Ordinary Seaman P/JX 176052 Thomas Sydney LAND
Royal Navy H.M.S.Express (H61)
1 Sep 1940 aged 23
Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Panel 40, Column 1.
Arthur Land married Harriet Allcock in 1905, Thomas being one of six children they had.
H.M.S Express (Commander J.G. Bickford, DSC) sailed with Destroyers H.M.S. Ivanhoe, H.M.S. Intrepid, H.M.S. Icarus and H.M.S. Esk for minelaying at Texel, off the Belgian coast. H.M.S. Express entered a German minefield and exploded a mine with her forward structure being completely destroyed. H.M.S. Ivanhoe went alongside and was disabled after detonating another mine.
H.M.S. Express was able to make sternway under own power until taken in tow by H.M.S. Kelvin. The tow fouled and re-established by H.M.S. Jupiter until tugs arrived to complete towing operation to Hull. 58 of ships company were lost, with a further 9 picked up by a German ship and became P.O.W.
H.M.S. Express (photo from Pinterest)
H.M.S. Express following the explosion (photo from IWM)
