§ Mr. WilsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will arrange for all papers relating to the loss of HMS Dasher on 27 March 1943 on the River Clyde, including the findings resulting from subsequent dives by the wrecks section of the Hydrographic Office, to be made available to interested parties. [28169]
§ Mr. SoamesHMS Dasher, an escort carrier based on a mercantile hull and built in the USA, blew up and sank on 27 March 1943, due to an explosion in her aviation fuel system. All papers relating to her loss have been available at the Public Record Office since 1972. A deep dive on this wreck was conducted in January 1982, on behalf of the Royal Navy Hydrographic Office. The purpose of the dive was positively to identify Dasher, which is lying close to another wreck, and to obtain an accurate fix of her position for charting purposes. The information now appears on Admiralty chart No. 2491.
§ Mr. WilsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will bring forward proposals for official recognition by the Royal Navy of the loss of HMS Dasher and the loss of human life. [28170]
§ Mr. SoamesThe names of all those who died as a result of the loss of HMS Dasher, and whose bodies were not recovered, are commemorated on various official war memorials. The graves of those whose bodies were recovered are the responsibility either of their families or, if the bodies were not claimed at the time, of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. In line with the226W general practice, my Deaprtment has no plans for further recognition of the loss of HMS Dasher.