Wednesday, 16 December

Destroyer FIREDRAKE (Cdr E H Tilden DSC), escorting convoy ON.153, was sunk by U.211 in the North Atlantic. One rating died of wounds, and Cdr Tilden, Ty/Lt O J Gagnon RCNVR, Py/Ty/Surgeon Lt R R Latto RNVR, Lt J B C Porter, Act/Sub Lt C D Thorpe RNR, Lt Cdr J White and one hundred and sixty three ratings were missing. Twenty six survivors were rescued by corvette SUNFLOWER