NAVY’S TRIUMPH

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 125, 26 April 1940, Page 7

NAVY’S TRIUMPH

SECOND NARVIK BATTLE. GERMANS ROUTED. GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) (British Official Wireless.) Received April 26, 11.50 a.m. RUGBY, April 25. The second battle of Narvik on April 13 in which seven enemy destroyers were destroyed and the shore batteries silenced at a cost of three British destroyers damaged is the subject of a stirring account published by the Admiralty. The weather was misty, with low clouds and drizzle, when at noon the British Naval force steamed up the head of the Vest Fiord towards Ofot Fiord and Narvik. The force was. led by the Icarus, and consisted of the destroyers Icarus, Hero, Foxhound, Kimberley and Forester, the Tribal class destroyers Bedouin, Punjabi, Eskimo and Cossack and the battleship Warspit. It was under the command of Vice-Admiral Whitworth, whose flag flew in the AVarspite, which is of 30.600 tons, mounting eight loin guns and eight six inch guns. To take so large a ship through the long narrow approach to Narvik was in itself a feat of navigation. It was, moreover, attended by great risks, since it was known that German destroyers lurked in the fiords and there was no knowing what traps they might have laid.

Air reconnaissance and the presence of the accompanying destroyers could reduce the dangers but by no means eliminate them. The first contact took place at 12.26 p.m. A German destroyer appeared out of the mist on the south side of the fiord. She was sighted almost simultaneously by the Icarus and Bedouin, which with the Punjabi and Cossack opened fire, hut the enemy turned away and disappeared in the mist. ENEMY SIGHTED. At 12.45 a German destroyer loomed up on the starboard side and was at once engaged by our destroyers whose fire she returned, Five minutes later another German destroyer of the same class came in sight and joined in the action. Our destroyers thus had two targets to engage. A few minutes later the Warspite opened fire. Some minutes before the British forces came abreast of Ballanger Bay, on the south side of Ofot Fiord, a warning was received from the Warspite’s aircraft that an enemy destroyer was lurking in the bay. This destroyer was sighted by the Icarus at 1.07 p.m. The German ship opened fire, and this was immediately returned. The Bedouin, Punjabi and Eskimo also engaged this enemy destroyer as soon as they came,m sight of her. This German destroyer made an obstinate resistance. In eight minutes, however, she was ablaze forward, amidships and aft, but one of her guns kept in action until she was finallv silenced by the Warspite. While this action was in progress the Britisli destroyers were still under fire j from two enemy destroyers to the east of them. More enemy destroyers anpea red until there were six enemy 6hips zig-zagging about ahead oi the British force. Having dealt faithfully with tlie enemy destroyer in Ballanger Bay. the Icarus, Bedouin, Panjabi and Eskimo sighted their fire oil these enemy destroyers. NAVAL DOGFIGHT. A veritable dogfight ensued with all ships firing rapidly and making large alterations of their course in order to dodge the fall of salvoes and keep their guns bearing. Many German salvoes fell close to the British ships at this period, but owing to skilful manoeuvring no ship was hit. At 1.30 p.m. aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm attacked the harbour works at Narvik. The Warspite was then approaching the position from which shewas to bombard the coastal fortifications. By this time the other British destroyers which had been to the northward were also in action with the enemy destroyers at a range of about three miles, (bo far as this destroyer action was concerned it lasted about half an hour and by 2.30 was decisive. The following is an extract from a bridge narrative of one of the destroyers: — “1.58 p.m,—One enemy was badly hit. 2.02:" Shore batteries firing. 2.03} : An enemy destroyer on fire. 2.05: A German destroyer hit by torpedoes. Another enemy on fire. 2.10: The enemy fired a torpedo. 2.14: enemy destroyer on fire. 2.15: 'lbis enemy again hit. 2.24: Two explosions on a second enemy destroyer to catch fire. 2.26: Two explosions on another burning enemy destroyer.” GERMANS FLEE. It seemed this was the end but four German destroyers, one badly damaged, fled up Rombaks Fiord dropping smoke neats to hinder the chase. Thus by 2.30 three of the enemy had been destroyed—one was a blazing wreck in I ulhmger Bay, one had drifted derelict north ol Narvik abandoned by her crew, who were swimming for shore, and the third had beached herself in Herjangs Fiord, to the north-cast. The remaining four German destroyers had sought refuge up Rombaks Fiord. Neither the Germans’ gunfire nor their torpedoes had had an effect on the British ships. While the destroyer action was m progress the Warspite was bombarding the shore batteries in the vicinity of Narvik Harbour assisted by Cossack, which went close into Narvik Harbour and engaged the shore battries fiercely at a range of less .than half a mile. The Cossack’s gunfire silenced the enemy howitzers. In this engagement with the shore batteries the Cossack was supported by the Punjabi and Foxhound. Meanwhile the Eskimo, Forester, Hero, Bedouin, and Icarus gave chase to the destroyers up Rombaks Fiord, which is to the east of Narvik and about ten miles long. Half-way up there is a narrow neck of only about 200 yards across and about two miles from the head of the fiord there is a fairly sharp bend. Thus there were two places which had to be passed without being able to see what lay ahead. As soon as the Eskimo passed through the narrow neck she came under fire. ESKIMO’S FEAT. The German destroyer which had been badly damaged had been beached on t.hc south side bend in the fiord

and opened fire as the FF-kimo came into view. The Hero readied the narrows to support the Eskimo, hut could go no further. There was not sufficient sea room in the fiord to manoeuvre. Tt was therefore left to the Eskimo to silence the enemy. This was soon accomplished but the Eskimo received «ome damage. When the other British destroyers came through the narrows they saw that this enemy was ablazt from stem to stern.

The Hero, supported by the Kimberley, then took' the lead ami advanced round the bend. At the head of the fiord lay the remains of the throe German destroyers. The most northerly, almost beam on. appeared undamaged. hut there was no sign of life on her. Only the bows of the middle one showed above the water. Tlie other was on fire aft but seemed otherwise all right. The Hero and the Kimberlv fired a few rounds at the two shins afloat, but the firing was soon cheeked as there was no reply from the enemy. FINAL SCENES ENACTED.

At 4.20 p.m. the Hero and Icarus sent armed parties in whalers to investigate tlie two German _ destroyers which remained afloat. Ihe whalers were on their way when the northernmost German destroyer listed to starhoard and slowly sank. She had been scuttled. British armed parties hoarded the remaining German destroyer, named Hans Lndamann. 'The men of the Hero hauled down the German ensign and rehoisted it with the White Ensign above it. A search revealed she was deserted except lor one wounded officer who was taken on board the tlcro as a prisoner. As the salvage of the Hans Lndamann was not practicable, the Hero sank the last of the seven German destroyers with torpedoes. The whole ship lifted in tlie air and came down in crumbling pieces. Then the British forces re-formed and withdrew, leaving the Ivanhoe and Kimberley m possession of the fiords. Later that night tlm Ivanhoe rescued tlm survivors of the Hardy from Ballanger. During the night a party of 120 Germans entered the town and surrendered to the 24 men of the armed guard who were lande from the Ivanhoe and at tlie request of the Norwegian authorities that these Germans should he kept in custody the Ivanhoe provided the local Norwegians, mostly miners,'with rifles and ammunition so that*,they should ho in a position to guard the large body ol German prisoners.