大象传媒

(Personal recollections & additional information from subsequent reports)

This story was submitted to the People's War web site by a volunteer from Age Concern Dorchester on behalf of Mr Denis F Wicks and has been added to the site with his permission. Mr Wicks fully understands the site's terms and conditions

The normal Russian Convoy routine was to have a screen of destroyers to guard the convoy, with a covering force between the convoy and the north of Norway 鈥� in case German battleships should sail for an attack.

In December 1943, my ship 鈥淗MS Musketeer鈥� commanded a destroyer screen for a convoy to Murmansk, Russia. It was normal to return to the UK screening a convoy of empty merchant ships, skirting the ice edge in the vicinity of Bear Island and Spitzbergen (300 miles north of Norway). In view of intelligence that the battle cruiser 鈥淪charmhorst鈥� was probably at sea, supported by 5 destroyers, 鈥淢usketeer was detached in charge of 3 other destroyers 鈥� 鈥淢atchless鈥�, 鈥淥pportune鈥� and 鈥淰irago鈥�, to augment the screen of a Russian bound convoy which was 250 miles back towards Russia and an obvious enemy target for attack. We succeeded in finding the convoy in abominably rough seas and heavy snow 鈥� this was Christmas Day! The convoy in such weather was so slow and the screen had to use extended zig-zagging to maintain steerage-way.
At 09.20 the next day 鈥� Boxing Day 鈥� 3 cruisers 鈥淣orfolk鈥�, 鈥淪heffield鈥� and 鈥淏elfast鈥� reported action with 鈥淪charnhorst鈥� 30 miles east of us and our 4 destroyers were ordered to join the cruisers 鈥� some 60 miles north of Norway. 鈥淪charnhorst鈥� was hit twice by 鈥淣orfolk鈥檚鈥� 8 inch guns, one taking away her Masthead Radar and one penetrating her deck without exploding. There were no hits on British ships.
After the brief action, 鈥淪charnhorst鈥� turned away at 30 knots to the north east, making a smoke screen. In order to attack the convoy we had recently left, which had now been diverted to the north and was being shadowed by a pack of U-boats reporting the position. Our force of 4 destroyers and 3 cruisers in line-ahead turned north to cut off 鈥淪charnhorst鈥� from the convoy. We were 2 miles ahead of the cruisers in appalling stern seas, which were extremely dangerous.
Just after noon, in a slight grey dawn and after 3 hours of no contact, we picked up 鈥淪charnhorst鈥� on our radar directly ahead of us at 11,000 yards and closing head-on at a combined speed of 38 knots. Everyone was firing continuously for 14 minutes 鈥� we had 4.7 inch guns, she had 11 inch guns. 鈥淣orfolk鈥� was hit twice and pieces of shells the size of footballs hit 鈥淪heffield鈥�.
At this time, we now know that 鈥淪charnhorst鈥� was advised by German Command of 5 units to the west which they rightly guessed was a British battle group. At very close range and clearly visible in the darkness 鈥淪charnhorst鈥� turned away to the south east, continuing to fire at us from their aft turrets.
At 1300 all was quiet again.
When 鈥淪charnhorst鈥� realised they were being shadowed by superior British radar, they turned back to return to Norway at 28 knots; it was not pitch black again. At 13.45 the German 4th Destroyer Flotilla, who were trying to find the convoy, were ordered to break off and return to base in very heavy seas.
We continued to shadow 71/2 miles away at 30 knots, passing out 鈥淪charnhorst鈥檚鈥� positions and speed: weather and seas were terrible, with driving snow 鈥� we were closing the range but could not get into action range.
Meanwhile, a British force of 鈥淒uke of York鈥�, 鈥淛amaica鈥� and the destroyers 鈥淪avage鈥�, 鈥淪aumarez鈥�, 鈥淪corpion鈥� and 鈥淪word鈥�, were sailing eastwards to cut off 鈥淪charnhorst鈥檚鈥� retreat to Norway 鈥� being shadowed by German reconnaissance aircraft. 鈥淒uke of York鈥� was fully aware all the time of 鈥淪charnhorst鈥檚鈥� position and speed from our radar reports.
At 16.45 鈥淪charnhorst鈥� was picked up by 鈥淒uke of York鈥� at 45,000 yards (25 鈥� 30 miles) exactly as plotted. At 16.37, 鈥淒uke of York鈥檚鈥� escorting destroyers were prepared for a torpedo attack. 鈥淪charnhorst鈥� was now 20 miles away and closing.
At 16.47, 鈥淏elfast鈥� close to us fired star shell to the other side of 鈥淪charnhorst鈥� to illuminate her 鈥� one minute later 鈥淒uke of York鈥� also fired star shell.
At 16.50, 鈥淒uke of York鈥� fired her first 14 inch gun salvo at a range of 8 miles. 鈥淛amaica鈥� followed with her 6 inch guns and then 鈥淏elfast鈥� and 鈥淣orfolk鈥�.
At 16.55, first 14 inch hit on 鈥淪charnhorst鈥檚鈥� bow, putting her 鈥楢鈥� turret out 鈥� then a second hit midships. Range then increased to 13 miles as 鈥淪charnhorst鈥� speeded up to escape to the east.
This duel lasted for 20 minutes with great ferocity, with several hits on 鈥淪charnhorst鈥�. It was thought that she was getting away to the east. There were no hits on British ships. There followed a lull for 5 to 10 minutes. We were speeding east at 33 knots to get into torpedo position in case 鈥淪charnhorst鈥� turned north east/
At 17.31, the 4 destroyers with 鈥淒uke of York鈥� were ordered to take position for a torpedo attack.
At 18.40 (1 hour later), they got in their attack with 4 hits which slowed 鈥淪charnhorst鈥� down. 鈥淪aumarez鈥� was hit. We then turned for our torpedo attack with 2 destroyers on either side. 鈥淪charnhorst鈥� was now on fire and turning circles. The last few minutes were unforgettable! We took her port side with 鈥淢atchless鈥�, with 鈥淥pportune鈥� and 鈥淰irago鈥� on her starboard side. I was Torpedo Officer. We attacked at 1000 yards 鈥� we fired a salvo of 4 torpedoes and hit with 2, possibly 3, amidships. It was 19.37 and 鈥淪charnhorst鈥� was still firing her secondary armament. By the time we turned away and turned back for a second attack, she was gone 鈥� at 19.45.
鈥淢atchless鈥� picked up 6 survivors and 鈥淪corpion鈥� 30: about 2000 had been killed or drowned.
We were now dangerously short of fuel and turned back to Kola inlet at Murmansk, but not before 鈥淪plice the Mainbrace鈥� had been celebrated. I had been on the Bridge from 0400 until 2130.
Finally, we had on board a young diplomat, who was not a good sailor, who we were giving a passage home from Moscow. He had found his trip most alarming and stayed in his cabin throughout. When we arrived back in Russia, he surfaced and came on deck. Looking at the snow covered land; he said 鈥淎m I glad to be back in Scapa Flow.鈥�!!
He declined later to sail back home with us, preferring to go back via Persia 鈥� an older and much wiser young man!

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