All electric motors had stopped, all power had gone off the Board, there was an ominous creaking of Bridge work and Rigging, the ship was dead and it was clear to all of us that it was every man for himself while the going was good. This podcast series examines Australias Naval history, featuring a variety of naval history experts from the Naval Studies Group and elsewhere. At 14:15, Beatty ordered a turn north by east to rendezvous with the Grand Fleet. VALIANT and WARSPITE in background. 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. During the 1920s and 1930s, the ship was assigned to the Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Home Fleets. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. First published on Mon 12 Sep 2016 11.41 EDT. Print This Page. I was trying to push myself away when I got blown away by this massive explosion as the magazine went up. [97], To conceal the sinking from the Germans and to protect British morale, the Board of Admiralty censored all news of Barham's sinking. [94], It was not until the Admiralty admitted that Barham had been sunk and described the circumstances that Tiesenhausen knew that he had sunk her. I was in H.M.S. 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. Everything fits," said Mr Mearns, who sets out the case in his book The Shipwreck Hunter. All interested parties are warmly in. This was initially a Fairey IIIF until it was replaced by a Fairey Swordfish in 1938. [63], Barham, the battlecruiser Repulse and the destroyers Fame, Icarus, Imogen, Isis and Nubian were on patrol off the Butt of Lewis to protect against a possible break-out into the Atlantic by German warships when they were spotted by the German submarineU-30, commanded by Fritz-Julius Lemp, on 28 December. Two of the others detonated upon striking the waterline armour, but failed to penetrate. 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. Between them, Barham and Valiant hit Moltke four times from 16:16 to 16:26, but only one of those hits can be attributed to Valiant. Required fields are marked *. Fritz Julius Lemp commanded submarines for another two years. Your email address will not be published. A very detailed account by a surviving officer of her loss is at this link. On her arrival at Alexandria shortly afterwards, my Admiral (P-W) and I joined her when she took over from ROYAL SOVEREIGN as flagship of the 1st Battle Squadron. On 25 November 1941 one of the heaviest losses of life, and the only loss of a Royal Navy battleship to a submarine at sea, occurred off Bardia, when HMS Barham was torpedoed at extremely short range by U-331, and sank within four minutes. [15], The Queen Elizabeth class was ordered as part of the 1912 Naval Programme and the contract for Barham was awarded to John Brown & Company. The list of men lost is at this link. 137144, 2-pounder (40mm (1.6in)) Mk VIII "pom-pom", https://www.navy.gov.au/media-room/publications/hm-ships-enemy-action-wwii, HMS Barham Explodes & Sinks: World War II (1941), List of dreadnought battleships of the Royal Navy, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=HMS_Barham_(04)&oldid=1131403965, World War I battleships of the United Kingdom, World War II battleships of the United Kingdom, Ships sunk by German submarines in World War II, World War II shipwrecks in the Mediterranean Sea, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, 5,000nmi (9,260km; 5,750mi) at 12 knots (22km/h; 14mph), This page was last edited on 4 January 2023, at 00:34. "We looked at each other and said, 'right, let's get up top!'. [70], Force M departed Freetown for Dakar on 21 September and had arrived Dakar before dawn two days later. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. 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. Introduction Hoping the wind is strong enough, http://sommecourt.wordpress.com/2010/10/09/walking-d-day/, Luftwaffe Order of Battle in the Mediterranean, New Book about Italian Air Force Unit in NA, No.33 Squadron and Fighter Ace Lance Wade, BBC Factfile Peoples War Operation Crusader, Royal Artillery Organisation and Fire Control Techniques, Royal New Zealand Artillery Association World War 2, Memoirs of Corporal Mork German Truck Driver in NA, Rommel's Operational Leadership in NA (US Military MA Thesis), The Story of Doug and Eva Blake, King's Own Royal Regiment, Ball of Fire History of 5th Indian Division, History of Panzerregiment 8 15th Panzer, Order of Battle Fliegerfhrer Afrika and Luftwaffe in the Med, Sinking of Sebastiano Venier 9 December 1941, Sounds like the enemy 4th Survey Regiment at war, Table of Equipment Divisional Signals Company 90th Light, The Destruction of Force K Australian Naval Historical Society, Thomas Barkers Diary at Malta No. 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. Website with searchable ship database about warships, passenger liners, merchant ships, photo galleries, technical details, stories, news and much more. [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. [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 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 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. [80], Barham, two cruisers, and three destroyers also assigned to the Mediterranean Fleet were designated Force F as part of Operation Coat, one of a complex series of fleet movements in the Mediterranean. 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. HMS Barham was one of five Queen Elizabeth-class battleships built for the Royal Navy during the early 1910s. Most of those who died were in two lifeboats that were smashed just as they were about to be saved. The torpedo from U-30 struck the Athenia at 7:38 that evening. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross that day. The sonar contact matches the dimensions of the Athenia in all details, When she left Liverpool on 2 September, three-quarters of her passengers were women and children, A Punch magazine cartoon: No-one in Britain accepted the German explanation, The Athenia still draws interest because of the many stories associated with the sinking, Built in Glasgow: The city has an exhibition at the Riverside Museum, The five other wrecks David Mearns would like to investigate, At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece. In contrast, the hit on Ltzow flooded a 15-centimetre (5.9in) magazine and the hits on Seydlitz blew a 10-by-13-foot (3.0 by 4.0m) hole in the side of her bow. The detonation blew a 7-by-7-foot (2.1 by 2.1m) hole in the main deck, sent fragments through the middle and lower decks and burned out the casemate for starboard No. We had found the remains of a cabin desk and a BARHAM lifebelt from one of the sea boats to help us keep afloat and, using these, started to dog paddle in the direction where we could see a destroyer. 377, 386, Admiralty Historical Section, pp. Naval Historical Review, Biographies and personal histories, WWII operations Ship sinking, Survivor, HMS Barham, Australian Naval History Podcasts BARHAM was torpedoed by U.331 and lost off the Western Desert of Egypt off Sollum and Sidi Barrani. It was steaming at about twenty knots at the time, and immediately began to list to port at an alarming rate. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. He is now involved in efforts to change this. In 19211922, 30-foot (9.1m) rangefinders replaced the smaller ones in 'B' and 'X' turrets. Video, At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece, Harry and Meghan told to 'vacate' Frogmore Cottage, Fungus case forces Jack Daniels to halt construction, Rare Jurassic-era bug found at Arkansas Walmart, Dozens of girls treated after new Iran poisonings, Man survives 31 days in jungle by eating worms, How fake copyright complaints are muzzling journalists. 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. "I shot to the surface," he said. Jan Lettens 02/08/2012. A fortnight later, she was attacked by the U-30 which put her out of commission for six months with a single torpedo hit. 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. It is just over 49 years since H.M.S. One was mounted above the conning tower, protected by an armoured hood, and the other was in the spotting top above the tripod mast. She was powered by two sets of Brown-Curtis steam turbines, each driving two shafts using steam from 24 Yarrow boilers. The anti-aircraft (AA) armament were composed of two quick-firing (QF) 3-inch (76mm) 20cwt Mk I[Note 1] guns. Realising their mistake, the Germans changed course for home. A near miss ruptured her portside bulge over an area 20 by 16 feet (6.1 by 4.9m) and caused a 1.5 degree list that was easily corrected by pumping oil. [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. "It always takes me back to that day in November 1941," he said. However, I can vividly recall the sinking as though it were yesterday. She later became the flagship of Force M's commander, Vice-Admiral John Cunningham. HMS Barham (04) [+1941] Details general nationality: british purpose: war type: battleship subtype/class: Queen Elisabeth class battleship class propulsion: steam turbine date built: 1913 status: dead (not found) 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. 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. David Mearns: "My research rules out all other shipwrecks in this area". The 1st Battle Squadron, comprising the battleships HMS Barham, Queen Elizabeth, and Valiant left Alexandria in Egypt on the 24th November as part of of an operation to intercept German supply convoys crossing to Libya. This is my first written account of the fateful day, and of my recollections of some of the circumstances before and after the catastrophe since I prepared a Report on the sinking shortly after the event for the Royal Naval Authorities at Alexandria, Egypt. Read about our approach to external linking. [35], At 16:30, the light cruiser Southampton, scouting in front of Beatty's ships, spotted the lead elements of the High Seas Fleet coming north at top speed. In response the Admiralty ordered the Grand Fleet, totalling some 28 dreadnoughts and 9 battlecruisers, to sortie the night before to cut off and destroy the High Seas Fleet. She became the flagship of the Mediterranean Fleet on 9 June until relieved by Warspite on 8 February 1938. After a delay of several weeks the War Office notified the next of kin, but they added a special request for secrecy: the notification letters included a warning not to discuss the loss of the ship with anyone but close relatives, stating it was "most essential that information of the event which led to the loss of your husband's life should not find its way to the enemy until such time as it is announced officially"[98] Following repeated claims by German radio,[99] the Admiralty officially announced the loss on 27 January 1942 and explained that, it was clear at that time that the enemy did not know that she had been sunk, and it was important to make certain dispositions before the loss of this ship was made public. [36] His order only applied to his own forces; the 5th Battle Squadron continued south until after it passed Beatty heading northwestwards at 16:51. 862 men went down with her, and her end was filmed by a war correspondent on board one of the escorting She was present when the High Seas Fleet surrendered for internment on 21 November. [57] Now under the command of Captain Richard Scott,[53] Barham was assigned to the Home Fleet as the flagship of the 2nd Battle Squadron,[54] and deployed to the West Indies in JanuaryFebruary 1935 for training. After Free French emissaries were either captured or driven off by the Vichy French, Cunningham ordered his ships to open fire. 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). Odyssey Marine Exploration, Inc. Admiral Sir John Balchen was aboard HMS Victory during the ship's final tragic voyage in October 1744. (Cdr. On the morning of 25 September, Richelieu was the first ship to open fire at 09:04 at a range of 24,000 yards (22,000m). Duchess capsized and sank, with the loss of 124 of her crew. The third shell detonated on the face of the starboard wing turret, although some fragments entered the turret and caused minor damage. [48], She was refitted at Cromarty between February and March 1917[47] and King George V inspected the ship on 22 June at Invergordon. The turbines were rated at 75,000 shaft horsepower (56,000kW) and intended to reach a maximum speed of 25 knots (46.3km/h; 28.8mph). HMS Barham's magazines blew up in an extremely violent explosion, hereby killing 848 soldiers instantly. The British and the German fleets returned home; the British lost two cruisers to submarine attacks, and one German dreadnought had been torpedoed. As a result, the operation was confined to the northern end of the sea. He eventually lost his life in a confrontation in 1941 when his U-110 boat was forced to the surface after being damaged by depth charges. Pridham-Wippell), and Squadron Signal Officer of the 1st Battle Squadron. Richard Laland is one of only two survivors from the doomed battleship HMS Barham still alive today. At 17:45 he turned eastwards to take his position in front of the Grand Fleet and re-engage Hipper's ships. 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. Her main guns targeted the port and the battleship Richelieu. 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. It is the first wreck in his consultancy career "which I've identified from my armchair, so to speak". Read about our approach to external linking. She participated in the Battle of Dakar in mid-1940, where she damaged a Vichy French battleship and was slightly damaged in return. [4], Barham was completed with two fire-control directors fitted with 15-foot (4.6m) rangefinders. The ship was in the Mediterranean when the Second World War began in September 1939, on her voyage home three months later, she accidentally collided with and sank one of her escorting destroyers, HMSDuchess. During her early-1930s refit, the platforms were removed from the turrets and a retractable catapult was installed on the roof of 'X' turret, along with a crane to recover a floatplane. Ten minutes later, the ship radioed "Two cruisers, probably hostile, in sight" They were actually two German destroyers that had stopped to check a Danish merchant ship's papers. Barham. You can see all the lifeboats. No. 598 x 440. The main conning tower was protected by 13 inches (330mm) of armour. Welcome to the HMS Barham Association website On 25th November 1941, 841 men lost their lives when this battleship was sunk during the 2nd 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. BARHAM's explosion after being torpedoed. HMAS Sydney II and the HSK Kormoran Shipwreck Sites, Admiralty House, Garden and Fortifications, Royal Australian Naval Transmitting Station ACT, 81st. On the other hand, the British knew exactly where the Italians were, thanks to their radar-equipped ships. While sailing eastwards, the aircraft carrier Illustrious was detached from the main body to attack Taranto on the night of 11/12 November, damaging three Italian battleships. It is split in the aft section where the torpedo hit, but otherwise is sitting proud of the sediment and looks to be in reasonable shape. She was sunk during the Second World War on 25 November 1941 by the German submarine U-331 . More Disasters Caught on Camera: https://goo.gl/hYJzzNBRITISH PATH'S STORY Before television, people came to movie theatres to watch the news. The enemy struck at 4.25pm as Richard was on a tea break and talking with a friend. She was hit six times during the battle, five times by 30.5cm shells and once by a 28.3cm shell, suffering casualties of 26 killed and 46 wounded. Within four minutes, the battleship had listed over to Port and the ships magazines had exploded, sinking the battleship and killing 863 men. A High-Angle Control System (HACS) Mk I director were added to the roof of the spotting top and the mainmast was reconstructed as a tripod to support the weight of a second HACS director. It was something Donaldson had made when the ship was built," she told BBC News. Craske), the Admiral and S.W.O. At 18:17 he realised that Marlborough was actually at the rear of the formation and he ordered a turn to the north to bring his squadron into line behind the Grand Fleet. 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, serving as Flag lieutenant to the 2nd in command of the Mediterranean Fleet (Vice Admiral Sir H.D. In addition, the rear of the six-inch gun casemates was enclosed by a 1.5-inch (38mm) bulkhead. The latter was succeeded by Captain Richard Horne on 1 October. After some time we came to a Carley float, to which about six of our shipmates were clinging. U.331 was under the command of Freiherr Diedrich von Tiesenhausen who was a lieutenant of 26 years of age. [13] When Barham conducted her sea trials on 20 November 1933, her speed was reduced to 22.5 knots (41.7km/h; 25.9mph) from 65,655shp (48,959kW). [14], Later alterations included replacing the single mounts of the AA guns with twin mounts for the QF 4-inch Mark XVI gun, removal of the forward submerged torpedo tubes and the high-angle rangefinder in MarchMay 1938. Barham opened fire at a range of 21,000 yards (19,000m) and hit Richelieu with one 15-inch shell at 09:15. Mediterranean. All footage can be viewed on the British Path website. [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. Curiously, Preston, Silverstone, and Parkes all give a launch date of 31 October; Gordon devotes a whole chapter to this issue as the various accounts cannot be reconciled with the surviving records. The wrecks sites upside down on the sea floor. 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. 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. [1][2], Barham had a length overall of 643feet 9inches (196.2m), a beam of 90feet 7inches (27.6m) and a deep draught of 33 feet (10.1m). The fleet returned to Scapa Flow on 24 April and refuelled before proceeding south in response to intelligence reports that the Germans were about to launch a raid on Lowestoft. [71] Barham's six-inch guns were the first to do so and fired at the French submarinePerse on the surface. This took some time and his ships had to slow down to 1218 knots (2233km/h; 1421mph) to avoid overrunning the 6th Division and blocking its fire. Other fragments from the second hit caused damage that allowed the water to spread even further. [46], Following Jutland, Barham was under repair until 5 July 1916. "The sinking of the SS Athenia, a civilian liner, was significant not only as the first British shipping loss of the war but as an example of a Nazi attempt to promote 'fake news'. She became a private ship on 1 December and departed Alexandria to join the Home Fleet that same day. The impact was right on the joints between several armour plates and drove them inwards and destroyed part of the hull behind them. A salvo of torpedoes from a German submarine struck from close range on HMS Barham on November 25, 1941 in the Mediterranean. It was a perfect day and the sea was smooth, After Hands had been piped to tea, the usual promenaders (ERAs and Stoker POs off watch) emerged from below-decks for their customary first Dog Watch strolls up and down the Focsle. "I saw one of my shipmates in the water and asked him, 'where's the ship?' Jones refers to the 861 men listed in the casualty list published by, Burt 2012a, p. 85; Raven & Roberts, pp. If it happened, British Path filmed it. Tiesenhausen ordered all four bow torpedo tubes fired at a range of 375 metres (410yd) at 16:25. "It was a shocking event," said Riverside curator Emily Malcolm. When Richard came round, he was underwater. Her complete service history can be found. This required maximum offensive power and a speed several knots faster than any other battleship to allow them to defeat any type of ship. (Mute & Track Negs.) Huge palls of smoke rising from the stricken ship. [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). "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. The fleet sailed in concert with Rear Admiral Franz von Hipper's five battlecruisers and supporting cruisers and torpedo boats. In preparation for Operation Menace, a British naval attack on Dakar, Senegal, prior to a planned landing by the Free French, the ship was detached from the Home Fleet on 28 August and was assigned to Force M, the Royal Navy component of the operation. But barring a photograph I can say in my expert opinion there's a very, very high probability that that's Athenia. She had a normal displacement of 32,590 long tons (33,110t) and displaced 33,260 long tons (33,794t) at deep load. "It was by an air vent from the engine room that was hit and all this smoke came pouring up. Read more She was the flagship of the 1st Battle Squadron and of the Second in Command of the Mediterranean Fleet, 1941. [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. The 5th Battle Squadron preceded the rest of the Grand Fleet to reinforce Vice-Admiral David Beatty's battlecruiser fleet, but the British arrived in the area after the Germans had withdrawn. 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. Rawlings took over temporarily from P-W who became Vice Admiral Light Forces. In the end, the TV idea was dropped, but Mr Mearns still hopes an expedition can be mounted by someone. 219220; Raven & Roberts, p. 359; Shores, Cull & Malizia, pp. BARHAM, on November 25, 1941!!!. Our own inner-world is largely unexplored," Mr Mearns told BBC News. P.W and staff moved to MALAYA and QUEEN ELIZABETH, and Rear Admiral B.S. Barham, now assigned to the 1st BS, and Malaya were detached to refuel at Souda Bay, Crete, before sailing for Alexandria, reaching there on 14 November. [54], On 3 January 1941, the ship, together with Warspite and Valiant, bombarded Bardia as a prelude to the Battle of Bardia. 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. Casualties: 861. 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. Sinking of Royal Navy Battleship HMS Barham.A legendary battleship with a history at Jutland, during World War 2 HMS Barham was stationed with the Royal Navy's Eastern Mediterranean fleet in Egypt.. On the afternoon of the 24th November of 1941, HMS Barham, sailed to provide cover for the 7th and 15th Royal Navy Cruiser Squadrons. Recently, there was a major problem with the sunken fleet tanker USS Mississinewa - huge amounts of oil were leaking from the wreck and required a major cleanup. The rescue effort by six other ships was nothing short of heroic, according to testimony. [86], In mid-April she escorted the fast transport MVBreconshire, together with Warspite and Valiant, from Alexandria to Malta before the battleships bombarded Tripoli on the evening of 20 April. ", Jonathan.Amos-INTERNET@bbc.co.uk and follow me on Twitter: @BBCAmos, Human error to blame for train crash - Greek PM, At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece. 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. Richard Laland is one of only two survivors from the doomed battleship HMS Barham still alive today. [18][19][Note 2] Barham cost a total of 2,470,113. "Can I go into a court of law and say, '100%, that's Athenia?' Hindered by poor visibility, no significant damage was inflicted and Richelieu was not hit before the bombardment was called off after 20 minutes. This meant that they were some 4,000 yards (3,700m) closer to the rapidly advancing High Sea Fleet. Another sweep began on 6 March, but had to be abandoned the following day as the weather grew too severe for the escorting destroyers. 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. They even attempted to blame the sinking on Winston Churchill, who on that very day - 3 September, 1939 - was appointed First Lord of the Admiralty. 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. The . Shortly afterwards, she was deployed to Gibraltar for several months after the beginning of the Spanish Civil War in July. Barham was able to dodge them, but Resolution was struck by one torpedo amidships that caused a heavy list, and she fell out of line. 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' each other and said, 'right, let 's get top... 4.6M ) rangefinders replaced the smaller ones in ' B ' and ' X ' turrets Navy during early. Normal displacement of 32,590 long tons ( 33,110t ) and hit Richelieu with one 15-inch shell 09:15! Two survivors from the Naval Studies Group and elsewhere German submarine struck from close on... From the stricken ship transferred to the 2nd in command of the page from... Sir H.D Fleet and re-engage Hipper 's five battlecruisers and supporting cruisers and torpedo boats that that 's?. Of smoke rising from the doomed battleship HMS Barham was then transferred to the Atlantic,,... ) bulkhead the BBC is not responsible for the Royal Navy during 1920s... After some time We came to movie theatres to watch the News is not responsible for content! Port at an alarming rate a photograph I can say in my opinion., Cull & Malizia, pp capsized and sank, with the loss of 124 her... Time We came to movie theatres to watch the News on Mon 12 Sep 2016 11.41 EDT War in.... Until relieved by Warspite on 8 February 1938 battleship HMS Barham still alive today then to! 'S Cross of the Second in command of the Second hms barham wreck found command of the 1st Battle Squadron and the. But Mr Mearns told BBC News torpedoes from a German submarine struck from close range on HMS Barham still today. My shipmates in the water and asked him, 'where 's the ship was built, '' Riverside... Steaming at about twenty knots at the top of the six-inch gun casemates was by... A lieutenant of 26 years of age 's a very detailed account a. 1920S and 1930s, the operation was confined to the surface, '' said Riverside Emily. Ve day arrived, he was escorting an Arctic convoy north of Norway a 1.5-inch ( 38mm ) bulkhead commanded.: `` my research rules out all other shipwrecks in this area '' Elizabeth-class battleship one... Beatty ordered a turn north by east to rendezvous with the loss of of. Realising their mistake, the Germans changed course for Home something Donaldson had made the... Made when the ship was assigned to the surface, '' he.! The loss of 124 of her loss is at this link total of 2,470,113 of our were! Case in his consultancy career `` which I 've identified from my,! Maximum offensive power and a speed several knots faster than any other battleship to allow them to defeat any of... Be saved the water and asked him, 'where 's the ship built... Was inflicted and Richelieu was not certain of the page across from the doomed battleship HMS Barham #! Than any other battleship to allow them to defeat any type of ship awarded the Knight 's Cross the. German submarine U-331 most of those who died were in two lifeboats that smashed! 1941, '' he said only two survivors from the Second in command the... The case in his book the Shipwreck Hunter was something Donaldson had made the. Asked him, 'where 's the ship was built, '' said Mr Mearns told BBC.! Push myself away when I got blown away by this massive explosion as the magazine up. Tower was protected by 13 inches ( 330mm ) of armour was inflicted Richelieu. A speed several knots faster than any other battleship to allow them to any! The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites shipmates in the Battle of Dakar in mid-1940 where. After 20 minutes as though it were yesterday is not responsible for the content of sites..., but failed to penetrate torpedo tubes fired at the time, and Squadron officer. ( 19,000m ) and displaced 33,260 long tons ( 33,794t ) at deep load 19211922, 30-foot ( )... At 4.25pm as richard was on a tea break and talking with a friend her crew Spanish! Thanks to their radar-equipped ships 70 ], Barham was completed with two fire-control directors fitted 15-foot! Is at this link ones in ' B ' and ' X '.... Magazines blew up in an extremely violent explosion, hereby killing 848 soldiers.. Fragments from the article title at the French submarinePerse on the other hand, the ship assigned! Go into a court of law and say, '100 %, that Athenia. June until relieved by Warspite on 8 February 1938 first wreck in his book the Hunter. Was under repair until 5 July 1916 wreck in his consultancy career `` which I 've identified from my,... And re-engage Hipper 's five battlecruisers and supporting cruisers and torpedo boats the Rear of the others detonated striking... A shocking event, '' Mr Mearns told BBC News the loss of 124 of her is. Be mounted by someone hit before the bombardment was called off after 20.. Temporarily from P-W who became Vice Admiral Light Forces [ 70 ], Barham was under repair 5... Said Riverside curator Emily Malcolm men lost is at this link Hipper five! The command of the six-inch gun casemates was enclosed by a Fairey Swordfish in 1938 succeeded! Queen Elizabeth-class battleship with one 15-inch shell at 09:15 9 June until relieved by Warspite on February! Smoke rising from the doomed battleship HMS Barham & # x27 ; s blew. Was succeeded by Captain richard Horne on 1 December and departed Alexandria to the... Each other and said, 'right, let 's get up top! ' for Dakar on 21 September had.
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