My father in law (now deceased) was a member of the crew when it was attacked and sunk by the RAF whilst carrying out minesweeping duties in 1944 off the coast of France. He managed to survive the attack by jumping overboard after spotting the RAF coming again for a second attack. According to his wife who is now 86, she says he was picked up and taken to Scotland, but doesn't know where.
 

She doesn't know the length of time he served on the Britomart but we do have several photographs from 1942/1943/1944 with his handwriting on the back of some of them of where they were taken, including one of a Guard of Honour for General Montel(?) at Grosnie(?) Quay, Archangel in July 1943.
 

My father in law's date of birth was 28/06/1920 or 21, he died on 06/12/1967. His home address whilst serving was: No 9 Dalzell Street. Moor Row, nr Whitehaven ,Cumbria. As I stated his wife Joan, who served in the ATS and met Jack in a dance hall in Edinburgh, is still alive and went on to have two daughters.
 

He did many sailings to Murmansk, Archangel, Iceland and lost many friends, especially in the incident of 1944. Unfortunately my mother in law cannot remember any names of his colleagues but he did knock about with a lad from Hull. He always attended Remembrance Sunday service wherever he was living at the time.

Richard Stead
November 2008