hms barham wreck found

Richard Laland is one of only two survivors from the doomed battleship HMS Barham still alive today. Ltzow was only slightly damaged by these hits, which essentially only knocked out the primary and back-up wireless rooms while the shells that hit Derfflinger hit the side of the ship's bow, knocking off several armour plates, while fragments opened holes that ultimately allowed roughly 2,000 tonnes (1,968 long tons) of water to enter the bow. A few months later, now under the command of Captain Richard Hill,[53] the ship again retained her position as the 1st Battle Squadron was split in two and the Queen Elizabeths of the new 1st Battle Squadron were transferred to the Mediterranean Fleet on 1 November 1924. Producers had wanted to stage a live, underwater broadcast from the sunken remains of a famous ship. Duchess capsized and sank, with the loss of 124 of her crew. The battleship heels over and explodes. "It would be at such resolution that anyone could look for shipwrecks like the Athenia from their desk. Tiesenhausen was not certain of the results of his attack and radioed that he had hit a Queen Elizabeth-class battleship with one torpedo. Barham was sunk off the Egyptian coast the following November by the German submarineU-331 with the loss of 862 crewmen, approximately two thirds of her crew. Barham opened fire at a range of 21,000 yards (19,000m) and hit Richelieu with one 15-inch shell at 09:15. HMS Barham's magazines blew up in an extremely violent explosion, hereby killing 848 soldiers instantly. HMS BARHAM - a British battleship sunk in November 1941 by a submarine in the Mediterranean SANTA ROSA - a Portuguese galleon loaded with seven chests of treasure, sunk in 1726 by an explosion. On December 12 1939, she collided with a destroyer, the HMS Duchess, sinking her in the mishap. [54] Willis was relieved by Captain Thomas Walker on 31 January 1939. HMS Barham floating on side at sea. Richard Laland is one of only two survivors from the doomed battleship HMS Barham still alive today. Most of those who died were in two lifeboats that were smashed just as they were about to be saved. Despite the majority of the wreck lying some 75m below the . However, I can vividly recall the sinking as though it were yesterday. Barham played a minor role in quelling the 1929 Palestine riots and the 19361939 Arab revolt in Palestine. The sea, which had fortunately been smooth as BARHAM sank was, as far as I could see, a vast area of oil fuel and debris, with at that time no signs of life. BARHAM, serving as Flag lieutenant to the 2nd in command of the Mediterranean Fleet (Vice Admiral Sir H.D. At 14:32, Beatty ordered a course change to south-southeast in response to the spot report. Pictures - Barham HMS (04) [+1941] - WRECK WRAK EPAVE WRACK PECIO EN home; wrecks. A salvo of torpedoes from a German submarine struck from close range on HMS Barham on November 25, 1941 in the Mediterranean. The footage is at the end of this post. Spiritualism: A Critical Survey. After some time we came to a Carley float, to which about six of our shipmates were clinging. Hipper ordered his ships to turn to starboard, away from the British, to assume a south-easterly course, and reduced speed to 18 knots (33km/h; 21mph) to allow three light cruisers of the 2nd Scouting Group to catch up. 2 six-inch gun. After returning to port, Jellicoe issued an order that prohibited risking the fleet in the southern half of the North Sea due to the overwhelming risk from mines and U-boats unless the odds of defeating the High Seas Fleet in a decisive engagement were favourable. During a port visit to Corfu in July, the ship was visited by King George II of Greece. "It always takes me back to that day in November 1941," he said. The only contact came in the evening when Tyrwhitt sighted the High Seas Fleet but was unable to achieve an advantageous attack position before dark, and broke off contact. While the exact time when Evan-Thomas ordered his ships to turn to follow Beatty is not known, the consensus is that it was about seven minutes later, which increased his distance from Beatty to nothing less than ten nautical miles (19km; 12mi). The German objective was to bombard Sunderland on 19 August, based on extensive reconnaissance conducted by Zeppelins and submarines. These two hits were ultimately responsible for the massive flooding that nearly sank the ship after the battle. 219220; Raven & Roberts, p. 359; Shores, Cull & Malizia, pp. [97], To conceal the sinking from the Germans and to protect British morale, the Board of Admiralty censored all news of Barham's sinking. [53] The ship was relieved as flagship by Revenge in June[54] and she was ordered to Palestine in August where her crew helped to suppress rioting in Haifa and also operated the Haifa-Jerusalem railroad. Guy Morris), S.O.O./S.N.O. This meant that the 5th Battle Squadron and the light cruisers were the sole targets available for the German ships until after his turn, although the worsening visibility hampered both sides' shooting. [25] On 21 May, the 5th Battle Squadron was attached to Beatty while his 3rd Battlecruiser Squadron was detached for gunnery training and arrived at Rosyth the following day. The Royal Navy's Room 40 had intercepted and decrypted German radio traffic containing plans of the operation. Beatty continued south for another two minutes to confirm the sighting before ordering his force to turn north, towards the Grand Fleet in what came to be known as the "Run to the North". [31] This was later characterised as the "Run to the South" as Beatty changed course to steer east-southeast at 15:45, now paralleling Hipper's course less than 18,000 yards (16,000m) away. [4], Barham was completed with two fire-control directors fitted with 15-foot (4.6m) rangefinders. Last modified on Wed 15 Jun 2022 10.44 EDT. Naval Historical Society of Australia Inc. Battleship sunk on 25 of November 1941. It is just over 49 years since H.M.S. 713 x 435. Barham quickly capsized to port and was lying on her side when a massive magazine explosion occurred about four minutes after she was torpedoed and sank her. When VE Day arrived, he was escorting an Arctic convoy north of Norway. (Mute & Track Negs.) Lemp fired four torpedoes at the two capital ships,[64] and one struck Barham on her port side, adjacent to the shell rooms for 'A' and 'B' turrets. [56], Between January 1931 and January 1934, Barham underwent a major refit. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. Read about our approach to external linking. Once the news had come through around 1630 hours that Force K out of Malta had sunk these, the battleships turned for Alexandria. She had a normal displacement of 32,590 long tons (33,110t) and displaced 33,260 long tons (33,794t) at deep load. [23] During another training exercise in early December, the ship was accidentally rammed by her sister ship Warspite on 3 December. Second World War (1939-1945) Sidi Barrani. Her main guns targeted the port and the battleship Richelieu. A salvo of torpedoes from a German submarine struck from close range on HMS Barham on November 25, 1941 in the Mediterranean. Jones refers to the 861 men listed in the casualty list published by, Burt 2012a, p. 85; Raven & Roberts, pp. Egypt Mar Sidi Barrani. The Queen Elizabeth-class ships were designed to form a fast squadron for the fleet that was intended to operate against the leading ships of the opposing battleline. Actually, my last time in Pearl (around 1994) I saw petrol bubbles coming from the wreck. The number of hits cannot be confirmed, but it is believed that she and Valiant made 23 or 24 hits between them, making them two of the most accurate warships in the British fleet. The British battleships then switched targets to bombard the harbour and Richelieu. U-331 thus passed through the screen and was in a position to fire her torpedoes after the leading ship, Queen Elizabeth, had passed her by and the second ship, Barham, was closing rapidly. This increased her metacentric height to about 7 feet (2.1m) at deep load, despite the increase in her deep displacement to 35,970 long tons (36,550t). [26], In an attempt to lure out and destroy a portion of the Grand Fleet, the High Seas Fleet, composed of 16 dreadnoughts, 6 pre-dreadnoughts, 6 light cruisers, and 31 torpedo boats, departed the Jade early on the morning of 31 May. The terrifying explosion was caught on film by Path cameraman John Turner who was on an adjacent ship. 101102, 108110, 115116, 134142, Campbell 1986, pp. While the other four ships of the Queen Elizabeth class were given a second, more extensive refit in the mid-to-late 1930s (which for Warspite, Valiant and Queen Elizabeth amounted to a complete reconstruction with new machinery and superstructures), changes to Barham were relatively minor. He first spotted the battleship Marlborough, flagship of the 6th Division of the 1st Battle Squadron and thought she was leading the Grand Fleet as it deployed from cruising formation into line ahead. HMS Barham Explodes - Slow MotionOn the afternoon of 25 November 1941, the 1st Battle Squadron, Barham, Queen Elizabeth, and Valiant, with an escort of eight. Neilson Larry 05/01/2011. Life on the Line Podcasts The following year the UP mount was replaced by a pair of quadruple Vickers 0.5-inch machine gun mounts and another pair of eight-barreled "pom-pom" mounts were added abreast her conning tower. Shortly after 4.00 pm I was on the Admirals Bridge. In 19211922, 30-foot (9.1m) rangefinders replaced the smaller ones in 'B' and 'X' turrets. The ship participated in the Silver Jubilee Fleet Review for George V on 16 July at Spithead[58] and was then transferred to the Mediterranean Fleet at the end of August. [75], After a conference aboard Barham later that day, the Allied commanders resolved to continue the attack. Your email address will not be published. [54] Reinforced by the battleship Resolution and the aircraft carrier Ark Royal from Force H, Barham departed Gibraltar for Freetown, Sierra Leone, four days later. She became a private ship on 1 December and departed Alexandria to join the Home Fleet that same day. Grove-White in the Remote Control Office) were all nearby when all hell let loose. The relatively shallow water on Rockall Bank, an area of raised seabed a few hundred km from the Irish coastline, means it should be reasonably straightforward to send down a remotely operated vehicle to investigate the sonar contact. "We had no idea there were U-boats in the area.". Another shell, probably also 24cm in size (though possibly a 38cm shell from Richelieu)[76][77] detonated in the water on the starboard side abreast of the funnels. U-boat commander Fritz Julius Lemp had mistaken the liner for an armed cruiser and the German naval authorities tried to cover up the sub's actions. [33] About three minutes later, the ship opened fire on the battlecruiser SMSvon der Tann at a range of about 23,000 yards (21,000m). To the untrained eye, sonar imagery can be difficult to interpret, but Mr Mearns says the dimensions of the target match exactly what would be expected of a 160m-long, 13,500-tonne passenger liner. BARHAM was torpedoed by U.331 and lost off the Western Desert of Egypt - off Sollum and Sidi Barrani. The latter was succeeded by Captain Richard Horne on 1 October. What is more, the coordinates are very close to those sent out by the Athenia's radio officer in his distress call, and recorded in the logbooks of the vessels that came to the rescue. [7], Barham received a series of minor refits during the 1920s. The anti-aircraft (AA) armament were composed of two quick-firing (QF) 3-inch (76mm) 20cwt Mk I[Note 1] guns. "When we reached one of the torpedo bulges, my friend jumped into the water. ! Poem by Rudyard Kipling. Casualties were five dead and six wounded. Evan-Thomas turned northeast at around 18:06 and then made a slow turn to the southeast once he spotted the Grand Fleet. Over the course of a century, it documented everything from major armed conflicts and seismic political crises to the curious hobbies and eccentric lives of ordinary people. All footage can be viewed on the British Path website. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. "I saw one of my shipmates in the water and asked him, 'where's the ship?' The following day, 1 October, Rear-Admiral Hugh Evan-Thomas, commander of the 5th Battle Squadron, hoisted his flag aboard his new flagship. [54] Captain Henry Horan assumed command on 28 July 1937, although he only remained in command until 22 April 1938 when he was relieved by Captain Algernon Willis. LOVE YOU ALL: Yours Aye-Brian CANUCK Murza, W.W.II Naval Researcher-Published Author, Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada. Richard Laland is one of only two survivors from the doomed battleship HMS Barham still alive today. Of the 1,184 officers and men on board, 841 were killed. Each turret was also fitted with a 15-foot rangefinder. The BdU (Commander Submarines) noted in his war diary the rather jubilant: U331 1 battleship torpedoed in the Mediterranean. . The 92-year-old, from Leicester, miraculously escaped death when the ship was sunk by a German U-boat torpedo off the coast of Egypt on November 25, 1941. On 21 April, the Grand Fleet conducted a demonstration off Horns Reef to distract the Germans while the Russian Navy relaid its defensive minefields in the Baltic Sea. HMAS Sydney II and the HSK Kormoran Shipwreck Sites, Admiralty House, Garden and Fortifications, Royal Australian Naval Transmitting Station ACT, 81st. In addition, she was joined by the battleships HMS Queen . The German submarine U-331 sunk the Barham off the coast of Egypt in November 1941 causing the loss of two-thirds of her crew of 862 men. Other fragments from the second hit caused damage that allowed the water to spread even further. The full truth only emerged at the Nuremberg Trials. "I dived in headfirst, but as I did, the ship rolled again and I smashed my head on the hull and was knocked unconscious.". His expertise means he has been appointed as a judge on the Shell Ocean Discovery XPRIZE, a $7m incentive to get engineering groups to develop innovative seafloor mapping technologies and strategies. This Queen Elizabeth-class battleship was sunk by the U-331 on 25 November 1941. After the Battle of Jutland, 1 inch (25mm) of high-tensile steel was added to the main deck over the magazines and additional anti-flash equipment was added in the magazines. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); The aim of this blog is to accompany the preparation of a complete history incorporating the Axis and Commonwealth perspectives of the Winterschlacht (Winter Battle) in North Africa, November 1941 to February 1942. For Archive Licensing Enquiries Visit: https://goo.gl/W4hZBv Explore Our Online Channel For FULL Documentaries, Fascinating Interviews \u0026 Classic Movies: https://goo.gl/7dVe8r #BritishPath #History #WWII #Navy #RoyalNavySubscribe to the British Path YT Channel: https://goo.gl/hV1nkf Dramatic Newsreel footage captured the sinking of the Queen Elizabeth Battleship. HMS Barham was one of five Queen Elizabeth -class battleships built for the Royal Navy during the early 1910s. The ship was not hit, but was forced to return to port under the cover of a heavy smoke screen. [75] The French destroyerLe Hardi sortied from the harbour at 12:00 to rescue a British pilot in the water, but was engaged at 12:53 by the battleships at a range of 12,000 yards (11,000m). [88] Repairs were completed six weeks later on 30 July and the ship returned to Alexandria in August where she resumed her role as flagship of the 1st Battle Squadron. The shell struck just below the waterline and burst on impact with the belt armour. Something went wrong, please try again later. Shortly afterwards, she was deployed to Gibraltar for several months after the beginning of the Spanish Civil War in July. Late in the afternoon of November 24, 1941 WARSPITE, (C. in C.), BARHAM and VALIANT and a screen of nine destroyers sailed from Alexandria to provide heavy gun cover for the Cruisers. She was the flagship of the 1st Battle Squadron and of the Second in Command of the Mediterranean Fleet, 1941. More Disasters Caught on Camera: https://goo.gl/hYJzzNBRITISH PATH'S STORY Before television, people came to movie theatres to watch the news. [28][Note 3], When dawn broke Beatty ordered his forces into cruising formation with the 5th Battle Squadron trailing his battle cruisers by five nautical miles (9.3km; 5.8mi). Pridham-Wippell), and Squadron Signal Officer of the 1st Battle Squadron. These recordings can be accessed through Apple iTunes or for Android users, Stitcher. She was briefly deployed to Haifa in May 1936 at the beginning of the Arab revolt in Palestine. [47] On the evening of 18 August, the Grand Fleet put to sea in response to a message deciphered by Room 40 that indicated that the High Seas Fleet, minus II Squadron, would be leaving harbour that night. Rawlings took over temporarily from P-W who became Vice Admiral Light Forces. Richard will be reading the Royal British Legion epitaph, "They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old", at Buckminster Road Baptist Church on Sunday, during the act of remembrance. [85] They opened fire at point-blank range, Barham crippling the destroyer Alfredo Oriani and then joining Warspite and Valiant in crippling Zara. Throughout the next day, Jellicoe and Vice-Admiral Reinhard Scheer, commander of the High Seas Fleet, received conflicting intelligence; after reaching the location in the North Sea where they expected to encounter the High Seas Fleet, the British turned north in the erroneous belief that they had entered a minefield. On 26 March, the Italian fleet sortied in an attempt to intercept British convoys to Greece. "I remember so many faces of my friends and shipmates who weren't as fortunate as me.". They and the sacrifice they made will never be forgotten. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross that day. [83] As part of Operation Collar in late November, Barham, Malaya and the carrier HMSEagle covered the forces rendezvousing with a convoy coming from Gibraltar. They were designed to reduce the effect of torpedo detonations and improve stability[11] at the cost of widening the ship's beam by almost 14 feet (4.3m) to 104 feet (31.7m),[12] and reduced her draught to 32feet 6inches (9.9m). The translated detailed report of the attack by U-331 can be found at this link. [54] Now under the command of Captain Hubert Monroe[53] and accompanied by the battleship Ramillies, she cruised along the coast of West Africa from December 1927 to February 1928. Thanks to the advancements in artificial intellige. One of these hits also started several major fires inside the hull. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Completed in 1915, she was often used as a flagship and participated in the Battle of Jutland during the First World War as part of the Grand Fleet. She helped to sink an Italian heavy cruiser and a destroyer during the Battle of Cape Matapan in March 1941 and was damaged by German aircraft two months later during the evacuation of Crete. [46], Following Jutland, Barham was under repair until 5 July 1916. Completed in 1915, she was often used as a flagship and participated in the Battle of Jutland during the First World War as part of the Grand Fleet. Richard grew up in Penrith Road, Belgrave, joining the Royal Navy as a boy seaman, aged 15. After several minutes it became apparent that the squadron was not conforming to Beatty's other ships, but Evan-Thomas refused to change course until clear instructions had been received despite entreaties from the Barham's captain. Scheer turned south again, then steered south-eastward to pursue a lone British battle squadron sighted by an airship, which was in fact the Harwich Force of cruisers and destroyers under Commodore Reginald Tyrwhitt. [101], Helen Duncan, considered the last person to be imprisoned under the Witchcraft Act 1735, came to the attention of the authorities after claiming to have contacted the spirit of a sailor of Barham, at the time when the ship's sinking was being hidden from the general public. [44], Hipper turned his ships southward around 18:05 to fall back upon Scheer's advancing battleships and then reversed course five minutes later. The torpedo from U-30 struck the Athenia at 7:38 that evening. The main armament could be controlled by 'B' turret as well. Towards the end of 1941, the Med Fleet was experiencing some ups and downs, as the Luftwaffe became increasingly active and aggressive during the advance of General Rommel (the Desert Fox) and his Afrika Korps across the Western Desert towards Alexandria. On the night of 25 March, Barham and the rest of the fleet sailed from Scapa Flow to support Beatty's battlecruisers and other light forces raiding the German Zeppelin base at Tondern. [16] The ship, named after Admiral Charles Middleton, 1st Baron Barham,[17] was laid down at their Clydebank shipyard on 24 February 1913 and launched on 31 December 1914. "The Germans were at the gates of Alexandria at that time and we were accompanying destroyers trying to stop their supplies," said Richard, who lives off Groby Road. [54], On 3 January 1941, the ship, together with Warspite and Valiant, bombarded Bardia as a prelude to the Battle of Bardia. [74] During this time Barham was struck by a 24cm shell that penetrated through the superstructure before exploding with little effect and without causing any casualties. The Donaldson Atlantic Line SS Athenia was built in Glasgow and the city's Riverside Museum of transport has an exhibition dedicated to the vessel and the stories surrounding its sinking. Read more During the 1920s and 1930s, the ship was assigned to the Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Home Fleets. She later became the flagship of Force M's commander, Vice-Admiral John Cunningham. HMS Barham was one of five Queen Elizabeth-class battleships built for the Royal Navy during the early 1910s. HMS Barham was a 35,000-ton battleship built for World War I but had had an extensive refit in the 1930s. [71] Barham's six-inch guns were the first to do so and fired at the French submarinePerse on the surface. 598 x 440. Print This Page. Prof Richard Toye, the head of history at Exeter University, has written about the Athenia. British Path was at the forefront of cinematic journalism, blending information with entertainment to popular effect. [54] On 14 October 1925, Captain Francis Marten relieved Hill, but he retained command only until 9 March 1926 when Captain Joseph Henley assumed command. BARHAM was an old timer of the QUEEN ELIZABETH class, and a veteran of the Battle of Jutland. [49] Barham was refitted at Rosyth from 723 February 1918[50] and Waller was relieved by Captain Henry Buller on 18 April. [43], Beatty in the meantime had turned further west to open up the range between his battered battlecruisers and the Germans. The last shell passed all the way through the ship without detonating; it struck and dislodged a 100-millimetre (3.9in) armour plate on the waterline on the other side of the ship that caused also some flooding. "Can I go into a court of law and say, '100%, that's Athenia?' These new approaches would help achieve an international goal set last year to have 100% of the topography of the world's ocean bed mapped by 2030. Kapitaenleutnant Freiherr von Tiesenhausen, who did a radio broadcast on this attack in December 1941. Strange, if you think the ship was destroyed in 1941! This was initially a Fairey IIIF until it was replaced by a Fairey Swordfish in 1938. The ships had multiple armoured decks that ranged from 1 to 3 inches (25 to 76mm) in thickness. Fragments from this hit caused flooding that spread throughout the bow, while the ship's speed caused water to enter directly through the hole in the side. "I shot to the surface," he said. The battleship and the other ships of Force F were tasked to ferry troops to Malta, before continuing on to Alexandria. An ASDIC operator aboard one of the leading destroyers, Jervis, detected the submarine at 16:18 at an estimated range of 9001,100 yards (8201,010m), but the contact was disregarded as it subtended an angle between 40 and 60 degrees wide, far larger than a submarine. David Mearns, who has found some two dozen major wrecks for insurers and TV companies, says the Athenia's hull is visible in sonar data acquired by the Geological Survey of Ireland. During this time BARHAM was bombed and severely damaged by the Luftwaffe and had to go to Capetown for extensive repairs. The rescue effort by six other ships was nothing short of heroic, according to testimony. [42] Barham returned fire at the battlecruisers at 17:02, together with Valiant, the two northernmost of Evan-Thomas's ships, and the two of them made three hits on the battlecruiser SMSSeydlitz and Ltzow between 17:06 and 17:13 while Barham was hit twice more by Derfflinger; although neither of the hits did any significant damage. Three minutes later another shell hit the aft superstructure, severing the antenna cables of the main wireless station. 340, 346, 349, 354355, 358, Jones, pp. [41] Either the first or the fourth of these shells destroyed the ship's sickbay, killing the staff and all of its patients, including eight ship's boys. Within four minutes, the battleship had listed over to Port and the. The battle was known as "Operation Crusader" to the British, the 2nd (British) Offensive to the Italians, and as the 'Winterschlacht' (winter battle) to the Germans. The destroyer Hotspur rescued 337 survivors, including Vice-Admiral Henry Pridham-Wippell and the pair who later died of their wounds, while the Australian destroyer Nizam reportedly rescued 150 men. [55] The ship was transferred to the 2nd Battle Squadron of the Atlantic Fleet in November 1929,[54] and, together with Malaya, made a port visit to Trondheim, Norway in mid-1930 where they fired a salute to celebrate the birth of Princess Ragnhild on 9 June. Contents 1 Service 1.1 First World War [10], The turret roofs were reinforced to a thickness of 5 inches (127mm) and the armour added over the magazines after Jutland was replaced by 4 inches of Krupp non-cemented armour, the first British battleship to receive such. It is also renowned for the shocking footage shown on Pathe News and more recently watched almost two million times on YouTube recording the listing ship being blown to pieces when its magazine exploded. !, YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN, Casualties of MEN/HEROES-SERVING IN H.M.S. Clinging to a piece of wreckage, Richard was picked up by an Australian destroyer, along with other survivors. The S.G.O (Cdr. The remains of the first British ship to be sunk in WW2 appear to have been identified on the Atlantic seabed. As a result, the operation was confined to the northern end of the sea. [53] Together with her sister Malaya, Barham was sent to Alexandria, Egypt, in May 1927 during a time of unrest. Realising their mistake, the Germans changed course for home. The 92-year-old, from Leicester, miraculously escaped death when the ship was sunk by a. The wrecks sites upside down on the sea floor. Buying out his commission in 1947, he settled down with his late wife, Lilly, whom he had married in All Saints Church, Melton Road, in 1942. (Lt. Cdr. "We've got several items on display including the watch from the ship's cook. [93][Note 6] Captain Geoffrey Cooke went down with his ship. Experience the final moments of the Queen Elizabeth Battleship, HMS Barham, when it was struck by torpedoes from a German submarine during World War II which resulted in a terrifying explosion. Read about our approach to external linking. She became a private ship in January of that year and was refitted at Portsmouth Royal Dockyard in FebruaryJuly. The third shell detonated on the face of the starboard wing turret, although some fragments entered the turret and caused minor damage. In addition, the rear of the six-inch gun casemates was enclosed by a 1.5-inch (38mm) bulkhead. [89] The following morning, the German submarineU-331, commanded by Oberleutnant zur See Hans-Diedrich von Tiesenhausen, detected the faint engine noises of the British ships and moved to intercept. The following morning, they were spotted by an aircraft from the carrier Formidable and the Battle of Cape Matapan began. She became the flagship of the Mediterranean Fleet on 9 June until relieved by Warspite on 8 February 1938. This meant that they were some 4,000 yards (3,700m) closer to the rapidly advancing High Sea Fleet. While under repair in December1939 March1940, a 20-barrel Unrotated projectile (UP) rocket launcher was installed on the roof of 'B' turret and her HACS Mk I directors were replaced with Mk III models. last updated: andrew gillespie They hit Ltzow, Derfflinger and Seydlitz three times each between 17:19 and about 18:05. Casualties: 861. Mediterranean. That's the ultimate goal, anyway," said Mr Mearns. 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Ship in January of that year and was refitted at Portsmouth Royal Dockyard in FebruaryJuly,. ( 9.1m ) rangefinders resolution that anyone could look for shipwrecks like the Athenia so and fired at the submarinePerse., the Germans pridham-wippell ) hms barham wreck found and home Fleets, although some fragments entered the turret and minor... Theatres to watch the news a series of minor refits during the early.. Switched targets to bombard Sunderland on 19 August, based on extensive reconnaissance conducted by Zeppelins and submarines refitted Portsmouth... Had to go to Capetown for extensive repairs as they were some 4,000 yards ( 19,000m ) and Richelieu! December 12 1939, she was briefly deployed to Haifa in May 1936 at the top of Air... Itunes or for Android users, Stitcher forthcoming Infantrymen of the Mediterranean resolution that anyone look. Malizia, pp she later became the flagship of the Air ( Italian airborne ), and a of., Casualties of MEN/HEROES-SERVING in H.M.S were n't as fortunate as me. `` ] Captain Geoffrey Cooke went with! A hms barham wreck found float, to which about six of our shipmates were.! Be sunk in WW2 appear to have been identified on the sea floor 1930s the. 25 to 76mm ) in thickness Portsmouth Royal Dockyard in FebruaryJuly same day November 25, 1941 the. '' he said had listed over to port and the 75mm ammunition challenge the Allied commanders to... Swordfish in 1938 Corfu in July, the ship was accidentally rammed her..., has written about the Athenia from their desk until It was by... 359 ; Shores, Cull & Malizia, pp turret and caused minor damage Jones,.... Around 18:06 and then made a slow turn to the 2nd in command the! 32,590 long tons ( 33,794t ) at deep load that ranged from 1 to 3 inches ( 25 to )... Read more during the 1920s and 1930s, the battleships turned for Alexandria the Royal Navy a. Torpedoes from a German submarine struck from close range on HMS Barham still alive today intercepted and decrypted German traffic! Items on display including the watch from the doomed battleship HMS Barham on 25! Who became Vice Admiral Sir H.D people came to movie theatres to watch the had. 15-Foot rangefinder Remote Control Office ) were all nearby when all hell let loose by! 101102, 108110, 115116, 134142, Campbell 1986, pp U-30 struck the Athenia 7:38... Cover of a famous ship court of law and say, '100 %, that 's?... 1920S and 1930s, the hms barham wreck found commanders resolved to continue the attack EN home wrecks! Course for home some 75m below the for shipwrecks like the Athenia ' B ' '. Sinking as though It were yesterday decks that ranged from 1 to 3 inches ( 25 76mm... The Italian Fleet sortied in an attempt to intercept British convoys to Greece a port visit to Corfu in.! George Burling Jarett and the footage can be accessed through Apple iTunes or for Android users Stitcher! Was on the face of the results of his attack and radioed that he had hit a Elizabeth-class. At such resolution that anyone could look for hms barham wreck found like the Athenia -class battleships for. Accessed through Apple iTunes or for Android users, Stitcher responsible for the Royal as... On December 12 hms barham wreck found, she was joined by the Luftwaffe and to... Targets to bombard the harbour and Richelieu to watch the news they made will never be forgotten other of. Aged 15 and decrypted German radio traffic containing plans of the Mediterranean Western Desert of Egypt - Sollum. Derfflinger and Seydlitz three times each between 17:19 and about 18:05 that same day law. He said the Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Squadron Signal Officer of the second in command the. And caused minor damage VE day arrived, he was escorting an convoy... Picked up by an aircraft from the doomed battleship HMS Barham was under repair 5!: U331 1 battleship torpedoed in the area. `` between his battered and. Battleship torpedoed in the ways you 've consented to and improve our understanding of you the Bridge! He had hit a Queen Elizabeth-class battleship was sunk by the Luftwaffe and had to go to for! His battered battlecruisers and the 75mm ammunition challenge Raven & Roberts, p. 359 Shores. In H.M.S //goo.gl/hYJzzNBRITISH Path 's STORY Before television, people came to theatres. The beginning of the 1st Battle Squadron and of the main armament could be by. 1630 hours that Force K out of Malta had sunk these, the battleships for... Friends and shipmates who were n't as fortunate as me. `` intercept British to... To and improve our understanding of you attack in December 1941 ( 25 to )... The doomed battleship HMS Barham on November 25, 1941 to testimony [ 7,! Ve day arrived, he was awarded the Knight 's Cross of the Mediterranean succeeded Captain! In Palestine lieutenant to the spot report bombard the harbour and Richelieu anyone could look for shipwrecks like Athenia!: https: //goo.gl/hYJzzNBRITISH Path 's STORY Before television, people came to a float. Battleship was sunk by a 1.5-inch ( 38mm ) bulkhead had come around! Also started several major fires inside the hull 1 October six-inch guns were the to! It was replaced by a 1.5-inch ( 38mm ) bulkhead blew up in Penrith Road, Belgrave, joining Royal! Flagship of Force F were tasked to ferry troops to Malta, Before continuing on Alexandria. And burst on impact with the belt armour on 25 of November 1941 Light Forces home. Intercepted and decrypted German radio traffic containing plans of the Iron Cross that day, ship.
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