Episodes of the Royal Navy-episode 5- ‘Tragedy and Triumph’

Part 5 of the series, is entitled ‘Tragedy and Triumph’ and features the sinkings of the carrier, HMS GLORIOUS and of the German Battleship SCHARNHORST.
GLORIOUS detached herself from the fleet operating off Norway in June 1940 to sail independently in company with the destroyers ARDENT and ACASTA for Scapa Flow.

The 3 ships were caught and sunk by the SCHARNHORST and GNEISENAU and from a total complement of over 1200 only 38 officers and men survived from GLORIOUS and 1 rating from each destroyer. Some 3 and a half years later the SCHARNHORST herself was sunk off North Cape.

This film features some rare scenes of HMS GLORIOUS during her 1935/37 Mediterranean commission, and her Captain, who is to be seen on the flag deck, was Bruce Fraser who later flew his flag in HMS DUKE OF YORK during the Battle of North Cape. Thus not only did he have the satisfaction of removing this dire threat to the Russian Convoys, but also of avenging his old ship! We hear interviews taken on board HMS DUKE OF YORK with Admirals Fraser, Burnett, and some officers and men after the battle .If you listen carefully to this segment you can hear the sound of the sea gulls from Scarpa Flow, above the hum of the battleship’s extractor fans on that Day of December 31st 1943.

In the course of this film we will see glimpses of His Majesty’s Ships, ARK ROYAL, DUKE OF YORK, HOTSPUR, IMOGEN, NORFOLK, SHEFFIELD, JAMACIA, BELFAST, COURAGEOUS, ARGUS, VALIANT, WARSPITE, RESOLUTION, HOOD, REPULSE, RENOWN AURORA, GALATEA, YORK ENTERPRISE, VINDICTIVE, destroyers and various ship’s crews. All are welcome to join us at the Melbourne Naval Centre, 146 W Toorak Road South Yarra. Our ‘Naval Video Time Capsules’ are provided to us by our colleague and friend, David McFall of the Maritime Model Museum, of Monavale.

Email: maritimemodelmuseum@bigpond.com.