Arnold Rudolph Brockbank

This story is shared by the Trust with kind permission from John Hamblin, Researcher

Arnold Rudolph Brockbank,  Coder C/JX 220450 RN, HMS Boadicea, Royal Navy. Killed in action on the 13th of June 1944 aged 33

Arnold Rudolph Brockbank was born at Mysore, India on the 21st of July 1910 the son of the Reverend Albert Brockbank, a Methodist Minister and missionary, and Mary Brockbank of “Borderiggs”, 81, Newlands Road, Tunbridge Wells in Kent, later of 16, Madeira Park, Tunbridge Wells.

He was educated at Kingswood School, Bath, Somerset and on leaving school he worked as a clerk for the Midland Bank and boarded at 49, Ruby Street, Saltburn and Marske-by-the-Sea in Yorkshire.

He enlisted in the Royal Navy where he trained as a coder and was posted to the destroyer HMS Boadicea (H65), under the command of Lieutenant Commander Frederick William Hawkins RN. HMS Boadicea was heavily involved in convoy escort duties until May 1944 when she returned to Plymouth to prepare for her part in the Allied invasion of France. She was attached to Support Force B in Escort Group 143 to act as an escort to supply convoys involved in the build up following the initial landings.

On D-Day, the 6th of June 1944, she set sail from Falmouth and crossed the Channel as an escort to Convoy ECL 1. She was carrying thirty one Landing Craft Tanks on board during the crossing. The following day she sailed to Milford Haven from where she was to provide an escort for subsequent supply convoys.

On the night of the 12th/13th of June 1944, HMS Boadicea left Milford Haven to escort a westbound convoy of merchant ships across the Channel. The convoy was carrying supplies for the Normandy beaches following the Allied landings there seven days earlier.

At 4.30am on the morning of the 13th of June 1944 HMS Boadicea was leading the convoy and was sailing some sixteen miles to the southwest of Portland Bill when she came under attack from an enemy Junkers 88 torpedo aircraft. She was struck by two aerial radio controlled torpedoes, one of which hit her in the forward magazine and completely blew away the fore part of the ship. She sank in just three minutes. Nine officers and one hundred and sixty six ratings were killed in the attack with only twelve survivors among the crew. Arnold Brockbank was among the dead.

As he has no known grave he is commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial. He is also commemorated on the Midland Bank war memorial, on the memorial at Tunbridge Wells as well as the war memorials at Saltburn and Marske-by-the-Sea and at Kingswood School, Bath.

British Normandy Memorial - Additional Information

Unfortunately, we do not have a photo of Arnold Brockbank. If you are aware of one or you are related to Arnold we would love to hear from you so we can add to his story.