A 1944 Allied destroyer sweep off Brittany sank German torpedo boat T29 and damaged two others, contributing to pre-Overlord coastal operations.
Key Facts
- Date
- Night of 25–26 April 1944
- Allied ships involved
- 1 cruiser and 4 destroyers
- German torpedo boats engaged
- T24, T27, T29
- German casualties (T29)
- 135 men lost
- Operation context
- Operation Tunnel, preparatory to Operation Overlord
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
In preparation for Operation Overlord, Allied forces conducted Operation Tunnel, a series of destroyer sweeps along the Brittany coast to neutralize German naval presence and gather tactical intelligence in the English Channel approaches.
On the night of 25–26 April 1944, HMS Black Prince with destroyers HMS Ashanti, HMCS Athabaskan, HMCS Haida, and HMCS Huron engaged German Elbing-class torpedo boats T24, T27, and T29 off the île de Batz. The engagement resulted in the destruction of T29, while T24 and T27 sustained damage. HMS Huron and HMS Ashanti collided near the action's end.
T29 sank with the loss of 135 men, and both remaining German torpedo boats were damaged. HMCS Haida and HMCS Huron suffered some casualties from T29's fire, and the collision between Huron and Ashanti caused additional complications for Allied forces in the engagement's aftermath.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Side B
1 belligerent