THRILLING STORY OF NARVIK ATTACK

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 97, 24 April 1940, Page 8

THRILLING STORY OF NARVIK ATTACK

GREAT SEA BATTLE. Heroic And Audacious Fight By British Navy. FINE WORK OF DESTROYERS. United Press Association.—Copyright. (Received 10.30 a.m.) LONDON, April 23. _ A thrilling story of what is considered the greatest sea battle of this "war can now be told from an authorised source—the story of the battle of Narvik on April 10. It begins at 1 a.m. when the Admiralty told Captain \\ arburon-Lec, commander of the destroyer Hardy and leader of a destroyer flotilla, that he must be the sole judge, after which the destroyer Hardy at 3 a.m. led the flotilla from the West Fiord into Ofoten Fiord. The weather was misty and it was snowing heavily. Hardy at 4.30 a.m. entered Narvik harbour alone. She saw a mass of shipping, including a large German destroyer. Hardy turned to port and fired torpedoes and simultaneously increased speed to 20 knots. Then, as she was swinging over the helm, two more large destroyers came into view. Hardy lired her torpedoes and guns. At that moment there was a loud explosion and a sheet of red flame from the first German destroyer and 1000 rounds of tracer ammunition went off into the air, looking like bright stars. One of Hardy's torpedoes had found its mark and one enemy ship was accounted for. Faced Superior Enemy Fire. The destroyer was "then hotly engaged by superior gunfire from enemy ships and shore batteries and, having fired her torpedoes, she withdrew.

Other British destroyers went into the attack and their, torpedoes played havoc among the German supply ships and transports.' German destroyers were hit and then Hardy-attached again and was immediately engaged by shore batteries and the "heavier guns of the two remaining : German destroyers in the harbopr. Hardy, again withdrew from the fight, six destroyers passing close to her. 1 ? %

German. Destroyers Hammered. ' Other 3 British destroyers attacked in .tiaras* hammering the German destroyers and batteries, which quickly, ceased fire, leading to the belitf that the opposition had broken.. ; Hardy led a third att^k,. but- as. she withdrew from thia she sighted three . large destroyers steaming - toward her' from Kombak Hard. \-. $-/' V The signal ta withdraw was given and: speed increased'.-to 30 knots. Hardy .simultaneously opened fire against leading; German ahipswhich were firing at her. As Hardy, leading the flotilla, turned down the fiord two more large German destroyers were- sighted ahead ahdiaction was- joined.' ; Seduced to Skamfeles. • The heavier' shells of the -German ships hit Hardy, -whose -bridge -was struck- and reduced to a shambles. 'Captain . Warburton-Lee was mortally wounded and the only min bn the bridge not killed or rendered'unconscious was the ■ captain's . secretary, PaymasterLieutenant Stanning, whose left foot was useless. His first lieutenant, Lieutenant-Commander Mansell, was keeping the remaining guns in action. Realising that the ship was still steaming fast with an unattended helm, Paymaster-Lieutenant Stanriing dragged himself to the wheelhouse, where- nobody : was alive. He took the- wheel and steered the ship looking through a shell hole. - An A.B. appeared soon afterwards and Paymaster-Lieutenant Stanning gave up th 6 wheel and returned to the- bridge, where he took charge of the 'ship.' The enemy came abreast, firing almost at point-blank range: Paymaster-Lieuten-ant Stanning had no idea what was happening aft. He decided to ram the enemy, but at that moment a shell struck Hardy's engineroom and steam escaped. The vessel immediately began to lose way and the officer then beached her in order to save life. Hardy was practically at a standstill when she went aground. One gun was still in action. The ship was under heavy fire at close range. Meanwhile, the destroyer Hunter was sunk, and Hotspur and Hostile damaged. Howaver, the Germans were by no means unscathed. In addition to six supply ships sunk, Hardy had torpedoed a German destroyer, and three others were seriously damaged and on fire. The enemy did not attempt to pursue the remaining British destroyers, which sank the ammunition ship Kavensfeld en route down the : fiord. - -