RSM SOUTHERN, CPL L YATES, SGT RM THOMPSON, LCPL J BUNCE, LCPL L ACFORD, LCPL A D DUKE, LCPL J HAWKINS, LCPL G W NISBETT, PTE J SMITH AND LCPL J R TOYNE
Relatives of the above received £11.00 each, donated by members of the company.
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On the 16th December 1944 at 15.20 hours a German V2 rocket fired from Holland by SS Werfer Battery 500 landed on the roof of the Rex Cinema which was on De Keyserlei 15, Antwerp, Belgium. The cinema was full and thought to have contained 1,100 people who were watching a Cecil B Demille Western called The Plainsman starring Gary Cooper and Jean Arthur. To the rear of the cinema was the unit headquarters of 185 Ports Company, CMP. The explosion killed 567 people of whom 296 were allied servicemen, another 194 servicemen were injured. This was the largest loss of life in any single rocket attack during the war. After this attack places where the public gathered were closed and gatherings in public places could only be a maximum of 50.
Below are photographs of the horrific scene after the explosion.
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