L/Cpl F.W.Langridge & Pte W.Gregory 1/9th & 2/9th Lost at Sea

[themonsstar]

Ashton Reporter 1940

[Frederick]

These men were aboard MV Capable, an armed merchant vessel.  L/Cpl Langridge was serving as a bren gunner.  I expect Pte Gregory was, too.  The vessel struck a mine whilst heading into Portsmouth on 5th June 1940.  MV Capable sank close to Bembridge IOW.  The question must be:  whose mine was it?

[Wendi]

CWGC has them both down as civvies & the only 2 men lost to MV Capable

GREGORY
Initials:    W
Nationality:    United Kingdom
Rank:    Civilian
Regiment/Service:    Civilian War Dead
Date of Death:    05/06/1940
Casualty Type:    Civilian War Dead
Reporting Authority:    M.V. "CAPABLE"

LANGRIDGE
Initials:    F
Nationality:    United Kingdom
Rank:    Civilian
Regiment/Service:    Civilian War Dead
Date of Death:    05/06/1940
Casualty Type:    Civilian War Dead
Reporting Authority:    M.V. "CAPABLE"

Wendi 

[Wendi]

......as well as in the Manch maybe & neither remembered on the Portsmouth War Memorial ....... it's a bit of a stretch for Pte W Gregory to be remembered at Dunkirk

LANGRIDGE, FREDERICK
Initials:    F
Nationality:    United Kingdom
Rank:    Lance Corporal
Regiment/Service:    Manchester Regiment
Unit Text:    D.E.M.S. Personnel
Age:    23
Date of Death:    05/06/1940
Service No:    3531708
Additional information:    Son of Frederick Ernest and Maggie Langridge, of Audenshaw, Lancashire.
Casualty Type:    Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference:    Panel 44, Column 2.
Memorial:    PLYMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL

GREGORY, WILFRED
Initials:    W
Nationality:    United Kingdom
Rank:    Private
Regiment/Service:    Manchester Regiment
Unit Text:    2/9th Bn.
Age:    19
Date of Death:    05/06/1940
Service No:    3531701
Additional information:    Son of Joseph Gregory, and of Doris Gregory, of Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire.
Casualty Type:    Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference:    Column 119.
Memorial:    DUNKIRK MEMORIAL

[tonyrod]

this is all that his listed on ,
http://www.naval-history.net/

Wednesday, 5 June 1940
DEMS, Manchester Regt

 LANGRIDGE, Frederick, Lance Corporal, Army, 3531708, killed

 

[Wendi]

What does D E M S Personnel stand for ?

[tonyrod]

 hi wendi,    D.E.M.S.: Naval Gunners in Defensively Equipped Merchant Ships (DEMS) 
Personnel: 

[tonyrod]

 i have removed first post, wrong  ship, this his i believe the right one capable,
Another small vessel that came to grief in Spithead. This was the Capable, a mere 216 ton coaster which was a very familiar sight around the coasts during the 1920/30s. Early in June 1940 it left Alderney with a cargo of stone for Portsmouth; but on the 5th when almost in sight of the harbour it struck a mine and foundered with the loss of its five-man crew and two Territorial gunners. This seemed a particularly sad end for such a doughty little vessel, especially as ten years earlier it had grounded on Atherfield Ledge off the Isle of Wight. Although not many vessels managed to escape from this dangerous spot, the Capable was finally refloated and repaired, despite being badly damaged. It continued steadily to ply its trade until that fateful day off Bembridge.

[Wendi]

Thanks tony 

but on the 5th when almost in sight of the harbour it struck a mine and foundered with the loss of its five-man crew and two Territorial gunners.

It still seems strange to me that the five-man crew are not commemorated on CWGC 

Wendi 

[Wendi]

..........and

The newspaper says there were 2 survivors ?

Frederick !  What started your interest in the boat and these 2 men?

Wendi 

[tonyrod]

hi wendi, i have tried to find the crew but no joy as yet, but i will ,most merchant seaman are on the tower hill memoriel, ,  but i have to find a listing to the ship first,

[Frederick]

My name is also Frederick Langridge.  L/Cpl Langridge was my uncle, and I was named after him.  The circumstances of his death have always been a bit of a mystery, not only to myself.  I was shocked that the boat was lost so close to home: we always imagined it to have happened off the continent.
Uncle Fred wrote a number of letters home during his service.  These were transcribed by my late uncle David Langridge, and I have copies.  He relates his experiences aboard the Capable, visiting French ports, and his impressions of the French servicemen.  The letters, alas, came to an abrupt end, but reading them made me want to find out more.  I am very grateful for your efforts.
His brother, Norman was also in the Manchesters, surviving Dunkirk and, indeed the war.  My father was rejected as medically unfit, so he joined the Pioneer Corps instead.  He survived the war, too.  My brother and I have it in mind to compile an account of the brothers' war for the rest of the family, so would be grateful for anything anyone can tell us.

[Wendi]

Hi Frederick !!

My brother and I have it in mind to compile an account of the brothers' war for the rest of the family, so would be grateful for anything anyone can tell us.

What a wonderful idea.  You might visit the BBC website and type in the MV Capable ~ just a thought ~ they are collecting memories of WW2.

We will keep on digging.  Have you approached the Maritime Museum in Portsmouth ?

TONY !!!  Please can you give the reference for your recently quoted piece ?

Wendi 

[Frederick]

Nothing from the BBC.  The one single reference I can find on the Internet is on the site of UKDiving that gives the location of the wreck and a few other details.  As for Portsmouth, thank you, we will try that.
As for Uncle Norman, he was in Iceland for a while - an interesting situation there - where he met up with my father who was also part of the occupation garrison.  I have a photo of the brothers together in Iceland.

[tonyrod]

wendi,    http://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?1218