THIS month marks the 75th anniversary of the devastating sinking of the hospital ship SS Amsterdam.

It is known about 106 souls perished when she hit two mines and sank in just 11 minutes off the Normandy coast.

Out of the 419 people on board, 55 patients, ten Royal Army Medical Corps staff, 30 crew members, and 11 prisoners of war died in the disaster.

Many of the crew members were from Harwich, including William Harry Hakins, whose family only recently discovered he went down with the ship.

William, better known as Bill, was an assistant steward on the SS Amsterdam.

His parents ran a former pub in Dovercourt called the White Horse, and Bill is believed to have joined the crew in 1941 in his 30s.

Peter Betts, Bill’s nephew, was just four years old when the SS Amsterdam sunk.

Peter, now 78, grew up only being told by his parents his uncle Bill died in an accident.

But about three years ago, he discovered Bill actually died aged 38 out to sea when the hospital ship sunk.

Peter, who lives in Great Oakley, said: “I found out my uncle was in the disaster about three years ago when my son Jon Betts was in London and Bill’s name was on a war memorial, and we did some research.

“It’s just a bit of a shock to find out my uncle went down with the ship.

“When I found out, I felt sad for him - and I only found out about three years ago.

“My parents did not talk about it much and I was always told my uncle Bill died in an accident.

“I grew up knowing Bill used to play for a football team in Dovercourt called the Exiles and he was married with two children Tony and Gillian, who still live locally.”

Peter’s son Jon, who lives in Sutton, Suffolk, has researched his great-uncle Bill dying in the tragedy over the past few years.

The 47-year-old said the ship sunk on August 7, 1944, with 258 patients on board.

He said: “The SS Amsterdam had a varied and full life, before she sank.

“My great-uncle had told my great-aunt Joan a day or so before that he would be home that evening to take her to a dance in Harwich, unfortunately he never made it.”

The SS Amsterdam was built by John Brown in Scotland.

She was launched in 1930 as a passenger ferry for the London and North Eastern Railway Company, and ran the route between Harwich and the Hook of Holland.

In 1939 the ship was requisitioned for trooping to France by the Ministry of War Transport.

She was used in 1940 for the evacuation of British troops from France and the repatriation of evacuated French troops.

By 1944 the ship arrived in North Shields to be fitted out as an infantry landing ship capable of carrying six landing craft and 420 troops.

The SS Amsterdam was then converted into a hospital carrier for the Normandy landings and was fitted with six water taxis.

She left for the Normandy coast to pick up her first casualties on July 19, 1944.

Her third an final trip was when she tragically hit two mines one hour from Juno Beach, in Normandy - which killed many on board.

With this year marking the 75th anniversary of the sinking, Jon said he wanted to share his great-uncle Bill’s story to honour and remember him and his crew mates.