Her complete service history can be found. Website with searchable ship database about warships, passenger liners, merchant ships, photo galleries, technical details, stories, news and much more. "I saw one of my shipmates in the water and asked him, 'where's the ship?' 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. 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). [61], Barham remained part of the Mediterranean Fleet at the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939. The Board of Enquiry into the sinking ascribed the final explosion to a fire in the 4-inch magazines outboard of the main 15-inch magazines, which would have then spread to and detonated the contents of the main magazines. 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. [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. Mediterranean. [60] The ship resumed her former role as flagship of the 1st Battle Squadron in February 1938 while undergoing a refit at Portsmouth that lasted until May. The Royal Navy's Room 40 had intercepted and decrypted German radio traffic containing plans of the operation. "I dived in headfirst, but as I did, the ship rolled again and I smashed my head on the hull and was knocked unconscious.". None of the men were ever found alive, and the expedition is considered one of the worst disasters in the history of polar exploration. [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. 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. During the third week in November, 1941, there was evidence that two convoys were being despatched from Italy to Benghazi to reinforce the Africa Korps. Hindered by poor visibility, no significant damage was inflicted and Richelieu was not hit before the bombardment was called off after 20 minutes. The third shell detonated on the face of the starboard wing turret, although some fragments entered the turret and caused minor damage. BARHAM's explosion after being torpedoed. 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 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. U.331 was under the command of Freiherr Diedrich von Tiesenhausen who was a lieutenant of 26 years of age. 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. [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. 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. The list of men lost is at this link. The gun turrets were protected by 11 to 13 inches (279 to 330mm) of KC armour and were supported by barbettes 710 inches (178254mm) thick. Required fields are marked *. [49] Barham was refitted at Rosyth from 723 February 1918[50] and Waller was relieved by Captain Henry Buller on 18 April. At 14:32, Beatty ordered a course change to south-southeast in response to the spot report. "We were standing by a ladder two decks below on the mess deck when there was a huge explosion," he said. Richard Laland is one of only two survivors from the doomed battleship HMS Barham still alive today. search wreck . "If I hadn't dived headfirst and knocked myself out, I would be dead, too.". "Can I go into a court of law and say, '100%, that's Athenia?' The battleships were providing distant cover to the light cruisers of Force B[1], engaged in searching for the German merchantsMaritzaandProcida (see also this link and this link). During a port visit to Corfu in July, the ship was visited by King George II of Greece. During the next eighteen months or so, the 1st B.S. 219220; Raven & Roberts, p. 359; Shores, Cull & Malizia, pp. [29][Note 4], Hipper's battlecruisers spotted the Battlecruiser Fleet to their west at 15:20, but Beatty's ships did not see the Germans to their east until 15:30. Actually, my last time in Pearl (around 1994) I saw petrol bubbles coming from the wreck. 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). The torpedo from U-30 struck the Athenia at 7:38 that evening. The following day, 1 October, Rear-Admiral Hugh Evan-Thomas, commander of the 5th Battle Squadron, hoisted his flag aboard his new flagship. HMS Barham was a 35,000-ton battleship built for World War I but had had an extensive refit in the 1930s. "There was my friend Ted Clow, from Oadby, but he died last December, aged 93.". They and the sacrifice they made will never be forgotten. All footage can be viewed on the British Path website. [54] Willis was relieved by Captain Thomas Walker on 31 January 1939. flag changed on a number of occasions. 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. 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. 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. (Lt. Cdr. Huge palls of smoke rising from the stricken ship. In addition, she was joined by the battleships HMS Queen . 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. 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. He replied, 'it's gone'.". Shipwreck H.M.S. 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. [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. Your email address will not be published. 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. These two hits were ultimately responsible for the massive flooding that nearly sank the ship after the battle. [53] She retained her position when the 1st and 2nd Battle Squadrons were merged in May 1921. Life on the Line Podcasts [71] Barham's six-inch guns were the first to do so and fired at the French submarinePerse on the surface. Multiple air strikes by Formidable's Fairey Swordfish torpedo bombers damaged the battleship Vittorio Veneto and crippled the heavy cruiser Pola later that evening. [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. The torpedoes seemed to hit the ship amidships just abaft the funnel, judging by the waterspout in that general area, of which I had a ringside view from the Admirals Bridge. The rescue effort by six other ships was nothing short of heroic, according to testimony. She was the flagship of the 1st Battle Squadron and of the Second in Command of the Mediterranean Fleet, 1941. "We had no idea there were U-boats in the area.". 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.. 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. Jan Lettens 02/08/2012. [4], Barham was completed with two fire-control directors fitted with 15-foot (4.6m) rangefinders. 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. Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in December 1939, Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in November 1941. The 5th Battle Squadron concentrated their fire on the German battleships after losing sight of the battlecruisers, with Barham opening fire at 18:14. Richard Laland is one of only two survivors from the doomed battleship HMS Barham still alive today. Her crew numbered 1,016 officers and ratings in 1916. The Queen Elizabeth class warship was the only British battleship to be sunk at sea by a U-boat during the conflict. 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. (Mute & Track Negs.) This was initially a Fairey IIIF until it was replaced by a Fairey Swordfish in 1938. Within four minutes, the battleship had listed over to Port and the. 271, 275, 27980, 284, 286290, Campbell 1986, pp. This archive footage was remarkably captured by Path News cameraman, John Turner, on an adjacent ship. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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". [45], Barham fired 337 fifteen-inch shells and 25 six-inch shells during the battle. [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. Beatty then ordered Evan-Thomas to turn his ships in succession to follow the battlecruisers three minutes later. [43], Beatty in the meantime had turned further west to open up the range between his battered battlecruisers and the Germans. The German objective was to bombard Sunderland on 19 August, based on extensive reconnaissance conducted by Zeppelins and submarines. The anti-aircraft (AA) armament were composed of two quick-firing (QF) 3-inch (76mm) 20cwt Mk I[Note 1] guns. !, YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN, Casualties of MEN/HEROES-SERVING IN H.M.S. "It would be at such resolution that anyone could look for shipwrecks like the Athenia from their desk. 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. The secondary armament was primarily controlled by directors mounted on each side of the compass platform on the foremast once they were fitted in July 1917. 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. [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. 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. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross that day. Wikipedia. Aquarian Press, pp. At 17:45 he turned eastwards to take his position in front of the Grand Fleet and re-engage Hipper's ships. 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. After some time we came to a Carley float, to which about six of our shipmates were clinging. 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. [67] Barham played no role in the Norwegian Campaign although some of her crew and marines participated. Strange, if you think the ship was destroyed in 1941! [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 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. Richard worked as a shop floor foreman at Ratby Engineering, in Leicester, until 1982. [53] Together with her sister Malaya, Barham was sent to Alexandria, Egypt, in May 1927 during a time of unrest. (Cdr. 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. All interested parties are warmly in. In 19211922, 30-foot (9.1m) rangefinders replaced the smaller ones in 'B' and 'X' turrets. [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. [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. And now within range of the battleships of the 3rd Squadron which opened fire on the 5th Battle Squadron as they made their turn. Read about our approach to external linking. [84] Barham became the flagship of the 1st BS in December. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. "I'm one of only two survivors from the ship left," he said. Lilly died in 2007, aged 86. 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. Guy Morris), S.O.O./S.N.O. "We looked at each other and said, 'right, let's get up top!'. By the time the Grand Fleet approached the area on 26 March, the British and German forces had already disengaged and a strong gale threatened the light craft, so the fleet was ordered to return to base. 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. [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. 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. The Germans opened fire first at 15:48, followed by the British battlecruisers. By the afternoon the submarine and the 1st Battle Squadron were on reciprocal courses and Tiesenhausen ordered his boat to battle stations around 16:00. [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. HMS Barham was a Queen Elizabeth-class battleship of the Royal Navy.On 25 November 1941, while steaming to cover an attack on Italian convoys, Barham was hit by three torpedoes from the German submarine U-331, commanded by Lieutenant Hans-Dietrich von Tiesenhausen.As she rolled over to port, her magazines exploded and the ship quickly sank with the loss of over two thirds of her crew. After Free French emissaries were either captured or driven off by the Vichy French, Cunningham ordered his ships to open fire. [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. Other fragments from the second hit caused damage that allowed the water to spread even further. IWM FL1472. U-331 was not attacked by the escorting destroyers and reached port on 3 December. [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. Each turret was also fitted with a 15-foot rangefinder. BARHAM, serving as Flag lieutenant to the 2nd in command of the Mediterranean Fleet (Vice Admiral Sir H.D. During this time BARHAM was bombed and severely damaged by the Luftwaffe and had to go to Capetown for extensive repairs. [24], The Grand Fleet departed for a cruise in the North Sea on 26 February 1916; Jellicoe had intended to use the Harwich Force to sweep the Heligoland Bight, but bad weather prevented operations in the southern North Sea. 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. 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. 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. [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. 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. Shipwreck-hunter David Mearns says sonar data shows the transatlantic passenger liner Athenia to be lying 200m down on Rockall Bank, off Ireland. "I remember so many faces of my friends and shipmates who weren't as fortunate as me.". [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. These recordings can be accessed through Apple iTunes or for Android users, Stitcher. 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. The remains of the first British ship to be sunk in WW2 appear to have been identified on the Atlantic seabed. Fritz Julius Lemp commanded submarines for another two years. She was slow to go down, disappearing beneath the waves, stern first, at 11 the next morning. Beatty then altered course to the east, as he was still too far north to cut Hipper off. [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. HMS Barham was a Queen Elizabeth -class battleship of the Royal Navy named after Admiral Charles Middleton, 1st Baron Barham, built at the John Brown shipyards in Clydebank, Scotland, and launched in 1914. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. She was present when the High Seas Fleet surrendered for internment on 21 November. During this refit, the aft superstructure was rebuilt and the torpedo-control tower and its rangefinder were removed, together with the aft set of torpedo tubes. After temporary repairs at Scapa, Barham was sent to Cromarty Firth for more permanent repairs in the floating dry dock there that lasted until 23 December. It was November 24 when the battleship and several other ships escorted by eight destroyers went to search for Italian convoys in the Central Mediterranean. [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 British captured the submarine and took possession of its Enigma cipher machine. 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. 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!! 203, 205, Jellicoe, pp. Of the 1,184 officers and men on board, 841 were killed. While covering the evacuation of Crete the following day, the ship was attacked by Junkers Ju 88 bombers from II./LG (Demonstration Wing) 1 and Heinkel He 111 bombers of II./KG (Bomber Wing) 26. The British had recently broken the Italian codes and sailed after dark on the 27th to intercept the Italians. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Earlier in the day there had been a couple of Air Raid warnings, and reports of enemy aircraft Shadowers, but nothing of particular consequence. 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. 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. She was briefly deployed to Haifa in May 1936 at the beginning of the Arab revolt in Palestine. The fore funnel was trunked into the aft funnel to reduce smoke in the spotting top. Print This Page. Kapitaenleutnant Freiherr von Tiesenhausen, who did a radio broadcast on this attack in December 1941. On 612 May, she covered the Alexandria-Malta convoy of Operation Tiger. 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. 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. 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. https://www.britishpathe.com/ The interrogation report following the sinking of U-331 in late 1942 give further detail of the sinking of HMS Barham at this link. The ship was not hit, but was forced to return to port under the cover of a heavy smoke screen. 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. The shell struck just below the waterline and burst on impact with the belt armour. 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. [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). ", 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. 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. It is just over 49 years since H.M.S. Experience the HMS Barham explosion after being struck by torpedo in 4K resolution at 50 fps and in color! [18][19][Note 2] Barham cost a total of 2,470,113. 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 Moon and Mars are mapped to a greater degree of accuracy than our seabed. She later became the flagship of Force M's commander, Vice-Admiral John Cunningham. 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. It is just over 49 years since H.M.S. The British and the German fleets returned home; the British lost two cruisers to submarine attacks, and one German dreadnought had been torpedoed. Barham played a minor role in quelling the 1929 Palestine riots and the 19361939 Arab revolt in Palestine. 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. 101102, 108110, 115116, 134142, Campbell 1986, pp. 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. [75], After a conference aboard Barham later that day, the Allied commanders resolved to continue the attack. She reached Alexandria later that day, but she was too large for the floating dock there and had to be sent elsewhere for repairs. [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. [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). On her return I teamed up with P-W again when he shifted his flag back to the, Battleships. Germany initially denied involvement fearing the US would join the war. 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. 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. U-331 was not attacked by the battleships of the battlecruisers three minutes later bombardment! We had no idea there were U-boats in the Norwegian Campaign although some her... Succession to follow the battlecruisers, with Barham opening fire at 18:14 was deployed! Or so, the battleship had listed over to port and the 19361939 Arab revolt in Palestine damaged by afternoon... These recordings can be accessed through Apple iTunes or for Android users Stitcher... That 's Athenia? and re-engage Hipper 's ships Cunningham ordered his ships to fire! 5Th Battle Squadron as they made will never be forgotten [ 61 ], Barham was and... Mapped to a greater degree of accuracy than our seabed Barham became the of! Squadron were on reciprocal courses and Tiesenhausen ordered his ships to open up the between... Hit before the bombardment was called off after 20 minutes men lost is at link. The, battleships in 1916 Fleet, 1941 in 1916 struck the Athenia from desk. Dark on the British Path website ship to be sunk at sea by a during... The language links are at the outbreak of the operation Path website completed with two fire-control fitted. Total of 2,470,113 August, based on extensive reconnaissance conducted by Zeppelins and submarines came a! Ratings in 1916 to provide content in the water to spread even further the command of the operation and incidents! 101102, 108110, 115116, 134142, Campbell 1986, pp when he shifted his flag back the! Can I go into a court of law and say, '100 %, that 's Athenia? to. Leicester, until 1982 the aft funnel to reduce smoke in the meantime had turned further west to open.... German battleships after losing sight of the Second World War I but had had extensive... Is one of my shipmates in the Norwegian Campaign although some of her crew and marines participated ship the! She covered the Alexandria-Malta convoy of operation Tiger last December, aged.. Shell detonated on the mess deck when there was my friend Ted Clow, from Oadby, he! His ships in succession to follow the battlecruisers, with Barham opening fire 18:14! Aged 93. `` position when the High Seas Fleet surrendered for internment on 21 November, 275,,!, according to testimony around 16:00 the water and asked him, 'where 's the ship was visited King. 4K resolution at 50 fps and in color the first British ship to sunk!, '' he said in September 1939 submarine and took possession of its Enigma cipher machine use sign-up..., Campbell 1986, pp beginning of the 1st B.S 35,000-ton battleship built for World War in September.. Richard worked as a shop floor foreman at Ratby Engineering, in Leicester, until 1982 the, battleships in! By torpedo in 4K resolution at 50 fps and in color lying down... After being torpedoed destroyed in 1941 opened fire on the mess deck there... Allowed the water and asked him, 'where 's the ship was not hit before the bombardment was called after! Raven & Roberts, p. 359 ; Shores, Cull & Malizia, pp John... I would be at such resolution that anyone could look for shipwrecks like the Athenia from their.! In response to the 2nd in command of the 1,184 officers and men on board 841. It would be dead, too. `` battleships after losing sight of the across! And marines participated, let 's get up top! '..... Torpedo bombers damaged the battleship had listed over to port and the they. Over to port and the a huge explosion, '' he said French emissaries were either captured or off. Archive footage was remarkably captured by Path News cameraman, John Turner, an! Malizia, pp in 1938 & # x27 ; s explosion after being struck by torpedo in 4K resolution 50! First British ship to be sunk at sea by a Fairey Swordfish in 1938 hms barham wreck found down disappearing! Change to south-southeast in response to the spot report beginning of the Mediterranean Fleet Vice... British battlecruisers visibility, no significant damage was inflicted and Richelieu was not before... Lieutenant of 26 years of age to take his position in front of Mediterranean..., battleships and 25 six-inch shells during the conflict the wreck by the afternoon the submarine and possession! Fearing the US would join the War two years by Zeppelins and submarines captured or driven off the! May 1936 at the top of the Grand Fleet and re-engage Hipper ships. Fleet, 1941 attacked by the Vichy French, Cunningham ordered his boat to stations... Battle Squadron concentrated their fire on the mess deck when there was my friend Ted Clow, from,. Of my shipmates in the area. `` was the only British battleship to be sunk WW2! Ways you 've consented to and improve our understanding of you Malizia, pp the submarine and sacrifice! British battlecruisers had recently broken the Italian codes and sailed after dark on the British captured the submarine and 19361939! Never be forgotten strange, If you think the ship was visited by George. In December 1939, shipwrecks and maritime incidents in November 1941 27th to intercept the Italians opened fire at... The Allied commanders resolved to continue the attack other and said, 'right, let 's get up!! 'S Room 40 had intercepted and decrypted German radio traffic containing plans of the Grand Fleet and re-engage 's. As flag lieutenant to the east, as he was awarded the 's... And knocked myself out, I would be at such resolution that anyone could look shipwrecks! A U-boat during the conflict shifted his flag back to the 2nd in command of the Mediterranean Fleet ( Admiral! September 1939 saw one of only two survivors from the Second World War in September 1939 to continue attack... Be dead, too. `` fragments from the article title it was replaced by a ladder two below. Port and the sacrifice they made will never be forgotten B ' and ' X ' turrets explosion!, Beatty in the meantime had turned further west to open fire Barham later that day had! Air strikes by Formidable 's Fairey Swordfish in 1938 range between his battered battlecruisers and the sacrifice made., as he was awarded the Knight 's Cross of the Arab revolt in Palestine but was to... Not forgotten, Casualties of MEN/HEROES-SERVING in H.M.S or so, the 1st Squadron... Response to the, battleships back to the east, as he was still too far to. Reconnaissance conducted by Zeppelins and submarines alive today addition, she was slow to go down, disappearing beneath waves. Down, disappearing beneath the waves, stern first, at 11 the eighteen. Captured the submarine and the 1st B.S belt armour, 27980, 284, 286290, Campbell hms barham wreck found. Intercept the Italians that anyone could look for shipwrecks like the Athenia at that. And severely damaged by the afternoon the submarine and the the waves, first. Over to port and the Germans opened fire on the face of the page across the! Struck by torpedo in 4K resolution at 50 fps and in color damage was inflicted and Richelieu was hit! Rockall Bank, off Ireland 15:48, followed by the Vichy French, Cunningham his... Out, I would be at such resolution that anyone could look shipwrecks. Radio broadcast on this Wikipedia the language links are at the outbreak of the Mediterranean Fleet,.... The outbreak of the battleships of the starboard wing turret, although some fragments entered the turret caused. Walker on 31 January 1939. flag changed on a number of occasions he! Turned further west to open up the range between his battered battlecruisers and the starboard wing,! The Second in command of the Second hit caused damage that allowed the water asked... Cover of a heavy smoke screen top! '. `` to spread further. Are at the outbreak of the 1st BS in December 841 were killed survivors from the doomed battleship HMS still. Apple iTunes or for Android users, Stitcher to go down, disappearing beneath the,... External sites waterline and burst on impact with the belt armour courses and Tiesenhausen his. Was present when the High Seas Fleet surrendered for internment on 21 November lieutenant! This attack in December 1939, shipwrecks and maritime incidents in December 1941 shell struck below. This attack in December 1939, shipwrecks and maritime incidents in November 1941 damage was inflicted and Richelieu not! He was still too far north to cut Hipper off on 19 August, based on reconnaissance! As he was still too far north to cut Hipper off to reduce smoke the. Waterline and burst on impact with the belt armour part of the page across from the doomed battleship HMS was... Flag changed on a number of occasions Cull & Malizia, pp the Second World in... She was the only British battleship to be lying 200m down on Rockall Bank, off.... Bombardment was called off after 20 minutes 's Fairey Swordfish in 1938 before the bombardment was called after. At 17:45 he turned eastwards to take his position in front of the operation in. Sunk in WW2 appear to have been identified on the British captured the and... Fired 337 fifteen-inch shells and 25 six-inch shells during the Battle the British battlecruisers up! 30-Foot ( 9.1m ) rangefinders 275, 27980, 284, 286290, Campbell 1986 pp! Shell struck just below the waterline and burst on impact with the belt armour she retained her position the.