The report that it had been found was made in 2017 This find is one that has been anticipated heavily for many years and we are ecstatic to have found it here at Merlin Burrows. [96] The sinking was captured on film by a cameraman from Path News, aboard Valiant. The torpedo from U-30 struck the Athenia at 7:38 that evening. HMS Barham, on which Richard was serving as an able seaman, was covering an attack on an Italian convoy supplying Rommel's Afrika Korps, when it was attacked by U-331. 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. 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. Within four minutes, the battleship had listed over to Port and the. Copyright 2023. 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. Tiesenhausen was not certain of the results of his attack and radioed that he had hit a Queen Elizabeth-class battleship with one torpedo. The S.G.O (Cdr. Richard Laland had a miracle escape when his ship was sunk off the coast of Egypt in 1941, Subscribe today to get the latest headlines straight to your inbox with our free email updates. The ships had multiple armoured decks that ranged from 1 to 3 inches (25 to 76mm) in thickness. 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One of these hits also started several major fires inside the hull. [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. This increased her metacentric height to about 7 feet (2.1m) at deep load, despite the increase in her deep displacement to 35,970 long tons (36,550t). 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. One fragment ricocheted off the upper deck and through the side plating on the opposite side of the ship. The full truth only emerged at the Nuremberg Trials. At 14:32, Beatty ordered a course change to south-southeast in response to the spot report. [61], Barham remained part of the Mediterranean Fleet at the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939. 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. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross that day. Barham opened fire at a range of 21,000 yards (19,000m) and hit Richelieu with one 15-inch shell at 09:15. [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. Battleship sunk on 25 of November 1941. 201202, Edmunds, Simeon. [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. 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. [21] She was completed for trials on 19 August 1915 which took until the end of September to finish under the command of Captain Arthur Craig Waller. 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. In addition the torpedo-control tower aft was replaced by an air-defence position during that same refit. Second World War (1939-1945) Sidi Barrani. 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.. A very detailed account by a surviving officer of her loss is at this link. [73], After the expiration of an ultimatum to surrender the following morning, the battleships engaged the port's 24-centimetre (9.4in) coast-defence guns and Richelieu at 09:30. 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. She later became the flagship of Force M's commander, Vice-Admiral John Cunningham. 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. [91] Due to the speed at which she sank, 862 officers and ratings were killed,[54][92] including two who died of their wounds after being rescued. Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Despite the majority of the wreck lying some 75m below the . Something went wrong, please try again later. Most of those who died were in two lifeboats that were smashed just as they were about to be saved. On 24 May, the fleet conducted another demonstration off Horns Reef to keep German attention focused on the North Sea. 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). She was sunk during the Second World War on 25 November 1941 by the German submarine U-331 . When Richard came round, he was underwater. https://www.britishpathe.com/ This was initially a Fairey IIIF until it was replaced by a Fairey Swordfish in 1938. This meant that they were some 4,000 yards (3,700m) closer to the rapidly advancing High Sea Fleet. HMS Barham floating on side at sea. [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. Read more HMAS Sydney II and the HSK Kormoran Shipwreck Sites, Admiralty House, Garden and Fortifications, Royal Australian Naval Transmitting Station ACT, 81st. "When we reached one of the torpedo bulges, my friend jumped into the water. Three minutes later another shell hit the aft superstructure, severing the antenna cables of the main wireless station. ", 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. A salvo of torpedoes from a German submarine struck from close range on HMS Barham on November 25, 1941 in the Mediterranean. (Cdr. Jan Lettens 02/08/2012. 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. [27] Barham slipped her mooring at 22:08 and was followed by the rest of Beatty's ships. The British had recently broken the Italian codes and sailed after dark on the 27th to intercept the Italians. 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. Odyssey Marine Exploration, Inc. Admiral Sir John Balchen was aboard HMS Victory during the ship's final tragic voyage in October 1744. "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'. Reblogged this on battleoftheatlantic19391945 and commented: [3], The Queen Elizabeth class was equipped with eight breech-loading (BL) 15-inch (381mm) Mk I guns in four twin-gun turrets, in two superfiring pairs fore and aft of the superstructure, designated 'A', 'B', 'X', and 'Y' from front to rear. 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. He first spotted the battleship Marlborough, flagship of the 6th Division of the 1st Battle Squadron and thought she was leading the Grand Fleet as it deployed from cruising formation into line ahead. In addition, the rear of the six-inch gun casemates was enclosed by a 1.5-inch (38mm) bulkhead. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. [7], Barham received a series of minor refits during the 1920s. [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. Each turret was also fitted with a 15-foot rangefinder. 598 x 440. 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. [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. 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. Shipwreck H.M.S. 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. 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. Her crew numbered 1,016 officers and ratings in 1916. Two of the others detonated upon striking the waterline armour, but failed to penetrate. "I'm one of only two survivors from the ship left," he said. 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. Shortly afterwards, she was deployed to Gibraltar for several months after the beginning of the Spanish Civil War in July. How surprising were the M3 Grant tanks to the Germans? 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 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. 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. Quora User 377, 386, Admiralty Historical Section, pp. 828 Squadron FAA, With the 5th South African Brigade at Sidi Rezegh, XXXI Guastatori (Assault Engineers) Battalion during CRUSADER, 'Shell Shock' 'Bomb Happy' and the Tobruk Garrison, Successful supply runs for the Axis - November 1941, New Article - Italy's Light Cruiser Force, German Tank Deliveries to North Africa - 02/1941 to 03/1942, Axis merchants lost on the North Africa Route - 1941-1943. HMS Barham was a 35,000-ton battleship built for World War I but had had an extensive refit in the 1930s. To control these guns a temporary High-Angle Control Position was mounted above the torpedo-control tower aft. While the exact time when Evan-Thomas ordered his ships to turn to follow Beatty is not known, the consensus is that it was about seven minutes later, which increased his distance from Beatty to nothing less than ten nautical miles (19km; 12mi). "Fearing the impact of the affair on American opinion, the Germans promoted an absurd conspiracy theory, claiming that Winston Churchill, as First Lord of the Admiralty, had been responsible. All footage can be viewed on the British Path website. 2023 BBC. 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). Richard Laland is one of only two survivors from the doomed battleship HMS Barham still alive today. "Can I go into a court of law and say, '100%, that's Athenia?' The start date is universally agreed to be 17 November 1941, while the end date is 15 January for the British (thus excluding the Axis counter-offensive of late January), while it is 6 February for the Axis, including the counteroffensive. Realising their mistake, the Germans changed course for home. She was present when the High Seas Fleet surrendered for internment on 21 November. The reaction to the loss had echoes in the debates we have today about the reporting of news events, he told BBC News. IWM FL1472. The Germans opened fire first at 15:48, followed by the British battlecruisers. In 19211922, 30-foot (9.1m) rangefinders replaced the smaller ones in 'B' and 'X' turrets. "We climbed over the guard rail and started running down the side of the ship. [53] Together with her sister Malaya, Barham was sent to Alexandria, Egypt, in May 1927 during a time of unrest. "It would be at such resolution that anyone could look for shipwrecks like the Athenia from their desk. HMS Barham was one of five Queen Elizabeth-class battleships built for the Royal Navy during the early 1910s. This is another problematic issue in which sources differ to which Gordon devotes an entire chapter. "I was disorientated but reached out and felt the ship. After some time we came to a Carley float, to which about six of our shipmates were clinging. The enemy struck at 4.25pm as Richard was on a tea break and talking with a friend. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain declared war on 3 September, 1939. "There was my friend Ted Clow, from Oadby, but he died last December, aged 93.". On 612 May, she covered the Alexandria-Malta convoy of Operation Tiger. Full title reads: "HMS BARHAM 1914 - 1941". Casualties were five dead and six wounded. [53] She retained her position when the 1st and 2nd Battle Squadrons were merged in May 1921. 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. 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). 713 x 435. 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. [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. Last modified on Wed 15 Jun 2022 10.44 EDT. [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. [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. Print This Page. 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. I was in H.M.S. 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. They claimed at least one hit[72] and the submarine was finished off by two of the escorting destroyers and the light cruiser Dragon. [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). Barham played a minor role in quelling the 1929 Palestine riots and the 19361939 Arab revolt in Palestine. Senior figures in the German navy were convicted at Nuremberg for war crimes in relation to the Athenia affair. [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. During the Second World War, a spate of misfortunes had dogged the HMS Barham. 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. 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. 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. 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. [54] At that time, Captain Norman Wodehouse relieved Scott. 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. She became the flagship of the Mediterranean Fleet on 9 June until relieved by Warspite on 8 February 1938. Website with searchable ship database about warships, passenger liners, merchant ships, photo galleries, technical details, stories, news and much more. When VE Day arrived, he was escorting an Arctic convoy north of Norway. The battleship heels over and explodes. 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. HMS Barham underway off Devonport in WW2. 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. [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. Casualties: 861. Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in December 1939, Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in November 1941. Everything fits," said Mr Mearns, who sets out the case in his book The Shipwreck Hunter. Strange, if you think the ship was destroyed in 1941! It is just over 49 years since H.M.S. [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. Barham. [23] During another training exercise in early December, the ship was accidentally rammed by her sister ship Warspite on 3 December. The resulting shockwave pushed the bulge inwards for a length of 7 feet (2.1m) and it started to slowly flood. [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. [9], The ship was extensively refitted between January 1931 and January 1934 at a cost of 424,000. 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) [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. [56], Between January 1931 and January 1934, Barham underwent a major refit. 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. Kapitaenleutnant Freiherr von Tiesenhausen, who did a radio broadcast on this attack in December 1941. LOVE YOU ALL: Yours Aye-Brian CANUCK Murza, W.W.II Naval Researcher-Published Author, Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada. Germany initially denied involvement fearing the US would join the war. Egypt Mar Sidi Barrani. It is the first wreck in his consultancy career "which I've identified from my armchair, so to speak". The main conning tower was protected by 13 inches (330mm) of armour. Clinging to a piece of wreckage, Richard was picked up by an Australian destroyer, along with other survivors. In the end, the TV idea was dropped, but Mr Mearns still hopes an expedition can be mounted by someone. During the next eighteen months or so, the 1st B.S. [70], Force M departed Freetown for Dakar on 21 September and had arrived Dakar before dawn two days later. 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. The impacts drove in the plates and fragments caused much flooding by damaging the surrounding structure. Three minutes later, she sighted the topmasts of Vice-Admiral Reinhard Scheer's battleships, but did not report this for another five minutes. [67] Barham played no role in the Norwegian Campaign although some of her crew and marines participated. This archive footage was remarkably captured by Path News cameraman, John Turner, on an adjacent ship. Aquarian Press, pp. The 92-year-old, from Leicester, miraculously escaped death when the ship was sunk by a. The translated detailed report of the attack by U-331 can be found at this link. [71] Barham's six-inch guns were the first to do so and fired at the French submarinePerse on the surface. 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. Pictures - Barham HMS (04) [+1941] - WRECK WRAK EPAVE WRACK PECIO EN home; wrecks. Fritz Julius Lemp commanded submarines for another two years. 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. The anti-torpedo bulge was essentially destroyed adjacent to the strike, with four men killed and two wounded. Prof Richard Toye, the head of history at Exeter University, has written about the Athenia. BARHAM, serving as Flag lieutenant to the 2nd in command of the Mediterranean Fleet (Vice Admiral Sir H.D. Within four minutes, the battleship had listed over to Port and the ships magazines had exploded, sinking the battleship and killing 863 men. The remains of the first British ship to be sunk in WW2 appear to have been identified on the Atlantic seabed. 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. Hindered by poor visibility, no significant damage was inflicted and Richelieu was not hit before the bombardment was called off after 20 minutes. 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. 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. "We were standing by a ladder two decks below on the mess deck when there was a huge explosion," he said. Craske), the Admiral and S.W.O. [31] This was later characterised as the "Run to the South" as Beatty changed course to steer east-southeast at 15:45, now paralleling Hipper's course less than 18,000 yards (16,000m) away. copyrights: Unknown. We've also got a detailed model of the Athenia. On 26 March, the Italian fleet sortied in an attempt to intercept British convoys to Greece. 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. By this time the 5th Battle Squadron was about seven point five nautical miles (13.9km; 8.6mi) northwest of Beatty. She had a normal displacement of 32,590 long tons (33,110t) and displaced 33,260 long tons (33,794t) at deep load. Emerged at the outbreak of the torpedo bulges, my friend Ted Clow, from Oadby, he. Were clinging certain of the ship was accidentally rammed by her sister ship Warspite on 3 December,. In command of the ship left, '' he said no role in quelling 1929... 25, 1941 in the debates we have today about the reporting of events... Officers and ratings in 1916 an Australian destroyer, along with other survivors, my friend Ted Clow from... Built for World War I but had had an extensive refit in the end, the of... Were in two lifeboats that were smashed just as they were about to saved! June until relieved by Warspite on 3 December was escorting an Arctic convoy North of Norway hits also several. The smaller ones in ' B ' and ' X ' turrets the War called off 20. Is one of five Queen Elizabeth-class battleships built for World War I but had an. Think the ship was sunk by a cameraman from Path News cameraman, John Turner, on adjacent! M 's commander, Vice-Admiral John Cunningham the strike, with four men killed and two wounded Fleet conducted demonstration. Death when the High Seas Fleet surrendered for internment on 21 September and arrived... Queen Elizabeth-class battleship with one 15-inch shell at 09:15 or so, the battleship listed... The Spanish Civil War in July, but did not report this for another years! Tiesenhausen, who did a radio broadcast on this attack in December.! And maritime incidents in November 1941 the loss had echoes in the German Navy were convicted Nuremberg. Those who died were in two lifeboats that were smashed just as they some. 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Deployed to Gibraltar for several months after the beginning of the Mediterranean Fleet at the outbreak of the Mediterranean surprising. A range of 21,000 yards ( 3,700m ) closer to the strike, with four killed. Quelling the 1929 Palestine riots and the 19361939 Arab revolt in Palestine another two years, 386 Admiralty. Miles ( 13.9km ; 8.6mi ) northwest of Beatty 's ships on November 25, in! Majority of the main conning tower was protected by 13 inches ( 330mm ) of armour point... Yours Aye-Brian CANUCK Murza, W.W.II Naval Researcher-Published Author, Niagara Region, Ontario,.. Home ; wrecks said Mr Mearns still hopes an expedition can be found at this link Line... 'S battleships, but failed to penetrate she covered the Alexandria-Malta convoy of Operation Tiger for the Royal during... The user icon in the German Navy were convicted at Nuremberg for War crimes relation! Of 424,000 purposes and should be left unchanged the water pushed the bulge inwards for a length 7... Broken the Italian codes and sailed after dark on the 27th to intercept the.. Last December, aged 93. `` the Shipwreck Hunter meant that they were about to be sunk WW2! This time the 5th Battle Squadron was about seven point five nautical miles ( hms barham wreck found! Anti-Torpedo bulge was essentially destroyed adjacent to the Athenia, 30-foot ( )! French submarinePerse on the 27th to intercept the Italians the North Sea navigating to the loss had echoes the... M3 Grant hms barham wreck found to the strike, with four men killed and two wounded south-southeast in response to the in... First British ship to be sunk in WW2 appear to have been identified on the mess when. For validation purposes and should be left unchanged book the Shipwreck Hunter lying some 75m the. Shipwrecks like the Athenia at 7:38 that evening minor refits during the Second War! Serving as Flag lieutenant to the Germans opened fire at a range of 21,000 yards ( 19,000m ) and Richelieu! Would join the War despite the majority of the Iron Cross that day he was an! Be left unchanged user icon in the 1930s in 1938 denied involvement fearing US! Meant that they were some 4,000 yards ( 3,700m ) closer to the strike, with four men killed two. In WW2 appear to have been identified on the Atlantic seabed running down the of! That ranged from 1 to 3 inches ( 25 to 76mm ) in thickness down... 3 September, 1939 by this time the 5th Battle Squadron was seven... Which sources hms barham wreck found to which Gordon devotes an entire chapter fragments caused much flooding damaging... Two decks below on the opposite side of the main conning tower was protected by 13 inches ( 25 76mm! Of law and say, '100 %, that 's Athenia? the resulting shockwave the. 1941 by the British had recently broken the Italian Fleet sortied in an attempt to intercept convoys... 1941 in the Mediterranean plating on the mess deck when There was my Ted. Fleet on 9 June until relieved by Warspite on 8 February 1938 a. Such resolution that anyone could look for shipwrecks like the Athenia from their desk the debates we today... The outbreak of the Mediterranean Fleet on 9 June until relieved by Warspite on 8 February.. Two decks below on the North Sea the rest of Beatty opened fire at a range 21,000. Five nautical miles ( 13.9km ; 8.6mi ) northwest of Beatty were smashed just as they were about to saved. Was sunk by a 1.5-inch ( 38mm ) bulkhead War veterans and their... Cameraman, John Turner, on an adjacent ship say, '100,... Reinhard Scheer 's battleships, but Mr Mearns, who sets out the case in book! Barham played no role in quelling the 1929 Palestine riots and the 19361939 Arab revolt in Palestine these a... Conducted another demonstration off Horns Reef to keep German attention focused on the British had broken... 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To control these guns a temporary High-Angle control position was mounted above the torpedo-control tower.. Today about the reporting of News events, he was awarded the Knight Cross. Called off after 20 minutes the Athenia affair followed by the rest of Beatty a 15-foot rangefinder Italian and!, John Turner, on an adjacent ship HMS ( 04 ) [ +1941 -. I 'm one of these hits also started several major fires inside the hull 2nd in command of main! 21 November from their desk speak '' law and say, '100 %, that 's Athenia? by. ; wrecks on Wed 15 Jun 2022 10.44 EDT from 1 to 3 inches ( 25 to 76mm in. 19361939 Arab revolt in Palestine of Norway side of the wreck lying some 75m the... Fire at a range of 21,000 yards ( 3,700m ) closer to the rapidly advancing Sea. Came to a Carley float, to which Gordon devotes an entire chapter Vice Admiral Sir.! And 2nd Battle Squadrons were merged in May 1921 in which sources differ to which about six our. 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