On Saturday 22nd February 1941 as the streets were full of afternoon shoppers Falmouth suffered an air raid that killed 3 civilians at Tregothnan Road and Dracena Avenue. Four High Explosive bombs caused the casualties and damage to property. The German bomber also dropped three parachute mines. Shoppers stood transfixed as one drifted slowly down across the town centre, passing over the gasworks and seemingly heading for the docks. The anti-aircraft gun near Taylor’s Garage (now Trago Mills) opened fire and punctured the parachute so it fell in the water rather than on the town or docks. It landed between the Custom House Quay and the King’s Jetty (sometimes referred to by locals as the Submarine Pier from its First World War use).
Falmouth’s Senior Naval Officer Lt Cdr M. McD. Kennelly reported the mine to HMS Vernon, the Navy’s centre of excellence for mine disposal and counter measures. An advance party of Lt J. F. Nicholson and P.O. Benham arrived with a truck containing ‘The Mouse’ during the morning of Monday 24th February. The Mouse was a craft with a silent propulsion unit with depth finding detection gear. It had been developed by Nicholson and Cdr D. M. Macmillan at Vernon.
During the afternoon, despite an air raid warning, they located the mine in 15 feet of water at low tide on the bed of a narrow channel. A team of divers was called in from HMS Vernon who arrived early afternoon on Tuesday 4th March, and despite continued air raid warnings immediately set to work with the help of the Falmouth Naval Base diving boat and a pumping party from HMS Forte. Tempt Sub Lt Sutherland dived that afternoon and positively identified it as a mine with parachute attached. On Wednesday 5th March a minesweeper with Kango hammers made several runs at varying distances. After a day of sweeping nothing had been detonated and it was now assumed the mine was magnetic as acoustic means had failed.
On Thursday 6th March Sutherland dived on the mine and after half an hour reported that the clock and detonator were lying on the underside in thick mud making it impossible to work on as it lay. He had therefore made a line fast to the parachute ring & suggested the mine could be turned over by towing it. The mouse & a more powerful launch took the strain on a long line. After 10 minutes they concluded nothing had moved. Sutherland dived again. the depth was now 18 feet on a rising tide. Sutherland reported he was "ok on the bottom".
At 1735 the mine exploded sending a column of water 200 feet into the air. The diving barge was blown to pieces. The Mouse & a nearby lighter belonging to Falmouth Docks Co "Queen Wasp" were sunk & two other vessels damaged. Those killed included the diver.
The body of Temp Sub Lt Reginald Bruce SUTHERLAND RNVR, HMS Vernon, aged 27 was never found. He was Mentioned in Dispatches. He was a wartime volunteer and had no close relatives. He is commemorated on Panel 60 of the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.
On the diving barge
Able Seamen Robert George TAWN, DSM, BEM, HMS Vernon, age 24 - his body was recovered the same day. He had received the DSM for coolness, courage and resource when dealing with a magnetic mine in Poole Harbour and the BEM for gallant conduct and devotion to duty. He was unmarried and his mother Charlotte and step-father Harry Moule lived in Leverington Common, Cambridgeshire. His headstone records the fact he also had a brother and sisters. He was buried in the World War One plot in Falmouth Cemetery on 31st March 1941. Why the First World War plot I have been unable to find out.
Leading Seamen Ivan Vincent WHARTON, OBE, HMS Vernon, age 31 - his body was recovered on the 14th April. He was an experienced diver and his wife Violet lived at their home in Chatham. He was buried in the World War Two plot in Falmouth Cemetery on 17th April 1941. His headstone is inscribed with the Bible verse ‘Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee’.
AB Deck Hand "BHC 9" William ROTH, age 44 - his body was recovered the same day. He had served in the First World War. He was married to Millie and from Kessingland Beach, Suffolk. He was buried in the World War Two plot in Falmouth Cemetery on 11th March 1941. His headstone bears the inscription ‘In the midst of life we are in death’.
Deck Hand "MV Novio Magnum" Jan SCHOT, age 38 (a Dutch national) - his body was recovered the same day. He was buried in the World War Two plot in Falmouth Cemetery on 11th March 1941.
"BHC 9" Herbert Harry SELF, age 35 - his body was recovered a day later. He was married and from Lowestoft. He was buried in the World War Two plot in Falmouth Cemetery on 10th March 1941. His headstone is inscribed ‘He gave his life that others might live’.
On The Mouse
Mate "MV Novio Magnum" Alfred George MARJORAM, age 37 - died in Falmouth Naval Hospital of his injuries on 14th March 1941. He was married to Gwen and from Kessingland Beach, Suffolk. He was buried in the World War Two plot in Falmouth Cemetery on 18th March 1941. His headstone is inscribed ‘Resting where no shadows fall’.
The three others on the "Mouse" survived:
Stephen R.S. BUTLER, the base diver at Falmouth, had severe back injury.
Lt J.F. NICHOLSON, HMS Vernon, had fractures and shock.
PO BENHAM, HMS Vernon, had fractures and shock.
A motor launch arrived on the scene extraordinarily quickly. The vessel was lying alongside Custom Quay, unmoored with its motor running. The shock of the explosion threw the cox forward onto the gear lever and set the boat in motion. As the man picked himself up the boat was by an amazing coincidence among the floating survivors. The men were thus in hospital only 20 minutes after the explosion.
It was subsequently ascertained that the Kango hammers in the minesweeper had not been working efficiently. The assumption was clear. The mine was acoustic, not magnetic. Sutherland had had scant chance. Seven precious lives were lost, three of them vital men experienced in diving.
The National Maritime Museum now stands very close to the spot where these men died that we might live. Sadly there is no memorial and the thousands who visit the water's edge are unaware of their sacrifice. However the story emerges every now
and again so that the people of Falmouth do not forget.
And let us not forget those brave men and women of our Bomb Disposal Squads who have served with great bravery and distinction in places like Northern Ireland and the British mainland during the terror campaign of the IRA and similar groups, in the Falklands, in Kosovo and the former Yugoslavia, in Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan. We also remember the work of the Plymouth based unit who are frequent visitors to Cornwall to deal with World War Two ordnance found on our beaches and around our coastline. Let us remember too the members of the Ukrainian armed forces who daily are dealing with the unexploded ordnance - rockets, shells and drones - of Putin’s evil attempt to subjugate their country.
Freedom is not free and the next time you visit Falmouth and stroll around the walkways at Events Square, Grove Place and the National Maritime Museum or on Custom House Quay and gaze out on the harbour, glance down to the muddy depths and remember those seven who perished in the struggle to buy you your freedom and peace. At the going down of the sun and in the morning we will remember them.
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