| HMS LAPWING (March 20, 1945)
British sloop of 1,250 tons torpedoed and sunk in the Kola Inlet in Northern Russia while on escort duty with outward bound convoy JW-65. It was her ninth voyage to Russia. The Lapwing was hit amidships by a torpedo from the U-968 and sank shortly afterwards. After giving support to the Normandy landings the Lapwing joined the 7th Escort Group based on the Clyde in Scotland. Sources differ as to which U-boat torpedoed the Lapwing, it was either the U-968 or the U-716. She sank with the loss of 158 of her complement of 219. There were 61 survivors rescued from the freezing seas by HMS Savage.
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On weald of Kent I watched once more
Again I heard that grumbling roar
Of fighter planes; yet none were near
And all around the sky was clear
Borne on the wind a whisper came
'Though men grow old, they stay the same'
And then I knew, unseen to eye
The ageless Few were sweeping by
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