WAR AND SOLDIERS
Six years of struggle for the Atlantic was the longest battle of the war
and one of the most important.
If the supply routes would have been able to keep open
the British would have had to surrender to the mainland would have been the Nazis to power.
But the marines were up to the task.
They rejected submarines weather ignoring and in front of superiority
and ensured that the merchant fleet was able to take care of the Allies.
British naval forces battled everywhere, Arctic ...
... Pacific Ocean.
Naval brought bitter losses and a major loss
but in 1945 three worst opponent
German, Italian and Japanese navies, had been beaten.
War broke out, the whole fleet viestitettiin: "Winston is back."
Churchill returned to 3.9. 1939 navy minister.
He took care of the same post of the First World War broke out.
He received the command of the world's largest navies.
It was 15 Battleships and cruisers, as well as seven aircraft carriers.
It was for centuries been the cornerstone of Britain's defense.
The men were experienced and respected the proud tradition.
But many men during the recession, chapter 30, also fled naval forces.
I had never been to Plymouth and Torquay farther.
So I am not really that long.
Riding a bicycle could not get away from Jari.
It was a whole new world. The sun was shining beautifully ...
It was pretty nice.
The Navy was divided into two fleet.
Close-seas fleet's home port was Scapa Flow
and the Mediterranean fleet was located in Malta and Alexandria.
Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean and the Far East in addition to the smaller departments.
Even Britain's strong war fleet would be in trouble
if all three axis powers join the war at the same time.
The men did not foresee what was soon called.
As a young ...
We had grown up on Hollywood's heroes and adventures.
Death, or the kind of vulnerability is not even thought of.
It was an adventure.
Adventure became more serious when the mobilization began
and reserve officers and crews called to the service.
At the beginning of the war, the main opponent was the German Kriegsmarine
which had begun to expand strongly.
Work was still in progress in 1939, but Germany still had strong naval forces.
The ships were designed specifically to interfere with the service routes
and the British had removed many big his ship to fight them.
Submarines were even worse.
Germany had 57 boats. Half of them was able to ocean-going vessels
and the boats was intended to build 120 more.
They soon showed danger. The beginning of the war, had only two weeks
when U-29 was sunk in the North Sea aircraft carrier Courageous.
Less than a month later the boats penetrated Scapa Flow harbor
and sank the battleship Royal Oak.
U-47's chief Günther Prien rose in Germany as a national hero.
Surface Navy was still at the beginning of the war the biggest threat to merchant ships.
Panssarilaiva Graf Spee
cut off the South Atlantic and the Indian Ocean sea routes in the autumn of 1939.
Eventually, three British cruisers besieged it
and the La Plata River mouth were fierce battle.
Cruisers were outnumbered but forced the Graf Speen Uruguay.
The master sunk his ship, so that it does not remain in the hands of the enemy.
This victory gave Navy a much-needed self-confidence
and cruise ships, crews were in Britain hero's welcome.
The success led to more success.
The Navy looked February 1940 determination
when the HMS Cossack, led by the destroyer Department
haunted Graf Speen supply vessel Altmark Norwegian field.
Altmark captured in the war shouts
such as color film is shown in this rare.
On board were captured merchant navy men was rescued.
Norwegian cannon boat protests of not ignored.
All the profits will not be obtained as easily.
The Navy had to struggle to save the troops
First unfortunate rise in countries of Norway and then Dunkirk
Hitler's armor redemption by French and British troops scattered.
340000 Successful man's evacuation was a brilliant achievement
but Britain was left alone against the Nazi dominated Europe.
When France surrendered in June 1940
Hitler's submarines reached the Atlantic ports.
Germany was able to keep more boats at sea at the same time.
The Navy tried to protect all British convoys
but the escort and air support was far too little
and the enemy, which were already far from the Atlantic Ocean.
Submarines' first gold time "began in the autumn of 1940.
The vessels were immersed in more than Britain's shipyards have time to build.
German planes bombed the convoys
and passing the submarine "susilaumat" them towards.
Churchill changed to use the Caribbean ports of war
old American fighter aircraft.
But the losses continued, and the dive boats were about to charge a profit.
German surface aluksetkin reached the ocean
and the British in the nearby seas fleet unable to prevent them.
Naval intelligence announced in May 1941
that the new German battleship Bismarck had sailed the Atlantic.
The fleet set off to stop it.
Battle Cruiser Hood, the pride of the Navy, found the Bismarck.
Hood received during the battle hit ammusmakasiiniinsa and exploded.
Only three of the crew survived.
Bismarck disappeared after the Battle of the Atlantic
but Catalina flying boat discovered it the next day.
Ark Royal torpedo machines damaged the steering.
The damaged vessel strayed harbor of Brest in France
but it was already a British fleet in sight.
Bismarck took an amazing amount of hits.
We shot the täyslaidallisen after another
and it burned from bow to stern, when we finished.
Its warehouses was suppose to hit, and it sank.
HMS Hood was destroyed avenged.
Information led to the discovery of Bismarck came to the code Centre
where the German Enigma code was broken.
Koodinmurtajat received in the same month head start
when the frigate Bulldog forced the U-110's surface
and received from the naval Enigma codes in the device.
It made it possible to monitor the dive boats and warn convoys.
Also escort was built.
Accompanying vessels was the workhorse of the corvette, which had a depth bombs, cannon
and about one hundred crew members on board.
They were a tough little ships, but the mood very rickety.
One officer claimed that they would keikkuneet wet grass.
An attempt was made to organize a convoy for the air support.
Hurricane fighters was raised for ships on catapults.
They were the last straw
because the machine could not go back to the deck but was forced to land in the sea.
The British navy got the upper hand again in July 1941.
Improved equipment and training, as well as escorts progressive experience
made at the end of submarines gold of the time.
And it was about time. Hitler invaded the Soviet Union in June.
A significant expansion of the war, knew the British naval forces more work
and even worse shortage of material.
The first convoys sailed in September terrifying to the Arctic Ocean
and a new, almost four years of unrelenting battle began.
Hitler confirmed with sea and air forces that were in Norway.
There was also transferred to the battleship Tirpitz, Bismarck's sister ship.
It was a force of heavily armed.
It threatened three years the Arctic Ocean and the Atlantic convoys
and kept the British fleet on their toes.
The war escalated once again just when the Tirpitz arrived in Norway.
Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, and Hitler declared war on the United States.
Submarines were transferred to the US the field.
US Navy Commander, Admiral King
did not make use of the British experience and the use of convoys
and submarines began a new golden time.
More than placing on the British transatlantic ships were immersed for months
often USA's glittering beach resorts nearby.
The worst losses of the Atlantic struggles came in the first half of 1942.
German naval forces took advantage of the British new busy.
Taisteluristeilijät Scharnhorst Gneisenau yes yes risteilijä Prinz Eugen
were able to escape to the port of Bordeaux, where they were besieged.
German squadron slipped from the port in the early morning 11.2. 1942.
They hurried to the north of the Channel
and they are not noticed until noon Dover Strait.
The British first attacked Dover motor torpedo boats.
I would not have seen any of the radio room, but then the radio broke down.
Cattle would voice tube
but I only heard frightened screams, so I went to the deck.
I thought that the whole of the German Navy was coming against me.
2030 meters away from the swarming battleships, destroyers and mine ships
and the sky was swarming Messerschmitt.
I told the master of the radio, and he told me to grab the rifle.
I aimed Scharnhorst, so that I would not even seem bold.
Torpedo boats did not help.
Slow Swordfish torpedo machines made hopelessly attack.
The enemy were surprised to find Commander Captain Eugene Esmond Department
attacked directly in fierce gunfire.
All six machines were dropped before they hit your ship.
Esmonde received death after the Victoria Cross bravery.
The Germans were able to safely harbor.
All Kriegsmarine large ships were now in northern waters.
Arctic Convoys were now even worse danger.
US and Canadian naval forces have already participated in convoys
but the British naval forces still did most of the work.
Losses increased, and especially Tirpitz worried naval forces.
Fear of the Tirpitz led to tragedy
when the convoy PQ 17 went to Iceland on 27 June 1942.
It had a strong British and US ships in the convoy assembled.
Then, the naval commander heard that the Tirpitz was on the move
and had assumed that the Guarantee Section would have time to stop it.
Escorts Commander Jackie Broomin dismay,
he ordered the convoy to disperse.
We were shocked. We did not see any reason to break up the convoy.
It could only mean that the ship had been nearby.
We took the binoculars and started to observe the horizon
and I was expecting just that someone would shout: "There it is!"
I thought we were in a hurry, and drove to the center of fierce escort.
I directed next to the convoy commander, I grabbed the megaphone
and I would say: "I'm sorry."
The commander did not look of judging believe her ears.
Tirpitz did not come anywhere near the convoy
but the Luftwaffe and submarines killed the vulnerable merchant vessels.
Only 10 ships from 33 to deliver reached the port of Murmansk.
Convoys are not subsequently gone for several months
and when they continued escorts were many more.
Among them was a benefit 31. 12. 1942
when the German cruiser Hipper and Lützow was rejected.
Hitler was furious and sacked by Admiral Erich Raeder
and threatened to break up the surface fleet.
However, Raeder's successor, Karl Dönitz assured Hitler
that the warships were needed to keep the British navy in check.
Dönitz made use of the expanded production of submarines.
He was able to keep at sea continuously for more than 60 boats
and they sank at the beginning of the year 1943 7 9 a convoy of oil tanker.
"Germany had very little to break the sea in a March 1943"
it was found later the British Admiralty report.
In two large convoy of battle
sank 39 merchant ships, two follow-through from the beginning and only three submarines.
Spring Storms eased the situation, but the losses were too heavy.
The Navy's tenacious work now began to produce results.
Admiral Max Horton received a Navy command of the North Atlantic
in November 1942.
He finally got enough machines to monitor the entire North Atlantic.
Protect and destroyer convoys to take the lead groups were carriers.
Escorts now had plenty of experience
and exploration equipment and tactics were developed.
The battle turning point came unexpectedly.
43 merchant ship convoy consisted ONS5
left at the end of April from North America.
It's got a wake 40 submarines within a few days.
The war, most of the wolf herd was almost one boat towards the merchant ship.
The Germans were the first catch in 29.4.
Canadian flying boat hit back and sank a submarine.
One of the escort sank another boat depth bombs.
Experienced Peter Gretton chief escort fought against.
We had an intense battle with about 20 submarine.
Upotimme three of them without losing any of the beginning.
It was a great achievement.
During the battle, immersed in 9 submarines and 12 merchant ships.
Germany lost within a month another 32 submarines.
It was more than two times more than ever before.
Admiral Dönitz had to pull the boat out of the Atlantic.
They later returned and fought until the end of the war
but were not able any more to threaten the troops and equipment
which flowed across the sea to liberate Europe.
Atlantic took place in Britain's most important sea and the heaviest fighting forces.
Commercial fleet increased in boldness and toughness equal with the Navy.
In the middle of 1943 the British Navy and its allies
had received the Atlantic sea lanes regain control.
Located in Norway Tirpitz and Scharnhorst were still a threat.
They attempted in vain to destroy the air and in the occupied Chariot torpedoes.
The Navy had developed a new X Craft mini-submarine
which was designed to penetrate guarded ports.
Six of the X Craft towed in September 1943 in the North Sea than in Norway.
Two sank on the way, and X 10, which was supposed to dump Scharnhorst
was forced to suspend its mission, as the battle cruiser was at sea.
The other three X Craft is reached Altenfjordiin, which was Tirpitz.
X 5 disappeared without a trace
but Lt. Cameron's X 6 came over the ship's torpedo network.
He also starred when he rose to accidental surface.
He drew exploded and sank the boat before you surrendered.
Lieutenant Geoffrey Place also had to get to torpedo the network over X 7.
We dived 400 meters from the ship deep, more than 20 meters
because the networks do not have the measurements of the reach so low
but we hit the network at a depth of 23 m to 100 m away from the ship.
I withdrew, I went around to the side and tried again to 29 meters.
The water was only 30 meters, so we were almost at the bottom.
I stopped and I got a periscope depth and briefly to the surface
in order to be better where we were.
We were like the inside of a miracle networks have reached a transaction
and between us and the ship had other obstacles.
Place dived again and directed under the Tirpitz.
Then he removed the X Craft attached to the sides of explosives.
They erupted when X 7, was leaving.
The shock wave broke X 7's control, and it sank.
Place, and one crew member survived and were captured.
Damage liked Tirpitz half years in the harbor.
Both the Place that Cameron received later Victoria Cross.
But the German surface fleet was still dangerous.
The convoy departed JW55B 20. 12. 1943
Northern Scotland towards the Soviet Union.
It was accompanied by strong escorts
and, in addition, Admiral Sir Bruce Fraser's flagship Duke of York
and four cruisers and four destroyers.
He tried to attract Scharnhorst out from their hiding place in Norway.
We got on Boxing day at four o'clock the Admiralty message
that the Scharnhorst was believed to be at sea.
It was the only message that I got from the Admiralty during the entire trip.
Fraser found the Scharnhorst after a few hours and opened fire.
Battle Cruiser escaped twice, but it was rediscovered.
Scharnhorst guns were silent the British gunfire at 18.30.
Fraser sent a fighter to give the coup de grace with torpedoes.
Scharnhorst is nestled in the North Cape coast
the proceedings before the last battle before the cannon ship confrontation as a memorial.
Only 36 of the 2000 men survived and were forced prisoners of war to Britain.
The British navy was successful elsewhere.
In September 1943 surrendered to the enemy, against whom the game for 3 years.
Mediterranean fleet, Admiral Andrew Cunningham sent a message to London:
"The Italian fleet is anchored in the foreground of the fortress of Malta."
Italian dictator Benito Mussolini was in June 1940 announced
valtaavansa "Mare nostrumin", "Meidän meremme".
Cunningham had been forced to send ships to protect British
but he still decided to face the Italian fleet.
Italian fleet was already believed that after a few skirmish
that it was better to stay in port.
Cunningham resorted to a new weapon.
Support vessel illustrious Swordfish machines went out in the evening 11. 11. 1940
towards the Italian naval port of Taranto.
The BBC interviewed later by Charles Lambia.
I thought about that intense air combat watched
that none of our observers in addition to not survive.
I said way back to the watchman Casey Greaven
that we would write a report
because no one else will not come back.
However we lost only two items.
Three of the six Italian battle ship was damaged.
21 old biplane aircraft changed the nature of maritime war.
From aircrafts became crucial.
Profit eased a bit another problem Cunningham, Malta defense.
It was a direct service on the route Italian troops in North Africa.
Malta huoltosaattueita pestered Libya and Sicily hand.
Their protection was the heaviest naval missions.
The situation worsened when Churchill decided to send troops to Greece
The German entry of Italy to help North Africa and the Balkans.
The Italian navy was going to stop the convoy left the land of Egypt
but Cunningham was ready.
Support vessel formidable machines hit the battleship Vittorio Veneto
but it got back to the harbor.
Next, they damaged the cruiser Polaa.
The Italians sent their ships to help it.
Cunningham's fleet reached them
and sank two cruisers and two destroyers.
Germany captured the Balkan quickly and turned his gaze toward the islands of Crete.
Airborne troops invaded the island on 20 May.
The Navy was forced to evacuate its defenders, the Luftwaffe from interfering.
One of the ships was sunk cruiser Gloucester
a crew of only 84 survived.
In the end, hit a barrage of bombs on us.
For me, it is not clear where the bombs hit.
I know that one hit the bridge, and many others aboard your own.
Someone pulled me to the lid of the hatch aperture.
The opening was 30 cm wide, and there was a heavy door.
I was pulled through the deck.
We took three more up, but they were dead.
We realized the other drowned, and we closed the door.
The other two cruisers and six destroyers sunk
but the Navy brought 16,000 soldiers to Egypt.
The men of the Navy lived under continuous pressure.
We slept very little, and it went on and on.
The pressure only grew when Germany gave the Mediterranean Sea more submarines.
They hit hard and sank first carrier Ark Royal
which the Germans had already twice before argued sank.
Two weeks later, 25 of 11 were immersed in the battleship Barham.
But the worst was yet to come.
Torpedo has ridden Italian frog men hit 18. 12. 1941
Alexandria port two battle ship.
They drew the ships magnetic mines and damaged both.
Cunningham was no longer battleships
but the flag rose in the morning normally aft deck
and Italy have used any of their ships battle against Malta convoys.
Instead of air raids on the island accelerated.
Alexandria is no longer sent convoys.
Malta's fate looked bleak.
August 1942 Department of Gibraltar H started the operation "Pedestal"
which was attempted once more to maintain Malta.
The convoy, consisting of 14 merchant ships
2 Battleships, 4 carriers, 7 cruisers and 32 destroyers
sailed to the Mediterranean on the 10th.
The next day the carrier Furious took a squadron of Spitfire
to strengthen Malta's defense.
The submarine sank at the same time carrier Eagle with four torpedoes.
The 12th day once again became a powerful air attack.
This time it was destroyed by carrier Indomitable flight deck.
However, only one merchant ship had sunk.
The situation changed, when a part of the escorts turned to the evening return trip.
4 cruisers and 12 destroyers was to bring the merchant ships.
Italian submarine shot immediately after this two cruisers
and the tanker Ohiota, which, however, remained on the surface.
Italian and German torpedo boats joined in the night fierce battle.
Finally, two cruisers and four merchant ships were destroyed.
Five merchant ship sank in the morning air raid.
In the evening, there were only three cargo ships.
They got the harbor of Valletta and joyous reception.
After days arrived yet damaged Ohio
who had survived the intense air attacks.
Ships brought to Malta with fuel and food for two months.
Head of the Ohio, Captain Mason, was awarded the George Cross
the highest civilian medal for bravery.
"Pedestal" was the turning point of the war in the Mediterranean Sea.
British submarines started operation
which attempted to cut off the supply routes to North Africa.
This helped to significantly attack
which pushed the German and Italian troops in 1600 km of El Alamein to Tunisia
and the North African invasion, which freed the Mediterranean's southern shore.
The Navy's: USA Following this the British and
was the first invasion of the Axis soil.
The Allies went up in July 1943 to countries in Sicily
and two months later in Italy.
Italy surrendered, and the fleet sailed to Malta.
British navies had won the Mediterranean three-year battle.
In the autumn of 1943 in the Mediterranean naval battles had ended
and the Atlantic submarines had been brought under control.
The British administered 9 months after the sea so completely
that a large invasion of Normandy went without incident.
But lurk in Norway Tirpitz was still an evil threat.
In the spring and summer of 1944
support vessels machines made two air attack against it.
Naval Air Command attacked with skill and courage
but their weapons could not be the beginning of damaging the country significantly.
The embedding was allowed to RAF bombers task.
5400 kilos were used as weapons Tallboy bombs
Lancaster machines which finally sank Tirpitz 12. 11. 1944.
Norway placed in the German navy is no longer threatened anyone.
After six years of struggle on behalf of the British ended in May 1945
when the submarines surrendered.
One of them was driven along the Thames to exhibit central London.
But the war had not yet ended.
Far East had previously prepared devastating blow more than three years.
Japanese support vessels airplanes
completely unexpectedly attacked Pearl Harbor.
At the same time attacked the Hong Kong and to Malaysia.
British naval war began Tyynellämerelläkin disaster.
Singapore base in an attempt to strengthen the department Z.
Battle Ships Repulse and Prince of Wales was sent to the Far East.
They did not have air support, and the Japanese bombers sank the December 10.
The Navy was not able to remove more ships from Europe
and had to withdraw first in Colombo, Sri Lanka
and then over the Indian Ocean, Mombasa, East Africa.
Marine roads were kept open for India
but the British navy returned from the Pacific Ocean until 1945.
Admiral Bruce Fraser seven support vessels and four Battleships
took part in the US disembarkation Okinawa
and air attacks on Japan's main island.
Also against the British ships kammottuja suicide attacks were carried out.
British support vessels armored flight deck lasted Match
much better than the Americans wooden deck
and none of them sunk or severely damaged.
Japan formally surrendered to the battleship Missouri on deck
Tokyo Bay of September 1, 1945.
Bruce Fraser was signed on behalf of the British Empire of the paper.
British Navy demanded enormous sacrifices in the war.
It lost 5 Battleships, 10 aircraft carriers, 31 cruisers
and 146 fighter planes.
More than 50,000 soldiers lost their lives.
But the fighting spirit that makes the Navy Britain's security barrier
was as strong as ever.
The Navy did not hesitate "to run to catch a monster"
such as Admiral Horatio Nelson called before the battle of Trafalgar.
Battle by the British Navy six years it became the world's oceans
rescued in the domestic and helped save the entire free world.
Translated by: Kai Laine www.sdi media.com