Sinking of HMS Glowworm

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paul.mercer
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Sinking of HMS Glowworm

Post by paul.mercer »

Gentlemen,
I read somewhere (I think the book was called Battle of the April Storm, a story based around facts) that after the ramming of Hipper by Gloworm which resulted in Gloworm being sunk and Hipper severely damaged, a postumous VC was awarded to Gloworm's Captain after the end of the war in 1945 on the basis of a report submitted by the German Admiral on Hipper that came to the attention of the RN. Is this true and if so is it the first time such an award has been made on evidence supplied by an enemy?
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aurora
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Re: Sinking of HMS Gloworm

Post by aurora »

THE VICTORIA CROSS
Lieutenant-Commander Roope's VC

The first Victoria Cross earned by the Royal Navy in the Second World War, Lieutenant Roope's Victoria Cross is unique because of the circumstances under which it was obtained.

For the Victoria Cross to be issued the citation must be issued by an officer of regimental level and supported by three witnesses. No British officer of that rank survived. Instead the details of the action and suggest for decoration were received by the British Government through the Red Cross, sent by Captain Helmuth Heye of the Admiral Hipper.

It was the first and so far the only Victoria Cross ever awarded at the recommendation of an enemy officer.

http://www.squidoo.com/hms-glowworm


aurora
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Jim
boredatwork
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Re: Sinking of HMS Gloworm

Post by boredatwork »

aurora wrote: It was the first and so far the only Victoria Cross ever awarded at the recommendation of an enemy officer.
Thomas Frank Durrant, VC, awarded on the evidence of the commander of the Torpedo boat Jaguar for his actions following the raid on St. Nazzaire.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Frank_Durrant
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RF
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Re: Sinking of HMS Gloworm

Post by RF »

I believe that a VC was awarded posthumously to the pilot of a Catalina flying boat in 1944 on the evidence of the commander and crew of the U-boat that shot it down, there being no survivors from the aircraft.

It can't however recall the number of the U-boat concerned.
''Give me a Ping and one Ping only'' - Sean Connery.
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Ersatz Yorck
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Re: Sinking of HMS Glowworm

Post by Ersatz Yorck »

That the Hipper was "severely damaged" might be an exaggeration though.
paul.mercer
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Re: Sinking of HMS Glowworm

Post by paul.mercer »

Ersatz Yorck wrote:That the Hipper was "severely damaged" might be an exaggeration though.
I would have thought that if a cruiser, even a large one such as Hipper was rammed by a destroyer it must have caused a lot of damage which, owing to the weather conditions prevailing at the time would have been very difficult to fix.
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RF
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Re: Sinking of HMS Glowworm

Post by RF »

As I understand it, Hipper was holed including below waterline and the damage was substantial.
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MikeBrough
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Re: Sinking of HMS Glowworm

Post by MikeBrough »

More than 100 feet of armour torn off as weel as one set (port?) of torpedo tubes. But Hipper continued with the mission and only took 2 weeks to repair.
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Re: Sinking of HMS Glowworm

Post by Djoser »

I have always thought that was one of the most amazing and admirable actions of WW II, and would make a great painting!
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Wordy
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Re: Sinking of HMS Glowworm

Post by Wordy »

Djoser wrote:I have always thought that was one of the most amazing and admirable actions of WW II, and would make a great painting!
There was (might still be there) a really impressive painting or drawing of the action at HMS Dryad.

This is it, although I seem to remember it being in black & white only

Image

Taken from the HMS Glowworm website

http://gilesnet.co.uk/glowworm/
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