Page 176 - KBHA BULLETIN 6

Boksburg, sailed from Alexandria to assist with the liberation of Greece, specifically by

clearing the extensive minefields that had been laid by the Greeks, Germans and the Allies.

By late November, after a series of successful mine clearing operations in the Piraeus area

Bever, Seksern and Boksburg and a flotilla of minesweeping trawlers moved to the Gulf of
Nauplia to clear mines there and open the approaches to the port. The events on 30

November, a rainy misty day, are described in the war diary and related by Goosen (1973):

"So many mines now exploded in the sweeps that progress was
soon slowed down and finally halted at about 1400, while four of
the ships hoved to and repaired their gear. Bever, stationed astern
of the trawlers to deal with unexploded mines stopped also. At
1430, while manoeuvring her engines to keep in position, she
struck a mine, with the inevitable result for so small a ship: the
bridge collapsed, while the after-part disintegrated, its fragments
mingling with the huge discoloured geyser which shot up many
times higher than the ship's masthead. By the time the spray and
steam had blown clear, nothing remained but the fore part, which
turned over and sank a few seconds later.

The normal practice had been followed of ordering all hands not on
duty to remain on deck; even then, considering the rapidity of
Bever's destruction, it is remarkable that seven men were picked up
alive out of a company of 23. So violent was the explosion that
most of the survivors, including the captain and his second-in-
command, were literally blown overboard.”

Quintin Scrimgeour, who turned 25 years old on that very day, was either killed instantly
in the blast or drowned.

He was unmarried and was survived by his parents, at that time living in Hermanus, and

his younger brother. He is commemorated in the Plymouth Naval Memorial, Devon, Panel

92, column 1.

Sources: Memorial Number of the Rondebosch Boys' High School Newsletter to the Old

Boys on Active Service; UCT Roll of Honour 1939 - 45; Goosen, J. C., 1973; du Toit, A.,
1992; Commonwealth War Graves Commission website; SA Archives.

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