The story
German destroyers Z20, Z18, Z19, and Z21 mined the mouth of the River Thames in southern England, United Kingdom before dawn. At 0526 hours, British cruiser HMS Adventure hit one of the mines and was damaged, killing 23. At 0820 hours, British destroyer Blanche also hit one of the mines and was badly damaged, killing 1 and wounding 12; as Blanche sank while under tow by tugboat Fabia, she became the first British destroyer lost to enemy action in WW2.
There's more to discover
You have arrived at just one small part of Back to Normandy — a personal project dedicated to preserving stories, images, music and memories of the Second World War.
Every record is a doorway to a larger story. Explore Back to Normandy to discover more, or visit Fred Vogels' personal website to learn about the person and the projects behind it.