military@att.att.com (Bill Thacker) (10/14/89)
From: military@att.att.com (Bill Thacker) Saturday, 14 October, 1939 At 0059 Z, the British battleship H.M.S. Royal Oak received the first of two salvoes of torpedos, launched by the German submarine U 47, commanded by Gunther Prien, in Scapa Flow, Scotland, base of the Home Fleet. The second salvo was shot at 0127 Z. Some 24 officers and 809 sailors were killed. Royal Oak was a WWI vintage ship of the Revenge class, and had seen service at Jutland in that war. She displaced some 30,000 tons, and sank in 13 minutes. In the aftermath of this incident, the decision is made to rebase the Home Fleet to Loch Ewe. The Royal Navy claims the sinking of 3 German U-boats. President Roosevelt rejects a German request for his intervention in European diplomacy. Contributing Reporter: R. D. da Cunha <RUDNEI%SBU.UFRGS.ANRS.BR@UICVM.uic.edu> References: C.Argyle, _Chronology of World War II_ J. Piekalkiewicz, _Tank War 1939-1940_ R.Dupuy and T.Dupuy, _The Encyclopedia of Military History_ C.Salmaggi and A.Pallavisini, _2194 Dayss of War_ The New York Times, daily editions Time magazine -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Bill Thacker military@cbnews.att.com Send submissions for "50 Years Ago" to military-request@att.att.com "Europe must be made over in such a way as to restore independence to the oppressed nations: Poland and Czecho-Slovakia." Premier Wladyslaw Sikorski, Polish government-in-exile.