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Attempts to modernise Royal Oak throughout her 25-year career could not fix her fundamental lack of speed and, by the start of the Second World War, she was no longer suitable for front-line duty. On 14 October 1939, Royal Oak was anchored at Scapa Flow in Orkney, Scotland, when she was torpedoed by the German submarine U-47.
On 14 October 1939 (six days after leaving port), she succeeded in penetrating the Royal Navy's primary base at Scapa Flow. [10] Although most of the Home Fleet was not at the base at the time, U-47 managed to find a target, the battleship HMS Royal Oak. Once she had spotted Royal Oak, she opened fire with her torpedoes. Her first two salvos ...
The film begins shortly after the outbreak of World War II when Günther Prien reports to the commander of the U-boat force, Karl Dönitz. Dönitz orders Prien as commander of U-47 to infiltrate the Royal Navy's primary base at Scapa Flow to inflict as much damage as possible. Prien accomplishes his mission and receives a hero's welcome on his ...
On 14 October 1939, under the command of Günther Prien, U-47 penetrated Scapa Flow and sank the First World War-era battleship HMS Royal Oak anchored in Scapa Bay. [11] After firing its first torpedo salvo, the submarine turned to make its escape; but, upon realising that there was no immediate threat from surface vessels, it returned for ...
The entrances to Scapa Flow were supposed to be closed by blockships and booms, [16] but on the night of 14 October 1939 the German submarine U-47 commanded by Günther Prien slipped on the surface between two blockships unseen by the coastal defences and sank the battleship HMS Royal Oak lying at anchor.
Günther Prien (16 January 1908 – presumed 8 March 1941) was a German U-boat commander during World War II.He was the first U-boat commander to receive the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and the first member of the Kriegsmarine to receive the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves of Nazi Germany.
German submarine U-47 penetrated the British naval base at Scapa Flow and sank the battleship HMS Royal Oak. 833 men were killed including Rear Admiral Henry Blagrove. [27] U-45 was sunk southwest of Ireland by depth charges from the British destroyers HMS Inglefield, Ivanhoe and Intrepid. Born: Ralph Lauren, fashion designer, in the Bronx, New ...
German submarine U-47 sank the battleship HMS Royal Oak at Scapa Flow in October 1939, with the loss of 786 crew. As a consequence the Admiralty pressed for the RAF to concentrate its efforts on RAF Coastal Command rather than a strategic bomber force. This was debated within the British establishment well into 1941.