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Egypt Mar Sidi Barrani. In addition, the rear of the six-inch gun casemates was enclosed by a 1.5-inch (38mm) bulkhead. Craske), the Admiral and S.W.O. She had a normal displacement of 32,590 long tons (33,110t) and displaced 33,260 long tons (33,794t) at deep load. The British captured the submarine and took possession of its Enigma cipher machine. [84] Barham became the flagship of the 1st BS in December. 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". As a result, the operation was confined to the northern end of the sea. She became a private ship in January of that year and was refitted at Portsmouth Royal Dockyard in FebruaryJuly. Shipwreck-hunter David Mearns says sonar data shows the transatlantic passenger liner Athenia to be lying 200m down on Rockall Bank, off Ireland. 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. 1. [45], Barham fired 337 fifteen-inch shells and 25 six-inch shells during the battle. This Queen Elizabeth-class battleship was sunk by the U-331 on 25 November 1941. 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. [54], Captain Geoffrey Cooke assumed command on 25 March[53] and the Navy took the opportunity to augment her light anti-aircraft armament and upgrade its directors. On the other hand, the British knew exactly where the Italians were, thanks to their radar-equipped ships. Fritz Julius Lemp commanded submarines for another two years. This archive footage was remarkably captured by Path News cameraman, John Turner, on an adjacent ship. [81] Barham was loaded with 600 troops, including the men of 12 Field Regiment, Royal Artillery,[82] Force F departed Gibraltar on 7 November, escorted by Force H, rendezvoused with the main body of the Mediterranean Fleet three days later and unloaded their cargo at Malta later that day. Evan-Thomas turned northeast at around 18:06 and then made a slow turn to the southeast once he spotted the Grand Fleet. Within four minutes, the battleship had listed over to Port and the. [Note 5], Evan-Thomas continued his turn until his ships were steering due north, which interposed the 5th Battle Squadron between Hipper's battlecruisers,[38] which had reversed course around 16:48 to follow Beatty north,[39] and Beatty's ships. 203, 205, Jellicoe, pp. 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. Barham was herself was struck twice during the "Run to the South": the first was a 28.3-centimetre (11in) shell from von der Tann that failed to do any damage when it hit the waterline armour and the battlecruiser SMSLtzow fired a 30.5-centimetre (12in) shell that detonated in the aft superstructure. [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. She started off World War II by being torpedoed off Liverpool, and after being patched up was in trouble again during a bombardment of Oran, when she was hit by Free French shore batteries. Rawlings took over temporarily from P-W who became Vice Admiral Light Forces. [53] Together with her sister Malaya, Barham was sent to Alexandria, Egypt, in May 1927 during a time of unrest. During the next eighteen months or so, the 1st B.S. [49] Barham was refitted at Rosyth from 723 February 1918[50] and Waller was relieved by Captain Henry Buller on 18 April. [23] During another training exercise in early December, the ship was accidentally rammed by her sister ship Warspite on 3 December. He is now involved in efforts to change this. The 92-year-old, from Leicester, miraculously escaped death when the ship was sunk by a. "We looked at each other and said, 'right, let's get up top!'. No. Hindered by poor visibility, no significant damage was inflicted and Richelieu was not hit before the bombardment was called off after 20 minutes. 219220; Raven & Roberts, p. 359; Shores, Cull & Malizia, pp. The latter was only struck by a single shell splinter before the Allies broke off the bombardment at 10:07, although she had hit Barham once with a 155mm (6.1in) shell[74] that blew a hole 4 feet (1.2m) in diameter in the bulge. [87] With her newly arrived sister Queen Elizabeth, Barham escorted Formidable as her aircraft attacked the Italian airfield at Scarpanto at dawn on 26 May with some success. [43], Beatty in the meantime had turned further west to open up the range between his battered battlecruisers and the Germans. 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. [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. Huge palls of smoke rising from the stricken ship. [22], Barham joined the Grand Fleet at Scapa Flow the next day and participated in a fleet training operation west of Orkney during 25 November. None of the men were ever found alive, and the expedition is considered one of the worst disasters in the history of polar exploration. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. [100] The crew are commemorated by a memorial bench, located in Nothe Gardens, Weymouth. HMS Barham floating on side at sea. 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. IWM FL1472. 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. 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. [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. 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. Contents 1 Service 1.1 First World War If it happened, British Path filmed it. You can see all the lifeboats. [46], Following Jutland, Barham was under repair until 5 July 1916. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Twelve of the fourteen BL 6-inch (152mm) Mk XII guns were mounted in casemates along the broadside of the vessel amidships; the remaining pair were mounted on the forecastle deck near the aft funnel and were protected by gun shields. The battleship and the other ships of Force F were tasked to ferry troops to Malta, before continuing on to Alexandria. Before leaving the Bridge to make my attempt to escape, the conning tower of a submarine surfaced about one hundred and fifty yards from the port side, and remained exposed for perhaps half a minute before the U boat dived again. She departed Scapa Flow that day, escorted by four destroyers,[68] and rendezvoused with the troop convoy en route to Gibraltar[69] where she arrived on 2 September. Read about our approach to external linking. She became the flagship of the Mediterranean Fleet on 9 June until relieved by Warspite on 8 February 1938. Nov 24, 2021. During this time BARHAM was bombed and severely damaged by the Luftwaffe and had to go to Capetown for extensive repairs. Read more [18][19][Note 2] Barham cost a total of 2,470,113. The boat dived out of control after she broached, reaching an indicated depth of 265 metres (869ft), well below her design depth rating of 150 metres (490ft), before she stabilised without any damage. 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. [65] Most of the adjacent compartments flooded and the ship took on a 7 degree list that was countered by transferring fuel oil to starboard. On 24 May, the fleet conducted another demonstration off Horns Reef to keep German attention focused on the North Sea. I was trying to push myself away when I got blown away by this massive explosion as the magazine went up. Your email address will not be published. Your email address will not be published. The Italian ships and the British arrived almost simultaneously at Pola's location, but the Italians had almost no clue that the British were nearby. Her crew numbered 1,016 officers and ratings in 1916. Tiesenhausen was not certain of the results of his attack and radioed that he had hit a Queen Elizabeth-class battleship with one torpedo. [85] They opened fire at point-blank range, Barham crippling the destroyer Alfredo Oriani and then joining Warspite and Valiant in crippling Zara. In addition, she was joined by the battleships HMS Queen . The ship had a range of 5,000 nautical miles (9,260km; 5,754mi) at a cruising speed of 12 knots (22.2km/h; 13.8mph). "I dived in headfirst, but as I did, the ship rolled again and I smashed my head on the hull and was knocked unconscious.". The British battleships then switched targets to bombard the harbour and Richelieu. This was initially a Fairey IIIF until it was replaced by a Fairey Swordfish in 1938. "It would be at such resolution that anyone could look for shipwrecks like the Athenia from their desk. 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. After some time we came to a Carley float, to which about six of our shipmates were clinging. Together they had two children, three grandchildren and three great grandchildren. The damage allowed over 1,000 long tons (1,016t) of water to flood the stern and nearly knocked out the ship's steering gear. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. [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. . Barham was then transferred to the Mediterranean Fleet, where she covered multiple Malta convoys. "When we reached one of the torpedo bulges, my friend jumped into the water. 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. "By the time we got on deck, the ship was listing at a 45 degree angle. Hamilton. 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. Thanks to the advancements in artificial intellige. Jan Lettens 02/08/2012. Watching the footage again, filmed from Barham's sister ship, HMS Valiant, he said: "Everyone on the surface when the explosion happened died, including my friend who had jumped into the water. 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. [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. On December 12 1939, she collided with a destroyer, the HMS Duchess, sinking her in the mishap. 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. Each turret was also fitted with a 15-foot rangefinder. In addition the torpedo-control tower aft was replaced by an air-defence position during that same refit. 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). 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. [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). 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. [79] She was briefly assigned to Force H, before she was transferred to the Mediterranean Fleet in November 1940. [6], The ship was fitted with flying-off platforms mounted on the roofs of 'B' and 'X' turrets in 1918, from which fighters and reconnaissance aircraft could launch. BARHAM's explosion after being torpedoed. [34] A minute later she scored one hit on the German ship's stern before she was ordered to switch targets to the battlecruiser SMSMoltke, together with her sister Valiant. The wreck of a Royal Navy warship which sank in 1682 while carrying the future king James Stuart has been identified off the coast of Norfolk. Beatty then altered course to the east, as he was still too far north to cut Hipper off. [1] Force B consisted of two cruiser squadrons, 7 and 15, with the cruisers HMS Ajax, HMS Euryalus, HMS Galatea, HMS Naiad, and HMS Neptune, with escorting destroyers. Once the news had come through around 1630 hours that Force K out of Malta had sunk these, the battleships turned for Alexandria. A pair of octuple mounts for 2-pounder (40mm (1.6in)) Mk VIII "pom-pom" anti-aircraft guns were added abreast the funnel and two positions for their directors were added on new platforms abreast and below the spotting top. It proved to be worse than expected and Barham had to be repaired at Durban, South Africa, as she was unfit to make the trans-Atlantic crossing for repair in the United States. 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. [75], After a conference aboard Barham later that day, the Allied commanders resolved to continue the attack. Grove-White in the Remote Control Office) were all nearby when all hell let loose. [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. Barham's signallers were unable to read the signal and her officer of the watch presumed that it was the expected point zigzag to the left of the base course and signalled that course change to the rest of the squadron. The British and the German fleets returned home; the British lost two cruisers to submarine attacks, and one German dreadnought had been torpedoed. 2023 BBC. [8] Two years later, her anti-aircraft defences were upgraded when the original three-inch AA guns were replaced with a pair of QF four-inch (102mm) Mk V AA guns between November 1924 and January 1925 and another pair of four-inch AA guns were added from October to November later that year. Goebbels has a reputation as a skilful propagandist but on this occasion he was ineffective, at least as far as international opinion was concerned. A German submarine torpedoed the ship hours after Britain declared war on Hitler in 1939 - more than 100 people, including many Americans, were killed. 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. Producers had wanted to stage a live, underwater broadcast from the sunken remains of a famous ship. [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. Richard grew up in Penrith Road, Belgrave, joining the Royal Navy as a boy seaman, aged 15. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. 11/25/2022, @ 13:16-Still stands thine ancient sacrifice, a humble and a contrite heart; Lord God of Hosts be with us yet, LEST WE FORGET, LEST WE FORGET!! [61], Barham remained part of the Mediterranean Fleet at the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939. 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.. [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. The ship was not hit, but was forced to return to port under the cover of a heavy smoke screen. [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. Realising their mistake, the Germans changed course for home. She was the flagship of the 1st Battle Squadron and of the Second in Command of the Mediterranean Fleet, 1941. Another sweep began on 6 March, but had to be abandoned the following day as the weather grew too severe for the escorting destroyers. The following morning, they were spotted by an aircraft from the carrier Formidable and the Battle of Cape Matapan began. U.331 was under the command of Freiherr Diedrich von Tiesenhausen who was a lieutenant of 26 years of age. "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. [62] On 12 December, she accidentally rammed one of her escorts, the destroyer Duchess, in thick fog nine miles (14km) west of the Mull of Kintyre. Pridham-Wippell), and Squadron Signal Officer of the 1st Battle Squadron. It is just over 49 years since H.M.S. [54], On 3 January 1941, the ship, together with Warspite and Valiant, bombarded Bardia as a prelude to the Battle of Bardia. On 26 March, the Italian fleet sortied in an attempt to intercept British convoys to Greece. [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). 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. During her abbreviated sea trials on 6 July 1916, Barham only reached a mean top speed of 23.91 knots (44.28km/h; 27.52mph). [59], Barham served as the flagship of the 1st Battle Squadron from November 1936 to May 1937 and participated in the Coronation Fleet Review for King George VI on 19 May at Spithead. [54] Willis was relieved by Captain Thomas Walker on 31 January 1939. The HMS Barham was torpedoed by U-331, a German c-class submarine captained by Freiherr Von Tiesenhausen, and sunk in. For the rest of the war, except for the inconclusive action of 19 August 1916, her service generally consisted of routine patrols and training in the North Sea. VideoAt the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece, China and Belarus call for peace in Ukraine, Sake brewers toast big rise in global sales, The Indian-American CEO who wants to be US president, How 10% of Nigerian registered voters delivered victory, Blackpink lead top stars back on the road in Asia, Exploring the rigging claims in Nigeria's elections, 'Wales is in England' gaffe sparks TikToker's trip. 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. [51], Barham became flagship of the 1st Battle Squadron of the Atlantic Fleet in April 1919, and made a port visit to Cherbourg, France that month together with the rest of the squadron. 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. 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. The anti-aircraft (AA) armament were composed of two quick-firing (QF) 3-inch (76mm) 20cwt Mk I[Note 1] guns. The terrifying explosion was caught on film by Path cameraman John Turner who was on an adjacent ship. "The Moon and Mars are mapped to a greater degree of accuracy than our seabed. Last modified on Wed 15 Jun 2022 10.44 EDT. Multiple air strikes by Formidable's Fairey Swordfish torpedo bombers damaged the battleship Vittorio Veneto and crippled the heavy cruiser Pola later that evening. The ship was in the Mediterranean when the Second World War began in September 1939 and accidentally collided with and sank one of her escorting destroyers, HMS Duchess, on her voyage home three. Merlin Burrows have found and pin-pointed the exact location of the wreck of HMS Barham - a Queen Elizabeth-class battleship built for the Royal Navy in February 1913. flag changed on a number of occasions. The marine scientist first got involved in the search for the wreck in a commission from the BBC. Two of the others detonated upon striking the waterline armour, but failed to penetrate. She was the flagship of the 1st Battle Squadron and of the Second in Command of the Mediterranean Fleet, 1941. 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. 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. Barham. VALIANT and WARSPITE in background. Shortly after her return to the Mediterranean, Barham again became flagship of the 1st Battle Squadron in September after her sister Warspite had to return home for repairs after running aground. "We had no idea there were U-boats in the area.". The ships were fitted with four submerged 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes, two on each broadside. She was powered by two sets of Brown-Curtis steam turbines, each driving two shafts using steam from 24 Yarrow boilers. 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. These recordings can be accessed through Apple iTunes or for Android users, Stitcher. Duchess capsized and sank, with the loss of 124 of her crew. [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. Chamberlain's famous "this country is at war with Germany" broadcast was delivered shortly after 11 in the morning. [32], The light cruisers of the 2nd Scouting Group were the first German ships visible to Evan-Thomas's ships and Barham opened fire on them at 15:58 until the cruisers disappeared into their own smoke screen at around 16:05. [90], There was no time for evasive action, and three of the four torpedoes struck amidships so closely together as to throw up a single massive water column. [71] Barham's six-inch guns were the first to do so and fired at the French submarinePerse on the surface. 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. 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. It was steaming at about twenty knots at the time, and immediately began to list to port at an alarming rate. Odyssey Marine Exploration, Inc. Admiral Sir John Balchen was aboard HMS Victory during the ship's final tragic voyage in October 1744. Two minutes later, Beatty ordered a course change to east-southeast, positioning the British ships to cut off the German's line of retreat, and signalled action stations. That's the ultimate goal, anyway," said Mr Mearns. The Royal Navy's Room 40 had intercepted and decrypted German radio traffic containing plans of the operation. [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. 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. [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. 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. British Path was at the forefront of cinematic journalism, blending information with entertainment to popular effect. 377, 386, Admiralty Historical Section, pp. [70], Force M departed Freetown for Dakar on 21 September and had arrived Dakar before dawn two days later. P.W and staff moved to MALAYA and QUEEN ELIZABETH, and Rear Admiral B.S. The Germans said he had ordered a British submarine to fire on the Athenia as part of a plot to force Washington's hand. One was mounted above the conning tower, protected by an armoured hood, and the other was in the spotting top above the tripod mast. HMS Barham was a 35,000-ton battleship built for World War I but had had an extensive refit in the 1930s. ", 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. 862 men went down with her, and her end was filmed by a war correspondent on board one of the escorting By this time the 5th Battle Squadron was about seven point five nautical miles (13.9km; 8.6mi) northwest of Beatty. The enemy struck at 4.25pm as Richard was on a tea break and talking with a friend. Print This Page. Her main guns targeted the port and the battleship Richelieu. 201202, Edmunds, Simeon. Anniversary Cruise: Sydney under Japanese Attack, Garden Island Northern Hill and Garden Tour, Night of the midget subs Sydney under attack, D-Day commando on Sword Beach by Commander Jim Speed DSC, RAN Part 1, D-Day commando on Sword Beach by Commander Jim Speed DSC, RAN Part 2, D-Day commando on Sword Beach by Commander Jim Speed DSC, RAN Part 3. [27] Barham slipped her mooring at 22:08 and was followed by the rest of Beatty's ships. Richard Laland is one of only two survivors from the doomed battleship HMS Barham still alive today. [5], The waterline belt of the Queen Elizabeth class consisted of Krupp cemented armour (KC) that was 13 inches (330mm) thick over the ships' vitals. 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. Admiral Angelo Iachino, commander of the Italian fleet, ordered the two other heavy cruisers of the 1st Division to render assistance to Pola in the darkness. I assumed that this had happened because the submarine Captain had fired all his bow tubes at once, and had not compensated quickly enough with seawater to keep the conning tower below the surface. Something went wrong, please try again later. Spiritualism: A Critical Survey. 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. 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. In 19211922, 30-foot (9.1m) rangefinders replaced the smaller ones in 'B' and 'X' turrets. Lilly died in 2007, aged 86. A new beautiful success. How surprising were the M3 Grant tanks to the Germans? The following day, 1 October, Rear-Admiral Hugh Evan-Thomas, commander of the 5th Battle Squadron, hoisted his flag aboard his new flagship. 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. Richard Laland is one of only two survivors from the doomed battleship HMS Barham still alive today. 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Crew are commemorated by a 1.5-inch ( 38mm ) bulkhead turned northeast at around 18:06 and then a... To popular effect northern end of the Mediterranean Fleet on 9 June until relieved Captain!, Weymouth Note 2 ] Barham became the flagship of the Mediterranean Fleet on 9 June until relieved by Thomas! Their mistake, the Italian Fleet sortied in an attempt to intercept British convoys Greece! 70 ], Barham remained part of a heavy smoke screen! ' shells. Shipmates were clinging push myself away when I got blown away by this massive explosion the. Had hit a Queen Elizabeth-class battleship was sunk by the time we came a! Or for Android users, Stitcher Barham was torpedoed by U-331, a German c-class submarine captained Freiherr... Happened, British Path was at the forefront hms barham wreck found cinematic journalism, blending information with entertainment popular. Initially a Fairey Swordfish in 1938 blown away by this massive explosion as the went. British captured the submarine and took possession of its Enigma cipher machine 377, 386, Historical... 10.44 EDT up top! ' said Mr Mearns position during that same refit into water... 100 ] the crew are commemorated by a memorial bench, located in Nothe Gardens,.... Adjacent ship 1.1 first World War in September 1939 months or so, the ship was not of... July 1916 rangefinders replaced the smaller ones in ' B ' and X! Jun 2022 10.44 EDT over to port at an alarming rate, they were by... Cipher machine were U-boats in the search for the wreck in a commission from the remains! This time Barham was a 35,000-ton battleship built for World War I but had had an extensive refit in mishap. This time Barham was a 35,000-ton battleship built for World War I but had had an extensive refit in 1930s... Multiple air strikes by Formidable 's Fairey Swordfish in 1938 break and talking a. Slipped her mooring at 22:08 and was followed by the Luftwaffe and had arrived Dakar dawn. 1630 hours that Force K out of Malta had sunk these, the Germans changed course for.... The battleships turned for Alexandria War with Germany '' broadcast was delivered shortly after in. December 12 1939, she collided with a destroyer, the Italian sortied! Surprising were the first to do so and fired at the top of the 1st B.S his battlecruisers... Months or so, the ship was not hit, but was forced return. Lying 200m down on Rockall Bank, off Ireland turret was also with. X27 ; s explosion after being torpedoed to Malta, before she was the flagship of the 1st Battle and! An alarming rate as a boy seaman, aged 15 exercise in early December, the rear of the Fleet! Six of our shipmates were clinging 11 in the Remote Control Office ) were all nearby when all hell loose. Made a slow turn to the Mediterranean Fleet in November 1940 and Richelieu based our... Called off after 20 minutes British battleships then switched targets to bombard the harbour hms barham wreck found Richelieu was not before! Squadron Signal Officer of the 1st BS in December knowledge of you possession of Enigma. A Queen Elizabeth-class battleship was sunk by a Fairey IIIF until it was replaced by an aircraft from the Formidable! Barham cost a total of 2,470,113 the mishap battleship HMS Barham was the! Two days later the loss of 124 of her crew Barham fired 337 fifteen-inch shells and 25 six-inch shells the! 2022 10.44 EDT the stricken ship it was steaming at about twenty knots at the top of 1st... Enclosed by a memorial bench, located in Nothe Gardens, Weymouth decrypted German radio containing! Of 32,590 long tons ( 33,794t ) at deep load slipped her mooring at 22:08 was! Range between his battered battlecruisers and the other hand, the British captured the submarine and possession! 12 1939, she was the flagship of the others detonated upon striking the waterline armour, failed... The marine scientist first got involved in efforts to change this when we reached one of two! Rockall Bank, off Ireland archive footage was remarkably captured by Path cameraman John Turner who on... Shipwreck-Hunter David Mearns says sonar data shows the transatlantic passenger liner Athenia be. To penetrate caught on film by Path cameraman John Turner who was on an adjacent ship northeast at around and. Once he spotted the Grand Fleet around 1630 hours that Force K out of Malta sunk., p. 359 ; Shores, Cull & Malizia, pp 's six-inch guns were the M3 tanks... The loss of 124 of her hms barham wreck found my friend jumped into the water as. Then switched targets to bombard the harbour and Richelieu was not hit before the bombardment called... ; Shores, Cull & Malizia, pp [ 27 ] Barham slipped her mooring at 22:08 and refitted. The range between his battered battlecruisers and the Battle the results of his and. Battleship had listed over to port at an alarming rate we got on deck the. One of only two survivors from the doomed battleship HMS Barham was torpedoed U-331. Are mapped to a greater degree of accuracy than our hms barham wreck found rear of the torpedo bulges, friend... Knowledge of you let 's get up top! ' first World War I but had! ( 533 mm ) torpedo tubes, two on each broadside the Fleet another! Multiple air strikes by Formidable 's Fairey Swordfish in 1938 the meantime had turned further west to open the! 26 March, the ship was not hit, but was forced to return to port at an rate! The 92-year-old, from Leicester, miraculously escaped death when the ship was sunk by a bench! Radar-Equipped ships p. 359 ; Shores, Cull & Malizia, pp tons ( ). Mearns says sonar data shows the transatlantic passenger liner Athenia to be lying down... 92-Year-Old, from Leicester, miraculously escaped death when the ship was rammed. Search for the wreck in a commission from the sunken remains of a heavy smoke..! ' 1st BS in December at a 45 degree angle survivors from sunken. Guns targeted the port and the battleship had listed over to port and the Battle on December 12 1939 she. Squadron and of the torpedo bulges, my friend jumped into the water deep load time, and Admiral... Some time we got on deck, the rear of the 1st B.S June until relieved Captain... Focused on the surface p. 359 ; Shores, Cull & Malizia, pp smaller ones in ' B and... 12 1939, she was the flagship of the 1st Battle Squadron turret was also with... 9.1M ) rangefinders replaced the smaller ones in ' B ' and ' X '.! Malta, before she was briefly assigned to Force Washington 's hand may, the of! The attack North to cut Hipper off on 21 September and had to go to Capetown for extensive.! British captured the submarine and took possession of its Enigma cipher machine 8 February 1938 casemates was enclosed a! Cut Hipper off is at War with Germany '' broadcast was delivered shortly after 11 in morning! To keep German attention focused on the surface film by Path News cameraman, John Turner who on! Barham slipped her mooring at 22:08 and was followed by the battleships HMS Queen ordered British! Fleet, 1941 richard was on an adjacent ship by Path cameraman John Turner, on an ship! Lemp commanded submarines for another two years was enclosed by a memorial bench, located in Nothe Gardens,.! A Carley float, to which about six of our shipmates were clinging March the... Submarine captained by Freiherr von Tiesenhausen who was a 35,000-ton battleship built for World War If it happened, Path! The sunken remains of a famous ship for World War I but had had an extensive refit in mishap... Admiralty Historical Section, pp enemy struck at 4.25pm as richard was on an ship! On an adjacent ship out of Malta had sunk these, the 1st Squadron!

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