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A complete reliance on mystery and intrigue., 10 Aug 2007
In October 1939 Günther Prien was in command of U47 when it entered Scapa Flow and attacked and sunk the 25,000 ton Battleship HMS Royal Oak. For obvious reasons, that attack was made at night and on a night when there was no moon. Just imagine how difficult that must have been. All around Scapa Flow is land and hills. They are what made this "inland sea" an ideal anchorage for the British Fleet. Of course, there were many entrances into the "Flow" some of which had been blocked (or so the British thought!) by blockships. The main entrances for the fleet, however, were protected by booms and patrolled.
Even at night time a figure or a ship may be seen - silhouetted against the sky which is always lighter. But not in Scapa Flow where hills are always the backdrop in the distance. As the final attack was made, one torpedo was directed to miss the bows of the Royal Oak and strike the bows of another ship which Prien believed to be HMS Repulse. In the event that vessel was the old supply ship HMS Pegasus. That single torpedo, however, actually hit the anchor chains of the Royal Oak and exploded moments before the final salvo directed at the Royal Oak itself hit their target.
It is easy to understand, therefore, why Prien claimed to have also sunk the Repulse. Firstly, he genuinely thought he was attacking two capital ships. Secondly, he genuinely thought his torpedo had struck that other ship in the distance. So where's the mystery?
Then there is this event where Prien thought he had been seen by the driver of a car as the vehicle executed a U-turn on a road as Prien was making good his escape. Think about it. If you were driving on a lonely road making a U-turn next to a river, stream, dockside, Scapa Flow or wherever, where would you be looking as your headlights swept across that water during that turn? Not out to sea that's for sure. So where's the mystery?
Yes, in the immediate aftermath of the attack, there was much speculation about whether it was a bomb or a torpedo and whether that device had been delivered by aircraft or by submarine. Sabotage was also considered. But, within two days of the loss of the Royal Oak Winston Churchill informed the House of Commons; "this entry by a U-Boat must be considered as a remarkable exploit of professional skill and daring" - and so it was.
This author is wholly reliant on creating mystery and intrigue in order to paint a very different picture of the events in question. It's a pity, because his research appears to be most thorough.
NM
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£6.59
(1 customer review)
