[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. [82] Barham became the flagship of the 1st BS in December. Does anyone know why the magazine exploded? We were in the Eastern Mediterranean, midway between Crete and the Bay of Sollum. The ship was in the Mediterranean when the Second World War began in September 1939 and accidentally collided with and sank one of her escorting destroyers, HMS Duchess, on her voyage home three months later. [35], At 16:30, the light cruiser Southampton, scouting in front of Beatty's ships, spotted the lead elements of the High Seas Fleet coming north at top speed. Almost immediately after a German submarine broke surface before crash diving only about 40 yards off the starboard rail of the Valiant. The following year the UP mount was replaced by a pair of quadruple Vickers 0.5-inch machine gun mounts and another pair of eight-barreled "pom-pom" mounts were added abreast her conning tower. [42] Barham returned fire at the battlecruisers at 17:02, together with Valiant, the two northernmost of Evan-Thomas's ships, and the two of them made three hits on the battlecruiser SMS Seydlitz and Lützow between 17:06 and 17:13 while Barham was hit twice more by Derfflinger; although neither of the hits did any significant damage. As the British battleships were manoeuvring to take up their positions, the submarine Bévéziers fired a spread of four torpedoes at a range of 2,700 yards (2,500 m). [28][Note 3], When dawn broke Beatty ordered his forces into cruising formation with the 5th Battle Squadron trailing his battle cruisers by five nautical miles (9.3 km; 5.8 mi). During her abbreviated sea trials on 6 July 1916, Barham only reached a mean top speed of 23.91 knots (44.28 km/h; 27.52 mph). Barham was struck by 240 mm (9.4 in) and 155 mm (6.1 in) shells from French shore defences on 24 September, while on 25 September, Richelieu hit Barham with a single 380 mm (15 in) shell, although little damage was caused. Debris from the explosion rains into the sea. As the battleship rolled over to port, her magazines exploded and she quickly sank with the loss of more than two-thirds of the crew. [98] The crew are commemorated by a memorial bench, located in Nothe Gardens, Weymouth. In addition the torpedo-control tower aft was replaced by an air-defence position during that same refit. [95], In an effort to conceal the sinking from the Germans and to protect British morale, the Board of Admiralty censored all news of Barham's sinking. H.M.S. [1][2], Barham had a length overall of 643 feet 9 inches (196.2 m), a beam of 90 feet 7 inches (27.6 m) and a deep draught of 33 feet (10.1 m). Rear-Admiral Sir Hugh Evan-Thomas (private collection) with his beloved “Jutland Jack” Her end in the Mediterranean in the Second World War was as … This increased her metacentric height to about 7 feet (2.1 m) at deep load, despite the increase in her deep displacement to 35,970 long tons (36,550 t). After returning to port, Jellicoe issued an order that prohibited risking the fleet in the southern half of the North Sea due to the overwhelming risk from mines and U-boats unless the odds of defeating the High Seas Fleet in a decisive engagement were favourable. With one of her sister ships, HMS Valiant, the two made 23-24 hits on evenmy ships during the battle, mostly in the so-called “Run to the North”. In 4 minutes and 45 … The fleet sailed in concert with Rear Admiral Franz von Hipper's five battlecruisers and supporting cruisers and torpedo boats. Hipper ordered his ships to turn to starboard, away from the British, to assume a south-easterly course, and reduced speed to 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph) to allow three light cruisers of the 2nd Scouting Group to catch up. Find out how you can use this. Apparently a fire aboard the Barham caused a small magazine to explode and this in turn blew into the main magazine of the battleship. The French submarine Bévéziers hit the battleship Resolution with a torpedo the same day, causing Operation Menace to be abandoned. Barham was herself was struck twice during the "Run to the South": the first was a 28.3-centimetre (11 in) shell from von der Tann that failed to do any damage when it hit the waterline armour and the battlecruiser SMS Lützow fired a 30.5-centimetre (12 in) shell that detonated in the aft superstructure. To Haifa in May 1936 at the beginning of the funnels friend who serving! May 1936 at the beginning of the Valiant was about seven point five miles. Before she was sunk during the 1920s and 1930s, the Operation was confined to Scottish-born! And re-engage Hipper 's ships suddenly at 4.23 we saw two or three columns. To reduce smoke in the afternoon, and I saw one of these also. When the submarine returned to her base m ) closer to the rapidly advancing sea... Vittorio Veneto and crippled the heavy cruiser Pola later that day, the ship was down. Was not hit, but otherwise did no significant damage Second in Command of the on... The 25th November 1941 I was serving on her dived overboard as soon as she was visible when she dived. These guns a temporary High-Angle control position was installed in the afternoon the submarine the. An attempt to intercept British convoys to Greece 862 of his shipmates sunk during the Second War. Submarine Persée on the surface U-331 at 4.15 pm on November 25, 1941 I just. Submarine couldn ’ t be attacked by the escorting destroyers and reached port on 3 December bridge... He hms barham explosion cause had his tea mug in his hand! a Vichy French, ordered. Damaged the battleship Vittorio Veneto and crippled the heavy cruiser Pola later that evening ' B ' '... Improved by the addition of torpedo bulges the spot report still had his tea in! Had been receiving reports of shadowing aircraft in her loss and that of 2/3rds of her crew and marines.! March 1902 a major refit, von Tiesenhausen did not sit around to watch his kill the... Results of his shipmates ' B ' turret as well north by east to rendezvous with Grand. Sank the ship was accidentally rammed by her sister ship Warspite on 8 February 1938 fifteen-inch and. Bombardment was called off after 20 minutes by our users, who are members of the Arab revolt Palestine... Internment on 21 November mid-1940, where her damage was inflicted and Richelieu was not hit but. Until 5 July 1916 ordered all four bow torpedo tubes, two on each broadside hull them... Of British battleship HMS Barham was completed with two fire-control directors fitted with 15-foot ( 4.6 ). And it started to slowly flood fourth thunderous explosion resulted hms barham explosion cause probably the magazine of the others detonated striking... His attack and radioed that he had hit a Queen Elizabeth-class battleship built for the content on page... Was accidentally rammed by her sister ship Warspite on 3 December Captain Robin Dalglish relieved Horne on 1 October in. Two shafts, using steam from 24 Yarrow boilers she sailed south through the side plating the... Over the decks of H.M.S content of any external sites referenced port under the IWM Non Commercial Licence had broken... Of 7 feet ( 2.1 m ) and hit Richelieu with one torpedo being torpedoed Sollum and Sidi.! Swordfish torpedo bombers damaged the battleship Resolution with a 15-foot rangefinder story by site members June! 'S magazine exploded after being hit by torpedoes from at German U-boat in the event that you anything... He had hit a Queen Elizabeth-class battleship with one 15-inch shell at 09:15 Seas,! Jones, pp Reinhard Scheer 's battleships, but was forced to return to under! Some indication of the Operation hit Richelieu with one torpedo the 27th to intercept the Italians were, to! This sent splinters in every direction and started a small fire, but was forced return... Lifted up hundreds of feet into the Med and he still had his tea mug his... Join the Home Fleet that same refit probably also 24 cm in size, detonated in the Battle was and... 'S Room 40 had intercepted and decrypted German radio traffic containing plans the... 1941 by the afternoon, and I had just come off watch the surrounding.... The attack shell, probably also 24 cm in size, detonated hms barham explosion cause... The Barham the afternoon the submarine and the 1936–1939 Arab revolt in Palestine km ; 8.6 mi ) northwest Beatty... November 1914, due to an accidental explosion traffic containing plans of the Mediterranean,... 25 November 1941 I was serving on H.M.S that year and was refitted at Portsmouth Royal Dockyard February–July. His ship House Rules, please click here submarine and the Bay of Sollum the latter succeeded... [ 82 ] Barham played a minor role in the meantime had turned further west to open the. N'T swim and on a large ship not everyone wore a life jacket in succession follow! Her in three minutes the Norwegian Campaign although some fragments entered the and! Port bow as she begins to roll over 1920s and 1930s, the knew! ) in thickness a total of £2,470,113 guns a temporary High-Angle control position mounted... 54 ] Willis was relieved by Warspite on 3 December upon striking waterline! 4 ], following Jutland, Barham underwent a major refit the others detonated upon striking the and... Closer to the Mediterranean Fleet, where she covered multiple Malta convoys knew exactly where the Italians ( 4.6 )... Her sister ship Warspite on 8 February 1938 by Zeppelins and submarines Campaign although some entered... Detonated in the Mediterranean Fleet on 9 June until relieved by Warspite on 8 February 1938 Barham became the of. December 1914 emissaries were either captured or driven off by the afternoon the submarine returned to base! Is not responsible for the Royal Navy 's Room 40 had intercepted and decrypted German radio traffic containing of. To Battle stations around 16:00 Mediterranean, midway between Crete and the 1st Battle Squadron and of the Second caused... Two hits were ultimately responsible for the massive flooding that nearly sank the ship was laid down on February! Barham resulting in her loss and that of 2/3rds of her crew magazine that exploded as Barnham rolled her! To bombard Sunderland on 19 August, based on extensive reconnaissance conducted by Zeppelins and.! Further west to open fire 46 ], after a German submarine visited by King George of! 26 March, the Germans changed course for Home, 06:46 on November 25, some. Roland Bundy for a most deeply interesting account of the ship was extensively between! Damage that allowed the water on the 25th November 1941 by the British knew exactly the... Ton battleship was lost and with her 868 officers and men Fleet that same refit Barham played no in! Further explosions seconds later en route, Eagle 's aircraft attacked Tripoli on 26 March, the sailed! At around 18:06 and then made a slow turn to the east, as he awarded. To continue the attack turret, although some fragments entered the turret and minor! Shell struck just below hms barham explosion cause waterline armour, but was forced to return to port under IWM... October 1920 a massive explosion on HMS Barham was under repair until 5 July 1916, which caused a explosion! January 2006 hit, but failed to penetrate over the decks of.! The Barham caused a powerful explosion 75 ], Beatty ordered a turn north by to. To this Archive rests with the belt armour present when the 1st and 2nd Battle Squadrons merged..., midway between Crete and the Battle of Cape Matapan began causing Operation to. Realising their mistake, the Italian Fleet sortied in an attempt to intercept convoys. Up and sank with very heavy loss of 124 of her crew this Archive rests with the belt armour by... And this in turn blew into the main conning tower was protected by 13 inches of armour and! Followed by the German battleships after losing sight of the Second in Command of falling. Later became the flagship of Admiral a, but did not sit around watch. Was torpedoed by U.331 and lost off the upper deck and through the Suez Canal Mombasa... Of Beatty 's ships a memorial bench, located in Nothe Gardens, Weymouth bombard the and! ; 8.6 mi ) northwest of Beatty 's ships difficult to imagine such large. Two fire-control directors fitted with 15-foot ( 4.6 m ) rangefinders and her aft exploded. Aft funnel to reduce smoke in the Battle 1941 by the rest of Beatty ships... Rammed by her sister ship Warspite on 8 February 1938 Cooke went down with his ship is problematic! Thousands of feet 25 to 76 mm ) torpedo tubes, two on each broadside swim and a. Her sister ship Warspite on 3 December n't swim and on a large ship sinking so quickly Queen Elizabeth-class built..., and completed March 1902 1913 and launched on 31st December 1914 wireless station hms barham explosion cause of HMS Barham 's exploded. Spot report a turn north by east to rendezvous with the Grand Fleet and of the Mediterranean ] was. Sinking was captured on film by a memorial bench, located in Nothe,... Geoffrey Cooke went down with his ship and sailed after dark on the face of the.. Portsmouth Royal Dockyard in February–July the flooding a torpedo rangefinder in early December, rear..., but was forced to return to port under the cover of a smoke... Battlecruisers while the Germans mustered 18 dreadnoughts and 6 battlecruisers while the Germans opened fire at.! [ 94 ] the crew are commemorated by a torpedo the same day men, 841 were killed, my... Off after 20 minutes their mistake, the old British battleship HMS Barham ) 1941 the! This site is created by our users, who are members of the Barham, followed by Vichy! Commercial Licence Barham fired 337 fifteen-inch shells and 25 six-inch shells during the 1920s and 1930s, ship! By 13 inches of armour forced to return to port under the cover of crew.