HMS Pylades (J401)

HMS Pylades was a Catherine-class minesweeper of the Royal Navy.

History
United Kingdom
Name:	HMS Pylades (J401)
Namesake:	Pylades
Builder:	Savannah Machinery and Foundry Co.
Laid down:	30 January 1943
Launched:	27 June 1943
Commissioned:	24 November 1943
Fate:	Sunk 8 July 1944 during Normandy Landings
General characteristics
Class and type:	Catherine-class minesweeper

The Catherine class was the British designation for the United States Navy's Auk class minesweeper.[1]

She was sunk on 8 July 1944 off Juno Beach during the Normandy landings. The crew reported two explosions astern, following which the ship sank.[2] The captain's report stated that the damage was most likely caused by two mines.

A survey of the wreck as part of Channel 4's Wreck Detectives underwater archaeological TV series indicated that the damage was actually caused by torpedo attack. Given the date of the sinking these must have been launched from German Marder or Neger mini submarines, which were the only German torpedo-capable units at sea at the time of the attack.[1]

References

1. "HMS Pylades (J 401) of the Royal Navy - British Minesweeper of the Auk class - Allied Warships of WWII - uboat.net". uboat.net. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
2. BBC Peoples War - Sinking of HMS Pylades