Ark Royal Was 25 Miles From Gibraltar When She Sank

Northern Advocate, 17 November 1941, Page 5

Ark Royal Was 25 Miles From Gibraltar When She Sank

All But One Rating Accounted For

LONDON, November 16. THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER ARK ROYAL, WHICH SANK 1 AFTER BEING TORPEDOED BY A U-BOAT, WAS KEPT AFLOAT FOR NEARLY 12 HOURS WITH A GAPING HOLE AMIDSHIPS, WHILE OFFICERS AND RATINGS FOUGHT TO GET HER TO GIBRALTAR. She sank at 6.30 a.m., 25 miles from Gibraltar. Of the complement of 1600 only one rating is missing.

Hopeless Task In an account of the sinking of the Ark Royal, engineer officers said: “We found the switchboard smashed, but managed to get the dynamos working' with portable apparatus. We got the pumps started, but the water was l'ising fast. “The captain called for steam in the boilers. We managed to get some steam, but after a while the gauges fell and the light dimmed and we knew we had set ourselves a hopeless task. “After receiving our report at 4.30 a.m., the captain realised that the ship could not be saved and ordered everybody to abandon ship. A destroyer came alongside and took us off. The order was given, ‘everybody to the port side,’ and immediately afterwards, ‘prepare to abandon ship.’ Could Not Launch Boats “The men reached the boat stations on the weather deck and found it impossible. owing to the heavy list, to launch the lifeboats. Crowding the decks were hundreds of the ship’s crew. “Ropes began to snap down from the flight deck and cork rafts splashed into the sea. Then we saw a destroyer coming alongside and an officer ordered the men to form up four deep. “The destroyer came close under the rail. Ropes leaped up from her. were caught and made fast. Men began to slip down 15ft. of rope to the destroyer's forecastle. “Two hours later the Ark Roval plunged to her grave. Just before she sank she had a list to starboard of 35 degrees. Her stern reared up for a moment, then gently she slid beneath the waves.” 10,000 to 1 Chance .A graphic account of the sinking is given by a “Daily Express” staff reporter, who landed at Gibraltar. He says that when the torpedo struck, all the lights went out and the carrier’s tremendous bulk shuddered. “On rushing to the flight deck,” he says, “I found the ship already listing heavily. “An officer said: ‘The man who fired that torpedo would win the Calcutta Sweep. It was a 10,000 to 1 chance, because it was fired from right outside the destroyer screen at a distance of probably three to four miles.’ Weird Figures “Clouds of black smoke began to float up over the flight deck. Weird figures appeared wearing goggles, flying suits and Mae West lifejackets. There were hundreds of us. “Standing on the steeply sloping deck wa.» difficult, but the Ark Royal was still doing a fair speed, because the captain could not get a message to the engine room. A message ordering half speed astern and ‘take off the way’ was relayed from the flight deck. “Men quickly went to their posts, and some of us then, for the first time, realised that the ship might sink at any moment. Ratings began to throw debris of all kinds into the water to cling to when they jumped. Depth Charges “The satisfying ‘woomph’ of depth charges dropped by destroyers and throwing up columns of water was going on all around. As a destroyer slipped alongside the Ark Royal the order rang out, ‘Prepare to abandon snip.’ ‘Everybody went down on to the destroyer, laughing and joking. •Blimey, he's had time, to pack,’ remarked a rating as the paymastercommander arrived on deck with his records and two suitcases stuffed with banknotes worth £20,000. One fell into the sea, but it was quickly recovered. “Tugs and motor launches raced out from Gibraltar, and the fight for the Ark Royal went on the whole night. "They kept down the flood of water, but early in the morning the water gained and the ship was abandoned Defore dawn. Two hours later she rolled on her side and stayed there for some time. Then the stern listed and she sank.”