On this day, the 27th of March, in 1943 the Royal Navy Avenger-class escort carrier HMS Dasher exploded at 4:42pm and sank soon after with the loss of 379 of the 528 man crew.
The ship sank in the waters between Ardrossan and Arran.
“At 4.48pm with the carrier almost vertical, it sank into the sea, accompanied by the screams of the dying men who were trapped below decks, six minutes after the first explosion.”
In 1993 a memorial was erected to those lost on the HMS Dasher in Ardrossan.
On 20 June 2000 a memorial plaque was laid on the flight deck of H.M.S. Dasher by diver Mark Reeves which read “Dedicated to the memory of the 379 men who perished when HMS Dasher blew up and sank on 27th March 1943.
Every year the Ardrossan to Arran ferry pauses at the wreck site and lays a wreath in memory of those who perished.
In tribute to the Dasher, we have updated our story on the ship. You can read the fully story HERE.