▁( mann ed ▁by ▁Royal ▁Navy ▁g unn ers ). ▁ ▁Dis aster ▁off ▁Norm andy ▁Short ly ▁after ▁D - Day ▁the ▁ship ▁was ▁selected ▁to ▁transport ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁reg iments ▁required ▁for ▁the ▁build - up ▁of ▁troops ▁in ▁the ▁Norm andy ▁bridge head . ▁On ▁ 1 8 ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁H Q , ▁A ▁and ▁C ▁squad rons ▁of ▁the ▁ 4 3 rd ▁( W esse x ) ▁Re con na issance ▁Regiment ▁(' 4 3 ▁Rec ce ') ▁emb ark ed ▁at ▁West ▁India ▁D ock s , ▁London , ▁ab o ard ▁the ▁Der ry c uni hy . ▁She ▁joined ▁a ▁con voy ▁off ▁South end - on - Se a , ▁and ▁arrived ▁off ▁the ▁British ▁landing ▁area ▁S word ▁on ▁the ▁evening ▁of ▁ 2 0 ▁June . ▁High ▁se as ▁and ▁enemy ▁shell ing ▁prevent ed ▁un loading ▁for ▁three ▁days ▁and ▁it ▁was ▁decided ▁to ▁move ▁T 7 2 ▁to ▁Jun o ▁Beach ▁for ▁dis emb ark ation . ▁As ▁the ▁ship ▁started ▁engines ▁at ▁ 0 7 . 4 0 ▁on ▁the ▁morning ▁of ▁ 2 4 ▁June ▁it ▁det on ated ▁an ▁ac oust ic ▁or ▁' O yst er ' ▁mine ▁dropped ▁by ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁night ly ▁Luft wa ffe ▁ra iders . ▁The ▁mine ▁expl oded ▁under ▁the ▁ke el , ▁splitting ▁the ▁ship ▁in ▁two , ▁and ▁the ▁after ▁part , ▁pack ed ▁with ▁sleep ing ▁men ▁of ▁ 4 3