Warburton-Lee in the Ofotfjord — 10 April
On 9 April 1940 at 04:15, 10 German destroyers under Kommodore land 2,000 mountain troops of General at Narvik, a Norwegian port key to Swedish iron ore. The conquest is swift: 2 Norwegian coastguard vessels sunk, 350 Norwegian sailors taken prisoner, the Norwegian alpine garrison scattered.
On the morning of 10 April 1940 at 04:30, Captain , 45, commanding the British (5 H-class destroyers: HMS Hardy, Hostile, Havock, Hotspur, Hunter), receives orders from the Admiralty to force the Ofotfjord — the 30 km approach fjord to Narvik — to attack the German naval forces. Available intelligence: Bonte officially has 10 destroyers in the port, a 2:1 numerical superiority over Warburton-Lee.
Conditions: thick fog, snow, strong currents. No precise knowledge of the German positions in the fjord. Warburton-Lee has a few hours to decide on his manoeuvre.
How should Warburton-Lee manoeuvre in the narrow fjord?
Warburton-Lee applies A. At 05:30 on 10 April, his five destroyers enter the port of Narvik at full speed under cover of the fog. Torpedoes fired at 200 metres: the German destroyer Anton Schmitt is sunk (43 dead), the Wilhelm Heidkamp (Bonte's flagship) is sunk and Bonte dies on the bridge, the Hermann Künne is severely damaged. Three other German destroyers are hit. But the British destroyers are then encircled by the five remaining German destroyers emerging from the fog from the Herjangsfjord and Rombaksfjord. Close-range combat in the port. HMS Hardy, Warburton-Lee's flagship, is struck by five shells and runs aground; Warburton-Lee dies at 06:00 from shell splinters. HMS Hunter is sunk (107 dead), HMS Hotspur damaged. Balance: 2 British destroyers lost, 2 damaged; 2 German destroyers sunk, 6 damaged. Warburton-Lee receives the Victoria Cross posthumously — the second VC in 48 hours (after Roope). The battle shows that the Royal Navy can force Narvik and sets the stage for the second battle on 13 April. Warburton-Lee leaves seven young children; he is buried at sea the following day.
Learn more about this event
Related polls
10
HMS Glowworm against the Admiral Hipper
Whitworth and the Warspite — 13 April
HMS Daring in the Pentland Firth
HMS Rawalpindi — Kennedy at 3:47 p.m.
Odderoya — an identity in the mist
Oscarsborg — the intruder in the Oslofjord
Paget at Åndalsnes — Sickleforce
The Altmark affair
Fegen and the Jervis Bay — convoy HX-84
Harwood against the Graf Spee
HMS Glowworm against the Admiral Hipper
Whitworth and the Warspite — 13 April
HMS Daring in the Pentland Firth
HMS Rawalpindi — Kennedy at 3:47 p.m.
Odderoya — an identity in the mist
Oscarsborg — the intruder in the Oslofjord
Paget at Åndalsnes — Sickleforce
The Altmark affair
Fegen and the Jervis Bay — convoy HX-84