Buffalo LVT 'Conqueror' destroyed at Serooskerke

8th Nov 1944.

Lieutenant England was in command of the second of four amphibious Buffalo LVT (Landing Vehicles, Tracked) sent in convoy on a patrol to Veere on the North East of the island. His vehicle struck a submerged 11 inch shell rigged up to a post as a mine causing many casualties.

The incident occurred close to the Protestant Church in Serooskerke, where there is a memorial including the names of the casualties. Twenty men, including Lt England, were killed. Thirteen were Royal Marines and five were the Royal Engineers crew of the Buffalo. One of the casualties was a Medical Orderly, Private Walter Branch  of the Royal Army Medical Corps. He had volunteered to act as Medical Orderly for the patrol. Lt England was the only Officer killed.

There were also nine wounded casualties, one of whom later died of his wounds. 

The casualty list for LVT 'Conqueror' was:

A Troop, No. 48 Royal Marine Commando (age after name) 

Marine W G Bean 25

Lieutenant WH England 25

L/Cpl D Fogg 21

Marine RM Gibbs 19

Cpl JE Law 24

Marine AJ Mee 23

Sergeant H Peace 24

Marine F Potter 21

Marine CC Savage 21

Cpl E Shrigley 29

Marine C Skelland 25

Marine KW Stephens 22

Marine PG Tittmuss 19

Marine NF Wall 19

Private WJ Branch 28 (RAMC att. 48 RM Cdo.)

79 Assault Squadron Royal Engineers (Crew of the Buffalo)

Driver A Bold 25

Lance Sergeant JW Coley 30 

Sapper J Hyland 24

Sapper CW Pearce 21

L/Cpl CE Town 20

Wreckage of LVT 'Conqueror'

(C). /Source lvt-destroyed-by-booby-trap-in-serooskerke

A 45-year-old LOCAL woman: "When the column left Serooskerke fifteen minutes later in a southerly direction, the first buffalo had to move at the level of cafe 'Veldzicht' for the boat of the bar owner who came from the other side. The second buffalo, the 'Conqueror' who did not have to give way, ran on a submerged shell and was blown up with force. The Germans had placed a large shell from the coastal artillery as a booby trap and the first buffalo had been lucky."