Hugh Wilson Little
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| Hugh Wilson Little Plymouth Naval Memorial, Devon credit - findagrave |
28th March 1942 is the date of the St. Nazaire
Raid. The Raid was the British
amphibious attack on the heavily defended Normandie dry dock at St. Nazaire in
German-occupied France.
St Nazaire was targeted because the loss of its dry dock would
force any large German warship in need of repairs, such as Tirpitz,
sister ship of Bismarck, to return to home waters by running the
gauntlet of the Home Fleet of the Royal Navy and other British forces, via
the English Channel or the North Sea.
The obsolete destroyer H.M.S. Campbeltown,
accompanied by 18 smaller craft, crossed the English Channel to the Atlantic
coast of France and rammed into the Normandie dry dock south gate. The ship had
been packed with delayed-action explosives, well hidden within a steel and
concrete case, that detonated later that day, putting the dock out of service
until 1948.
Below is the list of H.M.M.L. (His Majesty’s Motor Launches)
that were lost during that day.
Destroyer CAMPBELTOWN (1,090t, 1919), sunk as an explosion
vessel at St Nazaire
Motor gun boat MGB No.314 (67t, 26/6/41), damaged in action
and sunk by own forces at St. Nazaire
Motor launch ML No.156 (73t, 18/12/40), damaged in action
and sunk by own forces at St. Nazaire
Motor launch ML No.177 (73t, 12/40), missing, presumed sunk
at St Nazaire
Motor launch ML No.192 (Free French Navy, 73t, I/8/41)
French Force), missing, presumed sunk at St Nazaire
Motor launch ML No.262 (Free French Navy, 73t, 18/6/41),
missing, presumed sunk at St Nazaire
Motor launch ML No.268 (Free French Navy, 73t, 17/7/41),
missing, presumed sunk, at St Nazaire, W France
Motor launch ML
No.270 (73t, 26/6/41), damaged in action and sunk by own forces at St. Nazaire
Motor launch ML No.298 (73t, 21/11/41), missing, presumed
sunk, at St Nazaire, W France
Motor launch ML No.306 (73t, 18/12/41), missing, presumed
sunk, at St Nazaire, W France
Motor launch ML No.446 (73t, 21/11/41), damaged in action
and sunk by own forces at St. Nazaire
Motor launch ML No.457 (73t, 21/11/41), sunk in action, St.
Nazaire.
Motor torpedo boat MTB No.74 (33t, 17/12/41), lost after
leaving St. Nazaire, W France. Date approximate
Motor launch ML No.267 (Free French Navy, 73t, 25/7/41),
missing, presumed sunk, at St Nazaire, W France
Motor launch ML No.447 (73t, 8/1/42), sunk in action, St.
Nazaire.
Motor Launch No. 192 was the vessel that Hugh served on as an
Ordinary Seaman.
Hugh Wilson Little was born in December 1920, the son of
Herbert William Little and Cynthia Wilson, who were married in 1917.
At the time of the 1921 Census, the family was living at 167
Port Tennant Road.
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| 1921 Census |
Herbert, 22, who came from Wiltshire was employed as a Major
Repairer Blacksmith, whilst, Cyntia, 22 came from Ireland.
Hugh was only 6 months old.
By the time of the 1939 Register, the family was living at
10 Lydrar Crescent.
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| 1939 Register |
Herbert worked on the Railway G.W.L. Firelighter Steamkeeper.
Cynthia undertook the Household duties and Hugh was an Assistant Baker
Machinist.
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