The Royal Navy
Charybdis, Limbourne and five other British warships formed Force 28.
Meet the seven shipsStart here · Second World War · 1939–1945Understand the night.
Follow the story in six photographs →Understand the night.
Remember the people.
Seven British ships sailed from Plymouth. Two were lost off France. This is where their story fits into the war—and where to begin exploring.
The wider conflictBritain and its Allies.
Allied side in this action German side in this action
Britain and its Allies.
Nazi Germany and the Axis.
In October 1943, the Second World War was in its fifth year in Europe. Britain had entered the war against Germany in September 1939. Its Royal Navy fought as part of the Allied war effort.
The Kriegsmarine
Nazi Germany’s navy protected the coastal passage of Münsterland. Its torpedo boats attacked Force 28.
Understand the attackThe Allied and Axis alliances extended across the world. Here, the combatants were British and German naval forces.
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum: Axis powers and the Allied allianceÎle aux Moines and Île Bono in the Sept-Îles archipelago off northern Brittany. A modern view of the coastal setting near the 1943 action.
Off the coast of Brittany
Sept-Îles lies off northern Brittany, across the English Channel from Britain. The British force left Plymouth; Münsterland had left Brest. The coast and the darkness shaped the encounter.
Admiralty account of the operation Explore the Channel mapThe essentialsSix questions.
Six questions.
A way into the story.
Each answer leads to the fuller history and its evidence.
Which war was this?
The Second World War (1939–1945). Britain was fighting Nazi Germany as part of the Allied coalition. Germany belonged to the Axis alliance. The ships in this action were British Royal Navy warships and German naval escorts.
Put the ships in their wartime context Source: United States Holocaust Memorial Museum: Axis powers and the Allied allianceWhy were the ships there?
“Tunnel” was a series of British sweeps against German coastal shipping. On 22–23 October 1943, Force 28 went out from Plymouth while the German blockade runner Münsterland was moving along the Brittany coast with escorts. The operation ended without intercepting her.
Read about the last departure Source: Admiralty reports and the Charybdis Association historyWho attacked Charybdis and Limbourne?
Surface torpedo boats from the German navy. Five boats formed the outer screen: T23, T26, T27, T22 and T25. The captured-records account reports four boats firing six torpedoes each; T25 did not fire. These boats carried guns and torpedoes and operated above the water.
Follow the attack in the timeline Source: Naval Intelligence report based on captured German recordsWhat happened to the other five British ships?
Grenville, Rocket, Talybont, Stevenstone and Wensleydale survived the operation. Their companies took part in the return, search, rescue or protection of the rescuers. Talybont tried to tow Limbourne; Talybont and Rocket carried out her scuttling.
Meet all seven ships and their rescuers Source: Admiralty reports and the Charybdis Association historyWhy did British ships sink Limbourne?
The torpedo destroyed her bow, but the rest of the ship remained afloat. Men fought to contain damage and help the wounded. After the survivors were taken off and a tow failed, British ships deliberately sank the damaged hull. That deliberate sinking is called scuttling.
Read about the decision to scuttle Source: Admiralty reports and the Charybdis Association historyDoes the memorial name everyone who was aboard?
The register is still growing. It brings together published casualty entries, named survivors, rescue participants and supported family records. It is not a complete final-night muster. Each profile identifies its evidence, and further records and corrections are welcome.
Explore the crew registerWhere would you like to begin?
Explore the scene in 3D
Examine the ships and coastline, then step through an interpretation of the final night.
Explore the places
Connect Plymouth, Brittany and the Channel Islands on an interactive map.
Follow the night
Move through the attack, rescue and scuttling at your own pace.
Read the complete story
Follow both ships from wartime service to remembrance.
Find a person
Find the crews of the lost ships and named rescuers from the wider force.
Step aboard Limbourne
Explore the ship’s equipment and the work of her company in 3D.
Step aboard Charybdis
Explore the full-hull cruiser, her thirteen systems and three guided visits.
Explore photographs and film
See the ships, hear survivors and visit the places of remembrance.
Follow the evidence
Read source notes, save citations and download the viewing models with their scale information.
A name, photograph or family memory can help the record grow.
Contribute to the memorial