Re: Mers-el-Kebir 6.7.1940
Posted by:
michel (IP Logged)
Date: February 23, 2004 01:08PM
ok i try one time more
first group 6 swordfish spotted 05h00
order was given to flood the ammunition store of 330 gun and call Terre Neuve ,la Sétoise and Le Groin Du Cou to put ashore unused personnels
05h30 first attack
first torpedo explode against the building pier of st Andre
second hit the mole without explosion
third hit the Terre Neuve in the coal store but don't explodes the ship become to flood
fourth sunk
fifth and sixth no sight
second group 3 swordfish spotted 04h45
05h40 second attack
first no launch
second explode under the navigation bridge of Terre neuve and cut the ship in two .the stern sink and the forward part lean against the dunkerque and go down slowly
third no sight
third group 3 swordfish and six skua spotted 05h20
06h04 third attack
first torpedo sunk tug esterel 70 m before the Dunkerque
second torpedo hit the wreck of Terre Neuve and 12 depth charges of 100 kg explode
third torpedo no sight
summary
2 torpedos ashore
1 hit Terre Neuve dont explode ( found on the bottom without forward part)
1 cut Terre Neuve in two
1 explode the depth charges
1found on the bottom between mole and DK
1found between DK and Provence
1 on the bottom north of DK
1 no launch
other not found
All the ships involved in the action werent listed in the navy
Terre Neuve 1921 780t trawler fecamp P18
Esterel 1930 33t tug used as mineswweeper( navy tug)
La Setoise 1934 590t ex brish trawler ex RN asdic trawler oriental star P139
Grouin du Cou 1918 297t trawler ex joseph Gordon unlisted15/10/40 AD276
i hope this answer pass
michel