Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Ginger Beer
Barham had extra torpedo protection fitted when she was modernized in the early 1930s, in the form of bulges along the sides of the hull. However I would imagine captain of U-331, H. D. Freiherr von Tiesenhausen, would have been well aware of that, and probably set his torpedoes to explode under the keel. There's never much in the way of armour along the bottom of a warship.  |
Hmm, but she shouldn't have listed to Port if the torpedoes had exploded under the keel...
And Tiesenhausen didn't even know which battleship he had attacked, so he couldn't have been aware of the "upgrading" of HMS Barham.
Quote:
|
...It was approximately 16.00hrs (English teatime) when the torpedoes where released and most of the officers and men of the Barham were below decks enjoying the tradition break in the day. Three of the torpedoes hit the port side of the ship just below the water line causing it to take on water. The forth torpedo hit the port 4inch magazine causing a fire that subsequently spread to the main magazines. Within moments the magazines began to explode. After the torpedoes had struck, the internal lighting and communication systems failed causing panic and confusion to follow amongst the crew. The Barham at the time was operating the correct degree of watertight subdivision for cruising, but she listed too quickly for any effective countermeasures to be carried out...
|
Take a look over
here for excellent info about this tragic event, inluding the eyewitness account of battery gun “Sight setter” Bryan Samuels, who was "hurled into space" by the explosion and was rescued after 2 1/2 hours in the water ...must have been one hell of a nightmare...
