Action of 26 April 1944

The action of 26 April 1944 occurred as a part of Operation Tunnel, Allied destroyer sweeps of the coast of Brittany in preparation for Operation Overlord. On the night of 25–26 April, a sweep was conducted by the Dido-class cruiser HMS Black Prince (81) and the Tribal-class destroyer (1936) destroyers HMS Ashanti (F51), HMCS Athabaskan (G07), HMCS Haida (G63) and HMCS Huron (G24). They engaged the Elbing-class torpedo boats GERMAN TORPEDO BOAT T24, GERMAN TORPEDO BOAT T27 and GERMAN TORPEDO BOAT T29 off the île de Batz until T29 was destroyed. Both of the other torpedo boats were damaged in the engagement. T29 caused some casualties on Haida and Huron before sinking with a loss of 135 men. Haida and Ashanti collided with each other near the end of the action.