FReeper Canteen ~ Hall of Heroes: HMS Glowworm ~ 08 April 2024

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[Kathy in Alaska]

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HMS Glowworm
All info and photos from this website.

           

HMS Glowworm, (H92)  a 'G' class destroyer was launched on 22nd  July 1935. She weighed 1,345 tons. She was armed with four 4.7 inch guns; seven anti-aircraft/machine guns; ten 21 inch torpedo tubes and depth charges. She cost £300,000 to build and had a complement of 145. (Picture: Glowworm in 1936)

 

Her first peacetime duties were in the Mediterranean which included escort work at the time of the Spanish Civil War and the Munich Crisis. It seemed that  Glowworm was developing a habit of colliding with things in an uncanny similarity to her destiny, after she hit HMS Grenade, her sister ship, in May 1939, whilst on night exercises and the Swedish Ship Rex in February 1940. Both collisions resulting in her undertaking extensive damage repair.      (Picture: Glowworm at Alexandria after colliding with Grenade  in May 1939. Note the extensive damage.)

 

On 22nd July 1938 Lieutenant Commander Gerard Broadmead Roope was appointed in command of Glowworm. A competent career naval officer, well liked  and respected by his men. His ship's company called him 'Old Ardover', for his habit of altering course at a moment's notice and 'Rammer Roope' as a result of the events described above. At the Outbreak of World War Two, Glowworm was based at Harwich. On 5th April 1940 She left for the stormy waters of Norway as one of the escorts for the Battle Cruiser Renown, dispatched to intercept the expected German invasion force. (Picture: Glowworm in heavy seas)

On 6th April whilst screening a minelaying operation (Operation Wilfrid) off the coast of Norway, Glowworm, in heavy weather conditions, lost a man overboard. After seeking permission from the Renown, Lt Cdr Roope turned her around to look for him. After spending the day fruitlessly searching they gave up and attempted to rejoin the group. On the morning of  8th April Glowworm, still on her own, sighted a destroyer who when challenged, initially identified itself as Swedish. The destroyer was in fact German: Bernd Von Arnim, which began firing. The Glowworm promptly returned fire. Another German destroyer soon appeared: Paul Jakobi. Glowworm's fight against the odds had begun. Picture:  destroyer in the distance: Glowworm as photographed from the Hipper.

 

In the ensuing exchange Bernd Von Arnim, packed with invasion troops and Paul Jakobi, both turned and fled into a rain squall. Lt Cdr Roope guessed that they were trying to lead him on to their main force, but gave chase in an attempt to find the main German Invasion fleet, so he could report their position to the Admiralty. After emerging on the other side of the squall, Glowworm came face to face with the 10,000 ton German Heavy Cruiser Admiral Von Hipper, armed with eight 8 inch and twelve 4 inch guns. 

Picture (above) The Heavy Cruiser Admiral Von Hipper

 

Roope immediately ordered that the Glowworm make smoke and  for an enemy sighting signal to be sent. Using the cover of her smoke screen the Glowworm made two torpedo attacks. Firing a total of ten torpedoes. One missed the Hipper by yards but none found their mark. All this time Glowworm was taking crippling hits from the Hipper's big guns. Lt Cdr Roope then ordered a sharp turn to starboard and headed straight for the Hipper giving the famous order "Stand by to ram".

 

The Hipper, realising too late what was happening tried to turn and ram the Glowworm but was much too slow. Glowworm, all guns firing and siren wailing like a banshee, tore into the Hipper's starboard side. Striking her amidships, She tore away 100 feet of Hipper's armoured plating, damaging the starboard side torpedo tubes, killing one man at his gun and puncturing two fresh water tanks. Picture: (left) Glowworm on fire but still fighting

 

After ramming the Hipper, Glowworm drew clear. Although her decks were swept by a storm of fire from Hipper's 4.1 inch and close range weapons, she still managed to get off another salvo hitting Hipper at a range of 400 yards. The salvo came from the only gun on Glowworm still firing, commanded by Petty Officer Walter Scott. She was by then starting to sink. Her bows wrecked, a major fire raging amidships and all steam pressure lost, Roope gave the order to abandon ship. 

Picture: (above) Admiralty Artists Impression of Glowworm ramming the Hipper.

 

Lt Cdr Roope was seen on her keel talking to a Petty Officer, Townsend, about the fact that they wouldn't play cricket for a while again. He then went to open the sea cocks to sink her. As the Glowworm went down, men climbed onto her bow or dived into the stormy, freezing, oil covered water. As she slipped under, her siren which had been going all through the action, abruptly stopped causing a momentary eerie silence. Until her depth charges blew up, killing yet more men.    The Captain of the Hipper, Helmuth Heye, chivalrously stayed for over an hour picking up survivors. Picture: (left) Glowworm sinking  as  seen  through Hipper's gun sights

 

Heye positioned Hipper so that the current in the sea would bring the drifting survivors to him. All the personnel on deck, including the soldiers, helped to pull in the exhausted, oil covered survivors. Many grabbed ropes but were too exhausted to hold on to them and slipped to their deaths. Lt Cdr Roope was in the water helping his men to the ropes and to get life jackets on. Finally he took hold of a rope himself and was pulled some distance up the side. But with a combination of the huge waves and his exhaustion, he let go and slipped beneath the waves.

Out of a total crew of 149, only 31 survived. The only officer was Torpedo Control officer Lt. Robert Ramsey. The Germans congratulated the survivors on a good fight and treated them as equals. Captain Heye told the survivors that their Captain was a very brave man. Later Heye sent a message through the International Red cross, recommending Lt Cdr Roope for the Victoria Cross. The only time in British History that the VC was recommended by the enemy.

 

Picture: (above)  Survivors are pulled aboard the Hipper. The man in the water is believed to be Bert Harris. Below: Oil covered survivors board the Hipper from a Carley float.	Picture (above) German Sailors and soldiers haul survivors aboard. Note the oil blackened face of the survivor on the far left. Below: Captain Heye oversees the rescue on board the Hipper.

 

 

The Survivors spent the rest of the war as POWs. It was only after the war when they returned and Lt Ramsey told the story, that the events of that fateful day in April 1940 came to light. As a result of the gallant action Lt Cdr Roope was awarded the Victoria Cross; Lt Ramsey the Distinguished Service Order; and three other ratings got the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal; Engine Room Artificer Henry Gregg; Petty Officer Walter Scott and Able Seaman Reginald Merritt.
 

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[radu]

Hey there, Kathy.

BARELY mobile today. LOL It always hurts more the next day.
I wanted so much to do some yard work this afternoon because it was a gorgeous day, but NOPE.
I won’t do that again! One yard at a time! LOL

Were you able to squeeze in a little “you” time this weekend?

[Kathy in Alaska]

You are most welcome, Pro...did you have a nice weather weekend?

Today has been sunshine all day so far...it’s lovely!!

[Kathy in Alaska]

For sure...I couldn’t see the backyard trees across the street early on, but then the SUN CAME OUT!!

And it IS gorgeous...and for most all of the day after the fog lifted.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Nuts...at least it’s not snow or ice.

[PROCON]

Hiya radu!

Mixed week my way, Thursday I spent 2 1/2 hours with my mouth agape in a Endodontist's chair getting a root canal, no fun but it had to be done.

But Friday I had my annual eye exam and these old eyes still have 20/20 far vision. I only use reading glasses if I'm looking at my phone or fine print and using a 32" computer monitor has been easy on the eyes.

Son was here Saturday for dinner and hanging out, good week for the most part.

Howz things your way?

[luvie]

Wow! That ship has a LOT of stories to tell!

[PROCON]

Hi Kathy, we’re having typical early Spring weather; it’s warming up as the weeks pass, no complaints.

[radu]

It was white-out fog early this morning. Once the sun cleared the mountains, it started burning off quickly at the airports but a little slower over closer to the mountains. They didn’t clear until closer to noon.
Now there are clouds coming over the mountains with some showers.

It’s been an interesting day weather-wise, and mighty darn pretty.

[Kathy in Alaska]

A half hour or so to just sit and read, but I’m making good progress on a bunch of delayed things that I need to get done for Monday.

Glad you took the day off. I’m sure your back appreciates it.

[Kathy in Alaska]

32”...nice. I just got a 27”, but haven’t installed it yet.

Don’t think I’ve seen 20/20 since I was born! First glasses were bifocals at 6.

That is terrific for you.

[Kathy in Alaska]

It sure does...and they did a good job of sharing their bad fortune with others. LOL!

[luvie]

I guess “sharing is caring”? 🤣🤣🤣

[Kathy in Alaska]

Rain is nice. I would love to have a multi-hour downpour to clean things up, like my skylights.

Our nights are still in the mid-20s or less, and I heard the s word again.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Works for me...😆

[radu]

Oh BOY! What FUN! A root canal! Don’t envy ya that one AT ALL. LOL!

Lucky you, still having 20/20 vision. I’d say a lot of folks our age wish they could say the same. I sure do!

It was a pretty slow week here. Mowed a bit Monday and finished yesterday. In between, it was chilly and very windy so not much could be done outside. It’s going to be warm this week but wet pretty much every day. Rain and thunderstorms are moving across TN now.

Counting down the days til the museum reopens. Just two more weeks.

[radu]

At least you took a little time to chill. You needed it.
I hope you’re able to get the delayed stuff ready for tomorrow. I know that’s driven you nuts on top of all the craziness at work.

I didn’t have a choice today. I’ve been lucky to walk to the kitchen and back. LOL It’s easing up a little now.

[radu]

It did look like snow that was falling in the mountains a little while ago. Just a few small blips showing on the radar and that’s good. There aren’t any large systems close by so maybe you’ll be lucky and have no more snow for a while. None at all until next winter would be even better!

[luvie]

Me too! 👍🏻🫡

[radu]

Shots of the crazy morning you had up there. The scenery up there is stunning and watching how the weather changes it is a lot of the fun of watching the live stream.

The day started out not seeing much at all ...

At least it wasn't long before we could see a lot more. Looks like you might have still been sitting in fog ...

But it was all gone before noon. It was blinding bright by then ...

The western sky looks prime for a colorful sunset. The mountains are really pretty when they turn colors in the sunset glow.

[Kathy in Alaska]

None at all until next winter would be even better!

YEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!! I vote for that!