The death of R.Hichens

[cam]

Hi,

Colleagues.
Help me find out with what German ships battle Lieutenant Commander R. Hitchens (MGB-74, -75, -111, -112) when he was killed in action on the night of April 12/13 1943 off the coast of Holland. Various sources claim that it was a convoy, one or two patrol trawlers.

cam

[t-geronimo]

It seems to be that vessels of the 1. Sicherungsdivision took part ( left of the page):

[cam]

Thank you t-geronimo 

The place of battle is the same. It is clear that against  Hichens fought VP 1413 and 2012. About the convoy, nothing is said. Probably they were on patrol. If there was information from the British with the indication of the English time of the fight, then  can say for sure that this is the same fight.

cam

[t-geronimo]

Yes they were on patrol for several nights and had clashes with british forces which seem to have been on patrol themselves.
This is said further on on that page or on another one that I have not shown here.

[Urs Heßling]

moin,

Lieutenant Commander R. Hitchens

Es lohnt sich, sich den Lebenslauf anzuschauen (leider nur in englischer Sprache)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Peverell_Hichens

Gruß, Urs

[cam]

Hi,

By the link it is written
On the night of 12/13 April 1943, the flotilla was ordered to escort mine laying MLs off the Dutch coast. Detecting two trawlers they engaged them leaving one on fire, but as they withdrew MGB 77 was hit, killing Hichens outright and wounding three others on the bridge.
But MGB-74, -75, -111, -112 took part in the battle. Hitchens was on MGB-112.

cam

[t-geronimo]

According to what source?

[cam]

- World War II Sea War, Vol 9: Wolfpacks Muzzled,  Gordon Smith, Don Kindell, Donald A. Bertke
- "Hichens was embarked on MGB 112, a newly commissioned boat commanded by Lt DC Sidebottom....They fought two enemy vessels which had clearly not sighted the four gunboats. Approaching from the port quarter, they sped along parallel to the enemy and hit them both very hard. As they drew ahead the enemy fire increased but was generally inaccurate. Suddenly, however, a single burst of cannon shell struck the bridge of 112, with terrible results. Hichens was killed immediately-the only fatal casuualty-and both the CO and the first lieutenant were wounded. This action is retold in more detail on p134-135 of Coastal Forces At War by D Jefferson. The other 3 boats were MGBs 74,75 and 111."
http://www.bmpt.co.uk/mgb-112_topic365_page1.html

In der Nacht vom 12./13.4. entstehen bei einem Gefecht eines dt. Geleits  mit den brit. MGB 74, MGB 75, MGB 111 und MGB 112 auf beiden Seiten nur leichte Schäden, doch auf dem Führerboot MGB 74 (brit. Qu.: MGB 64) fällt der Kommandeur der 8. MGB-Flottille, LtCdr (RNVR) Robert "Hitch" Hichens, durch einen Zufallstreffer in die Brücke.
http://www.wlb-stuttgart.de/seekrieg/43-04.htm

cam