Destroyer Down: An Account of HM Destroyer Losses 1939 - 1945 by Arthur S. Evans

Author:Arthur S. Evans
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: World War 2 / Naval History
ISBN: 9781844687886
Publisher: Pen and Sword
Published: 2010-08-18T16:00:00+00:00

HMS Tenados

HMS Tenados was sunk at Ceylon (Sri Lanka) and the Australian Vampire off the island’s coast. On the afternoon of 4 April a Catalina reported a strong force of Japanese warships 360 miles south-east of Ceylon heading towards the island. All ships capable of leaving Colombo harbour were ordered to sail. At dawn on 5 April air reports placed the Japanese carriers 120 miles away. At 0800 ninety-one bombers and thirty-six fighters began to attack Colombo. The Tenados was at anchor in the harbour with her stern secured to the wharf for refitting ship’s head. The harbour came under attack from down sun by planes bombing from about 5,000 feet. Tenados was hit aft by a 250 lb bomb. Two more bombs fell within 50 feet. Badly holed, her stern sank too quickly for observation as to the full extent of the damage. The bomb which hit Tenados was released from a flight of six aircraft in tight formation. Lieutenant-Commander Richard Dyer, her captain, stated later that he thought the real target had not been Tenados but the main lock gate which was about 100 yards from the ship. Three officers and twelve ratings were killed and a further three officers and eight ratings wounded.

HMS Vampire

Though Colombo had sustained heavy damage its harbour was not put out of action. After this attack the Japanese carriers withdrew eastward to prepare for an attack on Trincomalee, on the other side of the island. On 8 April the enemy carriers were sighted 400 miles east of Ceylon, steaming towards the island. That night the harbour of Trincomalee was cleared of shipping. Vampire and the old carrier Hermes left harbour round 0100 and by 0600 were about 40 miles south of Trincomalee. At 0900 course was set for a return to harbour. An hour later the two ships were 10 miles off Batticaloa. They were signalled that they had been sighted by enemy aircraft and that they were to proceed with utmost dispatch towards Trincomalee. Fighter assistance would be sent. Before any fighter support could reach the ships, Japanese aircraft were seen to be closing at 1035. Hermes was at once attacked. Diving from out of the sun, in 10 minutes the two-man Aichi D3As scored about forty hits on Hermes. She turned on her beam end and at 1045 sank with a loss of 302 hands. The aircraft then turned their attention towards Vampire. About fifteen of them attacked and at first there just some near misses. However, bomb hits then followed in quick succession. Badly sagging and barely moving, and with a heavy list to port, the order was given to abandon ship. While the crew was taking to the water Vampire was continually bombed. A direct hit was made on the torpedo tubes. The warheads did not explode but the ship broke in two with the forward section going under almost immediately. The aircraft retired only when the after magazine exploded and the stern sank, at 1105.

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