HMS Loyalty (J 217)
British Fleet minesweeper
| Name | HMS Loyalty (J 217) | ||
| Type: | Fleet minesweeper (Algerine) | ||
| Tonnage | 850 tons | ||
| Completed | 1943 - Harland & Wolff Ltd, Belfast | ||
| Owner | The Admiralty | ||
| Homeport | |||
| Date of attack | 22 Aug 1944 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-480 (Hans-Joachim Förster) | ||
| Position | 50° 09'N, 0° 41'W - Grid BF 3278 | ||
| Complement | ? men (20 dead and ? survivors). | ||
| Convoy | |||
| Route | Normandy - Portsmouth | ||
| Cargo | |||
| History | Commissioned in April 1943 as HMS Rattler (J 217) and renamed HMS Loyalty (J 217) in June 1943. | ||
| Notes on event | At 16.06 hours on 22 Aug 1944, HMS Loyalty (J 217) (LtCdr J.E. Maltby, RNR) was hit by a Gnat from U-480 and sank by the stern within ten minutes southeast of the Isle of Wight. The commander and 19 ratings were lost, the survivors were picked up after a few hours by two landing ships. The minesweeper was returning with her flotilla to base from a completed minesweeping run off the French coast. The sweep-wire of the ship parted and she broke formation to retrieve the float. This took a long time and she then tried to catch up with the other ships, but was torpedoed before she could do so. | ||
| On board | We have details of 20 people who were on board. | ||
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