Battles of Narvik
|
|
The Battles of Narvik were naval battles between the Royal Navy (Britain) and the Kriegsmarine (Germany) that occurred in April 1940 (during the Second World War).
First Battle of Narvik
The First Battle of Narvik occurred on 10 April 1940.
In this battle, five Royal Navy destroyers entered the harbour of Narvik where two destroyers of the Kriegsmarine were sunk, and five were seriously damaged. Six other German ships were also sunk. The German ships sank two British destroyers. Both the German Commander, Commodore Bonte, and the British Commander, Captain Warburton-Lee, were killed in the battle.
Warburton-Lee was later awarded the Victoria Cross, the United Kingdom's highest award for gallantry in the face of enemy action.
Second Battle of Narvik
The Second Battle of Narvik occurred three days after the First Battle of Narvik on 13 April 1940.
Vice Admiral William Whitworth and his forces arrived at the fjord to finish off the eight remaining German destroyers and two U-boats that were virtually stranded due to lack of fuel, a consequence of the First Battle of Narvik. The British forces consisted of the HMS Warspite (probably the best known 20th century Royal Navy battleship), nine destroyers and aircraft from the aircraft carrier Furious.
During the battle, a Fairey Swordfish launched from the HMS Warspite sank the submarine "U-64", making it the first U-boat to be sunk by an aircraft in the Second World War.
All eight remaining German destroyers were either destroyed by the Warspite and her escorts or were scuttled by their own crews when they ran out of fuel and ammunition.