Beware Raiders! by Bernard Edwards

Author:Bernard Edwards [Edwards, Bernard]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Tags: Bisac Code 1: HIS027100: HISTORY / Military / World War II
ISBN: 9781783379071
Publisher: Pen and Sword
Published: 2001-03-15T05:00:00+00:00

‘Bonaventure turned towards the flashes, but, before sighting the enemy, salvoes of what were probably 4-inch shells were seen straddling the Empire Trooper. When sighted, the enemy was thought to be an Admiral Hipper class cruiser but at no time, then or later, was she seen clearly enough to be sure. When Bonaventure opened fire, at 0812, enemy fire was shifted from Empire Trooper onto her but no hits were obtained.

‘My policy was to keep nearly end on and thus exploit the advantage of Bonaventure’s good firepower forward while presenting a small target to the enemy, while gradually working over to the enemy’s starboard quarter, the opposite quarter to the Berwick.

‘The target was always indistinct, partly due to the mist and partly to the spray flung up at high speeds, and the director layer never had a good aiming mark. Several times when the enemy could be seen from one position he could not be seen from another.

In consequence, fire was opened in a series of short bursts using blind ladders as ‘shorts’ only could be spotted with certainty. Berwick’s eight-inch shells were easier to spot than our own though it is not always easy to be sure which was which. The shorts appeared to be in line and it is hoped that the enemy received some at least of the remainder, but no hits could be observed….

‘All guns were in action after firing an average of 70 rounds a gun from each of the three fore turrets, which speaks well for the design of this new type of mounting….

‘In all Bonaventure fired 438 rounds, nearly all as stated above, from the fore turrets, and this confirms the opinion I have always held that it is better for the four turret ships of the Dido class to have three turrets forward and one aft, as in Bonaventure, than two and two in Dido and Phoebe.

‘Except for the few salvoes of 4-inch already mentioned and some of the 8-inch later on, when Berwick may have been obscured, all misses, the enemy did not fire at Bonaventure.

‘Bonaventure ceased fire at 0836 to avoid undue expenditure of ammunition, and, as the visibility got worse, lost sight of the enemy at 0926. This was reported to Berwick and Bonaventure was ordered to rejoin the convoy, subsequently taking station on Berwick in doing so.’

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