Operation Pedestal | HMS Indomitable Bombed (Part 3 of 3)

PART 3: August 12, 1942, was the showdown between the Operation Pedestal Malta Convoy and German and Italian forces. Three intense air attacks resulted in the bombing of the aircraft carrier HMS Indomitable.
Full story here: www.armouredcarriers.com/oper...

[@haroldgodwinson832]

Possibly not the most popular thing to say in response to this video but I think it only fitting that we also acknowledge the bravery exhibited by the German and Italian air crews during these actions. Attacking capital ships, supported by carrier-based fighters would have been an absolute nightmare. If you weren't killed in the air you'd almost certainly die in the water with little to no prospect of rescue. If you were required to participate in multiple attacks your chances of survival would be close to zero; and they would have known this. Easy enough to talk about such things; not so easy to go out and do them.

[@kateashby598]

My uncle, Lt Cdr. Dickie Cork, flew Sea Hurricanes from HMS Indomitable. So pleased to have found this film footage.

[@Neil-jm6om]

Amazing, He took command of 880 squadron after "Butch" Judd was killed during Pedestal

[@kateashby598]

@@Neil-jm6om Yes, it sounds a very intense time, with losses all around. I'm searching for film footage of Dickie Cork and/or his plane.

[@Mallorca2153]

My father Irvine Loveday was a leading Airman and flew in Albacore's off the HMS Indomitable during WW2. He was serving on the ship when it was torpedoed. After the ship had been patched up in Malta, it was sailed to America for repairs. My father told me that he and the crew were all sent to work on a Peanut farm in Maryland whilst the repairs took place.

[@davidlafranchise4782]

That's a great detail, peanut farm. Jimmy Carter's father??? No, that was in Georgia I believe.

[@mariabenjamin2469]

My uncle Arthur maxfield died when this ship was attacked. He was 21 and he never got to see his little girl. So many lives lost, so many brave men and women, and so much heartache for those families who lost loved ones. I can not imagine what it must have been like for any of them. True heroes all of them. God bless them all.

[@davidelliott5843]

My aunt was a nurse sister on Malta. She was there throughout the siege, surviving a bomb that took out her bedroom. She told be the tanker Ohio came in with a destroyer on each side keeping her afloat. But she got through and her avgas was offloaded to fuel the defending RAF fighters.

[@robertsolomielke5134]

TY. The Pedestal convoy is epic action in the Med. It deserves another movie, with all the latest advances.

[@John-ci8yk]

Once again another World War II engagement from a perspective I have not seen yet. Thank you for all the time you put into your video, thumbs up.

[@jimmyrichardson67]

Terence Lewin was part of the Staff at headquarters during the Falklands war. One of the reasons the British won, they had men in command who’d seen and fought in a real war

[@giancarlogarlaschi4388]

They Won because General Matthei ( German descendant ) , Commander of the Air Force of Chile, provided the British with information regarding takeoff and numbers of Argentinian Fighters.

[@michaelevans205]

I believe it may have been a little more complicated than that! Sidewinder 9L missiles, the fact that the Argentinians were operating at extreme range and couldn't use their aircraft to best purpose, the presence of British SSNs and many many other factors. But yes, for a very limited period the task force did receive intelligence from Chile. I suggest reading Rowland White's book Harrier 809 for an interesting insight into many of these. An excellent and moving account of the exploits of the Argentinian air and naval air forces too, no bias, just a great read.

[@richardcleveland8549]

An amazing series, these three videos. It was great to hear reminiscences from men who were there. The escape of the "Ohio" was nothing short of miraculous and a credit to her Indomitable captain, her Furious crew, the Eagle-eyed RNAS airmen who helped defend her, her Formidable escort ships, and the destroyers who helped her limp into port, battered but Victorious! Captain Mason well deserved the George Cross he received. Well done! "Steady, boys, steady!"

[@ArmouredCarriers]

I will eventually get around to doing the non-carrier version of Pedestal. I have found a few good accounts of the small ship, merchant ship and Malta-based efforts.

[@richardcleveland8549]

@@ArmouredCarriers Thanks to your videos, I looked up British carriers and was astounded to read that not only did the RN have the first carrier, but that they converted or built three more during the First World War - and that by the end of WW II, Britain had a huge number of flattops. Impressive.

[@1chish]

Worth noting that HMS Victorious returned as noted in August 1942 and after Operation Torch in North Africa in November 1942 she was directed to the Pacific in December 1942. The Americans only had the one fleet carrier left (USS Saratoga) and a call went to the British to help out. So Victorious became the USS Robin and gave a very good account of herself as she served from January to August 1943. It also showed the Americans the value of armoured flight decks even at the cost of reduced hangar space.

[@tycbrum6525]

My grandfather was an AA gunner on the Indomitable and ive always tried to find information about this ship.

[@ArmouredCarriers]

I have put quite a bit about Indomitable and the actions she was involved in on www.armouredcarriers.com

[@richardbaxter2057]

A simply cracking series of combined video and audio history! Well done indeed and shame on the complainers who had a snipe at the audio quality! I started out with a few of the Far East films and meandered back to the Pedestal vid! 👍🏻👍🏻

[@donnalee8634]

My wonderful Dad and Uncle both served on HM Indomitable. Thankfully they both made it home. ❤

[@billbaynes3432]

My mother’s cousin James McDonald was cook on HMS Indomitable. I remember he came home a different person! Both shell shocked and nerves shattered! He was never the same!

[@alanschofield2619]

My Grandfather was also a cook on there I believe . I have a couple of old photo's if you are interested and a Xmas menu !

[@Thomas891010]

@@alanschofield2619 hi. My grandad was a telegraphift on Indomitable. I would be great full if you had any photos he could be on.

[@alanschofield2619]

@@Thomas891010 Sure. He was only on it late, from 1944 I think but if you can PM me contact details I'll be happy to share what I have.

[@falconeaterf15]

In Geoffrey Wellums book “First Light” he gives a very interesting depiction of events from his perspective as a Spitfire pilot on board furious. One of the best WW2 biographies I’ve ever read.

[@bobhealy3519]

So glad I found your channel. I live with a former professor of the Newport Naval Academy and he now has dementia. 4 tours in Vietnam. Cuban blockade. And PhD in admiralty law. 1 silver and 2 bronze stars. Great man but losing time and stories. 85 this week.

[@bobhealy3519]

He was an early adviser and was on junk boats early in the war. Then was XO on a Cruiser and a Destroyer.

[@bobhealy3519]

Destroyer first The Glennon then the Oklahoma

[@bobhealy3519]

He was a 1st LT on the Neosho during Cuban Crisis.

[@bobhealy3519]

Oklahoma City

[@bobhealy3519]

CG5

[@benwilson6145]

There is an interesting interview on KZbin by one of the Stuka pilots that bombed HMS Indomitable. Its on Tinus Le Roux

[@wekapeka3493]

A hugely important mission, beyond words. The initial aim succeeded in relieving the siege of Malta but the consequences of that were. .........? - It sealed Rommels fate in North Africa, - which saved the Suez Canal - and maintained control in the Mediterranean - and maintained the supply chain to the East - and was crucial to winning the war is not such a big stretch of the imagination!

[@tutts999]

I used to work with an old boy who served in the Med, he told me some amazing stories.

[@Kevin-mx1vi]

Likewise I had the good fortune to work with a man who had spent the war serving on H.M.S. Rodney and told me about the things he'd seen.

[@kevken3293]

I wish bloggers would use punctuation, lack of it turns some comments into gibberish! Great editing of old film stock, well done!

[@davidhardiman9603]

Small chance of that! But I agree.

[@Cyberpuppy63]

The Italians did have a dedicated navy level bomber, primarily for the Eastern / Greek campaign. The Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 Sparviero, which over 1,000 were made.

[@ericdickison7995]

Fantastic to hear these voices from the grave telling their stories in such a calm matter of fact way. This is such an important piece of history and must be preserved so today’s youth can understand just how fortunate they are and how much was sacrificed for them.

[@colliecandle]

Todays youth - don't know and don't care. As long as they have their game boxes and pop 'culture'. The best you can expect is a mild interest - a nearly century old war has zero bearing on their lives.

[@ericdickison7995]

colliecandle ah, yeah, sadly true for the most part. I’m please to say that my teenage son is somewhat more savvy about things.

[@TeardropSidemarker]

colliecandle You’d be surprised that there are a fair number of us who buck the trend.

[@mbryson2899]

@@colliecandle, what theatre did you serve in? Or do you just need some hand lotion and a wad of tissue?

[@randyjohnson6845]

Malta looks so so in WW2 black and white film...look at Malta photos and film in color..the place looks incredible

[@wretchedfibs4306]

Amazing story. tx for the production.

[@roxybot9840]

Thank you for posting. Great to hear these men. Very brave on both sides.

[@jmcfintona999]

This is brilliant. Ive watched a lot o ww2 documentaries and they generally tell the same story

[@jools2323]

I watched every second of that, thank you.

[@petersouthernboy6327]

Operating a Fleet Carrier in the Mediterranean must have been like swimming in a bath tub

[@wyominghorseman9172]

Task Force 57 British Pacific Fleet Manus Island Manus Island had been selected as the British Fleet’s forward base. It was part of the Admiralty Group of islands north of New Guinea, and was a British protectorate. It was during this deployment period that the British Pacific Fleet realized just what a truly difficult task lay ahead of it. Despite Churchill’s assertions, the ships - designed to operate in the frigid waters of the North Atlantic - had not received the air-conditioning and ventilation modifications necessary for the tropical conditions. Manus Island was a hot, humid but huge anchorage for the British Pacific Fleet. Under the equatorial sun, the armored flight decks would absorb the heat and radiate it downwards through the hull. Those who chose to sleep on the deck at night while on “rest” breaks at Manus would remark there was little point laying out ones bedding until after 11pm because of the retained heat. Conditions below were even worse. It was a sweat box in which to sling out hammocks. At least on the flight deck there was a chance for a hint of a cool sea breeze early in the morning. Officers and ratings both suffered horribly, with prickly heat, sweat rashes and boils causing long queues outside the medical offices. Even fresh water was scarce as the Fleet Train’s distillation vessel had been held up by a dockyard dispute in Sydney. AT WAR IN THE TROPICS It became immediately clear that, despite Churchill’s words, the ships allocated to the British Pacific Fleet had not been fully tropicalised - if at all - and few had the most modern equipment. A war correspondent aboard Victorious described the stay at Manus Island as: “The tropical sea war is an unending Turkish bath - with no drying room... The long flight decks of the carriers are made of steel. They absorb the rays of the tropical sun and retain the torrid heat night and day. The heat penetrates down into the ship to meet the intense heat rising from the boiler rooms and galleys. At action stations warships are closed up, scuttles - portholes - are shut, Watertight bulkheads, which section off the ship into bootbox compartments, are locked with great iron pins. Four-fifth of an aircraft carrier’s ship’s company work sandwiched between those two layers of heat - stifled, sweating, every minute of every hour of every day and night until they are back in port. They suffer prickly heat and other skin disorders. The men of Victorious think of the damp when they were fighting in the icy cold of the Arctic and the North Atlantic. When it is freezing cold at sea you can, with many layers of clothing, at least get some warmth into your body; but out here you cannot get cool. Even the water you drink is as warm as that in which at home you would take a bath. British Pacific Fleet Task Force 57 www.armouredcarriers.com/task-force-57-iceberg-i-british-pacific-fleet

[@SenorBastardo1348]

Honestly feel like this story could be made into one of the most epic war films ever. You just need a good director and writer producer team, could be so epic.

[@ashermil]

8:58 great story about the Italian “drone.”

[@sfcmiddle]

My dad was on Furious during this, I love seeing film of his funny looking ship

[@zzirSnipzz1]

Furious was a battlecruiser at the start then she had 18" single guns and then converted to a carrier an interesting ship to be sure

[@hazchemel]

amazing. fantastic! thanks heaps.

[@Modish88]

Amazing footage =)

[@indyjones1970]

Circling torpedoes! Never heard of that before!

[@michaelevans205]

The Italians called them the 'Motobomba FF' I believe.

[@michaelmitchell5380]

My God, you guys where so brave! To all those of whom are still living, God bless you for fighting the fascists, which we now have to fight all over again, but now on our own shores! Never believe that "It Can't Happen Here!

[@CorePathway]

Circling torpedoes - brilliant

[@kidmohair8151]

so there I was scrolling through the comments, and there was one chappie complaining about the variability of the audio... have you found a solution to this "problem" as perceived by said chappie? (my initial reaction was "bugger off" to him...however)... as an ex audio guy I know that there a few workarounds, some expensive and easy to use and some cheaper and more work; ain't that always the way? Drachinifel had the same problem when he first started, which is why, I suspect, he went with CG guy for the first year or so until he worked it out... that said I am sure the youtube community can be most helpful if you just put it out there

[@ArmouredCarriers]

Thanks, and yes: I am teaching myself the ropes as I go along. While my video editor does some automatic audio balancing (Camtasia), I generally end up having to 'play it by ear'. I suspect that as I use headphones and some of these old recordings are in stereo, this may accentuate any difficulties I have in recognising the differences (that and getting used to the content as I listen to it over and over again while editing)

[@kidmohair8151]

@@ArmouredCarriers excellent! you are doing a job that needs doing, namely...history...may I suggest that you stop using headphones; in audio-land those are for hearing a potential problem that can't be properly discerned using the speaker; as a sidebar, it was the practice in old radio days, to mix using the speaker from a normal everyday radio to get it right for the majority of listeners...but I suppose most people today use buds...I hate having things in my ears....as I am wont to say...jollygood!carryon!

[@user-qz7nu3mm9r]

nice video!

[@model-man7802]

Dropping cluster bombs on the flight deck.Sounds like something the Japanese would do.Great footage here.

[@thomaslawson801]

Suggestion make a video about famous British and Australian General and Admirals! Montgomery and Alexander and Many more their stories need to be told. Love these videos.

[@ArmouredCarriers]

Heh. So many subjects. So little time ...

[@thomaslawson801]

@@ArmouredCarriers Fortune favors the bold. Keep the video coming.

[@davidlafranchise4782]

Love this subject, maybe have other videos on any other convoys to Malta, and have some of the merchant marine guys comment. Maybe they did, but I only heard hms people. Is that right, HMS???

[@YARROWS9]

Rodney firing her nine 16" Guns at the Italian planes. Fantastic

[@robertstorey7476]

the 16" shells were fitted with proper AA fuzes so it wasn't lunacy.

[@CorePathway]

Pom-Pom is a wicked piece of kit

[@craighagenbruch3800]

teens of today are morning compared to the vets

[@jeffsmith2022]

RAF Hellcats?...The proximity fuse didn't come into use until the beginning of 43' I believe. At this time, you had to throw up a ton of lead and hope for the best I would think...

[@ArmouredCarriers]

Wildcats during Pedestal.

[@dazzagong]

Another great job. Bravo Zulu. Brave men.

[@garyshepherd9367]

👍

[@Thomas891010]

My grandad was a petty officer on the Indomitable. Edward bryden Pluck. I would be great full if anyone has any pictures from the passed.

[@melissasmith5109]

When did she get seafires and what mk

[@ArmouredCarriers]

Pretty much after this action, but mainly in 1943, all armoured carriers get Seafire MkIIs. HMS Indomitable was the only one that could strike these non-folding wing models down into her hangar. The others could carry only about 5-6 on outriggers and as a permanent deckpark. Most footage of Operation Torch, for example, shows the carriers with Seafires on deck.

[@markwheeler202]

Rather than pushing planes landing on Victorious over the side, could they have been refueled and flown to Malta?

[@ArmouredCarriers]

I suspect the issue would have been time. They needed to get pilots down safe before they ran out of fuel and were forced to risk their lives ditching (Hurricanes in particular were terrible at that). They had just been in intense combat, so I suspect they would have had low reserves.

[@markwheeler202]

@nuff said I was just asking the question to see if anyone knew the answer. Were they in range of Malta? Did they have time to refuel? There must be some record of their decision-making.

[@geordiedog1749]

Mark Wheeler I think the issue was about retaining the pilots. Sending them to Malta would have lost them from their rota.

[@graham2631]

One factor some may not know is Malta is where you were sent when you were disobedient or hard to control. Your survival wasn't good. Some incredibly good pilots were 'difficult'.

[@markturner4219]

Furious was tasked with ferrying fighters to Malta. She piggybacked on Pedestal until she was in delivery range of Malta and flew off 38 spitfires. She then did a second run with a further 32 spitfires.

[@beachboy0505]

Respect

[@PGBrown-qu8yz]

Why have those ridiculous lines across the picture and why not show the films in their correct aspect ratio?

[@davidlafranchise4782]

Was the Ohio the only civilian ship that made it through???

[@floydoroid]

"plenty of good aircraft at the bottom of the Mediterranean at the moment" priceless

[@torbendinesen7121]

No a lot of men who serve their land ended up at the bottom of the sea

[@floydoroid]

@@torbendinesen7121 do you even know the context of what was said?

[@comfortablynumb3992]

The comment was made by my Uncle John (Fay). He is currently 99 years old and living in Somerset. We're very proud of him!

[@floydoroid]

@@comfortablynumb3992 That's so cool! I send my blessings to you all and sit speechless at the thought of knowing a man who lived through such incredible times. Just wow!

[@comfortablynumb3992]

@@floydoroid thank you Floyd. As it happens I'll be seeing him tommorrow and will show him your comment.

[@benchapple1583]

This could be a fabulous series if only you could control the volume. But you won't see this post and you won't.

[@ArmouredCarriers]

I see your post. I'm trying to learn how to control the volume. I apologise I have not yet reached a professional standard. Making matters worse is that these recordings were not made in a studio. They were tape decks on dining tables. So what starts out loud will fade as the subject lounges back in their chair ...

[@1chish]

@@ArmouredCarriers Don't apologise. Some folks want everything done for them. How difficult is it to adjust a slide on a PC?

[@benchapple1583]

@@ArmouredCarriers I stand corrected. You are one of the few author who does check the posts. I apologise, well done. Sound control is difficult. If you glance at a recording studio you'll see a mass of complex and expensive equipment for that reason. I stand by what I've said, this could be a fabulous series but for the sound. Dealing with old cassette tapes must be a huge challenge.

[@ArmouredCarriers]

@@benchapple1583 As an amateur, I also don't have any of that expensive sound modulating software. I have to "play it by ear". However, when I get the time, I will attempt to re-do some of the worst of these videos. The earlier ones are even worse, I fear.

[@ramal5708]

So the Armored deck was succeptible to Kamikazes but not against AP Bombs

[@ArmouredCarriers]

The damage reports on www.armouredcarriers.com - the most significant of which were compiled by USN engineers at Norfolk - will offer detailed insight. These videos relay the memories of the veterans of the actions and don't offer the hindsight perspective of modern history.

[@vicmclaglen1631]

1:33 Oh, come on

[@ArmouredCarriers]

It's not as wild a claim as you may instinctively think: www.armouredcarriers.com/operation-pedestal-august-10-12-1942

[@user-km8xw8vi5c]

米軍の公開フィルムは、自分達の活躍しか見せないからね。

[@davewolfy2906]

This was a success, but at great cost.

[@davewolfy2906]

これは成功でしたが、多大なコストがかかりました。 (I hope).

[@googlesandroid9434]

I Don't know what to say.

[@iainmorrison7501]

why spoil the newsreel footage with the stupid lines across the screen unneeded visual effect

[@ArmouredCarriers]

At the time (several years ago) it was an attempt to unify the wildly varying quality and resolution of that footage. Since then I've been able to use AI resolution enhancers and have done away with that experiment. One day I'll revisit these old documentaries and replace the footage.

[@matthewmoore5698]

What were the Japanese doing that these lot all three sides couldn’t do unbelievable the Americans weren’t any better ? Omg the guy RAF CHIRCHILL didn’t give a crap oh flippin dear the bone yard is full of these characters God Bess em x

[@wyominghorseman9172]

The British had no carrier fighter aircraft that could stand against axis land based or Japanese carrier aircraft in the beginning of the war. They used the American F4F Wildcat, F6F Hellcat, F4U Corsair and the TBM bomber. In the Pacific fleets four carriers only one had the British Seafire which because of it’s short range was used for Carrier Air Patrol and short range attack missions only.

[@markturner4219]

At this time other than ten wildcats on Indominitable all the other fighters were british - predominately sea hurricanes and spitfire MkV's

[@wyominghorseman9172]

@@markturner4219 Thank you, I was unaware any F4F Wildcats were aboard any TF57 carriers. Of the 4 British fleet carriers one had British Aircraft. In the American Fleet only Escort Carriers used for convoy protection, landing force protection and infantry support utilized the F4F. The Wildcat was Americas second Naval Carrier monoplane in 1940 replacing the F2F Buffalo. (1938).

[@georgea.567]

Wyoming Horseman There were no Grumman Wildcats with the BPF. Maybe on some of the Escort carriers but none were on Fleet Carriers to the best of my knowledge.

[@wyominghorseman9172]

@@georgea.567 Thats what I thought. I couldnt see why there would have been. Thank you. Mark Turner must have been referring to the European theater.

[@georgea.567]

Wyoming Horseman I believe he was saying the British used Grumman Wildcats during Operation Pedestal.

[@ReDDemain384]

My grandad fought on this ship and got hit by 3 kamakazi pilots but survived because he had the poos haha lucky diarea

[@ReDDemain384]

In the hospital when the ship got hit hard

[@raypurchase801]

Ohio.

[@wayinfront1]

It's a great mistake to show the film without sound. It's perfectly possible to hear the comments above the film sound, especially if the latter is muted somewhat. You've basically ruined the video.

[@georgea.567]

I don’t think there is sound with the footage.

[@ArcFixer]

WW2 combat photography rarely has sound. Combat photographers used 16mm cameras that could not record sound. Sound recording equipment at the time was separate from the camera. The film and the sound were recorded on separate equipment and combined and synchronized after the fact. OK for theatrical movies, but not practical for combat photography. It would require a second person with separate equipment to record the sound. Reliable sound on film camera technology was not available until the mid 1970s. WW2 ended in 1945. Conclusion: Your criticism doesn't make a lick of sense considering the facts of the matter. The only one who made a great mistake is you for making such a silly and inappropriate comment. And the video certainly wasn't ruined. Don't be such a doofus.

[@wayinfront1]

@@ArcFixer Well that's simply not true. There were a huge amount of wartime newsreels produced by all sides in the war, and they all came with sound - which was often far superior to the sound we hear in t,v.news now, as indeed was the film, shot with bigger 35mm cameras. You're thinking of the small cameras held by some reporters attached to army and naval units, and used mainly for personal diaries. www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jun/06/d-day-original-newsreels-pick-footage#:~:text=The%20team%20shot%20mostly%2035mm,family%20home%20in%20north%20Hollywood.

[@georgea.567]

wayinfront1 None of the videos in that article had actual sound from combat. The videos with sound had it added in later.