Herbert Berry Lydeamore
RSL (Port Pirie Sub Branch) Inc.Herbert Berry Lydeamore was the son of George and Nellie Lydeamore (nee Bracey) and brother to Dorothy and Herbert of Mansom Street, Port Pirie, South Australia. Herbert was schooled at Port Pirie Public School and was a Motor Mechanic when he enlisted on the 5th November 1940 into the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF); Service Number 27964. He was attached to No. 10 Squadron RAAF at Royal Air Force (RAF) Mount Batten, Plymouth when he was killed in action in the Bay of Biscay on the 1st August 1943, aged 30 Years.
On the 1st August 1943, Sunderland W4020 carrying out an anti-submarine patrol sighted five Sloops apparently engaged in a U-boat hunt escorted by a Catalina aircraft. The U-boat travelling surfaced at ten knots in a very rough sea was only six miles from the sloops.
The Sunderland immediately swung towards the enemy and dropped 6 depth charges which straddled the U-boat as it flew overhead, then made a tight turn to port to attack from the U-boat’s starboard quarter against very accurate fire. Its starboard-inner engine was hit, and when the Sunderland closed to 400 yards a shell exploded in the starboard main fuel tank and petrol flooded the bridge. The tail gunner saw the U-boat enveloped in the explosion plumes and then sink bows first.
The Sunderland maintained course for about six miles, turned towards the ships and plunged into the sea, bouncing twice before settling heavily into the 15-foot swell. HMS Wren rescued the survivors of the crashed aircraft who soon learned that those that had survived were ‘lucky’ as when the Sunderland crashed into the water two depth charges had exploded. They also learnt that U-454 had been broken in two and had sunk within thirty seconds.
The six crew who lost their lives have no known grave, and their names are commemorated on the Memorial to the Missing, Runnymede, UK. World War II Honour Roll, National War Memorial of SA, North Terrace, Adelaide and the World War II Memorial Gates in Port Pirie, South Australia.
Sources:
Extract from Herington, J. (John) (406545) Air War against Germany and Italy 1939-1943, Australian War Memorial, Canberra, 1954 – Page 443
The Recorder, Port Pirie, S.A. Friday 14 April 1944
- Trove Australia https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/96264422
