My wife's uncle died on "HMS ROYAL OAK" He was a cadet at the age of 16. He has no know grave. God bless you HARRY and all of the 833 men and officers of HMS ROYAL OAK. IN THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN, AND IN THE MORNING, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM, "WE WILL REMEMER THEM"
Sadly I agree and I served as a seaman for 11yrs. There is too much sentiment and not enough anger at those who sent others to their graves. The Royal Navy, was, and is a fine fighting force but many died because of false expectations. The ships we sent to the Falkland war were not equipped to counter low flying aircraft. And thus there was much loss of life. Sailors let down by not only the Admiralty but the Government. It is NOT treason to question the decisions made by those sitting behind a desk. Many of the ships were old and others totally unsuited to this kind of combat. Thank goodness the Belgrano was sunk and the Argentine navy scuttled away. Otherwise it may have ben a completely different story.
I'd never heard of the HMS Royal Oak. I imagine there are many such stories of great losses, on all sides, that were overlooked because there just wasn't time to stop and tell the world.
I absolutely agree those guys who served in the Royal Navy during “the war’ were all hero’s, as were the men of the Merchant Navy. Thanks for your fine comment.
Everyone knows the names of the leader in the WWII Roosevelt, H., Churchill, St., maybe some Generals where known. But nearly no one knows the names of the brave men and children who worked on the ship and for they own country here and there. RIP.
True, but the Second World War is unlike almost all others. It truly was a battle between good and evil. Fortunately Hitler was egotistical and stupid enough to invade Russia, General Winter (among other factors) was his downfall.
I found this a really interesting and informative documentary. I would like to correct a comment to the effect that after the sinking of the Royal Oak, no boy sailors would serve on Royal Navy warships. I joined as a boy in 1966, aged 15, and joined my first ship in January 1968. How times change.
Yes but most of those had been updated at least once between the wars. Queen Elizabeth, Warspite and Valiant were extensively modified. The Revenge-class ships were not.
for convoy duty ,except the fast covoys that mostly were for troops it was capable enough as you mention ,also it was a force that german navy cannot recon with any surface raider,except biscmark and tirpitz ! Out gun sharnhorst class 11inch and as for the pocket battleships (3 of them were that time) they were a little faster ! to me royal oak, was a fine ship ,much better than the french that churchil gave order to destroy them at mers el cabir
Just for the record... It was my uncle, Luftwaffen-Leutnant Alfred Newe, that flew the German plane and that took the aerial pictures of Scapa Flow on oct.11, 1939... Those pictures allowed Kapitän-Leutnant Günther Prien and his U-47 to get in (and out) of Scapa Flow on oct.14.1939.
Robert Neild he was just doing his job like any other soldier in the world did (and does).... and ...last but not least: not every german (soldier) was also a nazi.
+11Kralle Krieg Dich wieder ein. Dieses Klischee versuchst Du mit Deinem dämlichen Kommentar doch erst zu erschaffen. Lies doch mal die Kommentare der Amis und Engländer unter den Dokus über die Bombardierungen Deutscher Städte im WW2. Was da geschrieben wird, ist pietätlos. Was der Kollege hier geschrieben hat, ist hingegen eine interessante Bemerkung. Die U-Bootbesatzung hat zwar das Schiff versenkt, und die Besatzung wurde geehrt. Zum Team gehörten aber noch viele mehr.
My great uncle fought in WW2 as a sniper's spotter in europe, he's canadian 95+ . When i see him he still listens to ww2 songs from Edith Piaff and all, sitting on a chair all day ;)
One has to ask why if German intelligence could see away through Scapa Flo defences from an Aerial photograph. This weakness in Scapa Flo anchorage wasn't picked up by the Royal Navy.
As with the entirety of WW2; the British knew something would happen but were loathe to actually come to terms with it. WW1 had a massive impact on the British public's attitude to war and the entire country could not believe it when the Germans decided they wanted a repeat of the slaughter of WW1. My grandad, at 97, is really not very fond of Germans to this day.
tk9780 : if it wasn't for the the totally unreasonanble conditions of the Treaty of Versailles, there would not have been a motivation for Germany to seek revenge for WW1...so in effect, the British, French and Its allies planted the seeds for WW2... a more pragmatic political environment of the Allies would have demanded more reasonable terms of armistice. Germans were the wrong culture to try to humiliate with such an insane treaty of reparations...revenge was certain. WW2 was basically WW1 Part 2.
Would the Royal Oak have had deck watches in port in time of war? Obviously it was a moonless night but they might have spotted the u boat. More especially, a direct hit by a torpedo that just about blew off the bow should've cause the general alarm to be sounded, the crew to be called to quarters and damage control parties to be sent out. I wonder why that wasn't done.
This was the ship that Churchill said was too weak to fight and too slow to run! And, having been First Lord of the Admiralty earlier in his career, he was in a position to know. Obsolete ships like this would have been scrapped but they weren't due to the onset of the war. Plus, politicians didn't want to admit to the taxpayers that money had been wasted on some Royal Navy ships.
I am not sure if it still is, but it used to be Royal Navy policy to keep the flag flying on as many lost ships as possible. In 2006 we replaced the Ensign on HMS Antelope lost in 1982 during the Falklands Conflict.
yes the guys from Northern diving Group, dive down every October and change the ensign. the old one is dried and presented to family at a ceremony held every year in Orkney on the 14th of October.
So goes the legend - but they reckon it was actually another boat that she got. If you click here: www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/3sr5yy/what_happened_to_u47/ you will be able to read further details. :-)
I think the reference means that, given that they were 'safe' in Scapa, they were not expecting an enemy vessel to penetrate the boom and attack them. RIP
factnotfictionpeople I think you're right. I reckon they meant something like an attack was unexpected. I think they were going for dramatic appeal too much here. ie trying to manipulate the audience,
Amazing the first hit by a torpedo didn't alert everyone on board and on shore. Very sad ... it would have been a minor incident if that alarm had been raised. God Bless all those young lads!
I cannot imagine the English/British been outfoxed by anyone, n this is something i find it hard to understand why this actually happened very sad really
Anybody who does anything out of the ordinary, is turned into a celebrity? Seriously.. that mission took some planning and some balls. Celebrity? I would say Hero.. its what how we respect our Military personnel.. because it takes a not so ordinary soldier to do extraordinary things.
+likesmilitaryhistory Alan Moore The casualty rate among U-Boat commanders was pretty appalling. By the end of the war, roughly. 70% of German submariners who had fought during the war were dead.
+Oliver H Royal Oak turned turtle and was too badly damaged to raise. Of the 8 battleships sunk at Pearl Harbor, only two were lost (and one was a training ship ship.) the other six were raised, repaired, refitted and modernized & provided AA & gunfire support for the rest of the war. All six, actually were involved the the final battleship on battleship engagement in history during the Battle of Leyte Gulf. It didn't go well for the Japanese.
+Michael Wackers For the 20 or so years after the Grand Fleet left Scapa Flow the defences were allowed to decay. After the Royal Oak was sunk the defences were again built up. There were eventually causeways built joining the small islands that ringed the Flow and the main entry was closely guarded.
+Dean “Ithuriel” P.F a ceremony is held every October both in Portsmouth and on the 14th of October a boat goes to wreck and families and navy lay wreaths. the NDG also change the ensign every october
likesmilitaryhistory Alan Moore Yes, unfortunately, many of them paid the price. But they all valiantly continued to do their duty right up until the end.
If the Germans achieve a remarkable victory, its called "Propaganda victory". If the Britain had a victory, if ever by themselves, then it's a great victory.
+y3puGnxg -- Do you know what the word "propaganda" means? All it indicates is that the victory had more effect than the physical loss involved. The German navy was severely outnumbered in World War II, so every victory was something to be hyped and bragged about. The Royal Navy was expected to win, and absolutely had to win, so every day was another small but grimly necessary accomplishment.
Commodore is NOT an Admiral, its a rank below Rear Admiral. Doenitz was, at the time of the Royal Oak's sinking, a Konteradmiral (Rear Admiral). So I can justify my loss of faith in the production! LOL
I think you'll find that the '1 Star Rear Admiral' rank applies only to The USA, which, lets face it, has a liking for an over-abundance of ranks within her armed-forces! The fact of the matter regarding Admiral Doenitz however, is that he was, at the time of the sinking of The Royal Oak, an Admiral.......
When a couple of them were in the water "we didn't say much because we were a bit cold, a bit tired". Such humble understatement, and so sad.
My wife's uncle died on "HMS ROYAL OAK" He was a cadet at the age of 16. He has no know grave. God bless you HARRY and all of the 833 men and officers of HMS ROYAL OAK. IN THE GOING DOWN OF THE SUN, AND IN THE MORNING, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM, "WE WILL REMEMER THEM"
He does have a grave: The remains of HMS Royal Oak - along with many of his ship mates. RIP - and thank you.
Karl Colt I am sorry for your loss
Karl Colt . His grave is the sea...What a waste of a life..For what ???
Ian Hiltz U
Sadly I agree and I served as a seaman for 11yrs. There is too much sentiment and not enough anger at those who sent others to their graves. The Royal Navy, was, and is a fine fighting force but many died because of false expectations. The ships we sent to the Falkland war were not equipped to counter low flying aircraft. And thus there was much loss of life. Sailors let down by not only the Admiralty but the Government. It is NOT treason to question the decisions made by those sitting behind a desk. Many of the ships were old and others totally unsuited to this kind of combat. Thank goodness the Belgrano was sunk and the Argentine navy scuttled away. Otherwise it may have ben a completely different story.
I'd never heard of the HMS Royal Oak. I imagine there are many such stories of great losses, on all sides, that were overlooked because there just wasn't time to stop and tell the world.
So good but so sad. Give me respect for the Royal Navy sailors who perished. Love the vets who survived.
I absolutely agree those guys who served in the Royal Navy during “the war’ were all hero’s, as were the men of the Merchant Navy. Thanks for your fine comment.
Ian MacFreeman You're welcome. This is a superb presentation.
Everyone knows the names of the leader in the WWII Roosevelt, H., Churchill, St., maybe some Generals where known. But nearly no one knows the names of the brave men and children who worked on the ship and for they own country here and there. RIP.
A War is declared by The Old but the Young fight and die in it.
True, but the Second World War is unlike almost all others. It truly was a battle between good and evil. Fortunately Hitler was egotistical and stupid enough to invade Russia, General Winter (among other factors) was his downfall.
Skulls Ain't Dead If only germany wasnt having a terrible time and if only hitler just pursued his art career
A very moving documentary on this event. The survivors memories are touching indeed.
Every time I hear how many guys are on a ship like that, I find it hard to believe.
I found this a really interesting and informative documentary. I would like to correct a comment to the effect that after the sinking of the Royal Oak, no boy sailors would serve on Royal Navy warships. I joined as a boy in 1966, aged 15, and joined my first ship in January 1968. How times change.
My granddad was on board.........still is
wingers braggs war is terrible !
let us better drink beer and give a shit to all the politicians and bureaucrats who like to play with us.
so is my grandads brother
Leading seaman Cornish....rank not sure.......my parents went there a few years ago with my uncles and aunties--who are still alive
The crew was the biggest loss. The old Revenge-class battleships weren't too valuable in World War II, mostly relegated to convoy duty.
Yes but most of those had been updated at least once between the wars. Queen Elizabeth, Warspite and Valiant were extensively modified. The Revenge-class ships were not.
Didn't Winnie say the Royal Oak was "too weak to fight and too slow to run?" Or something awfully close to that?
for convoy duty ,except the fast covoys that mostly were for troops it was capable enough as you mention ,also it was a force that german navy cannot recon with any surface raider,except biscmark and tirpitz ! Out gun sharnhorst class 11inch and as for the pocket battleships (3 of them were that time) they were a little faster !
to me royal oak, was a fine ship ,much better than the french that churchil gave order to destroy them at mers el cabir
Just for the record...
It was my uncle, Luftwaffen-Leutnant Alfred Newe, that flew the German plane and that took the aerial pictures of Scapa Flow on oct.11, 1939... Those pictures allowed Kapitän-Leutnant Günther Prien and his U-47 to get in (and out) of Scapa Flow on oct.14.1939.
Donald Newe Hey he was just doing his job like the rest of the nazis,killing people!
Robert Neild
he was just doing his job like any other soldier in the world did (and does)....
and ...last but not least:
not every german (soldier) was also a nazi.
Wild n the young
whatever
Oh relax ya sauer kraut it was a joke don't get your propellers in a twist like the Bismarck did
+11Kralle Krieg Dich wieder ein. Dieses Klischee versuchst Du mit Deinem dämlichen Kommentar doch erst zu erschaffen. Lies doch mal die Kommentare der Amis und Engländer unter den Dokus über die Bombardierungen Deutscher Städte im WW2. Was da geschrieben wird, ist pietätlos.
Was der Kollege hier geschrieben hat, ist hingegen eine interessante Bemerkung. Die U-Bootbesatzung hat zwar das Schiff versenkt, und die Besatzung wurde geehrt. Zum Team gehörten aber noch viele mehr.
My great uncle fought in WW2 as a sniper's spotter in europe, he's canadian 95+ . When i see him he still listens to ww2 songs from Edith Piaff and all, sitting on a chair all day ;)
A very audacious attack
One has to ask why if German intelligence could see away through Scapa Flo defences from an Aerial photograph. This weakness in Scapa Flo anchorage wasn't picked up by the Royal Navy.
Complacency and arrogance - the usual
Sadly, you're correct.
As with the entirety of WW2; the British knew something would happen but were loathe to actually come to terms with it. WW1 had a massive impact on the British public's attitude to war and the entire country could not believe it when the Germans decided they wanted a repeat of the slaughter of WW1. My grandad, at 97, is really not very fond of Germans to this day.
Just like Churchill was reluctant to believe the "primitive" Japanese posed a threat to Force Z.
tk9780 : if it wasn't for the the totally unreasonanble conditions of the Treaty of Versailles, there would not have been a motivation for Germany to seek revenge for WW1...so in effect, the British, French and Its allies planted the seeds for WW2... a more pragmatic political environment of the Allies would have demanded more reasonable terms of armistice. Germans were the wrong culture to try to humiliate with such an insane treaty of reparations...revenge was certain. WW2 was basically WW1 Part 2.
Superb documentary.
The concrete barriers were built by Italian prisoners of war.
such a damn shame the captain did not do anything to investigate the cause of the explosion.
his laziness got his ship sunk and hundreds dead
She was hove to. Nothing could have changed the tragic outcome.
Wow!! Never heard of this one ..Thanks..
Would the Royal Oak have had deck watches in port in time of war? Obviously it was a moonless night but they might have spotted the u boat. More especially, a direct hit by a torpedo that just about blew off the bow should've cause the general alarm to be sounded, the crew to be called to quarters and damage control parties to be sent out. I wonder why that wasn't done.
the sinking of the royal oak-2009? I thought it happened bit earlier than that.
This was the ship that Churchill said was too weak to fight and too slow to run! And, having been First Lord of the Admiralty earlier in his career, he was in a position to know. Obsolete ships like this would have been scrapped but they weren't due to the onset of the war. Plus, politicians didn't want to admit to the taxpayers that money had been wasted on some Royal Navy ships.
I am not sure if it still is, but it used to be Royal Navy policy to keep the flag flying on as many lost ships as possible. In 2006 we replaced the Ensign on HMS Antelope lost in 1982 during the Falklands Conflict.
yes the guys from Northern diving Group, dive down every October and change the ensign. the old one is dried and presented to family at a ceremony held every year in Orkney on the 14th of October.
They do the same with HMS Repluse and Prince of Wales (off Malaysia).
my mother got in this year
HMS Wolverine avenged her.
So goes the legend - but they reckon it was actually another boat that she got. If you click here: www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/3sr5yy/what_happened_to_u47/ you will be able to read further details. :-)
factnotfictionpeople Meh, alot of wartime deeds are speculation. I'll give Wolverine credit.
"The crew had no warning". Well, yeah. What fighter telegraphs its next move, any move, to its enemy?
I think the reference means that, given that they were 'safe' in Scapa, they were not expecting an enemy vessel to penetrate the boom and attack them. RIP
factnotfictionpeople
I think you're right. I reckon they meant something like an attack was unexpected. I think they were going for dramatic appeal too much here. ie trying to manipulate the audience,
Amazing the first hit by a torpedo didn't alert everyone on board and on shore. Very sad ... it would have been a minor incident if that alarm had been raised. God Bless all those young lads!
Barack Obama
Gary Ward Very powerful insight there. amazing, just amazing.
It should be "HMS Royal Oak".
May they rest in peace
How far off shore was the Royal Oak anchored when she was hit?
Roll out the barrel that's typically English mad humour.
Hope I can dive it & pay my respects one day.
Diving on the Royal Oak is prohibited.
this video said the oil from the ship was blinding and all of the survivors had glasses so I think they might have opened their eyes under water
2009 was the year the documentary was first aired, I take it.
A slightly misleading title for the upload, though.
www.helpforheroes.org.uk/
I cannot imagine the English/British been outfoxed by anyone, n this is something i find it hard to understand why this actually happened very sad really
Well done U-47
and respect for the English sailors that perished
u47 was not sunk by the wolverine that was a diff u boat
RIP
u47 was lost too later on in 41
Anybody who does anything out of the ordinary, is turned into a celebrity? Seriously.. that mission took some planning and some balls. Celebrity? I would say Hero.. its what how we respect our Military personnel.. because it takes a not so ordinary soldier to do extraordinary things.
+JuergenGDB Gunther Prien never suirvived the war though did he, he was sunk with his entire crew attacking a convoy on the Atlantic
+likesmilitaryhistory Alan Moore The casualty rate among U-Boat commanders was pretty appalling. By the end of the war, roughly. 70% of German submariners who had fought during the war were dead.
Was the Royal Oak raised and repaired or is it still there?
+Steven Grotte
It's still there, as a war grave. Its ship's bell has been raised and transfered to St. Magnus cathedral in Kirkwall as a memorial.
+Oliver H Royal Oak turned turtle and was too badly damaged to raise. Of the 8 battleships sunk at Pearl Harbor, only two were lost (and one was a training ship ship.) the other six were raised, repaired, refitted and modernized & provided AA & gunfire support for the rest of the war. All six, actually were involved the the final battleship on battleship engagement in history during the Battle of Leyte Gulf. It didn't go well for the Japanese.
Günther pricens u boat is u 47
I think they should have installed anti submarine nets to prevent intrusive attacks by enemy subs ;
+Michael Wackers For the 20 or so years after the Grand Fleet left Scapa Flow the defences were allowed to decay. After the Royal Oak was sunk the defences were again built up. There were eventually causeways built joining the small islands that ringed the Flow and the main entry was closely guarded.
what shimanship of the german captain!!
WHO WILL NOT FORGET?
Okay, just heard it is still there.
+Steven Grotte It's a war grave, a wreath is laid every so often by the navy if I remember correctly.
+Dean “Ithuriel” P.F a ceremony is held every October both in Portsmouth and on the 14th of October a boat goes to wreck and families and navy lay wreaths. the NDG also change the ensign every october
Good job, Capt. Prien and crew!
Reichsfuehrer Nivea Creme Prien and his crew though paid the price, they all died when their U-boats was sunk attacking a convoy in the Atlantic
likesmilitaryhistory Alan Moore Yes, unfortunately, many of them paid the price. But they all valiantly continued to do their duty right up until the end.
***** What do you mean "again?" When did they surrender the first time?
Reichsfuehrer Nivea Creme Shut up you Neo-Nazi, Royal Navy lives on a still dominates.
Gog Mclaine
Yeah, that's what I thought he was saying, too.
Brilliant Churchill, once again.
If the Germans achieve a remarkable victory, its called "Propaganda victory". If the Britain had a victory, if ever by themselves, then it's a great victory.
+y3puGnxg -- Do you know what the word "propaganda" means? All it indicates is that the victory had more effect than the physical loss involved. The German navy was severely outnumbered in World War II, so every victory was something to be hyped and bragged about. The Royal Navy was expected to win, and absolutely had to win, so every day was another small but grimly necessary accomplishment.
grande impresa...
why do brits burst out in sentimental tears when it is about loosing?
freebeerfordworkers WRONG!!! HMS ROYAL OAK, WAS "NOT" A "TRAINING SHIP" GET YOUR FACTS RIGHT!! IDIOT!!!
.
Vietnam
Terrible!
Well in the first 30 seconds i found out what happened to the Royal Oak so what's the point in watching the rest of the program?
celticlofts You could say that about 90% of documentaries
32:12 dat audio change doe.
I lost faith in this at 2.49! Who the hell was 'Commodore Doenitz?' FFS, he was a bl**dy ADMIRAL!!!!!
commodore is an admiral. he was not at this point in the was a grand admiral.
Commodore is NOT an Admiral, its a rank below Rear Admiral. Doenitz was, at the time of the Royal Oak's sinking, a Konteradmiral (Rear Admiral). So I can justify my loss of faith in the production! LOL
commodore is same as a 1 star admiral rear admiral lower half. is what the rank is officaly called now.and has been
I think you'll find that the '1 Star Rear Admiral' rank applies only to The USA, which, lets face it, has a liking for an over-abundance of ranks within her armed-forces! The fact of the matter regarding Admiral Doenitz however, is that he was, at the time of the sinking of The Royal Oak, an Admiral.......
Did the British build a ship that didn't sink??
it is so nice to rule the world, the milky way galaxy is next?
@Donald Newe Your Uncles a Jodrell Banker.
So this was an old crap. No match against example the best heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen.