229231 Seaman Thomas Tubman Royal Navy HMS Capetown (d.16th November 1939) My grandfather, Thomas Tubman, served on HMS Capetown and was killed in 1939. He is buried in Gibraltar. Can anyone tell me how he was killed, what battle took place etc. and what happened to the Capetown?
Update
Capetown was a light cruiser, built by Cammel Laird, launched in 1919.
4290 tons, 425ft x 43ft, armed: 5 x 6in.
Between 1934 and 1938 she was based in the Far East and was then laid up in reserve until 1939 when she was recommissioned in September 1939 and was then based at Gibraltar for service with the Med. Fleet. She escorted a couple of convoys to the eastern Med during mid-1940, but in August 1940 she went to the Far East again and was based at Bombay. She there took part in supporting ops in east Africa, being damaged by a torpedo on 8th April 1941 and was under repair at Bombay until August 1941. She remained in Indian waters until she returned to UK in 1943 from when she was used as an accommodation and depot ship for landing craft; in this role Capetown took part in the D-Day landings. She went into reserve 1944 and was scrapped at Preston in 1946. She did not see any action in 1939, so I would presume that your grandfather died either in an accident or from illness.(David H)
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