Ships hit by U-boats


HMS Barham (04)

British Battleship



HMS Barham at Valetta in August 1936

NameHMS Barham (04)
Type:Battleship (Queen Elizabeth)
Tonnage31,100 tons (one of the largest ships sunk).
Completed1915 - John Brown & Co Ltd, Clydebank 
OwnerThe Admiralty 
Homeport 
Date of attack25 Nov 1941Nationality:      British
 
FateSunk by U-331 (Hans-Diedrich Freiherr von Tiesenhausen)
Position32° 34'N, 26° 24'E - Grid CO 6858
Complement1311 officers and men (862 dead and 449 survivors).
Convoy
RouteAlexandria - Alexandria 
Cargo 
History Completed in October 1915. Between 1930 and 1933 reconstructed with new machinery and twin funnels trunked into one.

At 15.45 hours on 28 Dec 1939, HMS Barham (04) (Capt H.T.C. Walker, RN) was damaged on the port side by one torpedo from U-30 (Lemp) 66 miles west of the Butt of Lewis, Hebrides in 58°47N/08°05W. Four crew members were lost. The battleship was returning from patrol with HMS Repulse (34) (Capt E.J. Spooner, DSO, RN), escorted by HMS Isis (D 87) (Cdr J.C. Clouston, RN) and HMS Nubian (F 36) (Cdr R.W. Ravenhill, RN). She was able to proceed under her own power to Liverpool, but was out of action for six months while being repaired at Birkenhead by Cammell Laird and returned to service on 30 Jun 1940.

 
Notes on event

At 16.29 hours on 25 Nov 1941, HMS Barham (04) (Capt G.C. Cooke, RN) was hit on the port side by three torpedoes from U-331 north of Sidi Barrani. As the ship rolled over to port, her after magazines exploded and she quickly sank. The battleship was sailing with the Mediterranean Fleet (Force A) from Alexandria to cover sorties by Malta and Alexandria-based cruiser forces against Italian convoys heading for Libya.

 
More infoMore on this vessel 
On boardWe have details of 882 people who were on board

Attack entries for HMS Barham (04)

DateU-boatCommanderLoss typeTonsNat.
28 Dec 1939U-30Kptlt. Fritz-Julius LempDamaged31,100  
25 Nov 1941U-331Oblt. Hans-Diedrich Freiherr von TiesenhausenSunk31,100  


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Media links


U-Boat Attack Logs

Daniel Morgan and Bruce Taylor


amazon.co.uk
(£ 38.25)

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