Ships hit by U-boats

HMS Barham (04)

British Battleship

HMS Barham at Valetta in August 1936

Name	HMS Barham (04)
Type:	Battleship (Queen Elizabeth)
Tonnage	31,100 tons (one of the largest ships sunk).
Completed	1915 - John Brown & Co Ltd, Clydebank
Owner	The Admiralty
Homeport
Date of attack	25 Nov 1941	Nationality: British

Fate	Sunk by U-331 (Hans-Diedrich Freiherr von Tiesenhausen)
Position	32° 34'N, 26° 24'E - Grid CO 6858
Complement	1311 officers and men (862 dead and 449 survivors).
Convoy
Route	Alexandria - Alexandria
Cargo
History	Completed in October 1915. Between 1930 and 1933 reconstructed with new machinery and twin funnels trunked into one. At 15.45 hours on 28 Dec 1939, HMS Barham (04) (Capt H.T.C. Walker, RN) was damaged on the port side by one torpedo from U-30 (Lemp) 66 miles west of the Butt of Lewis, Hebrides in 58°47N/08°05W. Four crew members were lost. The battleship was returning from patrol with HMS Repulse (34) (Capt E.J. Spooner, DSO, RN), escorted by HMS Isis (D 87) (Cdr J.C. Clouston, RN) and HMS Nubian (F 36) (Cdr R.W. Ravenhill, RN). She was able to proceed under her own power to Liverpool, but was out of action for six months while being repaired at Birkenhead by Cammell Laird and returned to service on 30 Jun 1940.
Notes on event	At 16.29 hours on 25 Nov 1941, HMS Barham (04) (Capt G.C. Cooke, RN) was hit on the port side by three torpedoes from U-331 north of Sidi Barrani. As the ship rolled over to port, her after magazines exploded and she quickly sank. The battleship was sailing with the Mediterranean Fleet (Force A) from Alexandria to cover sorties by Malta and Alexandria-based cruiser forces against Italian convoys heading for Libya.
More info	More on this vessel
On board	We have details of 882 people who were on board.