Lieutenant Norman Armstrong Brittain.
Roval Naval Volunteer Reserve
HMS Curacoa.
Aged 26
Son of George Alfred Brittain and Alice Louisa Finlay.
of Trearddwr Bay, Anglesey, Wales.
Graduate in Law, Oxford.
In the 1930's, the Brittain family lived at Avoca Avenue, Blackrock, Co. Dublin.
HMS Curacoa, a C class light cruiser, was part of an escort to a WW2 North Atlantic Convoy. The RMS "Queen Mary" was in the convoy, which had almost 20,000 men of the American 29th Infantry Division on board several ships. The troops disembarked on 5th October 1942, and after training, were landed at Omaha Beach on D-Day, 6th June 1944, where they suffered heavy casualties.
At a point about 40 miles NW of Bloody Foreland, Co. Donegal, Ireland, and as part of the routine zig-zag change of course, the Queen Mary turned and cut across the course of the Curacoa, hitting it amidships. The Curacoa sank almost immediately. Due to the numbers it carried on board, and the threat of U-boat attacks, the Queen Mary was under orders not to stop to assist any other ship. Several hours later, the lead escort of the convoy returned to search for survivors. Of her complement of 338 only 99, including Captain John Wilfrid Boutwood [1899-1993], were rescued. Boutwood had adhered to naval rules which required the overtaking vessel to yield, whereas the captain of the Queen Mary assumed that the escort was tracking it, and would alter course. The changes were reported on both ships, but were dismissed by both captains as inaccurate.
In a post-war civil action, the Navy sued the Cunard White Star Line for damages. The High Court apportioned two-thirds of the blame to the Admiralty, and one-third to Cunard White Star.
Norman Armstrong Brittain was buried at Roshven on the southern shore of Loch Ailort, west of Fort William, in the Western Highlands. It is presumed that his body was washed ashore near here.
The first two photos are of the Brittain Family grave in Mount Jerome Cemetery, Harold's Cross, Dublin.
The third photo is of his grave at Roshven.
Roval Naval Volunteer Reserve
HMS Curacoa.
Aged 26
Son of George Alfred Brittain and Alice Louisa Finlay.
of Trearddwr Bay, Anglesey, Wales.
Graduate in Law, Oxford.
In the 1930's, the Brittain family lived at Avoca Avenue, Blackrock, Co. Dublin.
HMS Curacoa, a C class light cruiser, was part of an escort to a WW2 North Atlantic Convoy. The RMS "Queen Mary" was in the convoy, which had almost 20,000 men of the American 29th Infantry Division on board several ships. The troops disembarked on 5th October 1942, and after training, were landed at Omaha Beach on D-Day, 6th June 1944, where they suffered heavy casualties.
At a point about 40 miles NW of Bloody Foreland, Co. Donegal, Ireland, and as part of the routine zig-zag change of course, the Queen Mary turned and cut across the course of the Curacoa, hitting it amidships. The Curacoa sank almost immediately. Due to the numbers it carried on board, and the threat of U-boat attacks, the Queen Mary was under orders not to stop to assist any other ship. Several hours later, the lead escort of the convoy returned to search for survivors. Of her complement of 338 only 99, including Captain John Wilfrid Boutwood [1899-1993], were rescued. Boutwood had adhered to naval rules which required the overtaking vessel to yield, whereas the captain of the Queen Mary assumed that the escort was tracking it, and would alter course. The changes were reported on both ships, but were dismissed by both captains as inaccurate.
In a post-war civil action, the Navy sued the Cunard White Star Line for damages. The High Court apportioned two-thirds of the blame to the Admiralty, and one-third to Cunard White Star.
Norman Armstrong Brittain was buried at Roshven on the southern shore of Loch Ailort, west of Fort William, in the Western Highlands. It is presumed that his body was washed ashore near here.
The first two photos are of the Brittain Family grave in Mount Jerome Cemetery, Harold's Cross, Dublin.
The third photo is of his grave at Roshven.
Lieutenant Norman Armstrong Brittain.
Roval Naval Volunteer Reserve
HMS Curacoa.
Aged 26
Son of George Alfred Brittain and Alice Louisa Finlay.
of Trearddwr Bay, Anglesey, Wales.
Graduate in Law, Oxford.
In the 1930's, the Brittain family lived at Avoca Avenue, Blackrock, Co. Dublin.
HMS Curacoa, a C class light cruiser, was part of an escort to a WW2 North Atlantic Convoy. The RMS "Queen Mary" was in the convoy, which had almost 20,000 men of the American 29th Infantry Division on board several ships. The troops disembarked on 5th October 1942, and after training, were landed at Omaha Beach on D-Day, 6th June 1944, where they suffered heavy casualties.
At a point about 40 miles NW of Bloody Foreland, Co. Donegal, Ireland, and as part of the routine zig-zag change of course, the Queen Mary turned and cut across the course of the Curacoa, hitting it amidships. The Curacoa sank almost immediately. Due to the numbers it carried on board, and the threat of U-boat attacks, the Queen Mary was under orders not to stop to assist any other ship. Several hours later, the lead escort of the convoy returned to search for survivors. Of her complement of 338 only 99, including Captain John Wilfrid Boutwood [1899-1993], were rescued. Boutwood had adhered to naval rules which required the overtaking vessel to yield, whereas the captain of the Queen Mary assumed that the escort was tracking it, and would alter course. The changes were reported on both ships, but were dismissed by both captains as inaccurate.
In a post-war civil action, the Navy sued the Cunard White Star Line for damages. The High Court apportioned two-thirds of the blame to the Admiralty, and one-third to Cunard White Star.
Norman Armstrong Brittain was buried at Roshven on the southern shore of Loch Ailort, west of Fort William, in the Western Highlands. It is presumed that his body was washed ashore near here.
The first two photos are of the Brittain Family grave in Mount Jerome Cemetery, Harold's Cross, Dublin.
The third photo is of his grave at Roshven.
Roval Naval Volunteer Reserve
HMS Curacoa.
Aged 26
Son of George Alfred Brittain and Alice Louisa Finlay.
of Trearddwr Bay, Anglesey, Wales.
Graduate in Law, Oxford.
In the 1930's, the Brittain family lived at Avoca Avenue, Blackrock, Co. Dublin.
HMS Curacoa, a C class light cruiser, was part of an escort to a WW2 North Atlantic Convoy. The RMS "Queen Mary" was in the convoy, which had almost 20,000 men of the American 29th Infantry Division on board several ships. The troops disembarked on 5th October 1942, and after training, were landed at Omaha Beach on D-Day, 6th June 1944, where they suffered heavy casualties.
At a point about 40 miles NW of Bloody Foreland, Co. Donegal, Ireland, and as part of the routine zig-zag change of course, the Queen Mary turned and cut across the course of the Curacoa, hitting it amidships. The Curacoa sank almost immediately. Due to the numbers it carried on board, and the threat of U-boat attacks, the Queen Mary was under orders not to stop to assist any other ship. Several hours later, the lead escort of the convoy returned to search for survivors. Of her complement of 338 only 99, including Captain John Wilfrid Boutwood [1899-1993], were rescued. Boutwood had adhered to naval rules which required the overtaking vessel to yield, whereas the captain of the Queen Mary assumed that the escort was tracking it, and would alter course. The changes were reported on both ships, but were dismissed by both captains as inaccurate.
In a post-war civil action, the Navy sued the Cunard White Star Line for damages. The High Court apportioned two-thirds of the blame to the Admiralty, and one-third to Cunard White Star.
Norman Armstrong Brittain was buried at Roshven on the southern shore of Loch Ailort, west of Fort William, in the Western Highlands. It is presumed that his body was washed ashore near here.
The first two photos are of the Brittain Family grave in Mount Jerome Cemetery, Harold's Cross, Dublin.
The third photo is of his grave at Roshven.
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