Ships hit by U-boats


HMS Royal Oak (08)

British Battleship



NameHMS Royal Oak (08)
Type:Battleship (Royal Sovereign)
Tonnage29,150 tons (one of the largest ships sunk).
Completed1916 - Devonport Dockyard, Plymouth 
OwnerThe Admiralty 
Homeport 
Date of attack14 Oct 1939Nationality:      British
 
FateSunk by U-47 (Günther Prien)
Position58.55N, 02.59W - Grid AN 1610
Complement1208 officers and men (833 dead and 375 survivors).
Convoy
Route 
Cargo 
History  
Notes on loss

At 01.16 hours on 14 Oct, 1939, U-47 fired a spread of three torpedoes at HMS Royal Oak (08) (Capt W.G. Benn, RN) and the British seaplane tender HMS Pegasus lying at anchor in the harbour of Scapa Flow, turned around and fired a stern torpedo at 01.21 hours. Prien misidentified the seaplane tender as HMS Repulse (34) and claimed a hit, but a torpedo apparently hit the starboard anchor chain of the battleship and did not damage the ships.

At 01.23 hours, the U-boat fired a second spread of three torpedoes that hit HMS Royal Oak (08) on the starboard side and caused a magazine to blew up. The battleship rolled over and sank in 19 minutes.

 
More infoMore on this vessel 
CrewlistsWe have listing of 836 people who were on this vessel 

Location of attack on HMS Royal Oak (08).

ship sunk.


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Media links


U-Boat Attack Logs

Daniel Morgan and Bruce Taylor

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