The Sinking of HMS Barham
My maternal grandfather, Kenrick James Lewington (Ken), lost his life on HMS Barham, when it was torpedoed on 25 November 1941. I've begun these threads, as I'm keen to glean more about Ken in the context of my own family history research, as well as to understand what the sinking meant for the British imaginary, both before and after the war.
This footage was recorded by a Pathe cameraman, John Turner, who was aboard HMS Valiant. It couldn't be shown publicly until the end of the war.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdrISbwy_zI
Barham was a British battleship, and part of the Meditteranean Fleet. On 25 November 1941, alongside HMS Queen Elizabeth and Valiant, plus an escort of eight destroyers, it was travelling to cover an attack on Italian convoys, when it was hit by three torpedoes from the German submarine U-331.
"How U-331 penetrated the destroyer screen to sink HMS Barham."
http://www.hmsbarham.com/images/ship/torpedo1.jpg
The German submarine U-331 was commanded by Lieutenant Hans-Dietrich von Tiesenhausen. The torpedoes were fired from a range of only 750 yards providing no time for evasive action, and struck so closely together as to throw up a single massive water column (see the Pathe footage in the previous passage).
Prefabricated hutments, Ilford - 1945
Telegraphists in prefabricated teleprinter room
http://www.scienceandsociety.co.uk/pr/146250717/SSPL_10570831_preview.jpg
Leading Telegraphist A.R. Bacon remained at his station following the first attack to alert accompanying ships of the presence of U-331, which greatly aided the search and rescue.
"HMS Barham on her beam ends as the magazine explodes."
From NavyPhotos.co.uk
http://www.navyphotos.co.uk/Battleships%20Cruisers%20Monitors/images/barham%20bat7s.jpg
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. Out of a crew of approximately 1,184 officers and men, 841 were killed, including my grandfather. Survivors were rescued by the other British ships.
Official letter from the Commodore of the British Navy to Mr. Ernest Anderson informing him that his son, John Edwin Anderson, Acting Leading Telegraphist, has been reported missing and is presumed dead. Full details are not given.
Taken from The HMS Barham Association website, the letters section.
http://www.hmsbarham.com/images/letters/letter25.jpg
The Admiralty was immediately notified of the sinking. In an effort to conceal the sinking from the Germans and to protect British morale, the Admiralty censored all news of Barham 's destruction. After a delay of several weeks the War Office notified next of kin, but they added a special request for secrecy: the notification letters included a warning not to discuss the loss of the ship with anyone but close relatives, stating it was "most essential that information of the event which led to the loss of your husband's life should not find its way to the enemy until such time as it is announced officially..."
The Admiralty was immediately notified of the sinking. In an effort to conceal the sinking from the Germans and to protect British morale, the Admiralty censored all news of Barham 's destruction. After a delay of several weeks the War Office notified next of kin, but they added a special request for secrecy: the notification letters included a warning not to discuss the loss of the ship with anyone but close relatives, stating it was "most essential that information of the event which led to the loss of your husband's life should not find its way to the enemy until such time as it is announced officially..."