THIS year we are fast approaching the 76th anniversary of the sinking of HMS Foylebank in Portland Harbour.

It was bombed on July 4 1940 - around 20 Junker 87 Stuka dive bombers attacked from the ship's blind side at about 5,000ft.

The Stukas broke formation and raked the vessel with machinegun fire and released their bombs.

Out of the 292 people on board 72 were killed including 14 officers from an original total of 28. Of the 220 survivors, almost a third were wounded.

Thanks to Victor Day who came to visit us at the Dorset Echo offices to remind us of this upcoming anniversary and an extraordinary tale of how it affected his family.

He said: "My father Albert 'Happy' Day was there alongside Foylebank in a tugboat called Silver Dial working for the dockyard at the time.

"My mother was told that he had been killed.

"He suddenly appeared at home and he had been shot in the calf. He walked part of the way home along the beach road.

"Someone stopped and gave him a lift and he arrived home having been reported missing.

"He never talked much about that day and what happened."

Albert Day, who served in the first Falklands War, volunteered for the Second World War but was too old at the age of 44. He died aged 72.

After surviving the Foylebank disaster, Albert ‘Happy’ Day went on to work in the dockyard on a tug named Pilot and then worked in security.

He retired from the dockyard in 1959.

The Foylebank was salvaged in two sections. Some fragments remain on the seabed and one piece has been recovered and presented to Portland Museum.

Mr Day, of Old Castle Road, Weymouth, says he often visits graves of the Foylebank victims on Portland to pay his respects.

*If you have memories or connections to the Foylebank disaster contact Looking Back on 01305 830973 or email joanna.davis@dorsetecho.co.uk