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This imposing monument, 8.5 metres high, 2.0 metre wide at the base, and 1.0 metre deep, with inlaid marble tablets listing the 22 British Seamen, Soldiers, and Airmen, who perished on the night of Christmas Eve, 1943 (24-12-1943) when their ship, the MV Dumana (often erroneously referred to as SS Dumana), was torpedoed of the shores of Sassandra at 20h35, by U515, who fired 3 torpedoes, of which two hit amidships, and Dumana sunk in under 7 minutes. What is remarkable, if not miraculous, is that there were 169 men on board, and 130 were saved!


The monument was erected in late 1944, and inaugurated by no less that the Free French Colonial Governor, Andre Latrille, on the 29th December 1944, when the Allies were still fighting in Europe, in the Ardennes, and had not yet reached Germany! An extraordinary feat.  The only comment that can be made is that the 17 Indian Mrchant sailors, who also died, were not remembered on this monument. Soon to be rectified!!


By Alfred The Great


 

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