Daily Event for April 8, 2006

April 8, 1940 HMS Glowworm H-92, a G Class destroyer of 1,854 tons, was operating with the 1st Destroyer Force along with HMS Renown and a cruiser off Norway. They had departed on the 5th to search for the German invasion force which was en route to invade Norway. While laying mines off Norway a man fell overboard and Glowworm made a desperate attempt to find him.

While the other ship's steamed ahead the Glowworm searched for her missing man, but to no avail. The search was called off and she headed out to rejoin her group, but was unable to locate them because she was now hopelessly astern of them. The problem was further exasperated by the fact that her gyro-compass had malfunctioned leaving only a magnetic compass to steer by. Early on the morning of the 8th the Glowworm found the Destroyer force, but it was the German destroyer force in company of the Admiral Hipper, a 14,000 ton German Heavy Cruiser.

The captain of the Glowworm, Lt. Cdr. Gerard B. Roope, had found the invasion force and was determined to signal their position to the rest of the British ships. Roope fired on the first ship sighted, the Z-11 Bernd von Arnim, and scored a hit. A second destroyer, Z-5 Paul Jakobi soon appeared, but both ships were filled with troops for the invasion of Norway so they turned away and found cover in a rain squall.

Roope followed the destroyers into the squall and emerged on the other side staring down the barrels of Admiral Hipper's 8" guns. Roope surely knew his ship was no match for the German cruiser, but he opened fire with his 4.7" guns and launched all 10 torpedoes at the Admiral Hipper, all the torpedoes missed. The Hipper opened fire scoring a hit on the Glowworm below the water line causing her to begin to sink. Hipper continued to fire scoring several hits with the smaller guns and at least one other 8' shell.

Roope now ordered the crew to prepare to ram the Hipper and he started his run at the ship. Hipper, under the command of Kapitän zur See Helmuth Heye, opened up with everything they had in attempt to stop the Glowworm. Hipper's guns could not be trained on the Glowworm because she was too close and Roope and the Glowworm struck the Hipper on the starboard side leaving a large gash in her. Glowworm, not only sinking from several shell hits now had a damaged bow and Roope ordered the gallant ship to be abandoned. Roope himself went below to open the sea cocks to scuttle the ship which turned out not to be necessary as the inertia of the Admiral Hipper caused the Glowworm to capsize.

Ignoring the fact that Glowworm had sent signals warning of the German ships and giving their positions, Heye moved the Hipper into a position which allowed the survivors to be carried to the Hipper by the tide in a rescue mission which took over an hour. Heye put his ship in danger of being caught dead in the water by the other British ships. A bold and brave move which should have earned Heye a medal from the British! Only thirty-six of the crew survived the battle, sinking and the freezing water to be picked up by the Hipper. Of these five died of their wounds over the next several days, making a total of one hundred and eighteen men who were lost in HMS Glowworm. In contrast the Germans lost only one man, Mechanikersgefreiter Josef Ritter.

Sadly many men, exhausted, cold and wounded did not have the strength left to climb the ropes and ladders to safety. They sank beneath the waves to a sailor's grave, Lt. Cdr. Roope was one of them. He died in the water along side the Admiral Hipper with his crew.

Heye was so impressed with the gallant fight of the captain and crew of the much smaller ship that he informed the survivors that he felt their captain was a brave man. In a move seldom repeated in the Second World War or any other war, Helmuth Heye, the captain of the Admiral Hipper, sent a message to the Admiralty, through the Red Cross, recommending Lt. Cdr. Roope for the Victoria Cross, which he was awarded, posthumously in 1945.

While Roope and the brave crew of the Glowworm did not sink the Admiral Hipper, she was so badly damaged that she missed the Norwegian landings having to return for repairs to her hull. This story would be repeated exactly two months later on June 8 when two destroyers, HMS Ardent and HMS Acasta would sacrifice themselves protecting an aircraft carrier, HMS Glorious, from two German battleships, Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. Once again the small, outgunned British ships faced down much superior ships in a brave attempt to save hundreds of other sailors.

HMS Glowworm should be remembered with the names of other gallant ships like Ardent, Acasta, Jervis Bay and Rawalpindi as a ship and crew which, when facing overwhelming odds, did not shrink, but rose to the challenge and gave all.
© 2006 Michael W. Pocock
MaritimeQuest.com




Roll of Honour
In memory of those who lost their lives in
HMS Glowworm H-92
"As long as we embrace them in our memory, their spirit will always be with us"

Name
Rate
Notes
Aldridge, William T.
Stoker 1st Class
Allen, Francis J.
Ordinary Seaman
Armitage, John E.
Telegraphist
Armstrong, Charles K.
Able Seaman
Ashby, William G.
Able Seaman
Atkins, William H.
Yeoman of Signals
Bampton, Ronald E.
Able Seaman (RAN)
Banks, Bernard J.
Assistant Cook (S)
Barnard, James R.
Petty Officer Supply
Barron, George H. H.
Signalman
Beck, Gordon L.
Able Seaman
Betts, Christopher A.
Leading Telegraphist
Billett, Kenneth H.
Ordinary Seaman
Birch, William
Stoker Petty Officer
Blackwell, James H.
Stoker 1st Class
Boothby, Osbert S.
Lieutenant
Bowes, Matthew
Ordinary Seaman
Breen, Martin
Stoker 1st Class
Briggs, Frederick L.
Able Seaman
Brown, Edwin J. K.
Leading Seaman
Brown, Frederick R.
Stoker 1st Class
Brown, James E.
Able Seaman
Bufton, John R.
Stoker 2nd Class
Bull, William
Able Seaman
Died of wounds Apr. 10
Campbell, Joseph
Able Seaman
Chapman. Thomas A.
Able Seaman
Childs, Philip A.
Telegraphist
Clarke, Joseph F.
Able Seaman
Collier, Denis C. F.
Able Seaman
Coltherup, Tony A.
Able Seaman
Cope, William T. G.
Stoker Petty Officer
Crowther, George E.
Able Seaman
Davies, Joseph
Able Seaman
Dillon, George
Telegraphist
Dowson, Basil
Able Seaman
Ellett, Alfred C.
Able Seaman
Erskine, William R.
Able Seaman
Fain, Arthur R.
Chief Engine Room Artificer
Fenlon, Frederick H.
Able Seaman
Findon, Wilfred J.
Stoker 1st Class
Fletcher, William
Stoker Petty Officer
Fort, Richard
Able Seaman
Fradgley, Arthur J.
Leading Seaman
Fraser, Charles
Ordinary Seaman
Gain, Charles W.
Able Seaman
Gillmore, George R. L.
Petty Officer
Gillo, Harold G.
Able Seaman
Godfrey, Jack V.
Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class
Hamilton, Frederick
Chief Stoker
Hare, Francis H.
Chief Petty Officer
Harman, Leonard F.
Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class
Harris, Edwin L.
Stoker 1st Class
Hawes, Herbert G.
Leading stoker
Higginson, Edwin G.
Stoker 1st Class
Hoiles, Percy S. P.
Gunner
Holding, Herbert J.
Electrical Artificer 1st Class
Hoskins, Charles G. R.
Leading Stoker
Hucker, Ernest A.
Leading Signalman
Died of wounds Apr. 22
Jones, Thomas
Stoker 1st Class
Keen, Henry W.
Able Seaman
Kennedy, John N.
Sub-Lieutenant (RNVR)
King, Frederick
Able Seaman
Died of wounds Apr. 12
Kissane, Patrick H.
Petty Officer
Knight, William E.
Stoker Petty Officer
Died of wounds Apr. 9
Lawman, Michael T.
Lieutenant
Levinge, Reginald V. N.
Sub-Lieutenant (RNR)
Lightowler, Frank
Able Seaman
Lockyer, George L. J.
Ordinary Seaman
MacLeod, James K.
Engineer Lt. Commander (RAN)
MacQuillin, Alfred J.
Able Seaman
Maker, Andrew
Stoker 1st Class
Marsh, Albert C. W.
Able Seaman
McIvor, William A.
Ordinary Seaman
Metcalf, John L.
Ordinary Seaman
Mitchell, Archibald H.
Stoker 1st Class
Moss, Edward H.
Able Seaman
Mumford, Robert C.
Ordnance Artificer 3rd Class
Murray, William S. S.
Stoker Petty Officer
Musgrave, Joseph
Ordinary Seaman
Newnham, Harold W.
Able Seaman
Oakes, John
Able Seaman
Palfreyman, Charles
Able Seaman
Died of wounds Apr. 10
Paul, George W.
Stoker Petty Officer
Phillips, Harold J.
Able Seaman
Piper, William A.
Able Seaman
Pittock, James A.
Able Seaman
Portelli, Antonio
Petty Officer Steward
Pugh, George R.
Ordinary Seaman (RNVR)
Ramsdale, Frank K. J.
Stoker 1st Class
Redfern, Wilfred A.
Stoker 1st Class
Reeder, George H.
Engine Room Artificer 4th Class
Regan, Harry R. W.
Stoker 1st Class
Rex, Sidney C.
Stoker 1st Class
Rhys, John W.
Surgeon Lieutenant
(MRCS, LRCP)
Roope, V.C., Gerard B.
Lt. Commander
Commanding Officer
Smith, John J.
Sick Berth Attendant
Stockley, Frederick C.
Able Seaman
Stratford, John J.
Chief Petty Officer
Stringer, Alfred
Able Seaman
Taylor, Cyril A.
Able Seaman
Taylor, George P.
Able Seaman
Terry, Arthur E.
Able Seaman
Testa, Antonio
Leading Cook (O)
Thorpe, Lawrence M.
Able Seaman
Tolhurst, Frederick W.
Ordinary seaman
Twycross, Harold
Leading Stoker
Tyler, Leonard J.
Stoker 1st Class
Varley, Eric
Stoker 1st Class
Vella, Anthony
Assistant Steward
Vine, Reginald E.
Leading Seaman
Wallace, George M.
Able Seaman
Weir, Robert
Ordinary Seaman (RNVR)
Whitfield, Frederick W.
Able Seaman
Williams, John C.
Chief Petty Officer (S)
Wiltshire, Reginald G.
Ordinary Seaman
Wood, Tom
Stoker 1st Class
Woolfries, Fred
Leading Stoker
Woltherspoon, John
Stoker Petty Officer


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HMS Glowworm under attack by Admiral Hipper.