Andrew was a Leading Supply Assistant serving on board HMS Nabob. HMS Nabob started out as a merchant vessel, but ended up being converted into an aircraft carrier of the Bogue/Attacker Class.
In August 1944 HMS Nabob took part in Operation Goodwood, the attack on the German battleship Tirpitz, which was lying in a Norwegian Fjord. During the return voyage on the 22nd August a German U-boat, U-354, fired one torpedo at HMS Nabob. A few minutes later another torpedo hit HMS Bickerton, a destroyer which was refuelling from HMS Nabob at the time.
The hit on Nabob ripped a 50 foot hole on the carrier's starboard rear side and she settled by the stern. All power was lost and it was some time before power was regained and the carrier moved under her own steam. Eventaully she entered Scapa Flow and after emergency repairs were carried out she sailed for Rosyth. Once in drydcok the remains of fourteen of the dead were removed and a full inspection of the damage was carried out. The damage was deemed to be beyond the capabilities of the overtaxed ship repair facilities in Britain and the ship was laid up for the rest of the War.
The torpedo hit Nabob in the galley area and Andrew was among the 21 who died that day.
Leading Supply Assistant Andrew Crawford is commemorated at Dunfermline (Doiuglas Bank) Cemetery, section A, grave 264.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
HMS Nabob
