Destruction of oil stores at Dunkirk and blocking the harbour

Between 3-4 June 1940, British demolition parties destroyed military material at Dunkirk to deny its use by the enemy. This material included the port’s oil storage tanks. Dunkerque was the third-largest port in France and it was imperative that its facilities and its stores were either disabled or destroyed.

In addition to the demolitions on shore, the Royal Navy scuttled blockships in Dunkirk’s harbour to render it unusable by the Germans. These blockships were: SS Westcove (sunk 3 June), SS Holland (3 June), HMS Env. Nissan (3 June), SS Gurko (4 June), and SS Pacifico (4 June).

Ships off the beaches at Dunkirk, c.3 June 1940. Smoke billows from burning oil storage tanks. © IWM (C 1720)

Aerial view of burning oil tanks at Dunkirk, June 1940. © IWM (C 1723)

A Hudson of RAF Coastal Command patrols over Dunkirk, as oil storage tanks burn fiercely in the background, c. 3 June 1940. © IWM (C 1717)

Massey Shaw fireboat approaching Dunkirk, 2 June 1940 – painting by Rudolf Haybrook

London fireboat ‘Massey Shaw‘ approaching Dunkirk at 11PM on 2 June 1940. Painting by Rudolf Haybrook. With a volunteer crew from the London Fire Brigade, Massey Shaw made three trips to Dunkirk and evacuated over 500 troops.

The London Fire-Boat ‘Massey Shaw’ approaching Dunkirk at 11 pm on the 2nd June 1940© IWM (Art.IWM ART LD 248)

Duckworth’s Action off San Domingo, 6 February 1806 by Nicholas Pocock

Wonderful painting of the Battle of San Domingo (6 Feb 1806) by Nicholas Pocock, now in the collection of the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich.

Vice Admiral Duckworth’s dispatch after the battle was printed in the London Gazette on 24 March 1806.

Duckworth’s Action off San Domingo, 6 February 1806 by Nicholas Pocock

2nd January 1793 “The Childers Incident” first shot of the French Revolutionary War

HMS Childers. Painting in collection of National Maritime Museum, Greenwich.

OTDIH 23 October 1943

70-years ago today…

Großadmiral Karl Dönitz has 95 U-boats at sea. The Battle of the Atlantic was not over.

In the South Atlantic:

U-170, a Type IXC U-boat, KptLt Günther Pfeffer commanding, on its 2nd war patrol, torpedoed and sunk the unescorted Brazilian steam merchant Campos (4,663 GRT) 5-miles south of Alcatrazes Island, Brazil. The crew of 57 and 6 passengers took to the ship’s lifeboats, tragically two of which were struck by the ship’s screw, throwing the occupants to the water. 10 crew members and 2 passengers were lost.

SS Campos.

In the Black Sea:

U-23, a Type IIB U-boat, KptLt Rolf-Birger Wahlen commanding, on its 12th war patrol, torpedoed and sunk the Soviet motor merchant Tanais (372 GRT) anchored at Poti, Georgian SSR. The U-Boat was operating in the Black Sea with the 30th U-Boat Flotilla… having been transported overland to Konstanza, Rumania in 1942.

Type IIB coastal U-boat.

Setting a wartime record:

U-196, a Type IXD U-boat, KKpt Eitel-Friedrich Kentrat commanding, returned to Bordeaux, France… thus completing the longest patrol by any submarine during the Second World War: 256-days from 13 March to 23 October 1943.

KKpt Eitel-Friedrich Kentrat.

Attacked in the Atlantic:

U-190, a Type IXC U-boat, KptLt Max Wintermeyer commanding, on her 3rd war patrol, was surfaced ahead of convoy GUS-18 when attacked by the US Navy Gleaves-class destroyer USS Turner (DD-648). The Turner attacked the surfaced U-boat with her Mk 12 5-inch/38-caliber guns. When the U-190 submerged, the Turner attacked with depth charges… shock waves from which disabled the destroyer’s radar and sound gear. By the time Turner was able to resume her search, U-190 had escaped.

USS Turner (DD-648).

Royal Navy suffers double disaster during Operation Tunnel:

During Operation Tunnel, HMS Charybdis, a Dido-class cruiser commissioned into the Royal Navy in 1941, Captain George Arthur Wallis Voelcker, RN commanding, was sunk off north coast of Brittany, France in position 48º59’N, 03º39’W by 2 torpedoes from the German Elbing-class torpedo boats T-23 and T-27 (not MTBs, but torpedo-armed destroyers). 464 men died (including the commanding officer) and 107 survived.

HMS Charybdis.

During the same action, HMS Limbourne (L57), a Hunt-class escort destroyer, Cdr Walter John Phipps, RN commanding, was heavily damaged by German torpedo boats T-22 and T-24. Damaged beyond repair, Limbourne was sunk by gunfire from HMS Rocket (H92) and HMS Talybont (L18).

HMS Limbourne.

Clear evidence of French culpability in Argentine Exocet attacks on HMS Sheffield and Atlantic Conveyor

A “must listen” BBC documentary uncovering clear culpability of the French government and (state-owned) defence contractor Dassault in Argentine Exocet attacks on HMS Sheffield and Atlantic Conveyor.

Document – French Involvement in the Falklands War

Mike Thomson returns with Radio 4’s investigative history series, examining documents which shed new light on past events.

In the first programme of the new series, Mike investigates the role played by the French Government and defence industry during the Falklands War.

30 years on, it’s well documented that French President Francois Mitterrand was supportive of the British war effort – not least in the memoirs of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Yet Mike discovers papers which suggest there was a deep split within the French government.

BBC Radio 4
Producer: Laurence Grissell
Original broadcast date: 05/03/2012
28-minutes

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01cvkg4

OTDIH 12 Oct 1702 Anglo-Dutch fleet trounces Franco-Spanish at Battle of Vigo Bay

‘The Battle of Vigo Bay, 12 October 1702’ by Ludolf Backhuysen I. Painting in collection of National Maritime Museum Greenwich.

Italy’s 3 new frigates at sea together for the first time

Carlo Bergamini (F590) is a general purpose frigate while Virginio Fasan (F591) and Carlo Margottini (F592) are ASW variants. A total of 6 GP and 4 ASW frigates are planned for the Italian Navy. France will take 7 ASW frigates and 2 air-defence frigates. Morocco has accepted a single frigate into service.

“Nuovo successo per la Marina Militare e l’industria italiana” – Le prime tre FREMM prendono il largo

Golfo di La Spezia – Nel corso della mattina del 26 settembre il Golfo dei poeti ha tenuto a battesimo Nave Carlo Margottini che ha effettuato la sua prima uscita in mare. L’ultima “nata” del programma FREMM, strategico ed ambizioso programma di costruzioni navali militari in Europa che vede impegnati Francia ed Italia, rappresenta un successo programmatico nato dalla vincente sinergia tra la cantieristica italiana e la Marina Militare.

Nave Margottini, unitamente alle altre due FREMM (fregate europee multi-missione) italiane, realizzate da Orizzonte Sistemi Navali, la joint-venture fra Fincantieri e Selex ES, hanno lasciato per la prima volta tutte insieme i moli del cantiere del Muggiano per il mare aperto.

La capoclasse nave Carlo Bergamini, consegnata alla Marina Militare lo scorso maggio e le gemelle Virginio Fasan e Carlo Margottini, che dovrebbero essere consegnate rispettivamente entro fine anno ed il prossimo febbraio, hanno effettuato una serie di evoluzioni e prove nel corso della giornata volte a testare l’efficienza dei moderni imbarcati.

PANAMAX 2013 multinational exercise begins

France? Where does France fit into the Monroe Doctrine? An exception made for le centre spatial guyanais, no doubt.

Britain (cricketers from Guyana notwithstanding) was apparently not invited. Argentine shirtiness, no doubt.

US, Partner Nations Kick Off PANAMAX 2013

US, Partner Nations Kick Off PANAMAX 2013

Approximately 160 military personnel, including Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet, Rear Adm. Sinclair Harris, and personnel from 19 nations arrived at U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) headquarters Aug. 12 to begin exercise PANAMAX 2013.

U.S. and partner nations train in the execution of stability operations under the support of United Nations Security Council Resolutions; provide interoperability training for the participating multinational staffs; and build participating nation capability to plan and execute complex multinational operations.

This year’s annual PANAMAX exercise develops and sustains relationships that improve the capacity of the nation’s emerging and enduring partners’ security forces to achieve common desired goals, while fostering friendly cooperation and understanding among participating forces.

During the exercise, Harris will act as the commander of Multinational Forces South.

”The governments of the countries participating in PANAMAX share common interests and this exercise enhances those links by fostering friendly, mutual cooperation and understanding between participating militaries,” Harris said. “This multinational exercise also contributes to interoperability, and builds the capabilities of the participating nations to plan and execute complex multinational operations.”

PANAMAX 2013 is a U.S.-sponsored, multinational annual exercise that, this year, includes participants from Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, and the United States.

The exercise will conclude Aug. 16.

http://navaltoday.com/2013/08/13/us-partner-nations-kick-off-panamax-2013/

OTDIH 2nd August 1943

70-years ago today…

The U-boat war continued:

On 2 August 1943 there were 85 U-boats at sea. Of these, 17 boats (20%) would be lost during their patrol.

U-218 (Kptlt. Richard Becker), a Type VIID U-boat on its fifth war patrol, was attacked by a Wellington bomber from 547 Squadron, RAF Coastal Command. The U-Boat was damaged and 6 crew members were wounded during the attack. The mine-laying patrol was abandoned and the boat returned to Brest. (U-218 was scuttled, post-war, during Operation Deadlight. The wreck was explored by Innes McCartney in June 2001.)

U-653 (Kptlt. Gerhard Feiler), a Type VIIC U-boat on its seventh war patrol, was attacked by an American B-24 Liberator bomber east of Trinidad. The air attack was unsuccessful and the U-boat survived without damage.

The British merchant City of Oran was torpedoed and damaged by U-196 (KrvKpt. Eitel-Friedrich Kentrat), a Type IXD2 U-boat on her first war patrol (225-days!), in the Indian Ocean, approx 100 nm northeast of Memba Bay, Tanganyika. The rescue tug HMS Masterful picked up 86 survivors and scuttled the City of Oran with gunfire.

Arriving on the field of battle:

HMS Begum (D38), an Ameer-class escort carrier, formerly the USS Bolinas (CVE-36), was commissioned into the Royal Navy, Capt. John Egerton Broome, DSC, RN commanding.

And a future President of the United States began his legend:

PT-109, an ELCO ’80 torpedo boat, (Lt jg John Fitzgerald Kennedy, USNR commanding) was rammed and sunk by the Japanese destroyer Amagiri in Blackett Strait, Solomon Islands. JFK would be played by Cliff Robertson in the movie PT-109.