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.

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.