During April 2008, Northern Sky Entertainment Ltd. TV Producer, Wayne Abbott, traveled to England and France to film footage for a TV documentary about the Leopoldville troopship disaster. With him was Leopoldville disaster author/historian  Allan Andrade who was the American historical consultant for the project.  Also making  the trip were a Leopoldville survivor and two relatives of Leopoldville victims.   The documentary that was produced, Deep Wreck Mysteries…Sunk on Christmas Eve,  originally aired on the National Geographic Channel during February/2009 and is re-aired periodically.  All of the photos on this page are courtesy of Wayne Abbott and there use is greatly appreciated and acknowledged.

Camp Piddlehinton Army Barracks, near Dorchester, England where the 66th Division was stationed.  (Left to Right) Allan Andrade, Leopoldville survivor George Bigelow, British Sailor who participated in the rescue effort, Barbara Shaw and Tom Cordle, relatives of Leopoldville victims.

Leopoldville survivor George Bigelow at Camp Piddlehinton barrack in his own private memories of that time.

Standing on the Southampton pier where the Leopoldville sailed from. (Left to Right) Allan Andrade, George Bigelow, Tom Cordle, Barbara Shaw.

 

Leopoldville survivor George Bigelow at the pier remembering the morning the 66th division left and crossed the Channel to France.

Cherbourg, France, destination of the Leopoldville that night.

Leopoldville Survivor George Bigelow revisits the Cherbourg hospital where he was taken after his rescue.

Research vessel, Triad, as it prepared to head for the exact location where the Leopoldville sank.

Aboard the Triad (Left to Right) Barbara Shaw, George Bigelow, Allan Andrade, Tom Cordle

Leopoldville survivor George Bigelow sitting in the wheel house of the Triad

Leopoldville survivor George Bigelow looks out over the water where the Leopoldville sank

Barbara Shaw watches as divers prepare to dive the wreck and film footage for the TV documentary

Barbara Shaw at the site of the sinking with her private thoughts about her grandfather who died in the disaster.

Diver talks to Leopoldville survivor George Bigelow

Divers prepare to enter the water where the Leopoldville sank

Leopoldville Disaster Author/Historian Allan Andrade at the Wall of the Missing, Normandy American Cemetery near Cherbourg, France

Allan Andrade places a floral wreath at the base of the wall in memory of Pfc. Marvin J. Barton from Poughkeepsie, New York whose body was never found.

Tom Cordle places one yellow rose at the base of the wall in memory of his uncle, Pfc. Ferrel  F.  McDonnell from Whitehall, Michigan whose body was never found.

There are 76 bodies of Leopoldville victims buried at Normandy American Cemetery

Normandy American Cemetery

Barbara Shaw searches the rows of graves looking for the grave of her grandfather, Pfc. Joseph E.  Thibodeau from Massachusetts.

Barbara Shaw locates her grandfather’s grave.

Barbara Shaw at the grave of her grandfather, Pfc. Joseph  E.  Thibodeau.

Grave of Pfc. F. Abatemarco from Brooklyn, NYC. The 31 year old was born on August 8, 1913.

Grave of 1/Lt. Harry Cybak, Jr. from Nemacolin, Pennsylvania. Born on September 22, 1919, he was 25 years old when killed.

 

Grave of Pfc. Earl B. Fox from Hornsbyville, Virginia

Grave of  Pvt. Henry Freund from Brooklyn, NYC.

Grave of S/Sgt. Robert M. Gianfrancesco from Providence, Rhode Island. Born on April 14, 1923, he was only 21 years old when killed.

Grave of Pvt. Stanley J. Lapinski from Buffalo, New York. Born in 1921 he was 23 years old when killed.

Grave of Pvt. Carl R. Perry from Binghamton, New York.  He was 20 years old when killed.

Grave of Pfc. Edward W. Rzemek from Buffalo, New York.

Grave of Pfc. Frank W. Vojir from NYC.