The Battles of Narvik - 3 battles, 3 sides, 1 week

Today we look at the three Battles of Narvik and how they both shaped and could have shaped the future of the war.
Sources:
Dr Alexander Clarke - / @dralexclarke
ADM 199/473 - Royal Navy Archived Battle Reports and History (National Archives - Kew)
www.amazon.co.uk/German-Invasion-Norway-April-1940-ebook/dp/B00KEURQAI
www.amazon.co.uk/Operations-Campaign-Norway-April-June-Histories/dp/0714651192
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[@Drachinifel]

Pinned post for Q&A :)

[@fabianzimmermann5495]

Georgios Averoff replaces either HMS Good Hope or HMS Monmouth at Coronel. What happens

[@ibbi32]

Could the emden realistically speaking done any more without endangering herself more or even survived till and throughout 1915

[@fghgkyuuyk6116]

Norish= Norge=Norway. and Eidsvoll was the birthplace of the Norwegian constitution.

[@blogsblogs2348]

Jan used correctly.... rather than as a female name... this week

[@ukaszgrzesik7231]

Can you make episode like the one about boilers, but for history of watertight bulkheads and compartmentalisation of ships? Who first implemented it? Is it true that medieval Chinese ships had watertight sections already?

[@tronellefsen5519]

My fathers uncle was the telegraph operator on board Eidsvold, and one of the 8 survivors. He allowed me to hear the story once before he died, because he knew how interested I am in history, but never again, because of the trauma. Couple things: He said Eidsvold did not have enough heat in the boilers to start accelerating or steer. Also he heard the conversation with the German coming aboard the bridge, as he was located just on the side. They did try the "you are now protected", but it soon turned into a threat the Norwegian captain did not respond too. Also, when the german boat was returning, my fathers uncle watched the German officer give a hand signal on the way, and that set the torpedo attack in motion immediately, so there was no time ti initiate attack before the torpedo hits. He fell in the water, managed to find something floating from the ship, and eventually got to the shore and lived.

[@JohnRodriguesPhotographer]

Glad your grand uncle survived. It is hard to imagine the boilers weren't ready for action.

[@elysiankentarchy1531]

The torpedoes fired at Warspite didn't suffer premature detonation because of the torpedoes being faulty, they suffered premature detonation because they entered into Warspite's Angry Field and exploded.

[@sawyerawr5783]

Violating Warspite's personal bubble has the tendency to quickly turn that bubble into a violence bubble...in rapid fashion

[@Sherwoody]

She just stared them down.

[@chrisj683]

Anti-Torpedo field. A.T. field. Warspite was a mecha, knew it.

[@michaelbrogan7537]

She really has an "angry field" you are exactly right! What a warship!

[@standard-carrier-wo-chan]

You can say that sheer spite caused that torpedo to explode early

[@jimtalbott9535]

42:40 - "Who issued us with these damn torpedoes??" US Ordnance Bureau - whistles quietly and walks quickly away.....

[@blanca-borb]

The perfect Sabotage

[@nukclear2741]

Zachy Pwner the oss was more active than we thought...

[@sawyerawr5783]

USS Tinosa: "And I thought we had it bad."

[@benwilson6145]

The naval staff and the U-boat command had expected great results from the use of U-boats. Because of the confined waters and the probable counter-action, it seemed likely that there would be frequent contact with the enemy; but the result of the U-boat activity was extraordinarily disappointing. The chief reason for this was torpedo failures. If a torpedo shortage had been evident in the early months of the war, it was now torpedo ineffectiveness in the Norwegian expedition which became disastrously apparent. As a result of being in contact with the enemy for extended periods, the U-boats were forced to remain submerged for a very long time. This caused pressure in the boat which penetrated the depth chamber of the torpedo and considerably increased its depth setting. For example, Klt. Prien was able to fire at close range at the big English transports near Harstad, but the torpedoes went too low. The reason for the increasing number of torpedo misses was only understood by the German Navy at a very much later date when the individual technical faults of the torpedoes were ascertained by systematic testing. It was actually true that, despite numerous opportunities to fire, there were few, if any, successes. The effect on the crews was marked. They lost confidence in the weapon, and the personal influence of the U-boat commander in chief was necessary to restore their morale. At the same time everything possible was done to overcome torpedo faults.

[@stevevernon1978]

@@benwilson6145 and almost everything you say about the German torpedoes, would be said later about the USN torpedoes... except the last line.

[@gwtpictgwtpict4214]

Animation on the Swordfish was sheer genius, took me a few seconds close watching to realise it actually was moving. Well done Sir!

[@davidbrennan660]

At one point to almost floated up a bit.... . Great gag.

[@thomaskositzki9424]

I didn't even notice. XD

[@paquebot_T6]

"Took me a few seconds to realize it was moving". Just like actual history.

[@jakublulek3261]

And I would expect that it would fly faster when dive-bombing. But seeing Swordfish dive-bombing is hilarious to watch and scary to experience.

[@warhistory1895]

@@paquebot_T6 you can't defend if you don't don't know your being attacked.

[@GaldirEonai]

An interesting side note: The survivors from the german ships were organized into an impromptu infantry force that got named the _Gebirgsmarine._ "Mountain Navy".

[@notshapedforsportivetricks2912]

Didn't Switzerland have one of those?

[@hazchemel]

Fair dinkum? How do you know this?

[@benwilson6145]

@@hazchemel Karl Doenitz reported it. "On the other hand, the destroyers' survivors formed a welcome reinforcement to the land forces, and, according to Colonel-General Dietl, the holding of the Narvik area for so long a time thereafter would have been impossible without them."

[@hazchemel]

@@benwilson6145 thanks

[@stevengoodloe3893]

@@benwilson6145 That is fascinating

[@tommybason6057]

German sniper: *fires one tiny round at sailors* Pom-pom mount: *YOU DARE OPPOSE ME MORTAL*

[@Jpdt19]

Shades of USS Texas at Cherbourg in 1944. Responding to light shore fire with 14 inch shells.

[@observationsfromthebunker9639]

RN Petty Officer: What the- Sir, we're being fired on by those Jerries in yon house! RN Officer: Bold chaps, aren't they? Give them a lesson on who has the bigger guns. RN Petty Officer: Aye-aye sir! Alright lads, let those Jerries in the brown house have it!! POM-POM-POM-POM-POM-POM-POM-POM German Sergeant: Do that again Karl, und I will shoot you my self!!!

[@doubleducks814]

Like when you pull knife and he pulls a gun

[@Ebolson1019]

DoubleDucks more like when you pull a nerf gun and he pulls a 20mm anti tank gun

[@nozdormu89]

Kinda like USS Wisconsin responding to taking the first hit ever in its career, fired by 150mm artillery, with 16in Shells.

[@Big_E_Soul_Fragment]

Germans: You are being defended from the British. *Please do not resist.* Norwegians: *Press X to doubt*

[@theleva7]

British: *Looking at Warspite entering fjord with Jaws theme playing in the background* Defended? From us? You know, it would be a shame if all those destroyers you got there suddenly stopped existing, wouldn't it?

[@Battleship009]

@@theleva7 Congrats, you amused me.

[@raymondmoomaw5423]

Lmfao!

[@bradymenting5120]

"Did we say you? we meant us. We are defending us from the British, using your land. Please do not resist."

[@Assassinus2]

“We’ve invaded Europe. Please respect us or else we might invade you as well.” “Okay,” said Norway. So the Germans came over, ready for war, but died in a fjord. But they tried again, and had a nice time fighting with the Royal Navy, but then died in a fjord. With apologies to Bill Wurtz.

[@Isolder74]

Warspite. The Forest Gump of Battleships. It was everywhere and did everything. And always was doing something important.

[@ThroneOfBhaal]

And then she was scraped. Perhaps the greatest naval history crime I can think of.

[@Ealsante]

Life is like a box of chocolates. I jest chaps, this is a box of fiery death and this old lady is about to open it!

[@drewjohnson-85]

@@ThroneOfBhaal I can think of one other just as great, USS Enterprise CV-6, The embodiment of the Pacific War scrapped by the same nation who she brought hope to in those dark days just after Pearl Harbor, I honestly cannot say which is the greater crime the Grand Old Lady’s scrapping or the Grey Ghost’s

[@casematecardinal]

*cough cough* USS Texas *cought* And she is still around...

[@drewjohnson-85]

@@casematecardinal Yes USS Texas is a great battleship as well, we can only hope that unlike Warspite and Enterprise, she can be saved and will be with us for many more years to come.

[@mattblom3990]

The naval action around Norway is, in my opinion, the most underrated and one of the more interesting naval campaigns of the entire war.

[@assaraan9407]

the northern front in general is more or less ignored a lot of the time

[@isakmlster4453]

My father comes from a small farm on a steep hillside on the northern side of the Ofotfjord, and this is the place we used to go during long weekends or the summer. The fjord is 8km wide at that place, and 350m deep. You can see diagonally over to Narvik, which is about 12km away. The area surrounding is called 'Veggen' - meaning the wall. So it's 150m of steep mountain side down to the fjord, and an immense view. At the bottom, in a crack in the mountain, my grandfather had managed to cram a boat house. During the battles of Narvik in 1940, my fathers' oldest sister was 14 years old. They were seven siblings, she born in 1926, my father in 1944. She told me a story about the battles. How the shells were cracked in the mountains around, and how the fjord would light up from fires and gunfire. On the dawn of the next day she saw loads of small, black dots on the fjord below, and my grandfather urgently wanted to go down the steep path to the boat house. Her uncle going with. She wanted to come with as well, but my grandfather told her no, this was mans work. She wondered a lot about what all these bobbing, black dots were. But after a couple of hours they were getting fewer, and soon they all disappeared. Her father and uncle were away all day fishing bodies of the men from the sea.

[@AtomicBabel]

After the action, Vice Admiral Whitworth wrote of the Swordfish floatplane, "The reports made by Warspite's aircraft were invaluable. I doubt if ever a shipborne aircraft has been used to such good purpose as it was in this operation." War Planes of the Second World War, Vol 6 Floatplanes. William Green 1962

[@johnevans7261]

And its pilot was a Petty Officer Rating Pilot whose duties were supposed to be restricted to second-line tasks such as target-towing. 'Ben' Rice was also present at Matapan and was eventually commissioned - what a player he was.

[@shooter2055]

Cossack's pom-pom gunner was an American ex-pat following standard USN counter-sniper doctrine. ;-) Remember! If there's deck space, bolt a gun to it!

[@isaiahcampbell488]

Unused deck space is wasted deck space!

[@warhistory1895]

@@isaiahcampbell488 unless it's a flight deck or in the blast zone of 8in+ guns.

[@danhammond8406]

If you love it put a gun on it

[@dalehawthorne6301]

Somewhere I came across a story that Admiral Ernie King had been disappointed with the performance of the cruiser Boise in the Battle of Cape Esperance, and he walked the deck and directed that an AA gun be placed where every crew's poker game normally took place. I'm not sure of the truth of this at all, but it does reflect your point.

[@masterskrain2630]

He might have ended up on the U.S.S., Enterprise, suggesting less armor and MORE AA Guns...

[@deaks25]

"Warspite was ordered to lead the attack." Which translates to "Please make sure the Tribal's don't go completely insane and attempt to liberate Norway single-handedly." Tribal's to the German DDs as they storm into the Fjord in a full blown Angry-Small-Ship rage: "HI!! What's up guys!!" I do think it's very important to remember the sailors and men on all sides who are lost in conflict and I do very much admire the closing screen where you do exactly that.

[@gwtpictgwtpict4214]

Come on ladies, time to go home :-)

[@gwtpictgwtpict4214]

@boris boris Well, for your sake I hope you're never on the losing side in a conflict. We're not talking Himmler, Heydrich and co here, we're talking Matrose Hans Schmidt who joined the Kriegsmarine to earn a living 80+ years ago.

[@MS-gr2nv]

LOL....what do you mean LIBERATE? Norway was successfully invaded, BEF and FEF were kicked right out.

[@JohnSmith-kg2rt]

If I recall correctly a significant amount of the German Navy (can’t spell it) predated Hitlers rise to power

[@Nerezza1]

@boris boris Because all German enlisted men and officers were Nazis.

[@SuperTelecom]

"Huh, that's a big destroyer" Some German captain - April 13, 1940

[@maryrosetran5109]

@Jesus H Christ Same here.

[@reager90]

And as that captain says that line he pulls out a cigarette light's it in a calm oh s**** motion.

[@sawyerawr5783]

aaand then the entire hill behind him explodes...

[@McNubbys]

Points lol🤣

[@SuperTelecom]

They started getting that "sinking" feeling soon after

[@Dedfaction]

The idea of a random boatload of British sailors barreling ashore in a launch, stealing the first things they see that aren't nailed down (or are, crowbars are a thing) then hightailing it back has me giggling.

[@Colt45hatchback]

Bloke spots motorcycle with binoculars, drops binoculars, before they hit the ground he's in a boat heading for the shore 😂

[@GaldirEonai]

Let's be fair, they did leave a destroyer's bow behind in trade...

[@thehandoftheking3314]

Scouse crew?

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

It's called mine sweeping, as in "It's mine sir, and I'm sweeping it away to my locker."

[@bradymenting5120]

"Hans, where did we park the motorcycle?"

[@beachboy0505]

Oddly enough, the British have a derogatory opinion of the naval Swordfish but the German and Italian navy have found this plane yo be absolutely deadly.

[@overboss9599]

Unsurprising. It's an out of date biplane that has literally been outrun by a destroyer. Compared to the spitfire, it's an embarrassment. But to the people facing the darn thing, it's a surprisingly deadly weapon that cost them a great deal of men and material.

[@advorak8529]

@@overboss9599 Bismark's AA directors could not cope with such a *slow* aircraft. It still hit almost all of them and was very impressive to the crews of the Swordfish in question. But there's a lot of not-that-critical fabric on these biplanes you can hit and shred and make the plane looking like a really bad AA shrapnel day ... without affecting the performance and structural strength much. But one single tiny shrapnel to the pilot or engine or POL reserves in just the right spot ... and down she goes ...

[@Debbiebabe69]

The reason the Swordfish is held in such low regards by the British is because something like 95% of Swordfish pilots in the war ended up killed. They were known by the wives and children of pilots as 'flying coffins', and groups of those whos husbands/fathers were lost flying those things soon formed, and passed the hatred of them onto their children, grandchildren, and so on. When the later generations asked what their father/grandfather/great grandfather did in the war, they often reply they were 'killed by the Royal Navy forcing them to fly those wooden death traps'. Thats why everyone else seems to love the Swordfish and how they managed to defeat much more modern warships, but the British hold them in such low esteem - because it was British people's relatives who were sent out to die in them. Think of it another way. You have more chance of surviving by visiting Hiroshima on the day the nuke went off, than being assigned to fly Swordfish in the war.

[@Fulcrum205]

Imagine what they would have thought if the Fleet Air Arm had decided to field an outdated torpedo bomber instead of archaeological artifact

[@SennaAugustus]

@@Debbiebabe69 What are you talking about, the Swordfish was the favourite of the fleet air arm, and their reputation was instead to always bring their pilots back home (only the Channel Dash was a disaster). Go to the Armoured Carriers KZbin channel and listen to how the real pilots remember the Swordfish.

[@tonygibson6806]

Laws of physics don't apply to Swordfish, they operate in a different paradigm of reality.

[@artbrann]

someone stole the plans from a reality operating on anime physics

[@ahmedrazick4946]

Germany: Swordfish OP plz nerf

[@derekjohnstone4888]

For a plane named after a fish, they really seemed to be allergic to going in the water.

[@jakublulek3261]

As were Gloster Gladiators. Who else than British (and Soviets at the start, fair enough but that was not deliberate choice on their part) went into WWII with bloody biplanes and still won.

[@warhistory1895]

@@jakublulek3261 Malta: I'll take your entire stock! Or three might do.

[@karlvongazenberg8398]

The most reliable torpedoes in this theater were produced about 40 years ago, in Whitehead factory, in the late Austro-Hungarian Empire... Unfortunately in the side of the Blucher.

[@ineednochannelyoutube5384]

Whithead Mk-1s were slower than most ships involved and had a shorter range than a roman era onager, but they would work for all eternity, and blow up a modern dreadnought just as well, as an ironclad. One wonders what happened to torpedo fusing in the intervening decades.

[@TheKingoftheKongs]

@@ineednochannelyoutube5384 Someone rotated it 90 degrees, apparently

[@michealmatthews9377]

whitehead a fellow boltonian

[@warhistory1895]

@@TheKingoftheKongs US Bururo of Ordenense: *Backs away slowly*

[@jedimasterdraco6950]

@@warhistory1895 USS Barb: Oh no you don't. We need a target for our shore-related combat practice.

[@lionheartx-ray4135]

I imagine that the dive-bombing swordfish was pretty much a helicopter.

[@gordonhopkins1573]

Skuas :)

[@taccovert4]

I can see that playing an awful lot like Sir Lancelot's charge in Monty Python and the Holy Grail........

[@lionheartx-ray4135]

@@taccovert4 Couldn't help my self kzbin.info/www/bejne/nXnHdauBrpeEjZI

[@McNubbys]

The sub should have just used an industrial fan to push the Swordfish off course lol🤣

[@lionheartx-ray4135]

@@McNubbys Brilliant!!

[@tehllama42]

I can say with excellent confidence that the physics behind the Swordfish being successfully used in a dive bombing attack works because of the way gravity interacts with the pilot's MASSIVE BRASS attachments.

[@davidford85]

42:24 I can just imagine this like a scene from a Carry On film. The U-boat Commander asking for a time out while he radios command to rage and the British force politely and patiently waiting for the Commander to finish his rant, before continuing the battle 😂😂

[@B1ENTERTAINMENT30]

and the brits can hear him yelling obscenities from his post without the hydrophones 🤣🤣

[@SennaAugustus]

A ship with a broken rudder called "the most manoeuvrable" is insane.

[@mancubwwa]

TBH at low speeds and in confined spaces manouvering by engines is way more effective. So the 4 vs 2 screws argument is perfectly valid.

[@bara922]

There is the famous line about how the Grand Old Lady can move when she wants to

[@frankmarano7530]

I’m proud to have been on the first US Navy ship to enter Narvik since WW2. USS Luce DDG-38 in September 1976. Steaming up the fiord was exhilarating, a long river with high mountain peaks on either side.

[@merkavamayhem5846]

That section with the swordfish was utterly hilarious. I tip my hat to both of you

[@JohnSmith-kg2rt]

USS Texas would disagree that pom poms are overkill for engaging a sniper

[@andrewlucia865]

i was thinking exactly that during that section of the video.

[@dashingrapscallion8812]

USS Nevada would emphatically agree (with 14 inch exclamation points).

[@JohnSmith-kg2rt]

Yes the best way to suppress a sniper is a full broadside of 14 inch shells (10)

[@legionx4046]

@@JohnSmith-kg2rt hey it works lol

[@jamesharding3459]

@@legionx4046 You’ve suppressed the sniper, his spotted, his whole battalion, and the Panzer regiment one county over.

[@Maddog3060]

It's amazing how the Swordfish constantly did things that other aircraft couldn't do, in spite of AND because of its obsolescence. One might cheekily wonder why the dang thing isn't still in service with the RN to this day. ;)

[@fluffly3606]

I wonder how much a dipping sonar set weighs...

[@Debbiebabe69]

The reason the Swordfish is held in such low regards by the British is because something like 95% of Swordfish pilots in the war ended up killed. They were known by the wives and children of pilots as 'flying coffins', and groups of those whos husbands/fathers were lost flying those things soon formed, and passed the hatred of them onto their children, grandchildren, and so on. When the later generations asked what their father/grandfather/great grandfather did in the war, they often reply they were 'killed by the Royal Navy forcing them to fly those wooden death traps'. Thats why everyone else seems to love the Swordfish and how they managed to defeat much more modern warships, but the British hold them in such low esteem - because it was British people's relatives who were sent out to die in them. Think of it another way. You have more chance of surviving by visiting Hiroshima on the day the nuke went off, than being assigned to fly Swordfish in the war.

[@901Sherman]

Given what pilot casualties and attrition rates were like (especially with torpedo planes in genersl), its unliekly that they'd be significantly better of had there been a more modern alternative for thos stringbags.

[@JPKelly-xr7tr]

​@@Debbiebabe69Sources to substantiate your comments - ?

[@B1ENTERTAINMENT30]

well I mean, we are apparently bringing back the PBY, soooooooooo 😂

[@nozdormu89]

Hero's crew: "so when do we get Prize money?" The Admiralty "wait what?"

[@johnevans7261]

Prize money was paid for ships that could be valued and sold in the Admiralty Courts to be used again, and no longer applied in WW2. The German destroyers were all sunk or wrecked, so no prize money would have been payable anyway. But under the old system, RN crews would have been entitled to 'gun money' and 'head money', paid for the number of enemy guns lost and enemy seamen killed or captured respectively.

[@notshapedforsportivetricks2912]

U63 crewman: Captain, is that aircraft trying to dive bomb us? U63 Captain: I'm ... not ... sure.

[@USS_ESSEX_CV-9]

U63 Captain: possibly... Maybe?

[@thehandoftheking3314]

Hes... still up there...

[@warhistory1895]

U-63's Captain: *looks at watch* Still diving.

[@richardkotorac5423]

3 battles with 3 sides in one week, now that sounds like a world war.

[@Natogoon]

Sounds British

[@RobInTDot]

Sounds like 1066, only compressed

[@zacharyzier314]

Sounds like a visit to the in-laws

[@yankeeclipper4326]

Sounds like a family wedding ☺️

[@craigmesh9210]

Warspite decides a new destroyer policy for Germany, dont have any

[@HMSFord]

During the part about the Swordfish dive-bomb attack, I really like that the graphic of the Swordfish SLOWLY descends. I didn't notice it at first.

[@firstkaiser472]

Yes I have been searching for a ww2 battle of Narvik in KZbin & google ,man your a life saver

[@heber0101]

An excellent account of the running battles at Narvik. I did some research on the British vessels that were involved. The Tribal-class destroyers were quite the story. It tells you just how serious a conflict it was from 1940 to 1942. OF the 16 Tribals that were commissioned, only 4 were still afloat and functioning at the end of the war. It was a level of warfare that none of us today can really comprehend.

[@Big_E_Soul_Fragment]

Oh boy 1 hour and 24 minutes of Drach and Dr. Clarke

[@seandevitt00]

Penelope and the Tribals is my new band name.

[@phaasch]

HMS Eskimo: " Damn. There goes my bows, and "A" turret. Ok, attack- full speed astern!"

[@santiago5388]

I can't tell you how much I like the battle reports, one of my favorite content you put out, that this one includes Doc Clark just makes it evem better. Keep the up the great job. Best wishes from Colombia.

[@pierQRzt180]

in the age of short videos and attention span, 1h long videos from independent creators. Yes. Quality !

[@GeordieSwordsman]

Three way battle between the Tribals, Warspite and the U-boat captains to decide which is the angriest thing afloat.

[@warhistory1895]

Probably the 20 year old battleship with a outstanding service history in both World Wars.

[@maryholder3795]

Warspite, with the able assistance of the Tribals. The U boats and German destroyers were not on the same level of " angriest".

[@ctierneysmc]

Just noticed the swordfish slowly moving down the screen, well done Drach.

[@nicholas209]

Ah yes, Narvik, aka when German destroyers started checking for Warspite under their bed before they went to sleep.

[@warhistory1895]

But didn't check the fjord.

[@Boxghost102]

There weren't any left to check under their bed after.

[@warhistory1895]

@@Boxghost102 A checklist for doing reconnaissance: Step 1: Have working ships.

[@B1ENTERTAINMENT30]

nah, they don't get no bed, warspite took it from them out of sheer rage

[@daviddb2528]

The thing I like about these videos is that they work quite well as 'radio' with just an occasional glance at the screen if one is ostensibly busy with something else like DIY or household chores

[@thecrackpotfarmer9488]

I have rarely watched any of his videos, as most of my time is operating farm machinery, I can rarely watch, but I always listen. Fantastic material for long days on the tractor. Puts the kids to sleep too.

[@Scoobydcs]

Penelope and the destroyers. Good band name that

[@letoubib21]

And where's Ulysses?

[@ivanthemadvandal8435]

I prefer George Thorogood and the Destroyers myself

[@notshapedforsportivetricks2912]

@@letoubib21 Not due in for another 20 years.

[@ElwoodPDowd-nz2si]

Sounds like a '70s Saturday morning cartoon as well.

[@Assassinus2]

I feel like “scones and jam” may have become a British euphemism for “a generous helping of explosives delivered via cannon shell and torpedo.”

[@Patrick-pm1sn]

I have no Sense for stuff like this. We also do not refer to „sending 2419 German Bratwurst“ to London (as V1 flying bombs), so I kind of dislike such belittling.

[@sanitarycockroach9038]

Kind of like 18 inch freedom packages in America

[@GaryNumeroUno]

@@Patrick-pm1sn Don't fret Patrick. Euphemisms are a truly British thing; like our humour. It is unique and makes us who we are.

[@sjonnieplayfull5859]

@@Patrick-pm1sn no problem, the German take on humor is known...

[@Assassinus2]

sjonnie playfull To quote someone (I want to say it’s Bismarck from Military Aviation History), German humor is no laughing matter. :)

[@slinkerdeer]

Ahh, 84 minutes of excellent naval history told by our favourite Naval Historian. Life is good

[@adenkyramud5005]

Even makes depression fuck off for once xD works even better than a bottle of rum. And without the hangovers.

[@pioneer_1148]

84 mins mate. There aren't 100 minutes in an hour

[@lukewest7216]

> 124 minutes Oof

[@slinkerdeer]

@@pioneer_1148 happy?

[@caelestigladii]

Slinkerdeer Thank him brother. Not mock him.

[@robinpayne125]

Given Warspite's history of "rudder issues" I find the whole notion of her being manoeuvrable somewhat amusing

[@warhistory1895]

She doesn't need to be manverable, because she can go through the land.

[@grahamstrouse1165]

Maneuvering on screws as a very viable option under the circumstances. The fully modernized QEs would have been slightly more optimal but if you find yourself in a spot where you really need a BB that can operate as a destroyer leader Warspite’s still a pretty good choice…😉

[@B1ENTERTAINMENT30]

All I can see now is Nelson broadcasting "skill issue" to Bismarck 😂

[@WakaFlockaBaka]

Every Wednesday I embark on what is usually some unsavory but necessary task or project but I am undeterred bc I got a new Drach vid to listen to

[@WakaFlockaBaka]

Lol drach has been in my life for a while now! Good stuff...good stuff.

[@propellhatt]

I visited the Narvik War museum this summer, it has an incredibly impressive collection of items and stories from the fighting in and around Narvik. Highly, highly recommended.

[@robertyoung6396]

Brilliant video, I visited Narvik in the winter 1981 in HMS Ardent. So much history in a beautiful setting. Thanks👍

[@kiloalphasierra]

You have to love the Naming of British ships: HMS Hostile, Havoc, Warspite, Hunter, Hardy, etc.

[@caelestigladii]

HMS By Jove

[@steriskyline4470]

Repulse, Renown, Devastation….Rodney lol

[@toothedacorn4724]

Each component of the swordfish is personally and individually blessed by the reigning and all previous british monarchs continuously during construction and assembly, thus creating the god plane

[@sawyerawr5783]

so....the monarchy is a bunch of tech priests? Praise the Omnissiah!

[@Hidensee]

@@sawyerawr5783 Emperor Protect!!!

[@dayaautum6983]

So basically after enjoying a hunting trip shooting chipmunks with 12 gauge shot guns the British Admiral decided to use this tactic again by sending in Warspite to give full broadsides at point blank range at destroyers.

[@JohnSmith-kg2rt]

No such thing as overkill or too many guns wait wrong navy on the guns

[@dayaautum6983]

@@JohnSmith-kg2rt Next up, torpedoing row boats and depth charging minnow fish.

[@JohnSmith-kg2rt]

@@dayaautum6983 that is actually mentioned in a tv show about a Canadian Mountie who helps out a detective in some US city in the opening episode where he is asked why he arrested someone for over fishing they had been using explosives

[@dayaautum6983]

@@JohnSmith-kg2rt Yes, using dyno mite to either kill or knock out fish so they float to the top is illegal and over fishing for a quick and easy buck. It's a trick as old as explosives are and devastates an ecosystem, no one will be fishing there after you do that for awhile. Which does call to question Drach's stance on the origins of the Canadian Royal Navy since nationals from both sides were guilty of poaching and officials from both sides were wanting to stop it. You need a police force or game wardens with ordinary boats, not submarines cruisers and destroyers.

[@JohnSmith-kg2rt]

@@dayaautum6983 well cruisers could police it but it will be a heavy policing action just imagine seeing a cruiser enforcing fishing rights . Would be funny

[@trevortrevortsr2]

You guys are total geeks - not only is this post full of detail you even had fun with it

[@Nipplator99999999999]

I feel right at home, and it's nice that you can trade knowledge without toxic interference.

[@warhistory1895]

@@Nipplator99999999999 yeah, it's nice.

[@jamesb695]

Watching this makes me fondly remember my grandad talking about his experiences during the war, he was aboard HMS Kimberley throughout it all. Well made video as usual Drach!

[@krzysztof5620]

Maybe was sinking on ORP Grom

[@nowthisisgaming117]

Thank you so much for all the Naval history. It is quite awesome stumbling upon such a gem of a channel! Please keep it up!

[@KaonashiKobayashi]

Last time I was this early the Second Pacific Squadron was still floating.

[@presidentmerkinmuffley6769]

Only a handful of binoculars had been thrown.....

[@KaonashiKobayashi]

@@presidentmerkinmuffley6769 They hadn't even cracked open the 3rd crate of them yet!

[@seanarano4754]

last time i was this early none of the fleet has said anything about seeing a torpedo boat

[@treyhelms5282]

@@seanarano4754 Did someone say "torpedo boats"? 😮

[@historygeek0018]

Wait. Are we in Japan yet?

[@yalelingoz6346]

Ooh perfect timing. I just got home with pizza, the kettle has boiled, and here's an hour and a half long Wednesday special.

[@joshthomas-moore2656]

54:36 Swordfish ignoring physics sounds about right. Honestly this thing is an anime hero at this point and we should just declare it a god.

[@jeebus6263]

I'm pretty sure Dragon Ball Z would conjure an appropriate sense of waiting in anticipation throughout an entire episode for a single pair of shots to land, complete with cutscenes from other storylines before flashback to the divebombing facial expressions.

[@thomaskositzki9424]

Lulz!

[@ahmedrazick4946]

@@jeebus6263 5 episodes of the swordfish pilot deciding to dive. Another 5 for the dive itself. Another 5 for the bombs to hit and sink the sub. The Swordfish is clearly the inspiration for One Punch Man.

[@joshthomas-moore2656]

@@ahmedrazick4946 That is believeable, hillarious and some what terrifying.

[@MultiEinsteinium]

I can only call that a thrilling re-telling. I'd love to see a Band of Brothers style TV series of these three battles.

[@sadwingsraging3044]

Hour and a half huh? Cap'n dished out double rations this week boys! Three cheers are in order I think!

[@mikefischer8576]

Praise the navel history

[@TheRealAndTrue]

I enjoy the spoken history and its thoroughness. I would appreciate more maps with changing/moving graphics directly relevant to what is being said in each moment

[@wbnc66]

German Navy: Destroyers can't fight battleships! Taffy 3: I beg to differ.

[@johngregory4801]

Taffy 3 wasn't made up of destroyers, it was made up of men who used what little they had to do the impossible. It's amazing those tin cans could carry so many men with solid steel balls.

[@wbnc66]

@@johngregory4801 Point well taken :D A five-inch gun did all this damage?.... No sir we captured a Destroyer crewman and he bashed his way out with his scrotum...

[@mjinoz1677]

Simply outstanding! So much detail and life added to what I already knew about this fascinating battle and I hope to learn more about the Norway campaign as a whole.

[@bjrnarestlen1234]

As for why the Eidsvold didn't open fire, one can only speculate. But as norwegian officer-training had been woefully inadequate in the past 20 years, and if we are to compare to the army's reaction to fighting the germans, one can speculate that the resistance towards firing, can stem from a lack of mental training to commit to actually defend the country. One has several examples from the land-campagin that the norwegian officers caved in, when fighting started, or one experienced collateral damage to civilian property. One honourable exception, was the commander at Oscarsborg; Colonel Birger Eriksen, who has become famous in Norwegian history for stating -when asked by one of his subordinates if they really were to fire on the Blücher: "Visst fanden skal der skytes med skarpt!" (Which roughly translates into "We are sure as hell going to shoot live ammo"

[@norsenomad]

Not "one honourable exception", but an honourable exception - because there were many. Yes, oberst (colonel) Birger Eriksen certainly is one of the honourable exceptions, for his leadership, resolve and spectacular result of attacking and sinking the German heavy cruiser, during the important and fateful Battle of Drøbak Sound, on early morning of 9 April and until surrender on morning of 10 April 1940. Nevertheless, since the title of this video is "The Battles of NARVIK", I would say that FIRST AND FOREMOST should the following man of war be mentioned - because he is tied directly to the Narvik campaigns, had higher strategic responsibility, delivered military excellence consistently over time, his men were Arctic locals that showed remarkable perseverance, and even outlasted all allied support: Generalmajor (major general) Carl Gustav Fleischer of the Norwegian Army. This man of war led the command of the Norwegian 6th Army Division (5 infantry battalions and 1 mountain artillery battalion), and mobilized from the Nordland, Troms and Finnmark populous already on 8 April 1940, long before national mobilization was eventually ordered by the incoming Chief of Defense, at 6 o'clock in the morning of 11 April 1940. For the allied assembly, Fleischer was given responsibility for cooperation with the allied forces in Narvik. Fleischer's defense strategy was a series of aggressive, offensive operations against the invaders. Pushing back parts of German Operation Weserübung from Narvik, his forces of 6,000 Norwegian soldiers delivered during 62 days the longest military defense against German invasion on European soil in WW2 (except for the UK and Soviet Union). Fleischer is said to be one of the first Allied generals to inflict defeat on German forces in WW2. Many operations were executed in the high mountains north-east of Narvik during late winter storms of April (at latitude 68° North). Their adversaries were 2,000 alpine trained and better armed 139th Gebirgsjäger regiment of Austria, among other German units, in hard contact numerous times. Decorations awarded to generalmajor Fleischer for outstanding planning and management of operations during the campaign in North Norway: - Krigskorset; med sverd (War Cross with Star, the highest Norwegian military award). - The Most Honourable Order of the Bath; Knight Grand Commander (4th highest of the British Order of Knights). - Order Wojenny Virtuti Militari; Silver cross (the highest Polish military award). - Croix de Guerre; with star (the French War Cross with star). A comment to the statements "the resistance towards firing" and "the Army's reaction to fighting the Germans": these statements are too generalizing and unconditionally discrediting, which is unfortunate. Several Norwegian Army regiments in West and North-West Norway, some in Trøndelag, and even a full Army Division from North Norway, did mobilize properly and fought German forces for weeks and months - with great courage and determination. Some examples: the Norwegian troops at Hegra Fortress (during the 25 day siege), 4. feltbrigade of Voss (4th field brigade), and Infantry Regiment of Møre (IR 11) - all mobilized fully and fought well and in series of hard contacts, e.g. the neutralization of the 180-man strong German Fallschirmjägerregiment 1 raid, clearing of the escape route for the King and government of Norway, and more, until early and mid May 1940. While there could have been many instances of officers that "caved in", as you phrased it, the officers and soldiers from the units I mention above were not hesitant to fight. Instead, these officers and conscripts mobilized in full numbers (IR 11 even added an extra battalion of volunteers) and fought well against a formidable and highly prepared invading enemy, for a month or more (disarmed on 29 April/1 May/15 May). As mentioned earlier, Norwegian 6th Army Division with transferred regiments from Trøndelag (IR 12 and IR 13) fought for more than two months - long after the capitol fell (6th Division disarmed on 10 June 1940). And finally, the last Norwegian officer to surrender command to the enemy was oberstløytnant (lieutenant colonel) Edvard Os, who had command of the Varanger Battalion/6 Div in East Finnmark until 23 July 1940 - three and a half months after the invasion of Norway started.

[@warhistory1895]

He also said when asked about firing on the Blucher (translated) "I will either be decorated, or I will be court-martialed, fire!"

[@OmmerSyssel]

@@norsenomad Honestly the conflict between honourable Fleischer and his pacifist army leaders and government should be mentioned. He actually committed suicide because of their humiliation, and were only decorated after his death ...

[@norsenomad]

@@OmmerSyssel I agree, completely. How Fleischer (and even his widow) was treated is a disgrace. That whole government was a disgrace, and from what I have found, probably the worst in the modern history of our country. (For the sake of Norway, I hope there never was, and never will be, any worse than that...). I can recommend two first-hand witness books: "General Fleischers efterlatte papirer", published on his widow's request after her death (1947) and "6. divisjon" (1946) by Odd Lindbäck-Larsen, his 2nd in command for many years and during the Narvik land battles, April - June 1940. Both books are written in Norwegian language, and will bring you as close to the facts of that great war history as you can ever get.

[@timsimms65707]

Just finished watching. I must say this is one of the best videos yet. I hope you two will collaborate on more of them. The respect you show and your knowledge and wit make it all work very well. Now I must have my second coffee and go to work, thank you gentlemen.

[@wagram]

The father of a friend of mine witnessed parts of this battle as a kid. He was out on the fjord in a row boat. He told he saw an german sea plane that by the looks of it was to heavy loaded to take off, it just sped across the water until it was destroyed by british gun fire.

[@timsimms65707]

Thanks for this, you guys make me laugh. A great way to unwind after work. Warspite is one of my favorites and the swordfish routine left me in stiches. :D

[@EstellammaSS]

@55:48 I only realized it now the swordfish in the picture is moving lol.

[@TomFynn]

One of my granddads was a stationed in northern Norway, driving and maintaining trucks and snowplows. He fired his sidearm only once, out of a window, curious to see if it would actually work. The bang shocked him so much, he never fired it again. Only combat he ever saw was against the ever present mosquitos. The insects not the...anyway. One day his company commander came to him and said "The war is over, we're going home." So they boarded a freight train, rode down the length of Sweden for several days, got on a ferry to Germany and that, as they say was that. He always said, we should count ourselves lucky we lost the war, otherwise we would have had to salute every lamppost. Or he said we'd have had to salute at every lamppost. Can't quite recall. The way things were going, it would probably wouldn't have made much of a difference.

[@Shrapnel-tj3il]

Imagine how different this story would have been if the German torpedoes worked right. They had spooky good accuracy.

[@Lassisvulgaris]

History's curse: What if.....

[@maxqiu4134]

Right? I think it's the biggest what if of this series of battles. A single submarine torpedo hit is probably more than enough to cripple any destroyer. The Kriegsmarine might've been able to sink 2 or 3 more destroyers and maybe even do some serious damage to Warpsite. The submarines honestly could've completely changed the outcome of this battle.

[@SennaAugustus]

"What if" in this scenario is the premise of one of the missions of the game Silent Hunter 5.

[@avengercannon]

American Submarine Forces Intensify

[@grahamstrouse1165]

The fact is nobody’s magnetic exploders were working well at this point in history. Tech hadn’t caught up to theory.

[@OperaFanDallas]

I just recently found your channel. I love it. Especially your sense of humor and the amount of detail you go into. I can just imagine the swordfish pilot in the battle of Narvik having his tea and biscuit in the middle of a divebombing run as you described. Wonderful work, very enjoyable.

[@leftnoname]

Regardless of of the outcome of the battle and the war, it should be said that the men on both British and German side did their duty until the last means were exhausted or their lives were cut short.

[@laciehardman3097]

Sir, I found your analogy of Green Beret to CAG/ Delta quite apropos. Another great analysis and video.

[@chrisf4659]

Nice of you to include actual film footage of the Swordfish divebombing at 56:00 :)

[@janethamilton3731]

My uncle Stanley was one of the crew members killed aboard HMS Eskimo on the 13th April 1940 RIP Uncle Stan. David Hamilton his nephew.

[@simontaylor5418]

My father, also called Stanley was on the Eskimo, he always told the story the ship was known as 'HMS Half a Mo' after the bow was blown off. After basic repairs she was towed home backwards across the North Sea...

[@vespelian5769]

Great stuff as ever especially including the first Norwegian action.

[@nitsu2947]

oof Hardy would never realize Hunter would never wake up from that nap

[@fsuffering5143]

Is that an AL reference?

[@nitsu2947]

@@fsuffering5143 yeah

[@masterskrain2630]

"Penelope and The Destroyers"...sounds like a great band name!

[@clemi6739]

Just rewatched your Operation Weserübung episode, and than this comes up. Perfect timing!

[@danebelling9526]

Cup of coffee and a drac video is a good morning!

[@WildBillCox13]

A complex story well worth the telling. Nice work, you two.

[@adenkyramud5005]

I think I finally understand why you call these rum rations. Rum makes me happy and keeps the depression at bay, these videos do too. Keep up the great work mate, you're awesome!

[@MarcStjames-rq1dm]

Any action that Warspite was involved in was exciting.... what a ship to serve on!!!!

[@Eboreg2]

I think sending in the H-class was a case of "Ablative Reconnaissance" i.e. finding the enemy by getting cheap assets killed/destroyed in their location.

[@ulrikschackmeyer848]

I think that is what 'Chieftan' (Irish-American tank commander) in American calls 'recon by fire' or 'recon by death'.

[@jeebus6263]

Lol, reminds me how we use to joke about my grandma "parking by braille".

[@111doomer]

It's the naval equivalent of "advance to contact".

[@sebastianriemer1777]

A dive bombing swordfish? Imagine the dialog between the pilot and the bomber: Bombs out? Not yet. Now? Wait a little. Now? No. Now? Just a little closer. Now? Soon. Now? Getting closer.... 🤣

[@laughingtraitor1969]

... we're going to have to level out for a bit, they're getting away!

[@duvetofreason16]

Tea's ready, bombs out? Just a little more

[@warhistory1895]

"Should I start building this 1000-piece puzzle of Norway?" "Sure, we might have time."

[@danhammond8406]

Are we there yet, are we there yet, are we there yet, Don't make me turn this plane around, we will get there when we get there

[@MrBITS101]

1:19:43 the number of German destroyers that were lost in Norway was a significant factor for the cancelling of the invasion of Britain.

[@alanpennie8013]

I doubt the invasion would have been viable anyway, but the loss of destroyers didn't help.

[@88porpoise]

I would imagine the the sound of battleship guns blasting away in the fjord would have left more than a few German sailors wishing they had worn their brown pants that day.

[@pf6797]

Thorough amusement at the idea of Swordfish switching to helicopter mode.

[@wackysparrow1768]

That moment I realized that the diving swordfish actually moved really slowly across the screen :D

[@Shadooe]

I thought it was actual footage from the day.

[@kidmohair8151]

53:34 - 57:03 that was one useful Swordfish flight I'd say...recon and divebomb... I love the Swordfish, obsolete, but still hugely effective, and cute to boot

[@Debbiebabe69]

The reason the Swordfish is held in such low regards by the British is because something like 95% of Swordfish pilots in the war ended up killed. They were known by the wives and children of pilots as 'flying coffins', and groups of those whos husbands/fathers were lost flying those things soon formed, and passed the hatred of them onto their children, grandchildren, and so on. When the later generations asked what their father/grandfather/great grandfather did in the war, they often reply they were 'killed by the Royal Navy forcing them to fly those wooden death traps'. Thats why everyone else seems to love the Swordfish and how they managed to defeat much more modern warships, but the British hold them in such low esteem - because it was British people's relatives who were sent out to die in them. Think of it another way. You have more chance of surviving by visiting Hiroshima on the day the nuke went off, than being assigned to fly Swordfish in the war.

[@5000mahmud]

@@Debbiebabe69 Source?

[@JPKelly-xr7tr]

​@@5000mahmudDoesn't have any and keeps cutting and pasting the exact same set of paragraphs throughout this comments section.

[@Dragonsf9]

The germans on the U-boat: "it's just sitting up there... Menacingly!!!"

[@Odin029]

I'm starting to think the Swordfish is the best plane of all time that everybody thinks is terrible.

[@Cailus3542]

The Swordfish sunk more Axis shipping than any other Allied aircraft during WW2. Yeah, seriously.

[@looinrims]

@@Cailus3542 of course, there were more of them in higher traffic areas

[@johnevans7261]

When I saw Swordfish III NF389 starting and running up her engine at RNAS Lee-on-Solent I lost all interest in the trials of prototype hovercraft SRN1 that I was supposed to be watching and fell in love with the Stringbag there and then instead. I was six years old. Now i'm sixty-seven and still besotted with Pusser's Favourite Flying Machine, even if my friend Eric 'Winkle' Brown wasn't. We agreed to disagree on that one.

[@warhistory1895]

It's the bane of large Axis Warships everywhere, so yeah.

[@chrisoddy8744]

Didn't the SBD Dauntless also have a similar story? Yes it might not look as antiquated but it was due for retirement in a similar manner and yet they still nailed four flat tops in a day.

[@vincentpellegrino789]

A very enjoyable and informative episode. Please do another one with Dr. Clarke.

[@cutelasscutlass876]

Warspite time, fellas! Time to break out the 15” fun!

[@Scoobydcs]

I wonder if she was notorious to the Germans already

[@cutelasscutlass876]

eatthisvr6 Probably some from Jutland, but I’m not sure if she was quite as famous so she would’ve been in ‘45.

[@antonyborlase3965]

And just because it’s been mentioned never, it’s a shame she was sent to the scrappers.

[@kevinmccarthy8746]

One year ago! I am reviewing this show. You with your very funny friend, are fantastic!! Great coverage of the event. Reminds me of the movie called, The Kings own, really a very sweet movie of the up and coming officer falling in love and then parting, and she carrying the love child to enter his life again as a Super AB signalman in the end.

[@marvinmauldin4361]

I should think that Hostile would be a poor choice for the name of a ship. "Have you spotted anything? " "Yes, sir, Hostile." "A hostile has been spotted! Open fire on the hostile!" "Wait, sir, the Hostile..." "Another hostile! Fire at will! Protect your rear! Protect your other rear! Protect both rears simultaneously!"

[@ewok40k]

No one: Especially not Kriegsmarine: RN sending BB into narrow fjord

[@letoubib21]

Well, the perfidious Albion --- again *. . .*

[@piritskenyer]

"Sir, they sank two destroyers and killed the flottila leader. *UNGABUNGA IT IS* "

[@alganhar1]

Talking about the Royal Marine Division, the real shame about that is it never really got formed, and other than the Headquarters it never saw action, being dissolved in 1943. This is a real irony, as the Headquarters saw action, including its tanks, but the Division was dissolved because it was never able to get its infantry complement to anywhere close to full strength. This is, in my opinion, due to the massive proliferation of Commando, a huge proportion of whom were of course Royal Marines. The constant shift of Royal Marine infantry into the Commando's pretty much sounded the death knell of the Royal Marine Division. The only time the 'Division' saw action was Operation Ironclad, the invasion of Madagascar, there is at least one picture I have seen of Armoured vehicles bearing the insignia of the Royal Marine Division on board an LCT heading for that operation. It is one Dr Clarke has put up actually, trying to ID the vehicle type if I remember correctly. It was some months ago. However, the Division, even by 1942 essentially had no infantry, despite it being a Light Infantry Division.... As a result it is, to my knowledge, the only Division in the British Army to have won a Battle Honour without actually have anything in the way of actual troops! It's tanks turned out to be quite useful, they did not have many, 6 lights and 6 Infantry tanks, I would need to check the sources but I believe they were 6 Tetrarchs and 6 Matilda II's. Could be wrong there though. Fairly certain the Matilda's is right but I may be wrong with the lights.....

[@piney4562]

Well, as far as I understand it, the RM division, was just a left over from the RMLI. And frankly the RMLI was an obsolete concept by this point. The need for a commando force far out stripped the need for elite light infantry. Except of course in the far east. But the far east could manage with the Chindits and the Gurkhas. For a long time, commando units were the only British land forces able to do any real damage to German occupied Europe. Although in some ways it is indeed a shame that the RMLI didn't get a big, showy, last hurrah. In the wider context of the war, it was for the best. (Excluding this particular incident, wherein a compliment of marines could have quite easily had a major impact on the war in Norway, and Europe as a whole.)

[@heavytube7890]

I understand this is quite late however you're right on the lights being Tetrarchs - i believe the infantry tanks were however Valentines.

[@roscoewhite3793]

Swordfish gunner to pilot of dive-bombing Swordfish; "Are we there yet?"

[@LankyAssMofka]

Ask me one more time and I swear I'll turn this plane around.

[@danhammond8406]

Are we there yet, are we there yet, Are we there yet, are we there yet, Are we there yet, are we there yet,

[@JWagener10]

@@LankyAssMofka Turn it around?!? I thought we were flying backwards already!