75 years ago today 862 British officers and sailors died ...

[Lert]

... when U-332 torpedoed and sank the Queen Elizabeth class HMS Barham. The sinking was captured on film from Barham's sistership HMS Valiant and is, in my opinion, one of the most dramatic and chilling video recordings in history.

 

 

The video mentions 859 lives lost during the sinking. Several more died from their wounds after the sinking, for a total of 862 dead. Around 480 men survived the sinking of HMS Barham.

[Kapitan_Wuff]

Thanks for sharing, but your right, it is chilling. 

[Beorn_of_the_NorthernSea]

When the magazine went off...  I am surprised that 480 survived.  How terrible.

[Adm_Nate_Ellis937]

That clip is used in alot of naval documentaries. Surprised that her explosion was larger than Hood's and Arizona's. Here is a 30 second clip of her in The Battleships: Terror from Above.

 

[Yoshiblue]

Gone. Just like that. A tragic day indeed. 

[mr3awsome]

That clip is used in alot of naval documentaries. Surprised that her explosion was larger than Hood's and Arizona's.

 

It was more than one main magazine, I believe. 

[Phoenix_jz]

Battleship magazines exploding is a terrifying sight...

I can't post images right now, but if you've ever seen the picture of Roma going up...

[Admiral_Of_The_Fleet]

Thank you for sharing this

 

15 seconds into the video you can see the sailors sliding of the bows edge into the freezing water

[ChaosDrill]

I thought it was pretty funny, no wonder British ships can't take a hit in the game!

[klymar8]

I thought it was pretty funny, no wonder British ships can't take a hit in the game!

 

You really are a sack of ____ aren't you ?

[Lert]

You really are a sack of ____ aren't you ?

 

And you're giving him attention, exactly what he wants. Just put him on ignore.

[1Sherman]

I always wonder how ships that are rolling over and are about to sink end up with their magazines detonating. Did the U-Boat's torpedoes set a fire that eventually reached the magazine?

[Lert]

Possibly. We'll never know.

 

When a ship rolls over one imagines that everything that isn't bolted down goes flying and sparks happen, that might also be a factor.

 

<edit> According to my British ex-navy buddy the current consensus seems to be that Barham's boilers were still going, and the concussion of the impact and the rolling over caused the fires to spread to the mags. Another theory is that more than just the aft mag went pop.

[Admiral_Of_The_Fleet]

 

 

 

Kyogre                         As your a so called beta tester I would have thought you would have had more compassion for those who gave their lives at sea, either you want the attention which you seem to have got buy the replies on this topic, or your so  far up your arsse that you cant see how much it hurts us and the families and friends and loved ones who might still be alive today and actually read these forums, you disgrace me and I hope I see you in battle, I name my torps after those that died at sea, and I cant wait to smoke you in game.

 

 

 

PS: whats made it worse someone voted your comment up , your just as bad as him making the comment

 

If I was admin you would have been banned for that comment

 

 

[AVR_Project]

And something similar happened to a ship a little closer to our game:

Some time after a submarine torpedo attack...

"Kongo had blown up. There were just 237 survivors from a crew of over 1400."

http://ww2today.com/21-november-1944-uss-sealion-attacks-and-sinks-battleship-kongo

72 years and 4 days ago.

Yes, we play a game, but remember that when these ships fought and died for real, many children lost their Fathers.  Many Mothers lost their sons.

...

And the sabers of war keep rattling today.  War is bad.

 

[mr3awsome]

I always wonder how ships that are rolling over and are about to sink end up with their magazines detonating. Did the U-Boat's torpedoes set a fire that eventually reached the magazine?

 

Shells might have fallen out of their racks and landed on their fuses is something I've heard being a possibility. 

[Adm_Nate_Ellis937]

 

Shells might have fallen out of their racks and landed on their fuses is something I've heard being a possibility. 

 

What about the powder bags? Those bags were very sensitive to extreme heat and when I toured the Missouri in 2010, the guide told us that powder bags were stored in a different compartment from the shells. 

[Lonewolfpj]

Wow an amazing video. Thanks for sharing. Just chilling

[Spooooooooooooooooooooon]

Wow... sobering video.  I also went to the PBS website today and watched the new USS Arizona documentary, in which they are able to take an ROV down into the third deck.  

 

 

[SgtBeltfed]

Actual shells going off by falling around would be unlikely, British propellant (containing nitroglycerin in some form) is more likely to be the culprit, along with cold water getting to hot, pressurized boilers.

 

[1Sherman]

 

Shells might have fallen out of their racks and landed on their fuses is something I've heard being a possibility. 

 

 

What about the powder bags? Those bags were very sensitive to extreme heat and when I toured the Missouri in 2010, the guide told us that powder bags were stored in a different compartment from the shells. 

 

Actual shells going off by falling around would be unlikely, British propellant (containing nitroglycerin in some form) is more likely to be the culprit, along with cold water getting to hot, pressurized boilers.

 

 

Lert actually edited his post. These are his words exactly on how he thinks the Barham detonated.

 

 

 

According to my British ex-navy buddy the current consensus seems to be that Barham's boilers were still going, and the consussion of the impact and the rolling over caused the fires to spread to the mags. Another theory is that more than just the aft mag went pop.