ESP News: Their first posting, their final sacrifice” HMS Collingwood remembers tragic bombing which claimed the lives of trainee sailors… View more
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Their first posting, their final sacrifice” – HMS Collingwood commemorates tragic WWII bombing
Eighty‑two years ago, in the early hours of 18 June 1943, a lone German bomber dropped a 50 kg high‑explosive bomb onto an accommodation hut at HMS Collingwood in Fareham. Thirty‑three young trainee sailors—many just 17 or 18, and only a fortnight into their Royal Navy service—were killed instantly; another 38 were wounded (royalnavy.mod.uk). To avoid propaganda exploitation at the time, families were reportedly told the deaths resulted from an ammunition accident (bbc.co.uk).
A solemn commemoration
This week, HMS Collingwood observed the 82nd anniversary with a heartfelt memorial service at the precise location of the tragedy. Attendees included Commanding Officer Captain Tim Davey, Executive Officer Commander Fraser Hunt, senior staff, trainees from Victory and other squadrons, and civic dignitaries (portsmouth.co.uk). The ceremony featured prayers, a reading from Ecclesiastes, the sounding of the Last Post, a minute’s silence, and the laying of wreaths by Captain Davey (portsmouth.co.uk).
A “remembrance tree” now stands on the site, its branches adorned with 33 memory tags—each bearing a poppy, the sailor’s prayer, name, and service number—tied by current trainees who read their predecessors’ details (portsmouth.co.uk).
Reflections of duty and remembrance
Captain Tim Davey spoke movingly: “We will always honour the memory of those who lost their lives here during World War II… They were never able to realise their potential or serve as they had volunteered to do, but their sacrifice will never be forgotten” (portsmouth.co.uk).
Commander Andy Phenna—HMS Collingwood’s Executive Officer—remarked, “If we don’t remember the sacrifice our forbearers made we cannot move on to the future” (bbc.com). Likewise, Mike Crowe of the Collingwood Association reflected on how the loss was initially hushed up: “It would have been a wonderful bit of propaganda had the Germans discovered what they had done with just one bomb” (bbc.com).
Continuity of service
Since its commissioning in January 1940, HMS Collingwood has evolved into the Royal Navy’s largest training establishment—currently commemorating 85 years of service (royalnavy.mod.uk). Each year’s act of remembrance links today’s trainees back to the past, reinforcing a timeless connection to naval heritage and the duty to remember.
This annual tribute not only honours the young sailors who made the ultimate sacrifice but also reminds modern servicemen and women that the foundations of their training rest on stories of courage and loss. The events at HMS Collingwood serve as a poignant bridge between past and present—ensuring that “lest we forget” remains more than just words.
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