Naval Losses - October to December 1939

The U-boats are out and prowling, though two were taken out in the middle of October. One was got on the 8th off Dover, and two on the 13th, one taken out by destroyers south west of Ireland, the other by a mine in the English Channel. German pocket battleships are also at sea, raiders hunting for merchant ships. The Admiral Graff Spee has sank a merchant man off Brazil, and an Anglo-French task force was sent to hunt her down.

Radio Broadcast: Churchill Speaks from the Admiralty, 1st October

HMS Royal Oak

The 14th October saw the loss of the Royal Oak. It seems a U-Boat slipped into the moorings at Scappa Flow, and took out the battleship with ease. After the loss of the Courageous last month, this is a real blow. The mood in the pub has sunk - we all know the Navy is our strongest service, and it doesn't seem to be delivering what we expected from it. To add to things the roll call of merchants sunk by the Graff Spee in particular just keeps growing. The atmosphere in the White Hart was so gloomy I drank up and left.

News Reel: Royal Oak Sunk

Hitler talked peace on the 6th, and we and the French rejected that the same day, but the fighting still seems half-hearted, despite our loss of ships - it feels like things have stalled. A german bomber was shot down by the RAF on the 16th, and all men between 20 and 23 were registered for national service.

Then there was another U-boat attack - another battleship, HMS Nelson, hit by three torpedoes. None exploded, but there is no disguising that it was only luck. Late in November the German raiders made themselves felt again, the armed merchant HMS Rawalpindi caught by the German battle ships Sharnhorst and Gneisenau was sunk with ease.

Then on the 4th of December, in a bitter twist, HMS Nelson struck a mine. She survived, but is badly damaged and laid up for repairs. Just today, the 7th December, we have heard that the Graff Spee sank the merchant man Streonshalh. There was hardly anyone in the pub, and I didn't even bother stopping for a drink.

All the while the BEF is being built up, complete with royal visit. I only hope they do better than the Navy when the Germans really start. The Finns are not so lucky, though. The Russians invaded on the 30th November without even the pretence of a declaration of war. Feels like another Poland. Poor bloody sods.

News Reel: King with the BEF
News Reel: Finnish Minister on the invasion