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Epic Naval Battles — Transcript

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0:00Welcome to our compilation of Epic Naval Battles
0:03It's the 2nd of December, 1939, on a British cargo liner off the west coast of South Africa.
0:09"Have you heard about the German?"
0:11"Yeah."
0:12"They sunk another ship south of us last week"
0:15"What? We're being shelled from Starboard!"
0:17"We're under attack!"
0:18"Tell the captain! "
0:21"What the hell was that?!"
0:22At the bridge Captain William Stubbs is already on full alert.
0:26His binoculars reveal a terrifying sight.
0:29Stalking them is a 16,000 ton German monster.
0:33A heavy cruiser sized ship armed with battleship sized, 11 inch guns.
0:39A pocket battleship.
0:41"Full power!"
0:42"Aye aye, sir"
0:43"Send the distress signal!"
0:45The small ship turns to flee,
0:46transmitting all the information they can in the last minutes they have left.
0:53A light shines from the enemy blinking in morse code.
0:57"They're ordering us to cease transmission."
0:59"To hell with that! Keep transmitting!
1:02Make sure every ship in the region knows they're here!"
1:05"Aye aye, sir!"
1:08Captain Stubbs keeps watching the enemy growing on the horizon.
1:12The ship's massive 280mm guns are aiming straight towards him.
1:17He recognises that profile. It's the Admiral Graf Spee.
1:22"It's the Spee! Put that in the transmission!
1:25Pocket battleship Graf Spee!"
1:27"Yes sir!"
1:29They keep sending all the information they can, dragging on the encounter
1:33until the fearsome warship is right on top of them.
1:37Continued resistance would be dangerous.
1:39Stubbs has no option but to surrender.
1:42"Cut power and stop transmitting. It's over."
1:48The Doriс Star falls quiet.
1:52Aboard the German warship, Captain Hans Wilhelm Langsdorff
1:56watches as his men board the small cargo ship.
1:59They take the crew captive and bring them aboard the heavy cruiser
2:03before proceeding to ransack the ship and set up scuttling charges.
2:07It's a practiced procedure at this point.
2:09One that Langsdorff is all too happy to see completed with professionalism.
2:14"Good job!"
2:16Back on the upper deck, Captain Stubbs is singled out and taken to the brig.
2:23Behind him, massive explosions wash across the waves, followed by cheers from the German sailors.
2:36But while the cargo hauler sinks into the abyss,
2:39thousands of miles away, a Royal Navy squadron hears its dying transmissions.
2:48"Sir, the Graf Spee got another one."
2:51Commodore Henry Harwood thinks over the new information.
2:54"Bring the officers!"
2:57Under his command are heavy cruiser Exeter and light cruisers Ajax and Achilles.
3:02They're patrolling off the coast of South America, as far away from the scene of battle as they could be.
3:08The Graf Spee has been their target for months,
3:10but with this transmission, Harwood gets the feeling they can finally bring its rampage to an end.
3:17"There's a change of plan.
3:19The Graf Spee claimed another victim at approximately 13 hours yesterday.
3:24I suspect South American traffic will be their next target.
3:28We need to be ready."
3:29"I agree, sir, but where?"
3:33"I get the feeling they'll be moving to..."
3:35"The River Plate."
3:37"The River Plate."
3:39"It gets busy over there."
3:40"The choke point for all cargo ships headed for the Argentine and Uruguayan capitals."
3:45"There will be some targets."
3:48The 16,000 ton Graf Spee turns for its new destination,
3:53unaware that they're falling directly into Harwood's grasp.
4:00On the morning of 15 December, 13 days after the loss of the Doric Star, on board the heavy cruiser Exeter,
4:08Captain Frederick Secker Bell supervises the early morning activity.
4:12The squadron has been patrolling the estuary for days.
4:16Lookouts are on full alert, waiting for Harwood's prediction to come reality.
4:22It's been a tough wait. Initial sightings suggest they're coming, but they haven't heard anything new for days
4:29until...
4:30"Confirmed smoke at 3-20. Lookouts at the stern report the enemy."
4:34"Sir, Harwood reports smoke at 3-20.
4:37Orders to investigate."
4:38"Reply affirmative. Men to action stations. Load SAPs."
4:42"Yes, sir."
4:43"Man to action stations."
4:44Exeter breaks west, approaching the mysterious ship.
4:49Slowly the masts come into view,
4:52then the superstructure,
4:54and finally, the mighty guns.
4:57It's clear. The Germans are here.
5:01"It's them! Tell Harwood we have a pocket battleship."
5:05"Message confirmed. A pocket battleship at 3-20."
5:08"The Exeter reports the enemy in sight."
5:10After months of chase and so many lost merchant ships,
5:13the showdown is finally here.
5:17"Men to action stations.
5:19Heading 30 degrees and full power.
5:21Tell Exeter to charge the ship from the south.
5:23We surround them from the east as practiced."
5:27"Order from Ajax to Exeter: charge the ship from the south,
5:31the rest of the force will execute the other flank, permission to fire."
5:34But that fire shells over twice as heavy as their own.
5:37The Exeter is completely outclassed,
5:40but Bell trusts their strategic and numerical advantage.
5:47"Flank speed! Keep the current heading!"
5:50"Yes, sir."
5:50"Captain, smoke up ahead!"
5:55It's a surprise, but he accepts the challenge.
5:59"Alright! Let's meet them."
6:03The two ships keep approaching. The Graf Spee's path unchanged.
6:07Bell watches through the binoculars as two giant turrets traverse towards them.
6:12And then...
6:14"Open fire."
6:16The first shots of the Battle of River Plate wash across the waves,
6:22the shells striking the sea.
6:24Exeter gunnery officer, Lieutenant-Commander Richard Jennings remembers...
6:29"The captain hailed me, not with the usual
6:31rigmarole of enemy in sight, bearing, etc. But with..."There's the @#$%& Scheer!""
6:35"There's the @#$%& Scheer! Open fire at her!"
6:38The Exeter unleashes her guns with powerful blasts.
6:42The shells fly across the sky.
6:46And they too fall short.
6:48Upon Exeter, things are getting frantic as the German warship finds its aim.
6:53Shells splash closer and closer,
6:56littering the deck with deadly shrapnel.
6:59But the Exeter too adjusts their range.
7:02They fire their 8-inch batteries, striking the Graf Spee on the hull,
7:07but failing to pierce its armor.
7:10Deep within the German warship, Captain Stubbs of the Doric Star sits locked in his cell
7:15alone and in silence.
7:17The shell strikes reverberating on the hull fill his ears.
7:21In return, the German salvo strikes just barely short.
7:26The massive shells detonate just a few
7:28yards away with awe-inspiring power.
7:31The shock and shrapnel so powerful, it takes out Exeter's radio.
7:37"Sir, we've lost contact with Harwood."
7:40"It's too late to turn back now! Press on!"
7:48Their shells impact the Graf Spee's deck, wrecking anti-aircraft guns,
7:53but they're doing nothing to slow the enemy Goliath.
7:56Bell watches the enemy with his binoculars.
7:58He sees the massive guns fire, launching their shells into the air.
8:03They linger for what seems like eternal seconds.
8:06Bell doesn't have time to react,
8:10not that it would have done anything, but he can feel it. That is a hit.
8:18The brutal impact takes out the turret and the shrapnel flies towards the bridge.
8:23The fragments punch effortlessly through the bridge's thin walls, to tragic results.
8:32Bell finds himself on the floor, dazed and surrounded by the fallen.
8:37Somehow, through sheer luck, he's largely unhurt.
8:49There's no time to mourn.
8:50With determination burning in his eyes Bell returns to his post but finds his communications destroyed.
8:58At that moment medical personnel rush in, but there's no time.
9:01He hurries past them, abandoning the bridge and making his way towards the aft conning station.
9:07"Do you have comms here?"
9:08"No sir, we've lost them."
9:10He looks around and calls for the first sailor he sees.
9:12"You, come over!
9:13I have no comms.
9:15Tell the port torpedoes to prepare to launch when the enemy comes into view
9:19and the men at the rudder to steer 25 degrees starboard."
9:22The unknown sailor salutes and runs off.
9:25He rushes for someone else.
9:27On his way back to the bridge, Bell continues to recruit more sailors,
9:31reestablishing communications with the entire ship.
9:34"You ask the damage control officer for updates.
9:37You! Tell the magazines I have no comms!
9:40Any emergency they need, send me a runner and find someone to tell the same thing to the aft turret!"
9:46In a matter of minutes a team of messengers forms, from this point on they become Captain Bell’s only way to control the ship.
9:54But somehow, it works. The ship begins turning starboard and the torpedoes are ready to fire!
10:00And they launch off into the sea.
10:03The four remaining guns fire with deafening fury above the waves,
10:07while the torpedoes silently approach their target.
10:11Despite the messenger's best efforts though,
10:13they could never be quick enough for precise aim,
10:15and the torpedoes completely miss.
10:20But Bell refuses to stand down.
10:22"Keep firing!"
10:23The remaining two turrets continue to fire spreading death and destruction
10:27across the Graf Spee’s exposed elements, but doing little internally.
10:33Shell after shell strikes the German warships' heavy armor with little effect,
10:38ricocheting away or stopping dead in its tracks.
10:42Finally, they strike luck.
10:44At last, a round pierces the armor and punches
10:47straight through the lower decks
10:48and detonates deep within, destroying the fuel purification plant.
10:54There are no fires or floods, but in a single blow the ship has been doomed.
10:59Unable to purify its vast stores of diesel,
11:02it has cut its usable fuel from days to hours,
11:07not enough to return to Europe.
11:10But it does nothing to hamper their combat strength.
11:13Another salvo falls on the battered heavy cruiser.
11:16One shell slamming into the A turret and another punching through the hull.
11:21The second shell explodes within and sets fire to an ammunition storage rack.
11:27The brave sailors in the station rush for their extinguishers, quelling the flames
11:31before a catastrophic fire and explosion could be unleashed.
11:35The strike silences Gunnery Officer Richard Jennings' last turret.
11:40"Bloody hell!"
11:41He decides to abandon his position as director of the control tower and runs through the chaos,
11:46reaching the Exeter's last working main gun.
11:48To the turret crew's astonishment,
11:50Jennings climbs to the top of the turret and starts shouting directions.
11:56"Travel left! Aim for their turrets!"
11:58Jennings stares down the massive enemy warship in the distance as his turret
12:02takes aim underneath him.
12:04"Fire!" Jennings is blasted with gas and heat from the giant guns, but he takes it.
12:12"Correct high! 100!
12:14Fire!"
12:17Meanwhile, in the two light cruisers, Commodore Harwood is becoming impatient
12:21with the lack of results.
12:24All this time they were executing the other flank seeking to overwhelm the Graf Spee with the crossfire.
12:29But without communication with Exeter they can't even find out if their aim is true.
12:35And now he clearly sees that the Exeter is smoking and listing, while the Graf Spee stands seemingly unharmed.
12:44With a sinking feeling,
12:45the truth dawns on him.
12:47They've been doing nothing.
12:50“Heading 285! Close the distance! Proceed at utmost speed!”
12:55The ships break formation and charge to Exeter's rescue.
13:00Aboard the Graf Spee, Langsdorff spots the incoming British.
13:04"It’s a torpedo charge!
13:06Turn West and deploy the smokescreen!"
13:14But Exeter isn’t done yet
13:17"Heading 270!"
13:21and their last turret is being commanded by what seems like a madman riding atop.
13:25"Fire!"
13:28But still, they chase after the Graf Spee, firing with what little they have and scoring hits across his superstructure.
13:38The Graf Spee turns all its guns towards them and they open fire.
13:46The massive volley falls short by the smallest of margins,
13:50creating a huge splash just in front of Jennings' face.
13:54But he's unfazed.
13:57"You've got the range! Fire!"
13:58He calls for more but the gun doesn't move.
14:00"What's going on?"
14:01"We've lost power. It can't traverse."
14:04The water has filtered through the damaged hull and short-circuited the turret systems.
14:08"Bloody hell! We’ve lost the Y turret, tell the captain!"
14:12"Sir, Y turret has malfunctioned."
14:14Captain Bell is furious, with fire in his eyes.
14:18"I'm going to ram the bastard! It will be the end of us! But it will sink him too!"
14:23"Order to ram it!"
14:24"Turn starboard!"
14:25"Starboard!"
14:26The Exeter, in flames and out of options, turns to ram the enemy.
14:34But then a salvo of shells brackets the Graf Spee.
14:37The light cruisers Ajax and Achilles have gotten past the smoke screen
14:41and have opened fire with vastly improved accuracy.
14:50"Harwood is on them! They finally got him!"
14:53"Damn it, they found the range!"
14:55Captain Langsdorff pushes the Exeter to the back of his mind
14:58as the new challengers pummel the Graf Spee's upper deck with salvo after salvo.
15:04With damage and casualties mounting Captain Langsdorff orders a retreat.
15:11"Cease fire and full speed ahead! Set heading to Montevideo."
15:17The Ajax and Achilles pummel the ship for another hour as the Graf Spee desperately sails for neutral waters.
15:24But they are too far away and Harwood is determined to not let the ship slip away.
15:31"What is our ammunition status?"
15:33"20% remaining, sir."
15:34Harwood is shocked.
15:35It is far less than he expected.
15:37If he carries on he could have too little to defend himself if they happen to face another battle.
15:44"Hold fire.
15:45Pull back and shadow them."
15:49They pursue the Graf Spee all the way to the neutral port of Montevideo, Uruguay.
15:54There, the prisoners of the Doric Star are released per international regulations.
16:00But back with the Graf Spee their problems were far from over.
16:04Upon their docking in Montevideo deceit and politics soon follow.
16:09The British begin broadcasting easy-to-intercept signals suggesting that reinforcements are arriving.
16:15They have no fuel reserves to return home,
16:17no ability to fix the fuel plant, and strict orders not to let the ship become interned in Uruguay.
16:24There is only one apparent option and that is is to flee to Argentina,
16:27but he believes a reinforced British fleet will stand in his way.
16:32"I don’t think we have any other choice.
16:36Set up the scuttling charges."
16:38On 17 December, the ship, with only Langsdorff and 40 other men aboard, moved out off the Uruguayan waters.
16:46It was a devastating blow to Langsdorff. High command blamed him completely for Admiral Graf Spee's end.
16:54Langsdorff wrote: "I alone bear the responsibility for scuttling the panzerschiff Admiral Graf Spee.
17:01I am happy to pay with my life for any possible reflection on the honor of the flag."
17:073 days later in a hotel room in Buenos Aires he took his gun and kept his word.
17:21The mighty ship burned in the shallow water for the next two days.
17:26Despite the lack of decisive victory, the battle was still considered a great success for the Royal Navy.
17:33Commodore Henry Harwood was promoted to Rear Admiral and knighted for his leadership.
17:39Captain Frederick Secker Bell wouldn't receive any navy awards for his actions,
17:43but he and a good portion of Exeter's crew did get a hero's welcome from the residents of the city of Exeter.
17:50Gunnery Officer Richard Jennings, on the other hand, would be awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions
17:55and went on to command ships of his own.
18:00It’s the 5th of March, 1944, and in a cramped U-boat Captain Gerhard Seehausen is hunting his prey.
18:10"Fire!"
18:17The cargo ship erupts in a ball of flame.
18:19It’s a hit!
18:21This is the 4th ship they have sunk on this sortie.
18:25The submarine is the U-66, one of the most successful U-boats of the war.
18:30It has taken part in four wolfpacks, claiming 36 victims, and sending over 200,000 tons
18:36worth of ships and cargo to the bottom of the sea.
18:40The Germans buoyed by their success, plan their next hunting ground.
18:44"I think we should hunt here."
18:49Hundreds of miles away, on the US destroyer escort the USS Buckley
18:53Lieutenant Commander Brent Abel receives the transmission.
18:56“Sir, orders from Block Island. U-Boat attack reported at 03.56 North - 07.36 East,
19:03task group is ordered to sweep the area.”
19:04"Reply, we copy. Engines full steam ahead, maintain heading 150.”
19:09Abel in his ship forms part of a U-boat hunting party
19:13and they've been given a target.
19:19After months at sea the German supplies are getting low
19:22and they surface at an agreed rendezvous point west of Africa.
19:26Captain Seehausen waits impatiently at the conning tower.
19:30"Nothing still?"
19:31"Nothing from the lookout, sir."
19:34"They're late."
19:35U-66 now finds itself alone, low on fuel and torpedoes,
19:39and on the run from the skies and the seas which are smarming with American patrols.
19:43They sail in circles, waiting for an arranged resupply.
19:46But it’s nowhere to be seen.
19:48As the lookout fruitlessly scans the horizon one more time,
19:51something unexpected reaches his ears.
19:54Looking up, he spots the last thing they want to see.
19:57“Watch out, it's fighter-bomber!”
19:59“Men to battlestations! Prepare to engage!”
20:02“Alarm!!”
20:04Up in the distance inside an American TBM1-C bomber Lieutenant Jimmie J. Sellars scans the waters.
20:15A dark outline sits in the waves.
20:17It is completely unrecognizable, but Sellars knows the region.
20:21That's no island.
20:23“That’s a submarine.”
20:27"Hold fire, maybe it hasn't seen us."
20:34"It saw us!"
20:35"Hold!"
20:40"It's not lining up an attack run. Hold."
21:14“Should we submerge? It could’ve scouted us.”
21:16Seehausen is torn.
21:18Caution would indicate them to submerge and escape,
21:21but they don’t have many days of diesel left and their diving equipment needs spare parts.
21:26If they miss this ressupply there’s no guarantee they can make it home.
21:29“We must stay surfaced to look out for the supply ship.
21:34It’s critical.”
21:35In the sky, Sellars flies away broadcasting every detail of the submarine.
21:40The message is received on the USS Buckley just 20 miles away.
21:45"They found it.
21:46Scout describes it sailing in circles,
21:48perhaps waiting for that other sub our boys sank the other day.”
21:51Commander Brent Abel grins at the news.
21:53"Prepare for battle! Engines to flank speed!
21:55Heading 350! Let's make all haste."
21:59Just 40 minutes later the USS Buckley approaches its target,
22:03guided along by Sellars in the sky.
22:05“Anything on the radar?”
22:08"Negative, sir."
22:11“They should be here somewhere...”
22:14"Detection bearing 335. 14,000 yards."
22:19Abel scours the waves
22:20but sees nothing but darkness.
22:22If he can’t find it, how will his gunners hit the damn thing?
22:26He lowers his binoculars and looks west.
22:28The moon is big and low over the horizon, casting a long and beautiful reflection across the waves.
22:34He gets an idea.
22:35"Heading 340, let’s put that sub to our west."
22:40On the German U-boat lookouts finally notice the ship in the distance.
22:44“Ship south!”
22:45"What kind?"
22:47"Unknown, too dark."
22:49“Should we hail them?”
22:51“Negative, we are in no position to fight.
22:53if they’re American. Full alert and maintain stealth,
22:57radio silence, passive sonar only.”
22:59Two vessels continue to get closer.
23:02Abel watches the sea throughout,
23:04finally managing to barely spot the shape of the submarine in the waves.
23:08But still, he holds fire.
23:11Meanwhile, aboard the U-66 they watch the unknown ship getting ever closer.
23:14"They must have seen us already."
23:19"Launch identification flares."
23:29"No reply, sir."
23:30Chills travel down the spine of everyone gathered.
23:33It's clear now.
23:34They're not friendly.
23:36“Heading 010. Stern torpedoes ready to fire.”
23:39"Yes, sir!"
23:40“Can we submerge?”
23:41"With our sticky valves, it would take 15 minutes."
23:45"Then forget it. Keep the men on the guns."
23:48It's a disaster, but they're determined to fight.
23:50Alarms blare within the U-boat.
23:52Deep within the vessel, 21-inch torpedoes are locked and loaded.
23:56"Fire!"
24:00Back at USS Buckley Commander Abel finally sees his elusive prey enter the moon's reflection,
24:06the invisible ghost is now clear as day.
24:09"Heading 260. Get the range."
24:11"Yes, sir!"
24:12The helmsman turns hard to port,
24:14aiming the destroyer escort straight towards the enemy.
24:17But little does anyone in the bridge know that outside a torpedo sails right by
24:22where the ship would’ve been if it hadn't changed course.
24:24"Torpedo missed!"
24:26"Open fire with all the guns!"
24:28Muzzle flashes shine from the enemy submarine. Tracers fly towards the American ship.
24:33Without skipping a beat Commander Abel gives the order
24:35"Open fire!"
24:36to unleash their own guns.
24:3820mm, 40mm and 3-inch guns open fire simultaneously,
24:43launching a storm of lead at the Germans.
24:46With the moon and preparation on their side, their accuracy is on point.
24:50The rounds slam straight onto U-66’s deck,
24:53Seehausen’s post is rocked by heavy fire, but the armor holds.
24:58“We’ve been hit!”
24:59“Get me a damage report and keep firing!”
25:04In the air, Sellars radios updates of the battle to the battlegroup.
25:07"Buckley has opened fire — sub is returning fire."
25:10"Boy, I have never before seen such concentration!
25:13Buckley is cutting hell out of the conning tower!"
25:18The German gunners brave the incoming shells, holding position and fighting back with all they have.
25:23But in the dark and the chaos they aim far too high, their courage reaping no rewards.
25:29One by one, they fall, and the guns lay quiet.
25:36Looking on with his binoculars, Commander Abel sees the submarine about to leave the moon’s reflection.
25:41"Check fire, check fire. Don’t waste ammunition while we can’t see.
25:46Heading 180."
25:50The shelling pauses at a good time for U-66.
25:53Injured men retreat into the hatches and are replaced by fresh crew.
25:58This is their chance.
26:03AA guns open up on the destroyer escort and shells streak across the sky,
26:08The U-boat gunners try to adjust low,
26:10but estimating the range of a dark object on a dark background proves next to impossible,
26:15The American storm of fire resumes in full force,
26:19the whole broadside of the destroyer escort unleashing its many guns upon the submarine.
26:23The U-boat gun crews bravely continue to fire despite completely lacking protection,
26:28loading and firing as bullets crash all around them.
26:32The chaos becomes background noise as they work,
26:34One of their rounds punches through the Buckley’s smokestack.
26:38But Buckley’s weapons pummel the enemy into submission, the forecastle getting shredded.
26:43All throughout Seehausen desperately calls evasive maneuvers.
26:47The sub constantly turns left and right trying to dodge the brutal enemy fire,
26:52but in the process they only slip further into Buckley’s grasp.
26:57In U-66’s conning tower Captain Seehausen orders to turn around to face the enemy.
27:02“Heading 210! Fire last torpedo!”
27:07The torpedo launches out the tube, carrying with it the German crew’s last hope.
27:13Commander Abel watches the submarine maneuver,
27:16unsure of his enemy’s plan.
27:18He shadows his every turn as his men continue to fire with exceptional marksmanship, scoring hit after hit.
27:24Then his sonar officer calls.
27:25“Torpedo starboard bow!”
27:28“Rudder full starboard!”
27:31USS Buckley turns hard to the right,
27:33the crew on deck watching the ominous trail of bubbles coming closer.
27:49At warship speeds the maneuver feels eternal, but they manage to escape,
27:53the torpedo sailing harmlessly by.
27:56"Torpedo missed!"
27:59It's devastating news. Their last chance is gone.
28:03Defenseless, Seehausen sees no option but to make the dreaded order.
28:07"Abandon ship."
28:08"Yes, sir!"
28:09“Heading 030, evade enemy fire as long as we can.”
28:15A couple of German sailors rush out of the hatches and dive into the sea, escaping the barrage of shells.
28:20But in the dark Abel doesn’t notice and they continue mercilessly shelling the submarine.
28:25The USS Buckley maneuvers to sail alongside the enemy as their gunners bracket it with endless gunfire.
28:30The sub’s guns have long gone quiet.
28:33But it still sails and as far as Abel knows
28:35it is still trying to fight with torpedoes.
28:38But he's to have none of it.
28:40"Ram it!"
28:41The helmsman yanks on the wheel, turning the American destroyer escort right towards the U-boat.
28:46On board the U-boat, the escaping crew is shocked to see 1,400 tons of ship barreling towards them.
28:53"Evasive maneuvers! All to starboard!"
28:55But it's too late.
29:01The destroyer escort slams into the submarine,
29:04and leaning against it.
29:06Soon after Germans emerge out of the hatches, originally intending to abandon ship as ordered,
29:11they are shocked to find Buckley "on" their submarine.
29:16Without orders or plan over a dozen Germans take out their personal weapons and decide to fire upon the Buckley’s crew.
29:24Abel immediately realizes the risk they’ve put themselves into and issues an order not heard in over a century.
29:30“Stand by to repel boarders!”
29:33Moments later Germans start making the jump onto Buckley’s deck.
29:38The Americans immediately respond with their own sidearms, opening fire on the mass of climbing Germans.
29:43Over a dozen Germans make it over the railing and a fistfight breaks out on deck.
29:55Everything from spent casings to the officer’s hot coffee become weapons,
29:59striking enemy sailors in the head and causing them to fall back.
30:03It’s chaos.
30:04Aware of the devolving situation Commander Abel does the only thing he can.
30:08“Engines full reverse!”
30:10USS Buckley starts sliding backwards across the submarine’s hull making an infernal noise.
30:16Germans cling on to the side of Buckley and are forced to choose between dropping back onto the U-66
30:21or being abandoned aboard the enemy ship.
30:24An unknown sailor brings grenades and throws them at the sub.
30:34“Oh my God!”
30:41Moments later a huge explosion rises from the sea, and everything falls silent.
30:48USS Buckley circled the area for hours and picked up 36 survivors from the U-boat’s 62-man crew,
30:54most of them having come out during the fight.
30:57USS Buckley itself didn’t lose a single man, and Commander Abel would be awarded the Navy Cross for his leadership.
31:04He survived the war.
31:05Captain Gerhard Seehausen was never found and went down with his ship. He was just 26 years old.
31:12It’s the afternoon of June 24th, 1944, and Flight Lieutenant David “Pop” Hornell pilots his Catalina flying boat.
31:20He is on an anti-submarine patrol over the rough Norwegian seas
31:23when over the intercom, the Port gunner asks :
31:26“Hey, you are seeing what I see on the portside?”
31:28He checks to his left and, sure enough, in the distance,
31:31there is a distinct form of a U-Boat floating in the sea.
31:35“I sure do!”
31:36Hornell activates the action station's alarm, and the flying boat turns towards the enemy
31:41with four depth charges at the ready.
31:44Below, spotters in the German U-Boat 1225 see the incoming aircraft and sound the alarm.
31:50Oberleutnant zur See Ernst Sauerberg doesn’t waste a second.
31:54“Turn to port!”
31:57The submarine turns in evasive maneuvers as twin 20mm cannons
32:01and a single 37mm Flak cannon are turned towards the Catalina.
32:06“Fire!”
32:09The Catalina is rocked by 37 mm flak.
32:12The plane is already shuddering under hits on the fuselage.
32:15“Cole! Radio the base. Keep them updated!”
32:18"Copy that."
32:18Hornell orders the Radio Operator, Sydney Cole, to tell the base their location and situation.
32:24But before Cole has a chance to send the first message,
32:27a flak shell punctures the radio compartment.
32:29Cole groans and puts pressure on his wound but doesn’t report it.
32:34Instead, he pushes through the pain and keys the transmission.
32:38Little does he know that the radio equipment has been damaged by the German fire.
32:44Hornell dives towards the target, unaware that none of their transmissions are being sent.
32:50As they get closer, 20 mm cannons join the fray, and tracers zip all around.
32:55The impacts get ever more frequent, punching holes in the aircraft’s thin skin.
33:00"It's getting rough, boys. Hold on."
33:01The crew feel a violent shake and are horrified to see pieces of the right wing being torn off.
33:06Flak bursts by their right engine, and it starts shaking violently.
33:11Hornell fights with the aircraft as it starts to drift off course, the mounting damage making it ever harder to steer.
33:18At the nose of the aircraft, the Front Gunner opens fire at the U-boat with his twin .303 Brownings.
33:26Bullets rain around Sauerberg.
33:29The Catalina’s fire zeroes in on the conning tower as they get closer.
33:35Sauerberg's men are struck and the guns go silent.
33:39“You men! Get on the guns or we’re all dead!”
33:42But the incoming fire is too accurate.
33:45The Germans can’t move as the Catalina's machine guns rip into the conning tower.
33:49But then, one of the Catalina’s guns jams.
33:53The U-Boat commander, hearing the strikes slow, seizes the opportunity.
33:56“Man the guns! Now!”
33:58The crew jump into position, and they open fire on the incoming Catalina.
34:02Hornell’s blood runs cold as he sees once more a wall of tracers coming up at them.
34:06The Catalina is hit again with German fire ripping through the wings and fuselage.
34:10A glow comes from above,
34:12and Hornell looks up to see the damaged engine with flames gushing out of its cowling.
34:17"Starboard engine on fire!"
34:18"Shutting it down."
34:19The second pilot shuts off the engine, but it doesn’t stop the fuel leak.
34:23The ball of fire grows as the plane barrels towards the enemy submarine.
34:27Sauerberg is staring at a rapidly approaching ball of fire and orders evasive maneuvers.
34:32"Full to port!"
34:34Above, Hornell is fully committed.
34:36Seeing the submarine turn left, he makes an adjustment at the last possible moment.
34:40And then he releases the depth charges.
34:46Below, Sauerberg watches the Catalina roar overhead as it drops its payload.
34:52"Good heavens!"
34:54The depth charges splash perfectly around the submarine.
35:03“It’s a hit! It’s a hit!”
35:05The aircraft shakes even more violently.
35:08Hornell looks up at the flaming engine spinning in the wind.
35:11He sees it shake its own mounts apart, the rivets and bolts come undone.
35:16The fuel and parts of the engine rip away from the wing.
35:22Hornell knows they’re not going to make it home.
35:24“We’re going down! Brace yourselves, men!”
35:26The men all hold on except Cole, who frantically signals S.O.S. messages
35:31as Hornell prepares to land.
35:33The sea below is rough, but they have no other choice.
35:35Hornell turns his Catalina into the wind and prepares for landing.
35:39The floats lower, and the remaining engine is brought to idle.
35:44The waves only appear to get bigger as the plane gets closer to the surface.
35:48“Brace for impact!”
35:49Cole keeps keying S.O.S. until the last possible moment, when he stops and braces for impact.
35:56The Catalina hits the first wave, but there’s a strong headwind.
36:00The force bounces the airplane, and it surges 150 feet back up into the air.
36:06Hornell wrestles with the controls,
36:08and in a split second, he aligns the Catalina for a second impact.
36:13They slam into the next wave, and the plane once again launches,
36:16reaching 50 feet before plunging back down towards the water.
36:20The still burning Catalina bursts through multiple waves before finally coming to a rest.
36:29“Get out!”
36:30Hornell urges on his men as he knows the Catalina can explode at any second.
36:35Flight Engineer Donald Scott inflates a dinghy out of the left blister,
36:38while fellow engineer Fernand Laurent inflates one from the right.
36:42“You all get on board. I’ll push it.”
36:44Hornell and some of the men jump into the freezing cold water to push the dinghy away.
36:49Cole bundles onto the dinghy and makes sure to secure the survival rations as the men start pushing,
36:55but then he remembers the radio.
36:57“Wait! The radio!”
36:58Hornell barely has time to understand what Cole has just said before Cole starts swimming back towards the Catalina.
37:04“What are you doing?!”
37:05“We need the radio! They won’t find us!”
37:08“Don’t! It’s too late!”
37:11Hornell is right…
37:12The men watch painfully as the Catalina is engulfed in flames and sinks under the waves.
37:19They begin helping one another onto the dinghy.
37:22The inside of the dinghy is already beginning to flood as the men try to board.
37:26Hornell uses a helmet to throw water overboard.
37:29But then there’s a cry.
37:30“We’re missing someone!”
37:31Hornell is filled with dread and immediately gets to the edge and counts the heads.
37:36There is only seven.
37:37There is meant to be eight.
37:38"It's Laurent!"
37:40Fighting down panic, Hornell scours the rolling waves for his missing man.
37:44They see nothing as the dinghy rises and falls in the heavy waves.
37:49They catch a glimpse of a second dinghy, it’s also cresting a wave in the distance.
37:53“There he is!”
37:55They push furiously through the swell, rushing to catch up with their friend.
37:59The men on the dinghy direct as they see their friend also paddling towards them.
38:04But then they crest another wave and see Laurent’s dinghy empty.
38:08“Go! Go faster!”
38:09They redouble their efforts and reach Laurent, who’s managed to struggle back onto his dinghy.
38:14The relief of having 2 dinghies is palpable,
38:17and two of the crew move to get onto Laurent’s dinghy, but then…
38:21Laurent’s dinghy explodes and drops the men into the ice-cold seawater.
38:26They all start to pile onto the remaining dinghy, but they can’t fit.
38:29Hornell volunteers to stay in the freezing water with two more men.
38:33“Hang on. We sent those distress calls. Rescue will be here soon.”
38:38But he doesn’t know that none of them were sent.
38:43For three hours, Hornell organizes a rotation, swapping who waits in the water,
38:48hoping to delay hypothermia.
38:50Hornell assigns himself to stay in the freezing water the longest. But it's unbearable.
38:55His strength is fading.
38:56"We have to figure out how to get everyone aboard."
38:59"Look! There!"
39:00An aircraft is spotted in the sky. It’s another Catalina.
39:03“Get the flare gun!”
39:04The flare fires off into the sky, lingering in the air for a minute before falling into the sea,
39:11but the Catalina keeps on its path.
39:13"Another!"
39:13They send out a second flare, and yet again, the aircraft doesn’t react.
39:17“Come on! Come on! Another.”
39:19A third flare is shot into the air.
39:22Seconds drag on, and finally,
39:25"They saw us!"
39:26the Catalina turns towards them.
39:28“We have survivors adrift, 63 degrees north, 0 degrees 30 minutes west, unable to land due to bad weather.
39:34We need a boat."
39:35Over 100 miles away, in the Shetland Islands, rescue boat HSL 2507 is deployed.
39:41The Catalina stays circling over the stranded men.
39:44And they signal in morse code.
39:46‘High-speed launch on the way. Help coming.’
39:49Then some time later it signals
39:51"U-boat killed."
39:52The men cheer. They might just make it out of this.
39:58Every wave is torture, and they are having trouble holding on.
40:01A wave lifts up their dinghy and throws the entire crew overboard.
40:06Hornell emerges from the water, disoriented.
40:08The dinghy is getting pushed by the wind, and his men lay scattered around him.
40:12He clings to the lifeboat, counting heads.
40:14“Everyone’s here?"
40:16They struggle to turn it over in heavy waves, and one by one,
40:20they help each other climb aboard and rebuild their barely stable setup.
40:24Water starts to fill the dinghy and without the bucket and their strength fading, the small dinghy floats lower and lower,
40:30partially submerging some of the men in the freezing sea.
40:34The situation is desperate.
40:36Hornell's vision starts to blur.
40:39The men huddle in search of any warmth.
40:42Laurent starts to go delirious.
40:45"Laurent?"
40:46"Stay awake! Please!"
40:47"Laurent?"
40:48Hornell and his men try to talk with him to keep him focused.
40:52But it's no use.
40:55He's gone.
40:57The men are devastated.
41:01Hornell makes the difficult decision to push Laurent’s body overboard.
41:09Up above, the Catalina is running out of fuel.
41:13There's no choice.
41:14The crew radios the men’s position one last time and turns for home.
41:20The men stifle back tears as they watch their hope fly away.
41:31They float alone in the sea.
41:34But then they see something in the sky.
41:36It’s a huge aircraft.
41:38The men perk up, they start waving their hands, and they see a big bomber turn towards them
41:44It drops something from its belly.
41:47The men watch.
41:48It’s a wooden boat!
41:51But the wind is strong, and the boat gets carried away,
41:55flying off until it disappears from sight behind a wave.
41:59They bob up and down in the waves and see it floating…
42:03500 yards away.
42:06"Let's swim. We can make it."
42:08"No, it's too far!"
42:09Despite being completely blind from the salt water and having no idea where the boat is,
42:13Hornell drags himself towards the water.
42:17The men swim after him, reaching out — grabbing his arms, trying to hold him back.
42:21Hornell pleads, but his men know it’s no use
42:25and they watch their lifeboat float away.
42:33A spotlight appears over the waves, illuminating the men.
42:36The rescue boat has finally arrived.
42:39“Contact! We’ve found them!”
42:41After 21 long hours, the survivors of the Catalina are pulled from the sea.
42:47Laying on the dinghy, Hornell looks up, staring through his blurred eyes
42:51at the scene of his men being lifted out of the water.
42:55A sense of accomplishment washes over him,
42:57and with the last of his strength, he musters the smallest of smiles.
43:04His eyes close, never to open again.
43:09The sailors on the rescue boat attempt to revive him for four hours, but it's no use.
43:14Thanks to Hornell, 5 survivors would all make a full recovery and survive the war.
43:20David Ernest Hornell was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross.
43:24And it was received by his wife.
43:28It’s a dark, stormy night on Christmas, 1943,
43:31and the mighty German battleship Scharnhorst, one of the fastest ships of the Kriegsmarine,
43:36carves through the rough Arctic seas.
43:39At its bridge stands the fleet commander, Konteradmiral Erich Bey.
43:44He’s charging towards a soft target of British Merchant ships
43:48on their way to the Soviet Union.
43:52But the bridge is suddenly illuminated as star shells fill the air...
43:58Bey searches the horizon through the driving snow,
44:01only to see the ominous sign of muzzle flashes
44:05from British guns.
44:07Bey is here to fight, but not heavily armed battleships.
44:10So he orders the ship to turn 150 degrees and flee,
44:14but at the same time, to try and hit the British ships.
44:18As Scharnhorst turns away, its massive aft turret “Caesar”
44:23turns to face the British and fires a salvo.
44:28They have to escape the Royal Navy guns.
44:30But the British guns are accurate and deadly.
44:35A shell smashes straight into the German radar.
44:38“We've lost the radar!”
44:40“Keep firing! Full power to the engines, and make smoke.”
44:44As the smoke screen from the Scharnhost starts to emerge,
44:48another enemy shell slams into the ship with a powerful bang.
44:52“Damage report!”
44:54“Superficial.”
44:55“Full power!
44:56They won't get us!"
44:57Scharnhorst is speeding away.
45:01Without radar the Germans are sailing blind,
45:03and Bey reluctantly orders to return to port, confident he can outrun the British chase.
45:10"Return to port!"
45:11Bey has no idea the cruisers are not acting alone.
45:15As the British ships follow Scharnhorst, they send out a transmission.
45:18"Scharnhorst spotted. Course and speed 1-1-5 degrees, speed 28 knots. Am shadowing."
45:21To the south, hidden in the dark, waits a second part of the British trap,
45:25the main force led by the mighty HMS Duke of York.
45:29And in command is Admiral Sir Bruce Fraser, commander-in-chief of the Home Fleet,
45:35who has come personally to see the Scharnhorst destroyed.
45:40Fraser smiles to himself as he receives the transmission
45:43that tells him that the Scharnhorst is headed right towards their position.
45:48The trap is about to be sprung.
45:50And the enemy they’ve been looking for appears on radar.
45:54"Surface vessel, bearing: 2-9-5! Range: Thirty-five thousand yards!"
45:58Admiral Fraser orders HMS Duke of York to close in slowly.
46:02They stalk their prey, inching closer.
46:05"Thirty thousand!"
46:06“Patience.”
46:08It's clear Scharnhorst has no idea that they are here.
46:11They plough through the rough Arctic seas undetected into engagement distance.
46:17"Twenty thousand!"
46:18"Patience."
46:20Fraser orders his men to hold steady.
46:25"Eleven thousand!"
46:27“Take aim.”
46:29The Duke of York’s gigantic turrets stir to life,
46:32armed with ten immensely powerful 14-inch main guns.
46:38“Order Jamaica to fire star shells.”
46:45Konteradmiral Bey and his men think the battle is done.
46:48They are steaming south on their way to the port,
46:50when, suddenly, yet another star shell illuminates the sky directly in front of them.
46:56Everyone’s attention turns to its source.
47:02"Fire!"
47:04The Duke of York opens fire with a full broadside.
47:08The men aboard Scharnhorst see the world around them erupt with the sounds of splashes and metal.
47:18A single 14-inch shell punches directly through "Anton",
47:23the foremost turret, killing everyone inside.
47:26To prevent the magazines from exploding, the second forward turret, "Bruno", is also flooded.
47:32Bey realises that they are trapped.
47:34He can’t turn back because of the chasing cruisers, so his only option now is to escape to the east.
47:41Scharnhorst turns hard to port,
47:43as they return fire with all they have, which for now is just one turret.
47:50The enemy fire comes crashing down all around them.
47:53Another 14-inch shell smashes into Scharnhorst’s superstructure,
47:58triggering a massive fire.
48:00The Germans realize that "Bruno" isn't aflame, and they’ve flooded it for no good reason,
48:06so the order is given to drain the magazine and Bruno comes to life.
48:11Scharnhorst takes fire from the flank and behind as ‘Bruno’ is rocked by a 14-inch shell.
48:18The turret is full of smoke, and the crew have to evacuate.
48:22Scharnhorst proceeds at absolute maximum power as ‘Caesar’, their last turret, fires at the British ship.
48:30Back on the Duke of York, Fraser is getting nervous.
48:33Scharnhorst is steadily sailing away from the action.
48:36The Duke of York’s guns are adjusting their aim,
48:39but an incoming salvo from the Scharnhorst strikes the ship, bringing the catastrophic news.
48:44"Sir, we've lost the radar."
48:47Without that radar, there is no way they can adjust their aim.
48:51"Make repairs and fast!"
48:54Lt. Harold Bates from the radar shack is already on it.
48:57He can see that the radar is drooping downwards.
49:00Without waiting for orders or informing anyone, he climbs onto the mast.
49:05It's in the middle of a snowstorm;
49:07it’s an incredibly brave act.
49:09The wind and snow bite at his face, and he is repeatedly buffeted by the blast from the main guns.
49:16But Bates pushes through, willing himself upwards step by step.
49:21They continue to fire into the night.
49:23Yet with the German ship racing away, the chances of landing a hit shrink by the second.
49:29To Bey’s delight, Scharnhorst is on the verge of slipping out of the trap.
49:34The British ships now sail full east, trying desperately to keep up.
49:39At the same time, the German technicians successfully bring the "Bruno" turret back online.
49:44It’s immediately put to use sending shells towards the enemy.
49:47On the Duke of York, Harold Bates clings onto the mast like his life depends on it.
49:53The wind hawls around him tearing his hat away, but he finds his footing and keeps going.
49:59With massive effort, he manages to push the radar antenna back into alignment.
50:06Suddenly, the radar screen comes back to life.
50:10"Contact, range 22,000 yards."
50:12“Radar reports Scharnhost at 22,000 yards!”
50:15That’s over 10 nautical miles. It’s within the range, but it's still a difficult shot in these conditions.
50:21“Correct and fire! Quickly!”
50:23The guns adjust up and fire.
50:2714-inch shells fly up into the sky, they travel for 30 eternal seconds, then they come down.
50:35A shell hits the Scharnhorst and passes through the thin upper belt armor,
50:40and finally explodes in boiler room number 1.
50:47Bey is horrified.
50:49He knows. It’s over.
50:51“Damage report!”
50:53“Severe loss of steam, we’ve slowed down to 8 knots.”
50:56It's not enough.
50:57Already aware of his fate, Bey orders to make a transmission that reads,
51:01“We will fight to the last shell. Long live Germany".
51:07The German engineers get to work, and the ship recovers to 22 knots.
51:11But it’s not enough.
51:12Her reduced speed makes her vulnerable to torpedo attacks.
51:17The British ships join the main force from the north.
51:20Scharnhorst is now surrounded.
51:23“Focus on the destroyers, don’t let them get closer!”
51:28The German 15cm secondary turrets target one of four destroyers approaching.
51:34But there’s far too many of them.
51:36Two make the charge and release 8 torpedoes towards Scharnhorst.
51:41A British torpedo finds its mark and rocks the German battleship.
51:47Then the two other destroyers make their run, releasing 12 torpedoes towards the Scharnhorst.
51:53One impacts on port and three more on starboard, all in quick succession.
51:59The ship shudders and groans; it begins taking in water and slows down to 10 knots.
52:06"Launch torpedoes! "
52:08Bey orders Scharnhorst to turn around and attempt a torpedo run of its own,
52:13but the ship is too wounded.
52:16Only one torpedo is launched, and it misses.
52:22Scharnhorst is surrounded by the British ships and is pummeled into submission.
52:27Its secondary turrets continue firing.
52:30Even with the ship burning and entirely boxed in, the men continue firing to the last.
52:36The Caesar turret fires again and manages to hit a destroyer…
52:41The British destroyers push forward again and perform another torpedo attack at point-blank range.
52:48Five explode against Scharnhorst’s hull.
52:50The Caesar turret, which was the first to fire in the battle, is damaged and finally falls silent.
52:58Huge amounts of water have poured into the many holes, and the ship begins to list.
53:05Still standing on the bridge with his ship leaning heavily to starboard beneath him
53:09Bey knows it’s really over and finally orders to abandon ship.
53:24Admiral Fraser watches the grand Kriegsmarine ship in its death throes as it rolls over.
53:31The bow of the ship sinks, raising the stern into the air, the propellers still turning slowly.
53:44Fraser would later tell his men.
53:46"Gentlemen, the battle against the Scharnhorst has ended in victory for us.
53:52I hope that any of you who are ever called upon
53:56to lead a ship into action against an opponent many times superior
54:01will command your ship as gallantly as the Scharnhorst was commanded today."
54:08Of Scharnhorst’s 1,968-man crew, only 36 were pulled alive from the water.
54:16Konteradmiral Erich Bey was not among them.
54:21It's the early dawn on the 10th of December 1941.
54:26A task force of ships are off the coast of Malaya.
54:30They're hoping to launch a surprise attack against the Japanese who they think are in Kuantan.
54:40The head of the task force is the HMS Prince of Wales
54:44and its Captain, John “Jack” Leach.
54:48“Sir, Tenedos is signaling distress.”
54:50“Bloody fools! We're under radio silence.
54:54This had better be good.”
55:03Leach speaks urgently with Admiral Phillips.
55:05“Sir, Tenedos is under a Japanese bomber attack.”
55:13It's the worst possible situation.
55:16“Get everyone ready.”
55:17With horror, they need to accept
55:19that the Japanese have found them
55:21and the entirety of Task Force Z is within range.
55:29Outside, the air trembles with the engines of Japanese aircraft.
55:33They come through the clouds and line up their target.
55:36First, they go for the aging battlecruiser HMS Repulse.
55:41The bombs are away. They scream down towards the ship.
55:47And a tall column of water erupts on the starboard side, followed by several more on the port side.
55:53Captain Tennant of Repulse orders,
55:55"All hands to action stations!"
55:59A 250-kilogram bomb screams down.
56:04There's an enormous explosion as the bomb hits the Repulse amidships.
56:09The Captain is thrown to the floor, as are the rest of the bridge.
56:15The bomb has penetrated through the port seaplane hangar
56:18and devastated the armored deck below.
56:21It's a scene of carnage as the fallen lie around the hangar.
56:26Repulse emerges from the fray,
56:28with a plume of smoke coming from her upper deck where she'd been struck.
56:31- “Damage report?” - “No critical damage!”
56:35Her speed, though, is unaffected and she steams on,
56:38emitting just the faintest smoke curl.
56:42On the Prince of Wales, Leach turns and gives an order.
56:45“Action stations!”
56:47“Repel aircraft!”
56:51More shapes emerge from the clouds.
56:53It's 67 Japanese bombers!
56:58Two squadrons separate and approach the capital ships in a pincer formation
57:03designed to reduce the effectiveness of the British anti-aircraft gunfire.
57:07From eight miles away, they begin their dive.
57:10Phillips’s demeanor hardens as he broadcasts the order.
57:13“All ships increase speed to 25 knots.”
57:17“All captains are granted freedom to maneuver.”
57:19An officer hunches over his radio.
57:21“Confirm message, over.”
57:23His face drops.
57:24“Sir, the aircraft to port appeared to be carrying torpedoes.”
57:29“There is no such aircraft around.”
57:33Phillips observes the sight through binoculars and watches aghast.
57:40The Japanese aircraft continue to lose height
57:43and fly into some low cloud before appearing off the Prince of Wales’s port bow.
57:48Nine Japanese planes start their approach.
57:52They see the British ship in the distance as they come in skimming the waves.
57:58There's a flash as one by one the British anti-aircraft guns open fire.
58:03Tracers arc up towards the black dots in the sky
58:06and after 12 salvoes, the guns switch from controlled fire at individual planes to barrage fire,
58:13hurling a curtain of bursting shells to provide a flak barrier for the hostile planes,
58:18desperately trying to force them to drop their torpedoes early.
58:23The Japanese planes keep coming.
58:26The loaders begin trembling as they push shells into the magazine feeds,
58:30hoping that something - anything - will down just one of the planes.
58:34The British anti-aircraft gunners, however, are unprepared for the sheer speed of the Japanese planes.
58:40Most of the British anti-aircraft shells
58:42burst well behind the aircraft as they bear down upon the British ships.
58:47Battered but still flying, the Japanese pilots bravely push on
58:51until their torpedoes are in range.
58:55They drop. The fish are away.
58:59On the Prince of Wales, there's horror as Captain Leach barks the order,
59:03"Hard to port!"
59:04attempting to slip through the tracks of the torpedoes.
59:10Meanwhile, the Japanese bombers are too large and too fast to pull away quickly,
59:16and they fly straight at the Prince of Wales, machine-gunning as they go,
59:21reaching the battleship well before their torpedoes do,
59:24and causing disorder on her decks, killing and wounding sailors as they approach.
59:29The British gunners are now firing at near-point blank range.
59:32A Betty bomber takes a flak shell to the wing, which snaps it from the body,
59:37causing it to spin and dramatically slam into the water.
59:43But there's no time to celebrate.
59:44Two torpedoes move straight towards the ship,
59:48and there's no avoiding a hit.
59:50All the men aboard brace for impact.
59:55The first one strikes.
59:56A pillar of water erupts on the port side of the Prince of Wales
1:00:00and punches through the outer hull, but thankfully there's only limited flooding.
1:00:06Moments later, the second torpedo strikes the Prince of Wales under her stern,
1:00:11blasting open a hole some four metres high and six metres wide.
1:00:15It's a critical blow!
1:00:17There's now a direct route for water into the very heart of the ship,
1:00:21sweeping sailors off their feet and drowning the ship's engine room.
1:00:26Her speed immediately starts dropping.
1:00:29As water floods into her, emergency pumps are unable to stop the steady rise.
1:00:34The sailors continue to attempt repairs, wading through water now waist deep to get to the hull.
1:00:41She begins listing to port.
1:00:44On the deck, the gunners keep shooting to the point
1:00:46where the air can almost burn the skin,
1:00:49but their rounds explode behind the Japanese planes and the men brace for another impact.
1:00:56All the sailors can do is watch, wait, hold on and hope.
1:01:07The tracks zip towards the ship and a torpedo strikes the Prince of Wales.
1:01:13Her electrical system at the stern suffers massive damage.
1:01:17Without power, both the steering motors are dead.
1:01:21The Prince of Wales is a sitting duck. She's now a death trap.
1:01:26Captain Leach orders:
1:01:27"Flood the void spaces of the starboard torpedo defense system. We need the ship level."
1:01:33He needs the ship level, or almost level,
1:01:35so that his men can train their anti-aircraft guns, which are currently pointing too high.
1:01:40But this also makes the ship more vulnerable should she receive another torpedo strike.
1:01:45The sailors strap on any small arms they can to the side of the ship in a last-ditch defense.
1:01:52By 12:19, the Prince of Wales is left with little anti-aircraft protection.
1:01:57The gunners pour water on their boiling barrels
1:01:59and the loaders scramble to and from the magazine, knowing this will be a gamble at best.
1:02:05A gunner looks up, "Contact, due east."
1:02:09A huge formation of aircraft sweep down like a cloud,
1:02:14losing height and once again splitting into two attack formations.
1:02:18Six Betty bombers come in low and race towards the Prince of Wales on a raised starboard side,
1:02:24flying under the anti-aircraft fire she could offer on that side.
1:02:28The sailors begin firing with anything they could raise from below, but it's to no avail.
1:02:33All the fire goes harmlessly above the attackers.
1:02:37Torpedoes drop in quick succession.
1:02:40The sailors watch in horror as three torpedo tracks come straight for them.
1:02:45There's a hit.
1:02:51A jagged hole tears right through the ship
1:02:54as the first torpedo blows clean out through the other side,
1:02:58the force of the current dragging sailors under and out of the ship.
1:03:02The second torpedo strikes almost directly under B turret,
1:03:06shooting a plume of oil and water up the side of the ship.
1:03:10The final torpedo strikes the unarmored section of the hull,
1:03:14where there is only 1-inch-thick steel.
1:03:19There's nothing Captain Leach can do. The steering gear of his ship is completely useless.
1:03:25Meanwhile, the Repulse is putting up a valiant defense against her attackers.
1:03:30Captain Tennant turns his great ship swiftly towards the diving aircraft,
1:03:35readying his vessel to pass through the tracks of the torpedoes that he knows are coming.
1:03:41The torpedoes drop, and as they run in the water they leave a tell-tale trail of white bubbles.
1:03:47Captain Tennant brings all his seamanship to bear as he manages to dodge the tracks
1:03:52of every one of the torpedoes dropped by the two Japanese squadrons,
1:03:57as well as the others coming from the attack on the Prince of Wales going on at the same time.
1:04:03Each member of the bridge holds on as the ship leans and lists from Tennant's audacious steering.
1:04:10The crew speak later with pride of 19 torpedoes missing due to the manouver.
1:04:16And how the huge ship had been thrown about like a destroyer.
1:04:21Incredibly, he also avoids all the bombs from high-level bombers dropped from 12,000 feet.
1:04:27But at 12:20 on the Prince of Wales, Phillips is left with no option.
1:04:32Reluctantly, he orders his radio signals to break radio silence and transmit to the rest of the task force
1:04:38to come to the aid of the Prince of Wales and the Repulse.
1:04:44At 12:23, the remaining 20 or so torpedo bombers
1:04:48almost simultaneously pounce on Repulse from different directions.
1:04:54Her main guns keep firing against the incoming enemy.
1:04:57The 15-inch shells fly straight into the water,
1:05:00hoping to create a splash powerful enough to get enemy planes into the waves.
1:05:05But the Repulse crew is out of luck today.
1:05:08The first eight aircraft drop their torpedoes on her starboard side.
1:05:13Captain Tennant turns Repulse to starboard to dodge the torpedoes again.
1:05:20But then the three aircraft attack Repulse on her port side.
1:05:24Captain Tennant can do no more than continue his turn to starboard to avoid the first eight torpedoes.
1:05:31The deckhands and gunners keep up as much fire as they can,
1:05:34but they know it will make little difference.
1:05:36Men fall to the floor and cover their heads.
1:05:39A torpedo hits Repulse in midships on the port side,
1:05:43but does little significant damage.
1:05:46She continues maneuvring and steams at 25 knots.
1:05:49Tennant is not going to stop.
1:05:52"Set a new heading for..."
1:05:56He never finishes his sentence, as a torpedo hits.
1:06:00Immediately, nine aircraft attack Repulse from different angles.
1:06:04Six planes attempt to work their way round to her starboard side,
1:06:08while the remaining three Betty Bombers go straight in at her port side.
1:06:13It's a skillfully executed attack.
1:06:17Repulse's engines are still fully functioning,
1:06:20but with her rudder jammed, she is simply steaming in a circle.
1:06:24The gunners don't know what to do.
1:06:27"Tell the bridge we can't get a good view of the planes. We need to change course."
1:06:32"Enemy incoming!"
1:06:33The three Betty Bombers fly forward, seemingly unfazed by the ack-ack fire the British can muster,
1:06:39and they drop their torpedoes in a slow sequence, as if contemptible of the Navy's attempts to fend them off.
1:06:46And they continue their course, strafing the deck and scattering the sailors as they overfly.
1:06:52"‘Have this!!!"
1:06:54A Betty ignites and spins rapidly out of control and thumps into the water.
1:07:01Shortly after, a gunner leveling his weapon at the approaching bomber
1:07:04sends a shell straight through the cockpit,
1:07:09and the Japanese aircraft explodes in mid-air.
1:07:15It is a small consolation.
1:07:17Two explosions tear through the lower decks,
1:07:21immediately causing catastrophic flooding and destroying the engines.
1:07:26Repulse lists to port, and looks done for.
1:07:30But the Japanese are not finished yet.
1:07:33At 12:25, the other six torpedo-bombers skim the waves towards Repulse's starboard side.
1:07:40The men on deck watch helplessly before scattering for cover.
1:07:45All six planes release their torpedoes at once.
1:07:48The wait is agonising.
1:07:51Two rudimentary shots ring from the guns as the planes fly overhead,
1:07:56but the torpedoes are still coming.
1:07:59There's silence.
1:08:01A rating puts his head over the rail.
1:08:07He's rocked by a pummelling explosion.
1:08:10Even though five missed, a final torpedo scored the single hit.
1:08:14Over the last four to five minutes, Repulse had been hit by four, possibly five torpedoes.
1:08:21Very quickly, the list to port starts to increase, with men leaning and staggering their way through the ship.
1:08:28All 51 of the Japanese torpedo bombers had now completed their attacks.
1:08:33But only eight of the 34 high-level bombers had done so.
1:08:37Two squadrons of high-level bombers remain that had not yet attacked,
1:08:41and each plane carries a single, huge, 500-kilogram bomb.
1:08:47At 12:33 pm, the first nine of these bombers starts a high-altitude attack.
1:08:53But their bombs are released too early and fail to find their target, missing by a considerable distance.
1:08:59Repulse, with multiple large holes in her hull, now is quickly sinking.
1:09:04The other ships from Task Force Z have now come to their aid.
1:09:08Captain Tennant orders:
1:09:09"All hands to the main deck. Life rafts cut loose. Abandon ship!"
1:09:14Not one man had left his place of duty until being ordered to do so.
1:09:19But now, dozens of men pour up through the hatches from below,
1:09:23or scramble down ladders from stations high in the superstructure.
1:09:27The crew start jumping over the side into a spreading pool of oil.
1:09:31As the ship lists further, men begin climbing up the sloping deck
1:09:35and start to slide down the huge raised starboard side of the battle cruiser.
1:09:40Hundreds of men get away in minutes.
1:09:43However, below decks, many loudspeakers are not working,
1:09:47and the men don't hear the order to abandon ship.
1:09:52As she continues rolling over to port, the huge torpedo bulge and its jagged torpedo hole
1:09:58emerge out of the water, and the stern rears up to expose her still turning propellers.
1:10:05The stern then slips below the waves and disappears,
1:10:10leaving her bow hanging in the air,
1:10:16before it too vanishes beneath the waves.
1:10:22Just 11 minutes after the first torpedo had struck her,
1:10:25Captain Tennant fights his way to the surface, emerging by a nearby raft.
1:10:30There's another attack. The Japanese are still not done.
1:10:34A 500-kilogram bomb hits the Prince of Wales, adding to its inevitable defeat.
1:10:41By 12:50 pm, the end is nigh for the Prince of Wales.
1:10:44She's taken on an estimated 18,000 tons of water.
1:10:49Captain Leach orders all the wounded to leave the ship.
1:10:52“This is the end.”
1:10:55“No.”
1:10:58He leaves the bridge and comes down to the quarterdeck,
1:11:01where a large group of his crew had congregated.
1:11:04“Gentlemen, she's been badly riddled. We need men to try and maneuver back to Singapore.
1:11:10If you go, that's fine. His Majesty needs every sailor possible.
1:11:14But let's help our old girl out one last time, eh?”
1:11:20There's a slight hesitation.
1:11:23Surely the ship is sinking. They haven't got a hope of navigating to a friendly port.
1:11:31A silence follows before two men let go of the rail and salute.
1:11:34A petty officer and several other ratings also step forward, salute, and fall in behind Leach.
1:11:42Captain Leach smiles and declares an order to those present.
1:11:45“Aside from gunners, marines and officers, those who wish to board the Express can do so.
1:11:50God save the King!”
1:11:51He then climbs back up to the bridge to join Admiral Phillips.
1:11:57Hundreds of men started crossing over to Express on makeshift lines and gangplanks.
1:12:11But as the Prince of Wales rolls further over onto her port side,
1:12:15and her starboard side lifts, the gap between her and Express starts to widen.
1:12:21The gangplanks fall into the sea, but men continue to swing across on ropes
1:12:25and the cable that still join the two ships.
1:12:30Under the incredible strain, the cable finally snaps.
1:12:35The list to port starts to worsen.
1:12:37It was clear the ship was now beyond any help from aircraft, destroyers or tugs.
1:12:43Leach comes to the realisation that his ship's not going anywhere, and reluctantly gives the order.
1:12:51“Abandon ship.”
1:12:56The battleship's starboard bilge keel rises.
1:12:58The skipper of Express skilfully judges the last moment before he's forced to pull away,
1:13:03her hull bumping and grinding on the battleship's heaving keel,
1:13:07and almost getting overturned herself.
1:13:10The destroyer suffers a 20-ft gash in her hull from the contact, but many men have been saved.
1:13:17Admiral Sir Tom Phillips remains on the bridge almost to the end,
1:13:21he and Captain Leach silent, contemplating their defeat.
1:13:30The last reports, seeing them alive, are at 13:24,
1:13:33when the two men are on the side of the horizontal ship,
1:13:38just before she rolls over, and capsizes.
1:13:48The destroyer Electra sent a simple signal to headquarters in Singapore -
1:13:53“H.M.S. Prince of Wales Sunk”.
1:13:57It’s the 25th of May, 1982, and two pairs of Argentinian jets roar low over the Falklands Islands,
1:14:04on their way to what could be a one-way mission.
1:14:07They are led by Captain Pablo Carballo, and he and his men are flying old
1:14:12and poorly equipped A-4 Skyhawk jets loaded with bombs.
1:14:15Their mission is to destroy the British Ships HMS Coventry and HMS Broadsword.
1:14:21The Argentinians have captured the Falkland Islands or the Malvinas as they call them.
1:14:25And they need to destroy the ships if they are to hold on to them.
1:14:29The Argentinians know that 2 ships have moved closer to the islands to cover ground troops.
1:14:34Islands that give them the chance to approach undetected by British Radar…
1:14:39"Entering their range, don't climb for any reason."
1:14:44The Skyhawks fly as low as they dare, hugging the contours of the island as they reach the enemy's radar range.
1:14:50The two ships are equipped with advanced anti-air missiles and powerful radars,
1:14:54which have been devastating to the Argentinian planes.
1:14:57The only way to evade detection is to stay low.
1:15:00Onboard HMS Coventry Captain David Hart-Dyke has his men on high alert.
1:15:06British special forces have warned him that the Argentinians have recently launched on a mission,
1:15:11but he is unaware that this time his ship is the target.
1:15:16Four detections on their radar screen confirms his worst fears.
1:15:21“Four contacts bearing 225 range 30!”
1:15:23Captain Hart-Dyke immediately orders the crew to action stations
1:15:27and alarms blare on both ships
1:15:29and swiftly the mighty Sea Dart surface-to-air missiles turn to bear.
1:15:34The Skyhawks at the same time approach Pebble Island and hug its contours.
1:15:40"Isla de Borbon ahead. Keep low and follow me."
1:15:42With expert flying, the Argentinians become invisible to the British radar
1:15:47and on the Coventry, the contacts disappear.
1:15:51“Contacts lost over Pebble Island.”
1:15:53It's precisely what Captain Hart-Dyke feared.
1:15:56Pebble Island is too close, the Sea Darts have a minimum range,
1:15:59so now they will only be able to fire once if they are lucky.
1:16:05Hart-Dyke gets on the radio to Broadsword.
1:16:07“Broadsword, what is your status?”
1:16:10HMS Broadsword is equipped with shorter range Sea Wolf missiles
1:16:13better suited for a close-range fight.
1:16:16On the Skyhawks, Carballo brings his men as close to the ships as he can under cover of the land.
1:16:21His planes have no radar and no warning systems,
1:16:25but at 10 nautical miles distance they can see the British ships!
1:16:30"Starting the attack!"
1:16:31"Good luck, Captain!"
1:16:33He and his wingman, Lieutenant Carlos Rinke, make the charge
1:16:37and accelerate to maximum speed while skimming the waves.
1:16:41Aboard Coventry, the two Skyhawks immediately light up their radar.
1:16:46“Two hostiles bearing 192 low level!”
1:16:48To add to the confusion, a British Harrier jump jet reports in.
1:16:53It is in the firing zone.
1:16:55“Captain, friendly aircraft 20 miles out.”
1:16:57A British plane and enemies in the same airspace.
1:17:00Should he fire?
1:17:01In a split second decision, he chooses the missiles.
1:17:05"Turn the Harrier away!
1:17:06Shoot missiles!"
1:17:09But the operators still can’t get a lock.
1:17:12The Argentinians are flying extremely low, mere feet from the sea.
1:17:16Carballo’s canopy is covered in sea salt
1:17:18as he soars through the spray, so low that the radars struggle to track them.
1:17:24Aboard the Coventry, the men's hearts race as they see the enemy getting ever closer,
1:17:30the Sea Dart missiles are failing to lock.
1:17:32Captain Hart-Dyke feels the dread of a wrong decision,
1:17:38praying for Broadsword’s Sea Wolf missiles to do the job...
1:17:41Aboard Broadsword the men can see the targets.
1:17:44The Skyhawks are flying so close that the Sea Wolf’s radar detects them as a single aircraft.
1:17:51They lock the target as the Argentinians barrel down towards them.
1:17:55But then, the single contact splits into two, and the two sets of coordinates crash the missile guidance system.
1:18:03"The missiles are not responding!"
1:18:05"Restart them!"
1:18:06There is no time.
1:18:07Lookouts aboard Coventry see the Skyhawks with the naked eye and shout with alarm.
1:18:12In a last-ditch effort, HMS Coventry’s deck guns turn to bear and open fire,
1:18:17soon joined by the roar of personal machineguns and rifles,
1:18:20sailors firing from all across the deck.
1:18:24Carballo sees the splashes of the shells striking the sea
1:18:27and the tracers of the British bullets drawing closer, refining their aim.
1:18:32The enemy ship is right there.
1:18:35He can taste victory,
1:18:37but the shells are getting closer.
1:18:39He can feel it.
1:18:41They are not going to make it.
1:18:43"Change to the other one!"
1:18:44He orders to swap targets, setting his sights on Broadsword.
1:18:49The two planes pull to the side and away from Coventry's guns,
1:18:52roaring by her deck as they line up their pass.
1:18:55The two Skyhawks pull the triggers, and their 1000-pound bombs are released.
1:19:00They fall down into the sea and splash onto the ocean surface.
1:19:04It redirects them upwards as they bounce, skipping like stones.
1:19:08Broadsword's sailors see the two massive bombs bounce twice as they head down towards them.
1:19:13One bomb hits the sea and sinks short of the Broadsword.
1:19:18But the other doesn’t.
1:19:19It punches straight into the side of Broadsword.
1:19:22It is deflected upwards and it bursts out of the deck.
1:19:25It flies on, tumbling as it falls into the sea
1:19:29without exploding…
1:19:31Carballo is dismayed, but they are not done yet.
1:19:35Coming in behind them is the second flight of 1st Lieutenant Mariano Ángel Velasco
1:19:40and Ensign Jorge Nelson Barrionuevo.
1:19:42They are equipped with less powerful but more reliable 250-kilogram bombs.
1:19:48Aboard the British ship, they now see all four contacts on the radar
1:19:52and Captain Hart-Dyke orders an immediate turn to starboard to allow the missiles to fire at all contacts.
1:19:59Coventry's missile operators get a lock on Velasco and the Sea Darts turn directly towards them.
1:20:05"Shoot!"
1:20:07There is a bright flash on Coventry’s deck
1:20:09and the missile rockets out in a plume of smoke.
1:20:14Just as it does Velasco and his wingman fly lower and lower over the water.
1:20:20They disappear from the British radar and the missile goes straight.
1:20:25The sailors are aghast as the missile loses track and flies away.
1:20:29Velasco sees the missile fly off 500 meters to his right.
1:20:34but his eyes are locked on HMS Coventry as he fast approaches.
1:20:39Broadsword, meanwhile, is restarting the missile systems
1:20:42as the Skyhawks fly in towards them.
1:20:45Sailors nervously stare at blank screens as they are on a race between the Skyhawk and the rebooting computers.
1:20:52“Come on."
1:20:53The screens come to life, and the sailors get to work.
1:20:56The Skyhawks are detected and appear on the Sea Wolf radar.
1:21:00The launchers turn, and the target is locked.
1:21:03But then, on their screens, they see HMS Coventry sail directly in front of the launcher.
1:21:10"Goddammit! The Coventry is in the way!"
1:21:12In their rush to cover all targets, they have blocked the only missiles that could actually fire.
1:21:18The Broadsword's captain tries to maneuver to get a clear shot… but it’s just too late.
1:21:24In the Skyhawks, Velasco and Barrionuevo are approaching their target.
1:21:28On the Coventry, Captain Hart-Dyke orders all turrets to fire at will.
1:21:33Cannons and machineguns join in, firing with everything they've got at the incoming planes.
1:21:38The main 4.5 inch gun is sending its shells towards the sea.
1:21:41The men realize the sights are misaligned.
1:21:44But that’s not the only malfunction.
1:21:46At the same time, the 20mm anti-air gun jams.
1:21:50The men desperately try to fix it as the Argentinian planes close.
1:21:54In a desperate attempt sailors all across the ship open fire with their rifles.
1:22:00The sea churns and splashes as everything the British have is directed towards the advancing Skyhawks….
1:22:07But it’s all too late.
1:22:10"Brace, brace, brace!"
1:22:12Echo over the intercom and commanding officers order everyone to hit the deck.
1:22:17Men jump for cover and hold on waiting for the inevitable.
1:22:21Velasco sees the enemy ship fill his view, and pulls the trigger.
1:22:25His A-4’s 20mm cannons are unleashed, spraying a volley of lead across the ship’s deck and superstructure.
1:22:33He holds the trigger down as long as he can.
1:22:35Then, he releases his payload.
1:22:37The bombs fall away, arcing lazily across the air before slamming into HMS Coventry with force.
1:22:44They punch through the hull, the impact echoing through the ship as two almost hollow thunks.
1:22:50But there is no explosion.
1:22:53The second A-4 roars overhead without dropping its bombs, the payload failing to release.
1:22:58Seconds drag on.
1:23:00The men start to get back up, looking around with fear and confusion.
1:23:04A voice comes through the intercom reporting damage,
1:23:08but they never get to finish their sentence.
1:23:11The bombs detonate.
1:23:12Two huge explosions rock HMS Coventry.
1:23:17In the air, the Argentinian pilots are elated to see smoke pouring from the Coventry.
1:23:22They've done it!
1:23:23“Wooohahaha!”
1:23:25“Boom, dude!"
1:23:27"Goal!"
1:23:28"Long live the nation!"
1:23:30One explosion right under the bridge breaks a massive hole in the side of the ship
1:23:34and destroys the computer room,
1:23:36the fire moves up through corridors and blasts through the operations room
1:23:40where all the operators and Captain Hart-Dyke were working.
1:23:45The second one explodes in the forward engine room starting a massive fire
1:23:49and taking out electrical and propulsion power from the ship.
1:23:53Captain Hart-Dyke comes back to his senses.
1:23:58He is surrounded by smoke and destruction.
1:24:02Screams fill the air, he tries to see who is making them,
1:24:05but they appear to come from everywhere and nowhere at the same time.
1:24:09He staggers to his feet and realizes the ship is listing.
1:24:14He attempts to use his intercom, but it is completely dead.
1:24:18It's no use. He needs to get out.
1:24:20Captain Hart-Dyke slowly works his way through the smoke and corridors
1:24:23as he listens to the ship groaning and cracking underneath him.
1:24:27He manages, somehow, to find an exit and emerges into the cool air of the South Atlantic.
1:24:34Now on deck, he is filled with concern for his men.
1:24:37But instead of chaos, he is met by an extremely professional evacuation.
1:24:43His team of sailors practiced this and are now springing into action.
1:24:48Men rescue their fellow sailors from the smoke-filled cabins and provide medical attention on deck
1:24:54as others prepare the survival rafts and help more sailors put on their survival gear.
1:25:01Hart Dyke feels the deck shift beneath his feet as the hull lists.
1:25:05He’s dazed and wounded, and amidst the chaos he has to sit down on the rapidly-listing hull
1:25:11while others abandon the ship.
1:25:14All, but Captain Hart Dyke.
1:25:16After all the men have gone, Hart Dyke is alone on the upturned hull of the Coventry.
1:25:23He casts one last look around the smoking ship.
1:25:26He's done his duty
1:25:30and finally,
1:25:31and finally, as the last man aboard,
1:25:32he enters the last survival raft
1:25:35and drifts away from his command.
1:25:38Due to the professionalism of the British, 170 survivors would be picked up from the water
1:25:43by HMS Broadsword and the British rescue helicopters.
1:25:47But tragically, 19 lost their lives in the battle.
1:25:51All of the Argentinian pilots make it back to base and land successfully.
1:25:55They had done it,
1:25:56but their victory did not turn the tide of the war.
1:26:01Thanks for staying until the end.
1:26:03If you wish to see more exciting stories, don't miss our previous compilation "7 Incredible Modern Battles"

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