40RM Commando - HMS Queen Emma

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On 17th July 1943 HMS Queen Emma was in Augusta Harbour Sicily with 40 Royal Marine Commando on board when there was a bombing raid on the harbour. This caused numerous casualties and damage on board when concussion and shrapnel from a bomb caused a box of grenades to go off on the mess deck.

Exract from the 40 RM Commando war diary

(Source: National Archive file ref ADM 202 / 87)

15 July 1943

1300hrs -arrive SYRACUSE harbour

1500hrs disembark Syracuse

16 July 1943

1200hrs - Cdo embark - Force11 M.V Queen Emma

1400hrs - sail from Syracuse harbour

1600hrs - arrive Augusta harbour

1800hrs - Cdo informed operation cancelled

17 July 1943

0200hrs - Air attacks on harbour start

0210hrs - M.V Queen Emma suffered near miss; concussion and shrapnel from bomb caused a box of grenades to go off on the mess deck occupied by B and P troops, many casualties occurring. Capt. Stiebel and Surg Lt Cmdr Pryde killed , 13 OR's killed and 58 wounded.

Notes

The CWGC record 11 names as being from 40RM Commando. The War Diary entry records 13 OR's killed.
The CWGC includes the name of Captain Ford however it is highly likely that Captain Ford was actually attached to 41RM Commando [see record]. Captain Ford is also unusually not mentioned alongside the names of the two officers in the 40RM Cdo. War Diary entry above for 17th July. That entry additionally records 13 OR's as killed.
There are three Marines listed by unit on the CWGC database simply as Queen Emma. Two are shown as 40RM on the RN Casualty Logs. Details on one other is still outstanding. Recorded by the CWGC only as RM Commando: Mne. R. JOHNSON

Archive pages:

40RM Commando

41RM Commando