Royal Navy Involvement in Channel Dash Operations

[Pieter F]

I am a new member here. Astraltrader recomended this forum to me because of a question I got.

I am looking for more information on the Royal Navy's activities in the English Channel during the Channel Dash and the months before. Do you have any usefull tips, links or information?

Thanks in advance.

Best regards,
Pieter

[battlestar]

G'Day Pieter

Try here...

http://www.worldnavalships.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2797

Hope it helps!

Battlestar

[jainso31]

My take on this incident leads me to believe that Royal Navy ships did not participate greatly. Adm Ramsay had 42 MTB's, which did not achieve anything;he also switched 6 destroyers on gunnery practice in the North Sea; but they arrived such that they got off only one torpedo salvo- which missed. HMS Worcester,one of the destroyers, was fired at and severely damaged; by Gneissnau and Prinz Eugen This ship suffered 24killed and 45 wounded.REF.Ralph Barker
I do not think there is significantly more to relate about RN ships on the day.:(The FAA is quite another story.
PS The watchdog HMS Sealion,was forced to submerge, due to an air raid, which was an hour late.When she surfaced the Channel Dash was under way.
jainso31

[Pieter F]

G'Day Pieter

Try here...

http://www.worldnavalships.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2797

Hope it helps!

Battlestar

Thank you for the link. I will have a look at the thread.

[Verfain]

My father, a Gun Layer told me of being recalled to his destroyer, which was in dock without working engines. They were going to be towed into the Channel, and left anchored to prevent some big enemy ships from passing.
The plan was not put into effect, much to his relief, "We would have been blown out of the water before we could do anything" he said.

I do not know whether this tale relates to the Channel Dash or not.
At the time he was serving on HMS Eclipse

[KizmeRD]

There's also a Channel Dash Association (channeldash.org) which honours the memory of the lost Swordfish pilots, but also has lots of background information.
mb

[Blaydon]

I put up a short potted history of Eugene Esmonde here.

http://www.worldnavalships.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4014