Original subtitles

[MISSILE ROARS]

\h\h\hNarrator: FOR CENTURIES, AN EXTRAORDINARY WAR HAS RAGED

ACROSS THE WORLD’S OCEANS, ABOVE AND BELOW THE WAVES.

\hMan: YOU COULD KILL HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WITH ONE BROADSIDE.

THESE WERE EXTREMELY POWERFUL \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hWAR MACHINES.

Narrator: SHIPBUILDERS DESIGNED BIGGER AND FASTER VESSELS

TO OUTWIT AND CRUSH \h\hTHEIR OPPONENTS.

Man: THAT NATION THAT HAS THE MOST POWERFUL BATTLESHIP FLEET

CAN DESTROY THE ENEMY’S \h\h\h\hBATTLESHIP FLEET

AND THEREFORE CONTROL THE SEAS,

AND IF YOU CONTROL THE SEAS, \h\h\hYOU CONTROL THE WORLD.

Narrator: THEY CARRIED \hTERRIFYING WEAPONS.

Man: THIS WAS GONNA BE \h\h\h\hTHE FIRST TIME

THAT SOMEBODY HAD FIRED \h\h\hA TORPEDO IN ANGER

SINCE WORLD WAR II.

THEY NEEDED TO GET IT RIGHT.

Narrator: BUT SHIPS HAVE ALSO LIBERATED

AND RESCUED THOUSANDS.

Man: YOU COULD THINK \h\h\h\hOF GERDA III

AS BASICALLY A LIFEBOAT FOR PERSONS HUNTED BY THE NAZIS.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: AND INSPIRED MEN AND WOMEN

TO ACTS OF INCREDIBLE BRAVERY.

Man: I WILL TAKE YOU THERE NOW, TO YOUR CANNONS,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO YOUR DEATH, WE WILL SINK BEFORE SURRENDER.

Narrator: THESE VESSELS \h\h\h\hAND THEIR CREWS

HAVE SHAPED WORLD HISTORY.

\hMan: AS THE COMMANDING OFFICER OF A MISSILE-CARRYING SUBMARINE,

I WAS DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE

FOR HELPING TO PREVENT \h\h\h\hWORLD WAR III.

\h\hNarrator: THIS TIME, FIGHTING ACROSS OCEANS,

AS THE WORLD GOES TO WAR.

Man: THERE WAS A LOUD HISS

AS THE GUN TURRETS HIT \h\h\hCOLD NORTH SEA,

BECAUSE THE GUN TURRETS \h\h\h\h\h\h\hWERE HOT.

VERY FEW PEOPLE ESCAPED.

Narrator: NOT ONE, BUT TWO WORLD WARS

SEE TECHNOLOGY RACE AHEAD

AND FORMER GREAT WARSHIPS \h\h\h\h\h\h\hLEFT BEHIND.

Man: IT WAS A BIG VICTORY \h\h\h\h\h\h\hFOR GERMANY,

\hSINKING A BATTLESHIP, AND TO DO IT UNDETECTED

WAS SOMETHING OF PURE MAGIC \h\h\h\h\h\hFOR THE GERMANS.

Narrator: BUT THIS IS ALSO \h\hA TALE OF HEROIC ACTS

AND DARING MISSIONS THAT FEW \h\h\hTHOUGHT WOULD SUCCEED.

Man: AND THEY WERE MET \h\h\h\h\hWITH A SCENE

\h\hTHAT WAS LIKENED TO DANTE’S INFERNO.

EVERYTHING WAS ON FIRE, \h\hEVEN THE SEA ITSELF.

♪

♪

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: AS BRITAIN’S ROYAL NAVY

ENTERED THE FIRST WORLD WAR,

IT BOASTED OF A CENTURY \h\h\h\hWITHOUT DEFEAT.

\h\hBRITAIN’S POSITION AS THE WORLD’S PREEMINENT NAVAL POWER

WAS SECURE.

\h\h\h\h\hBUT ON MAY 31, 1916, IN THE NORTH SEA NEAR DENMARK,

A PIVOTAL NAVAL CONFRONTATION \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTOOK PLACE--

THE BATTLE OF JUTLAND.

Andrew Lambert: 250 WARSHIPS, \h\h\h\h\hBRITISH AND GERMAN,

DECIDING WHO RULES THE OCEAN

AND WHO’S GOING TO WIN \hTHE FIRST WORLD WAR.

Narrator: THE GERMAN WARSHIPS

KEPT THE ROYAL NAVY \hUNDER HEAVY FIRE.

THE HMS INDEFATIGABLE SUFFERED A DIRECT HIT.

\hTHE SUBSEQUENT EXPLOSION SENT WRECKAGE 200 FEET INTO THE AIR.

Nick Jellicoe: HER CREW PROBABLY HAD BEEN COMPLETELY WIPED OUT;

\h\h\h\h\hBECAUSE WHEN THERE’S A MASSIVE MAGAZINE EXPLOSION,

NO ARMORED DOORS AND BULKHEADS \h\h\h\h\hWILL HOLD THAT BACK.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: THEN, JUST MINUTES LATER,

HMS QUEEN MARY--

THE LAST BATTLE CRUISER \hBUILT BEFORE THE WAR--

SUFFERED A SIMILAR FATE.

\hAndrew Gordon: THERE WAS JUST A HUGE, COUPLE OF HUNDRED FEET,

\h\h\h\hOF DENSE BLACK SMOKE, ALL KINDS OF BITS AND PIECES,

BODIES, PAPERWORK.

THERE WAS A LOUD HISS

AS THE GUN TURRETS HIT \h\h\h\hCOLD NORTH SEA

BECAUSE THE GUN TURRETS \h\h\h\h\h\h\hWERE HOT.

VERY FEW PEOPLE ESCAPED.

Narrator: FROM HIS OWN SHIP,

ADMIRAL SIR DAVID BEATTY \h\h\hCOULD ONLY WATCH.

"THERE SEEMS TO BE \hSOMETHING WRONG

WITH OUR BLOODY SHIPS TODAY," \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hHE MUTTERED.

IF THE GERMANS WIN THIS BATTLE, THE WAR COULD BE LOST.

\h\hSUCH A SCENARIO HAD BEEN UNTHINKABLE

ONLY A FEW YEARS EARLIER.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hEric Grove: BEFORE THE FIRST WORLD WAR

THERE WAS A NAVAL BUILDING RACE

BETWEEN THE BRITISH EMPIRE \h\hAND THE GERMAN EMPIRE.

AND THE BRITISH HAD WON IT.

THEY PRODUCED MORE BATTLESHIPS \h\h\h\h\hAND BATTLE CRUISERS,

THE SHIPS THAT MATTERED, \hTHAN THE GERMANS DID.

Narrator: IN 1906,

THE ROYAL NAVY’S REVOLUTIONARY \h\h\h\h\h\h\hHMS DREADNOUGHT

KICK-STARTED THE COMPETITION.

\h\h\h\h\hNick Hewitt: SHE HAS ALL BIG GUNS,

SO STANDARDIZED ARMAMENT,

SHE’S DRIVEN BY TURBINE ENGINES,

\h\hWHICH GIVES HER A PHENOMENAL SPEED,

AND SHE IS A GAME-CHANGER;

\h\hSHE RAISES THE BAR ON BATTLESHIP DESIGN;

AND ALL THE SHIPS \hTHAT FOLLOW HER

BECOME KNOWN AS DREADNOUGHTS.

\h\h\hNarrator: BY 1914 AND THE OUTBREAK OF WAR,

BRITAIN HAD 29 DREADNOUGHTS \h\h\h\h\h\hTO GERMANY’S 17.

\h\h\h\hAND WITH CONTROL OF THE ENGLISH CHANNEL,

AND A MAJOR NAVAL BASE \h\h\h\hAT SCAPA FLOW

IN THE ORKNEY ISLANDS,

THE ROYAL NAVY COULD CONTAIN \h\h\h\h\h\hTHE GERMAN NAVY

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND PREVENT IT FROM REACHING THE ATLANTIC.

SINCE THE START OF THE WAR,

THE BRITISH GRAND FLEET \h\h\h\h\hIN SCAPA FLOW

HAD HELPED CONTAIN THE GERMANS.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIT WAS COMMANDED BY ADMIRAL SIR JOHN JELLICOE.

\h\h\hJellicoe: JOHN JELLICOE WAS A CONSUMMATE PROFESSIONAL,

A VERY KIND MAN.

LOVED BY HIS MEN,

\h\h\h\h\hBUT A VERY QUIET, SORT OF CEREBRAL COMMANDER.

\h\h\hNarrator: JELLICOE’S MASSIVE DREADNOUGHT FLEET

HAD PRESERVED BRITAIN’S \h\h\hMARITIME SUPREMACY

THROUGH THE START OF THE WAR.

TO THE SOUTH, AT ROSYTH,

WAS A SMALLER BUT FASTER FLEET \h\h\hLED BY BATTLE CRUISERS,

UNDER THE COMMAND OF ADMIRAL BEATTY.

\hJellicoe: BEATTY WAS IMMENSELY CHARISMATIC, VERY GOOD-LOOKING,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hCOURAGEOUS, A GREAT TACTICAL COMMANDER.

NELSON WAS HIS ABSOLUTE HERO.

Narrator: BY JANUARY 1916,

THESE TWO VERY DIFFERENT MEN \h\h\h\h\h\h\hHAD A NEW FOE.

\hACROSS THE NORTH SEA, ADMIRAL REINHARD SCHEER

\h\h\h\h\h\hWAS PUT IN CHARGE OF THE GERMAN HIGH SEAS FLEET.

SCHEER WAS DYNAMIC

\h\hAND HAD A PLAN TO TACKLE THE ALL-POWERFUL ROYAL NAVY.

LIKE THE BRITISH AT ROSYTH,

THE GERMANS HAD A SMALL BUT FAST BATTLE CRUISER SQUADRON.

\h\h\h\h\hSCHEER’S PLAN WAS TO USE THIS SQUADRON

\h\h\h\hTO LURE SMALL SECTIONS OF THE ROYAL NAVY INTO COMBAT.

HIS BATTLE CRUISERS, THOUGH, \hWOULD QUIETLY BE FOLLOWED

\h\h\hBY THE FULL MIGHT OF THE HIGH SEAS FLEET.

Grove: THEY WOULD TRY TO TRAP \h\hPART OF THE BRITISH FLEET,

PERHAPS THE BATTLE CRUISERS

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hOPERATING AHEAD OF THE MAIN FLEET, SINK THAT.

\h\hDRAW IT ONTO THE GUNS OF THE MAIN GERMAN FLEET,

SINK THAT.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND THIS WOULD EVEN THINGS UP IN STRENGTH.

\hNarrator: ON MAY 31, 1916, THE GERMANS MADE THEIR MOVE.

THE BATTLE CRUISER FLEET UNDER REAR ADMIRAL FRANZ VON HIPPER

SAILED NORTH, WITH SCHEER’S MAIN FLEET 60 MILES BEHIND.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN BRITAIN, THE ADMIRALTY INTERCEPTED

\h\h\h\h\h\hSOME GERMAN WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS.

BUT THEY ONLY FOUND OUT ABOUT HIPPER’S DEPARTURE FROM PORT.

THEIR RESPONSE WAS RAPID.

JELLICOE SET SAIL \hFROM SCAPA FLOW;

BEATTY FROM ROSYTH.

ON THE AFTERNOON OF MAY 31st,

IT WAS THE TWO

BATTLE CRUISER FLEETS

THAT SPOTTED EACH OTHER FIRST.

Gordon: WHEN THE GERMAN

BATTLE CRUISERS REALIZED

THE BRITISH BATTLE CRUISERS WERE PRESENT TO THE WEST OF THEM--

BIT OF A SHOCK--

\h\h\hTHEY TURNED ROUND, AND THEY HEADED BACK SOUTHWARDS.

\h\h\hREAR ADMIRAL HIPPER WAS SEEKING THE PROTECTION

OF VICE ADMIRAL SCHEER,

AND THE BRITISH NATURALLY TURNED SOUTH TO FOLLOW THEM.

Narrator: BEATTY WAS ACTING

IN CHARACTERISTICALLY \h\hDECISIVE FASHION,

UNAWARE HE WAS BEING LURED \h\h\h\h\h\h\hINTO A TRAP.

FROM THE BEGINNING, THE GERMAN \h\hGUNS PROVED MORE ACCURATE,

\h\h\hAND WITHIN 40 MINUTES, BEATTY HAD LOST TWO SHIPS...

AND 2,000 MEN.

♪

\h\h\hBUT THE ACCURACY OF THE GERMAN GUNNERS

IS NOT THE SOLE REASON THE BATTLE OF JUTLAND

WAS SUCH A DISASTER FOR THE ROYAL NAVY.

\h\hTHIS IS M33, A GUNBOAT FROM THE FIRST WORLD WAR.

ITS SHELL ROOM IS TYPICAL \h\h\h\h\h\h\hOF THE ERA--

A STORE FOR EXPLOSIVE SHELLS

AND THE CORDITE CHARGES \h\h\hTHAT PROPEL THEM.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hHewitt: THESE THINGS ARE VOLATILE.

THEY’RE EXTREMELY EXPLOSIVE,

AND THEY ARE STORED, \hIN A DREADNOUGHT,

RIGHT DOWN IN THE BOWELS \h\h\h\h\h\hOF THE SHIP,

PROTECTED BY THE THICKEST ARMOR, SO IT SHOULD BE SAFE.

\h\h\h\h\hWHAT YOU FIND AT THE BATTLE OF JUTLAND

IS THAT, IN ORDER TO SPEED UP \h\h\h\h\h\hTHEIR RATE OF FIRE

\h\h\h\h\hAND COMPENSATE FOR THEIR POOR GUNNERY,

THE BRITISH BATTLE CRUISER FLEET HAVE STARTED COMPROMISING

WITH WHAT TODAY WE’D CALL \h\h\h\hHEALTH AND SAFETY.

THEY’VE STARTED TO TAKE \hTHESE CORDITE CHARGES

OUT OF THE FIRE-PROOF \hCARDBOARD CYLINDERS.

SO THERE’S A LOT OF THIS STUFF \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hLYING AROUND.

AND THERE IS A HIT ON A TURRET, THERE IS AN EXPLOSION,

AND THE FLASH FROM THE FIRE

\h\h\hRACES DOWN INSIDE TO THE CORDITE MAGAZINE

\h\hAND IGNITES THIS CORDITE IN A CATASTROPHIC EXPLOSION,

AND THE SHIP IS DESTROYED \h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN SECONDS.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: WORSE WAS TO COME, HOWEVER.

\hAS ADMIRAL BEATTY CHASED HIPPER SOUTH,

HIS LOOKOUTS HAD A SHOCK.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hGordon: THE LEADING GERMAN FLEET,

SCHEER’S FLEET, WAS SEEN COMING OVER THE HORIZON

\hUNDER A HUGE PALL OF BLACK COAL SMOKE.

Narrator: BEATTY HAD NO IDEA

THE MAIN GERMAN FLEET \h\h\h\h\hWAS AT SEA.

IT WAS NOW HIS TURN

TO DO A FULL 180

AND HEAD BACK TO THE SUPPORT

OF ADMIRAL JELLICOE.

ONLY ONE VESSEL SURVIVES TODAY \hFROM THE BATTLE OF JUTLAND,

\h\h\h\h\h\hA LIGHT CRUISER FROM JELLICOE’S GRAND FLEET.

HER NAME IS HMS CAROLINE.

♪

THANKS TO HER SPEED,

CAROLINE CARRIED OUT \h\hA SPECIFIC ROLE

DURING OPERATIONS \hSUCH AS JUTLAND.

\hVictoria Miller: THIS IS CAROLINE’S

NUMBER ONE ENGINE ROOM.

AND SHE HAD TWO OF THESE

ON BOARD THE SHIP.

CAROLINE IS STILL FITTED

WITH HER 1914 STATE-OF-THE-ART \h\h\h\h\h\hPARSONS TURBINES.

THESE TURBINES ENABLED CAROLINE

TO ACHIEVE A SPEED OF UP TO 30 KNOTS,

\h\h\h\hWHICH WAS ESSENTIAL FOR COMPLETING ONE OF HER KEY ROLES,

\hNAMELY TO CRUISE AHEAD OF THE MAIN BATTLE FLEET

\h\hDURING CASES LIKE THE BATTLE OF JUTLAND

AND TO PROTECT THE FLEET \h\hFROM TORPEDO ATTACK.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: BUT BECAUSE OF THEIR SPEED,

IT WAS THE CRUISERS THAT SAW THE BULK OF THE ACTION AT JUTLAND.

AS THE MAIN FLEETS \hEXCHANGED FIRE,

THE BRITISH LOST THE CRUISERS \h\h\h\h\h\hHMS INVINCIBLE...

AND HMS DEFENSE.

AS EVENING APPROACHED, JELLICOE AND HIS MAIN BATTLESHIPS

WERE FINALLY IN A POSITION \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO ENGAGE.

HAVING ASSESSED THE SCENE, \h\h\h\h\hTHE ADMIRAL GAVE

THE MOST IMPORTANT ORDER \h\hOF HIS NAVAL CAREER.

HE INSTRUCTED HIS DREADNOUGHTS

\h\h\h\hTO FORM A LONG CONTINUOUS BATTLE LINE

\h\hACROSS THE PATH OF THE GERMAN SHIPS.

Jellicoe: THE EXPRESSION \h\h\h\h"CROSSING THE T"

IS WHEN ONE LINE OF SHIPS,

IN THE SUPERIOR POSITION,

IS ABLE TO BRING ALL ITS GUNS

ON ALL OF ITS SIDES TO BEAR,

WHILE AN ENEMY LINE, WHICH

IS COMING UP TO CROSS THAT T,

CAN ONLY ACTUALLY BRING THE GUNS

\h\h\h\h\hTHAT ARE AT THE FRONT OF THE LINE AND FACING FORWARD.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hHewitt: THAT IS THE DECISIVE MOMENT.

ADMIRAL SCHEER COMES UP

\hAND SEES THE ENTIRE BRITISH FLEET ARRAYED ON THE HORIZON,

AND AT THAT POINT SCHEER KNOWS \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHAT THAT,

THAT WEIGHT OF SHELL CALCULATION IS THERE;

HE CAN’T WIN THIS BATTLE.

Narrator: FACED WITH A SIX-MILE LINE OF BRITISH BATTLESHIPS,

SHEER ORDERED HIS SHIPS TO TURN 180 DEGREES AND HEAD FOR HOME.

\h\h\h\h\h\hHewitt: HE BASICALLY HANDBRAKE-TURNS A BATTLE FLEET,

AND THE ENTIRE GERMAN FLEET \hDISAPPEARS INTO THE MIST.

Narrator: BUT EVER SINCE 1916, \h\h\h\h\h\h\hDEBATE HAS RAGED

AS TO WHO ACTUALLY WON THE BATTLE OF JUTLAND.

THE GERMAN FLEET HAD FLED \h\hBACK TO THE CONTINENT,

HAVING LOST 11 SHIPS \h\h\hAND 2,500 MEN.

BUT THE ROYAL NAVY HAD LOST \h\h14 SHIPS AND 6,000 MEN.

\h\h\h\hGrove: IT WAS A GREAT DISAPPOINTMENT TO THE BRITISH.

\h\h\h\h\hUH, IN FACT, UH, WHEN THE SHIPS CAME HOME,

SOME OF THEM WERE ACTUALLY BOOED BY DOCKYARD WORKERS

BECAUSE THEY HAD...

THE GRAND FLEET HAD NOT PRODUCED THE VICTORY

THAT EVERYBODY THOUGHT \h\h\hIT WAS GOING TO.

THE BATTLE OF JUTLAND

\h\h\h\h\hACTUALLY GAVE A LOT OF CONFIDENCE TO THE GERMANS.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: IN THE DAYS THAT FOLLOWED,

\h\h\h\hTHE ROYAL NAVY PUT ON A BRAVE FRONT.

KING GEORGE V HONORED \h\hBRITAIN’S HEROES.

\h\h\h\h\hBUT THE GERMANS ALSO CELEBRATED A VICTORY.

DESPITE THE INCONCLUSIVE RESULT, JELLICOE’S BATTLESHIPS

HAD DONE ENOUGH TO RETAIN \h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHEIR STATUS

\h\h\h\hAS THE ULTIMATE NAVAL FIGHTING MACHINE.

THREE YEARS LATER, THAT STATUS

WOULD BE DEMONSTRATED \h\h\h\hONE LAST TIME

IN THE FINAL DRAMATIC ACT \hOF THE FIRST WORLD WAR.

\h\hON NOVEMBER 21, 1918, THE EAST COAST OF SCOTLAND

WAS THE SETTING FOR THE BIGGEST COLLECTION OF NAVAL POWER

THE WORLD HAD EVER SEEN.

THE GERMAN AND ALLIED FLEETS \h\h\h\h\hFACED EACH OTHER.

BUT THIS WASN’T A BATTLE.

IT WAS A SURRENDER.

THIS STRANGE ENCOUNTER OCCURRED

TEN DAYS AFTER THE ARMISTICE \h\h\hCEASEFIRE WAS SIGNED.

250 ALLIED SHIPS WERE TASKED \h\h\h\h\h\h\hWITH ESCORTING

THE GERMAN HIGH SEAS FLEET \h\h\hINTO BRITISH WATERS.

\hIT HAD BEEN AGREED THAT WHILE PEACE TALKS CONTINUED IN PARIS,

\hTHE GERMAN FLEET WOULD BE INTERNED

\h\h\h\hAT THE NATURAL HARBOR OF SCAPA FLOW IN THE ORKNEYS.

\h\h\h\hBUT THE ALLIES WERE TAKING NO CHANCES

\h\h\h\h\h\hAND ARRIVED WITH THEIR GUNS LOADED.

\h\h\hKinlay Francis: THE SHIPS THEMSELVES,

\h\hTHERE WAS A POSSIBILITY THEY COULD BE TAKEN TO NEUTRAL ZONES

LIKE NORWAY OR SWEDEN

\h\hTO DECIDE WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN WITH THE DIVISION

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hOR DIVIDING UP OF THE GERMAN HIGH SEAS FLEET

FOR DIFFERENT COUNTRIES,

BUT USING SCAPA FLOW \h\hWOULD BE AN AREA

THAT COULD BE WELL-PROTECTED

\h\h\h\hAGAINST THE POSSIBILITY OF ESCAPE IN A SHELTERED HARBOR

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND ALSO USED BY THE BRITISH GRAND FLEET BASE.

Narrator: THE 74 GERMAN SHIPS

ANCHORED IN THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF THE FLOW,

\h\h\h\h\h\hUNDER THE COMMAND OF REAR ADMIRAL LUDWIG VON REUTER.

HE WROTE IN HIS REPORT, \h\h\h"WEHRLOS, EHRLOS."

"DISARMED, DISHONORED."

NORWAY AND SWEDEN REFUSED TO PROVIDE A NEUTRAL PORT,

SO 4,500 GERMAN SAILORS \h\h\h\hSPENT THE WINTER

ON BOARD THEIR SHIPS \h\h\hIN SCAPA FLOW.

FOOD SUPPLIES DID ARRIVE \h\h\h\h\hFROM GERMANY,

SUPPLEMENTED BY FISH CAUGHT IN THE FLOW.

\h\hBUT COMMUNICATION WITH THE OUTSIDE WORLD WAS INFREQUENT.

\h\h\h\h\hEmily Turton: THE COMMANDING OFFICER,

ADMIRAL VON REUTER,

IS NOT REALLY BEING KEPT ABREAST WITH THE PEACE NEGOTIATIONS,

\h\h\h\h\hBUT THE GERMAN FLEET IS WITHOUT A SHADOW OF A DOUBT

BEING USED AS A BARGAINING TOOL IN THOSE PEACE NEGOTIATIONS.

SO ADMIRAL VON REUTER DOESN’T \hKNOW REALLY WHAT’S GOING ON,

\h\h\hBUT HE FULLY EXPECTS THAT THE GERMAN FLEET WILL BE SEIZED

\h\h\h\h\hAND DIVVIED UP AMONG THE ALLIED FORCES

AS THE TREATY OF VERSAILLES \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIS SIGNED.

Narrator: THE BRITISH SAW REUTER AS A REASONABLE MAN.

IN REALITY, HE HAD NO INTENTION

\h\h\h\h\hOF LETTING HIS FLEET BE HANDED OVER TO THE ALLIES.

Turton: HE HAS NO FIREPOWER. \h\h\h\h\h\hHE CAN’T FIGHT.

\h\hTHE SHIPS ARE NOT THE FIGHTING MACHINES

\h\h\h\hTHEY HAD BEEN SEVEN MONTHS EARLIER,

HAVING BEEN LEFT TO ROT OVER A WINTER IN ORKNEY,

SO THE LAST REMAINING ACT \h\h\hOF WAR OPEN TO HIM,

\h\h\h\hHIS ONLY OPTION TO STOP THAT HAPPENING, IS TO SINK THEM.

Narrator: FOR FOUR MONTHS, \h\h\h\h\h\hADMIRAL REUTER

\hQUIETLY FORMULATED PLANS TO SCUTTLE HIS OWN FLEET.

BUT GERMAN WARSHIPS \h\h\hWERE DESIGNED

WITH WATERTIGHT COMPARTMENTS.

\h\h\h\h\hTHE SEYDLITZ HAD FOUGHT AT JUTLAND

AND BEEN HIT 20 TIMES BY SHELLS.

YET IT REMAINED AFLOAT.

SO GERMAN CREWS IN SCAPA FLOW

BEGAN DRILLING HOLES \hTHROUGH BULKHEADS.

\h\h\h\h\hTHEY WELDED WATERTIGHT DOORS AJAR

AND STARTED LEAVING PORTHOLES \h\h\h\h\h\hDELIBERATELY OPEN.

BY THE END OF MAY, IT WAS CLEAR

\h\h\h\h\hTHAT THE TERMS OF THE VERSAILLES TREATY

WOULD MEAN EITHER THE SEIZURE OR DESTRUCTION OF THE GERMAN FLEET.

SO REUTER MADE HIS MOVE.

Turton: HE GIVES THE ORDER \h\h\hON THE 21st OF JUNE

BY SENDING A SIGNAL,

A PREARRANGED SIGNAL IN FLAGS \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hUP HIS MAST.

NOW THAT CAN BE SEEN \hBY THE NEXT SHIP,

\h\h\h\h\hWHICH CAN BE SEEN BY THE NEXT SHIP,

\h\hAND THEY COPY THAT, AND SO ON AND SO FORTH,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND THAT’S HOW THEY GET THE MESSAGE AROUND,

WHICH IS TO OPEN EVERYTHING UP,

START THEM SINKING AND ABANDON SHIP.

Francis: TO SCUTTLE A VESSEL,

THE WAY THE GERMANS WOULD HAVE DONE IT,

IS THEY WOULD HAVE OPENED \hTHE SEACOCKS AND VALVES

\h\h\h\h\h\hAND SMASHED THE INTERNAL WATER PIPES

\h\h\h\hTO START FLOODING THE INTERNAL COMPARTMENTS.

\h\h\hNarrator: ONE BY ONE, THE PRIDE OF THE GERMAN NAVY

BEGAN TO SINK.

SOME CAPSIZED.

SOME SETTLED ON THE SEABED.

SOME PLUNGED HEADLONG \hIN A ROAR OF STEAM.

\h\h\h\hFROM THE SHORELINE AND NEARBY BRITISH SHIPS,

LOCALS AND NAVAL STAFF WATCHED

\hAS THE GERMAN SAILORS LOWERED THEIR LIFEBOATS.

Francis: THE BRITISH MARINES ACTUALLY TRIED TO STOP THEM

BY FIRING UPON THESE SAILORS,

\h\h\h\hAND UNFORTUNATELY NINE OF THE GERMAN SAILORS

\h\h\hWERE SHOT DEAD BY BRITISH MARINES.

Narrator: THE BODIES WERE BURIED NEARBY ON THE ISLAND OF HOY,

THE LAST CASUALTIES \hOF THE GREAT WAR.

AND OF THE 74 SHIPS INTERNED, 50 WERE SUCCESSFULLY SCUTTLED.

THE SEABED OF SCAPA FLOW

BECAME HOME TO 400,000 TONS \h\hOF GERMAN WARSHIP STEEL.

EMILY TURTON REGULARLY DIVES \h\h\h\h\h\h\hON THE WRECKS.

Turton: THEY DON’T FEEL SPOOKY \h\h\hAND CREEPY AND SINISTER

OR JUST INCREDIBLY SAD,

\hLIKE, LIKE IT DOES WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU DIVE ON A WAR GRAVE.

UM, BUT I THINK THE SHEER SIZE \hOF THEM CAN BE INTIMIDATING,

BUT THEY’RE NOT SPOOKY.

I THINK WE ARE VERY LUCKY \h\hWITH THE GERMAN SHIPS

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN THAT, ESPECIALLY THE DREADNOUGHTS,

THEY’RE SO HEAVILY BUILT,

SOME OF THE STEEL ON THERE \h\h\hIS 14 INCHES THICK.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: THE GERMAN DETERMINATION

TO SCUTTLE THEIR OWN BATTLESHIPS

SHOWED THAT THESE MIGHTY VESSELS

WERE STILL THE FLAGSHIPS \h\h\h\h\hOF THE FLEET.

BUT 20 YEARS LATER, AT THE START OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR,

THE GERMAN NAVY PLANNED

A VENGEFUL ATTACK \hON THE ORKNEYS--

\h\hONE THAT WOULD PROVE HOW TIMES WERE CHANGING.

THE ATTACK WOULD DEMONSTRATE \h\hTHE DEADLY EFFECTIVENESS

OF A SINGLE GERMAN SUBMARINE--

A NOTORIOUS U-BOAT.

IT WOULD STRIKE AT THE HEART \hOF THE BRITISH HOME FLEET

IN THEIR SAFE HAVEN \h\h\hOF SCAPA FLOW.

\h\h\h\h\h\hTHE MAN GIVEN THIS ALMOST SUICIDAL TASK

WAS 31-YEAR-OLD GUNTHER PRIEN, \h\h\h\hTHE COMMANDER OF U-47.

HE HAD SUNK THREE BRITISH \h\h\h\h\h\hMERCHANT SHIPS

IN THE FIRST MONTH OF THE WAR.

NOW, HE WOULD PLAN HIS ATTACK

BY STUDYING THE WEAKNESSES \h\h\h\h\h\hOF SCAPA FLOW.

\hTurton: SO WHERE THE BARRIERS NOW BLOCK THE EASTERN APPROACHES

TO SCAPA FLOW,

DURING THE FIRST WORLD WAR

\h\h\h\h\hAND THE START OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR,

THOSE ARE NARROW CHANNELS

\h\hWHERE THE TIDE SCREAMS IN AND OUT OF SCAPA FLOW.

NOW, THE BRITISH NAVY THOUGHT \h\h\hTHEY WERE WELL-PROTECTED

BECAUSE THEY’VE SUNK SHIPS \h\hALL HIGGLEDY PIGGLEDY

ACROSS THOSE WATERWAYS.

Narrator: ON THE EVENING \h\h\h\h\hOF OCTOBER 13,

\h\hU-47 SLOWLY APPROACHED KIRK SOUND ON THE SURFACE

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND PASSED BETWEEN TWO BLOCK SHIPS--

\h\hA GAP THAT WAS JUST 50 FEET WIDE.

"WE ARE IN SCAPA FLOW!"

PRIEN WROTE EXCITEDLY \h\hIN THE SUB’S LOG.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hFrancis: AFTER BREACHING KIRK SOUND

\hU-BOAT 47 MADE HER WAY INTO THE GRAND ANCHORAGE

\h\h\h\hOF SCAPA FLOW IN SEARCH FOR TARGETS.

THEY SPOTTED THE REVENGE-CLASS \h\h\h\hBATTLESHIP SILHOUETTE

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hOF HMS ROYAL OAK LYING AT ANCHOR IN SCAPA BAY.

\h\h\hTurton: THE ROYAL OAK IS A FIRST WORLD WAR DREADNOUGHT.

♪

\h\h\hAND SHE WAS IN SCAPA FLOW, STILL PART OF THE BRITISH FLEET,

AND SHE’S ANCHORED RIGHT OVER \h\hTO THE EAST OF SCAPA FLOW,

AND I BELIEVE IT WAS SO HER GUNS COULD OFFER SOME PROTECTION

\h\h\h\h\hTO A RADAR STATION THAT WAS OVER ON THE CLIFFS

OVER ON THE EAST SIDE \h\h\h\hOF SCAPA FLOW.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: ASLEEP ON THE ROYAL OAK

WERE HER EXPERIENCED CREW,

\h\hBUT ALSO A COMPLEMENT OF 120 TRAINEE SAILORS, ALL TEENAGERS.

FROM A DISTANCE OF TWO MILES,

\h\hPRIEN FIRED THREE TORPEDOES AT THE UNSUSPECTING BATTLESHIP.

♪

TWO OF THEM MISSED.

ONE EXPLODED,

\h\h\hBUT ONLY IN THE VICINITY OF ROYAL OAK’S ANCHOR CHAINS.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hFrancis: ACCORDING TO HMS ROYAL OAK, \h\h\hSOME OF THE SURVIVORS,

THEY THOUGHT IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE INFLAMMABLE STORES

IGNITING OR EXPLODING,

\h\h\h\h\hAND THIS THING HAD APPARENTLY HAPPENED BEFORE,

SO THEY WENT BACK TO SLEEP \h\h\h\h\hIN THEIR BUNKS.

Narrator: PRIEN EDGED \hHIS U-BOAT CLOSER...

AND FIRED AGAIN.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hFrancis: BY THIS TIME IT WAS TOO LATE.

A FINAL THREE SALVO OF TORPEDOES WAS FIRED AT HMS ROYAL OAK.

\hTHREE MINUTES LATER ALL HIT IN QUICK SUCCESSION AMIDSHIPS.

[EXPLOSIONS]

HMS ROYAL OAK WAS DOOMED.

\h\h\h\h\h\hIT WOULD HAVE BEEN ABSOLUTE CHAOS AND CONFUSION,

OVER 1,230 MEN ON BOARD...

MEN SCREAMING, SMOKE FILLING \h\h\h\hTHE INNER CHAMBERS,

CORDITE MAGAZINES IGNITED AND ASPHYXIATING THE MEN,

FLASH FIRES, HORRENDOUS, \hAND ALL THIS GOING ON

\h\hWHILE THE SHIP WAS SLOWLY SINKING TO THE STARBOARD SIDE.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: "HE’S FINISHED," PRIEN SAID,

AS HE WATCHED FROM HIS U-BOAT’S CONNING TOWER.

ACROSS THE BAY, THE ROYAL OAK \h\h\hSANK BENEATH THE WAVES.

\h834 MEN AND BOYS LOST THEIR LIVES.

♪

\h\h\h\hKINLAY IS HEADING FOR THE SITE OF THE WRECK.

THE BOAT’S ECHO SOUNDER SHOWS THE HULL OF THE BATTLESHIP...

JUST 26 FEET BELOW.

Francis: SO, ROYAL OAK \h\hIS RIGHT UNDER US.

IT’S STILL LEAKING FUEL OIL \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO THIS DAY,

\h\h\h\h\h\hAND THE OIL ITSELF THAT DISPERSES ON THE SURFACE

\h\h\h\h\hIS KNOWN LOCALLY AS "THE TEARS OF THE OAK."

♪

\hTHE BUOY REPRESENTS THE FINAL RESTING PLACE OF HMS ROYAL OAK,

\hAND IT REPRESENTS THOSE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES HERE

ON THAT FATEFUL EARLY MORNING.

\h\h\hAND EVERY YEAR WE COMMEMORATE THAT.

Narrator: MISSION ACCOMPLISHED,

GUNTHER PRIEN AND U-47 \h\hMADE THEIR ESCAPE.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTurton: I THINK THE MOST AMAZING THING

IS AFTER THAT SHIP \h\hHAS GONE DOWN,

HE STILL THEN MANAGES TO GET OUT OF SCAPA FLOW AND AWAY,

AND HE’S HAILED A WAR HERO \h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN GERMANY.

Francis: SINKING A BATTLESHIP

\h\h\hAT THE FIRST PART OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR

WAS A HUGE SUCCESS,

AND TO DO IT UNDETECTED

WAS SOMETHING OF PURE MAGIC \h\h\h\h\h\hFOR THE GERMANS.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: U-47’S AUDACIOUS ATTACK

HAD PROVEN THAT A SINGLE U-BOAT COULD SINK A MIGHTY BATTLESHIP.

\hAND IN THE YEARS TO COME, IT PAVED THE WAY FOR U-BOATS

\h\h\hTO TAKE CENTER STAGE IN THE LONGEST BATTLE OF THE WAR.

IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR, \h\hCONTROLLING THE SEAS

\h\hWOULD ONCE AGAIN MEAN THE DIFFERENCE

BETWEEN VICTORY AND DEFEAT.

\h\h\hA KEY BATTLEGROUND WAS THE ATLANTIC OCEAN.

\h\h\h\h\hDuncan Redford: THE BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC

STARTS ON THE 3rd OF SEPTEMBER 1939,

\h\h\hAND IT FINISHES ON V-E DAY, MAY 1945.

IT NEVER STOPS.

\h\h\hRichard Holdsworth: THE BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC

WAS ONE OF THE KEY \h\hSORT OF THINGS

THAT CHURCHILL IN LATER LIFE \hSAID KEPT HIM UP AT NIGHT,

THE WORRY THAT FAILURE \h\h\h\h\hWOULD RESULT

\h\h\h\h\h\hIN THE LOSS OF THOSE VITAL SUPPLIES,

THE INABILITY TO FEED \h\h\h\hTHE POPULATION

\h\h\h\h\hAND THE INABILITY TO PROSECUTE WAR IN EUROPE.

\h\h\h\h\hRedford: THE GERMANS, UNDERSTANDABLY, HAVE WORKED OUT

THAT, FOR AN ISLAND NATION \h\h\h\h\h\hLIKE BRITAIN,

\hEVERYTHING IT NEEDS HAS TO COME IN SHIPS.

IF YOU STOP THE SHIPS ARRIVING,

BRITAIN HAS NO FOOD, \h\h\hSO IT STARVES.

\hIT HAS NO RAW MATERIALS, SO IT CAN’T MAKE ANYTHING.

ITS ECONOMY COLLAPSES, AND IT WILL SURRENDER.

YOU DON’T NEED TO INVADE.

\h\h\hNarrator: THE GERMANS’ MAIN WEAPON IN THE ATLANTIC

WAS THE FORMIDABLE U-BOAT.

\h\h\h\h\hRedford: TACTICALLY THE GERMANS WOULD TEND TO PUT

\hA WHOLE NUMBER OF U-BOATS OUT INTO THE NORTH ATLANTIC,

AND THEY’D SPREAD THEM \h\hAT VARIOUS POINTS.

SOME CLOSE IN TO AMERICA, SOME CLOSE IN TO BRITAIN,

BUT OTHERS OUT IN THE MIDDLE,

AND THEY’D STRETCH A LINE OF U-BOATS ACROSS THE AREA

THAT THEY WOULD EXPECT CONVOYS \h\h\h\h\h\hTO TRAVEL THROUGH.

WHEN A U-BOAT SPOTTED A CONVOY,

\h\h\h\hIT WOULD SIGNAL THE GERMAN HIGH COMMAND,

AND THEY WOULD START TO ASSEMBLE WHAT THEY CALLED A WOLF PACK,

BRINGING LARGE NUMBERS OF SUBMARINES TOGETHER

AHEAD OF THE PREDICTED \h\h\h\hCONVOY COURSE.

Narrator: BY NOW, IT WAS CLEAR \h\h\hTHAT MASSIVE BATTLESHIPS

\h\hWERE VULNERABLE TO U-BOAT ATTACKS...

\hAND THAT CONVOYS NEEDED PROTECTION

\h\h\hFROM SMALLER, FASTER SHIPS LOADED WITH ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY.

IT WAS THE COMING OF AGE... \h\h\h\h\hOF THE DESTROYER.

\h\hTODAY THERE IS JUST ONE SURVIVING BRITISH DESTROYER

\hFROM THE BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC...

HMS CAVALIER.

♪

♪

[BELL DINGS]

♪

IN 1944, CAVALIER’S \h\hFIRST OPERATIONS

WERE TO PROTECT LARGER WARSHIPS AND MERCHANT SHIPS

IN THE ATLANTIC.

\h\h\h\hHewitt: A DESTROYER WAS QUITE A SPECIALIZED FLEET UNIT.

THEY’RE DESIGNED FOR SPEED \h\h\h\hAND HITTING POWER.

THEY HAVE NO ARMOR AND NO PROTECTION;

THEIR SPEED IS THEIR PROTECTION.

\h\h\h\h\hHoldsworth: THEY WERE ABLE TO MOVE

\hFROM ONE SIDE OF THE CONVOY TO THE OTHER WITH GREAT SPEED

AND INCREASINGLY WERE USED \hAS HUNTER-KILLER GROUPS

AIMED SPECIFICALLY AT TRYING \hTO DESTROY GERMAN U-BOATS.

Narrator: THEIR PRIMARY WEAPON \h\h\h\hWAS THE DEPTH CHARGE,

A HIGH EXPLOSIVE DROPPED \h\h\h\h\hFROM THE SHIP

AND SET TO DETONATE AT A SPECIFIC DEPTH.

BUT IT HAD ITS LIMITATIONS.

Holdsworth: YOU HAD TO RUN \h\h\h\h\hOVER THE TARGET

TO BE ABLE TO LAUNCH WEAPONS \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAGAINST IT,

AND SUBMARINE CAPTAINS \h\hWERE PRETTY CANNY

ABOUT TRYING TO MAKE SURE \h\hTHEY WEREN’T RUN OVER.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: WEAPONS DESIGNERS SOON REALIZED

\hTHAT DESTROYERS NEEDED TO BE ABLE TO TARGET GERMAN U-BOATS

WITHOUT PASSING RIGHT OVER THEM.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hHoldsworth: IT LED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF HEDGEHOG,

WHICH IS BASICALLY A MORTAR,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND IT’S FIRING A VERY LARGE HEAVY PROJECTILE

\hACROSS THE TOP OF THE SHIP AND DOWN SORT OF TRAJECTORY

THAT THEN ENTERS THE WATER \h\hIN FRONT OF THE BOWS.

Narrator: IN CHURCHILL’S WORDS,

THE WAR AT SEA BECAME A MATTER \hOF "SEAMANSHIP AND SCIENCE."

NEW SHORTWAVE RADAR SETS \h\h\h\hWERE INTRODUCED

\h\hTHAT COULD DETECT U-BOATS AS SOON AS THEY BROKE THE SURFACE.

AND THE FORMATION OF ATLANTIC CONVOYS WAS STUDIED IN DETAIL.

\h\h\hCHURCHILL WAS ADVISED THAT LOSSES IN THE ATLANTIC

COULD BE REDUCED BY MULTIPLYING THE SIZE OF EACH CONVOY,

BY INCREASING ITS SPEED,

AND BOOSTING THE NUMBER \hOF CLOSE ESCORT SHIPS.

\h\h\hIT’S BELIEVED THIS LED TO A 60% REDUCTION IN VESSELS LOST.

\h\hANOTHER BREAKTHROUGH FOR THE ROYAL NAVY CAME

VIA THE CODE-BREAKERS \hAT BLETCHLEY PARK...

WHO FED THE ADMIRALTY \h\hVITAL INFORMATION

ON U-BOAT MOVEMENTS.

Holdsworth: THE WAY THE GERMANS CONTROLLED THEIR SHIPS

THROUGH THE WOLF PACK SYSTEM

\hWAS ALL ABOUT COMMUNICATING BACK TO THE SUBMARINE COMMAND.

\h\h\hIF YOU KNOW WHERE THAT PARTICULAR PLACE IS

\hAND WHERE THEY’RE GATHERING THROUGH SIGNALS INTELLIGENCE,

THEN YOU CAN TARGET THEM.

Narrator: THE HUMAN COST \h\h\h\h\hON BOTH SIDES

OF THE BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hWAS HIGH.

OVER 700 U-BOATS DESTROYED.

NEARLY 3,000 ALLIED SHIPS LOST.

\h\hBUT THOSE FIGURES WOULD HAVE BEEN HIGHER

IF BRITAIN HADN’T FOCUSED

ON DESTROYING THE ENEMY’S \h\h\hBIGGEST BATTLESHIP.

TWO YEARS INTO THE WAR, \h\hTHEY DEVISED A PLAN

THAT WOULD REMOVE THE THREAT \h\h\hOF THE MIGHTY TIRPITZ.

BUT THE PLAN WAS SO OUTLANDISH, FEW THOUGHT IT COULD SUCCEED.

♪

\hWINSTON CHURCHILL WAS WELL AWARE OF THE THREAT

POSED BY THE TIRPITZ.

"THE WHOLE STRATEGY OF THE WAR

\h\hTURNS AT THIS PERIOD ON THIS SHIP," HE SAID.

TIRPITZ HAD THE POTENTIAL \h\h\h\h\h\hTO WREAK HAVOC

ON MERCHANT SHIPPING \h\hIN THE ATLANTIC.

BUT TO DO THAT, IT WOULD NEED TO TRANSFER FROM ITS BASE IN NORWAY

TO A SERVICE PORT WITH DIRECT \hACCESS TO THE OCEAN CONVOYS.

\h\hTHE ONLY DRY DOCK BIG ENOUGH WAS AT SAINT NAZAIRE IN FRANCE.

\hTHE NORMANDIE DOCK WAS 400 YARDS LONG.

Peter Lush: THE NORMANDIE DOCK \h\h\h\h\h\hWAS NOT ONLY HUGE,

BUT IT HAD THE FACILITIES.

IT’S QUITE A SPECIFIC TASK \h\hTO REPAIR A BATTLESHIP

OF THAT SIZE,

\h\hAND HERE, THEY HAD ALL THOSE FACILITIES.

\h\hTHEY HAD THE ENGINEERING AND THE DRY DOCK FACILITIES,

WITH WHICH THEY COULD \h\h\hCARRY THAT OUT.

Narrator: IF THE BRITISH COULD \hDESTROY THE NORMANDIE DOCK,

\hTHEN THE MIGHTY TIRPITZ WOULD BE RENDERED USELESS

IN THE BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC.

BUT IN 1942,

\h\h\h\h\h\hSAINT NAZAIRE WAS A WELL-DEFENDED GERMAN NAVAL BASE

\h\h\h\h\h\hWITH A STRING OF BOMB-PROOF U-BOAT PENS.

ATTACKING THE NORMANDY DRY DOCK WOULD BE FAR FROM EASY.

BOMBING WOULD BE TOO INACCURATE.

THE ESTUARY WAS WELL-GUARDED \h\hBY ANTI-SUBMARINE NETS.

AND A LAND ATTACK THROUGH \h\hGERMAN-OCCUPIED FRANCE

WAS SIMPLY IMPOSSIBLE.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHE TASK OF PULLING OFF THE SCHEME

FELL TO THE SPECIALIST TEAM

AT COMBINED OPERATIONS \h\h\h\hHEADQUARTERS.

\h\h\hTHEIR PLAN ENVISIONED A FLOTILLA-LOAD OF COMMANDOS

\h\h\h\h\hDISPATCHED TO DESTROY THE WATERTIGHT GATE OF THE DOCK,

KNOWN AS THE CAISSON.

\h\h\h\h\hTHE COMMANDOS WOULD THEN SWARM ASHORE

TO SABOTAGE THE DOCK’S CONTROLS.

AT THE HEART OF THE FLOTILLA

WOULD BE AN OLD AMERICAN WARSHIP FROM THE FIRST WORLD WAR,

RENAMED HMS CAMPBELTOWN.

\hLush: THE CAMPBELTOWN WAS ONE OF THE 50 LEASE-LEND DESTROYERS

\h\h\h\hTHAT WERE TRANSFERRED TO THE ROYAL NAVY BY THE AMERICANS.

\h\h\hIT WAS ALTERED IN A VERY SHORT TIME

AT DEVONPORT DOCKYARD

\h\h\h\h\hTO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE A GERMAN MÖWE-CLASS DESTROYER.

Narrator: TWO OF ITS FOUR \h\hFUNNELS WERE REMOVED,

AND THE REMAINING TWO WERE CUT AT AN ANGLE,

\h\hIN THE HOPE THAT THE GERMAN LOOKOUTS

\hWOULD THINK ONE OF THEIR OWN SHIPS WAS APPROACHING.

MUCH OF THE SUPERSTRUCTURE \h\h\h\hWAS THEN REMOVED--

TO ENABLE CAMPBELTOWN TO PASS \h\hOVER THE SHALLOW MUD FLATS

OF THE LOIRE ESTUARY.

BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY,

CAMPBELTOWN WAS TURNED INTO A FLOATING BOMB,

A BOMB THAT WOULD RAM \h\hTHE NORMANDY DOCK.

Lush: THE CHARGE IN CAMPBELTOWN WAS PLACED

JUST BEHIND THE MOUNTING \h\hFOR THE FORWARD GUN,

WHICH WOULD BE THE FIRST POINT \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hOF RESISTANCE

WHEN IT RAMMED THE CAISSON.

\h\h\hIT CONSISTED OF 24 MARK VII DEPTH CHARGES,

\h\hLINKED TOGETHER WITH SPECIAL FUSES,

\h\h\h\h\h\hWHICH OPERATED WITH COPPER WIRE AND ACID,

\h\h\hAND THEY WERE QUITE EXPERIMENTAL.

Narrator: THE CAMPBELTOWN SAILED FROM FALMOUTH ON MARCH 26, 1942,

ALONG WITH 18 SMALL VESSELS \h\h\h\h\hAND TORPEDO BOATS.

ON BOARD WERE 260 COMMANDOS.

THIS WAS THE MOST DARING \h\h\h\h\h\h\hOF RAIDS,

\hAND MANY OF THE MEN WERE SURE THEY WOULDN’T BE RETURNING HOME.

AND YET, LIEUTENANT COMMANDER \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hSAM BEATTIE

HELD A SHERRY PARTY \hFOR HIS OFFICERS.

COULD THEIR OLD WARSHIP \h\h\h\hDUPE THE GERMANS

\h\h\hAND STRIKE A MAJOR BLOW IN THE BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC?

\h\hTHEY WOULD KNOW IN JUST A FEW HOURS.

\h\hIN MARCH 1942, AN OLD FIRST WORLD WAR DESTROYER

SAILED FROM FALMOUTH

TO THE GERMAN-HELD FRENCH PORT \h\h\h\h\h\hOF SAINT NAZAIRE.

ITS MISSION--TO DESTROY \hTHE ONLY ATLANTIC DOCK

BIG ENOUGH TO SERVICE

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHE FEARSOME GERMAN BATTLESHIP TIRPITZ.

HMS CAMPBELTOWN AND ITS FLOTILLA ENTERED THE LOIRE ESTUARY

\h\h\hAROUND MIDNIGHT ON THE 28th OF MARCH.

UNDER THE COMMAND \hOF ROBERT RYDER,

THE FLOATING BOMB APPROACHED \hSAINT NAZAIRE IN DARKNESS.

Lush: THEY HAD TO EMPLOY \h\h\h\h\hCERTAIN TRICKS

TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY \hWEREN’T RECOGNIZED.

THE MOST OBVIOUS ONE, OF COURSE,

WAS THE TRANSFORMATION \hOF THE CAMPBELTOWN.

BUT RYDER HAD OTHER TRICKS \h\h\h\h\h\hUP HIS SLEEVE.

\h\h\h\hTHEY HAD LIBERATED A GERMAN NAVAL CODE BOOK,

\hAND SO THEY KNEW WHAT ALL THE CODES

FOR THE SAINT NAZAIRE AREA WERE.

AND ON THE MOTOR GUNBOAT \h\h\h\hWAS A SIGNALMAN

WHO COULD SIGNAL IN GERMAN

AND ANSWER THE CHALLENGES \h\h\h\h\h\hFROM ON SHORE.

Narrator: THE TRICK WORKED,

\h\hUNTIL THE FLOTILLA WAS JUST A MILE FROM THE DOCK.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hFROM THEN ON, LIEUTENANT COMMANDER SAM BEATTIE

HAD TO STEER CAMPBELTOWN UNDER \hA BARRAGE OF GERMAN GUNFIRE.

\hLush: WHAT WE’RE SEEING BEHIND ME IS THE OLD MOLE,

ON WHICH YOU CAN SEE \h\hTHE LIGHTHOUSE,

WHICH GAVE BEATTIE HIS AIMING POINT.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hHE WAS TO PASS TO ABOUT 100 YARDS OFF THAT.

PART OF THE DIFFICULTY HERE \h\hIS THAT ON THE OLD MOLE

\h\hWAS A SEARCHLIGHT POSITION AND ALSO A VERY DANGEROUS GUN.

Narrator: BUT AS THE CLOCK \h\h\h\hPASSED 1:34 A.M.,

THE SHIP ROUNDED THE OLD MOLE...

INCREASED HER SPEED \h\h\hTO 20 KNOTS...

\h\h\h\hAND CRASHED INTO THE NORMANDY DOCK GATE.

Lush: THE CAMPBELTOWN \hHAS IMPALED HERSELF

UPON THE CAISSON HERE

TO SUCH AN EXTENT THAT HER BOW \h\h\h\h\hPROJECTED THREE FEET

IN FRONT OF THE INNER FACE.

Robert Montgomery: THE ASSAULT \h\hPARTIES IMMEDIATELY BEGAN

CLAMBERING OFF THE FRONT END.

\h\h\hIT WAS QUITE A GAME CLIMBING DOWN THE LADDER,

AS THERE WAS A FIRE BLAZING \h\h\h\h\h\hIN THE FO’C’SLE.

CORPORAL CALLOWAY’S TROUSERS \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hCAUGHT FIRE

AS HE WAS CLIMBING DOWN,

AND HE HAD TO TAKE THEM OFF.

\h\hHE CARRIED OUT THE WHOLE OPERATION IN HIS UNDERPANTS!

\hLush: THERE WAS ONE PARTY FOR THE SOUTHERN WINDING HOUSE HERE,

ONE FOR THE PUMP HOUSE,

AND ONE FOR THE NORTHERN \h\h\h\h\hWINDING HOUSE

AT THE FAR END OF THE DOCKYARD.

Narrator: WITH THE ONBOARD BOMB SET TO EXPLODE AT DAWN,

THE CAMPBELTOWN ELEMENT \h\h\h\h\hOF THE MISSION

\h\h\h\hWAS SHAPING UP TO BE A HUGE SUCCESS.

BUT FOR THE REST OF THE FLOTILLA,

IT WAS A DIFFERENT STORY.

UNDER INTENSE ENEMY FIRE,

VERY FEW OF THE SMALLER VESSELS EVER MADE IT TO LAND.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND WHEN THE CAMPBELTOWN COMMANDOS

LANDED AT THE OLD MOLE \h\h\h\h\hAS PLANNED,

THEY DISCOVERED THERE WOULD BE \hNO BOATS TO TAKE THEM HOME.

Lush: IT WAS THE FIRST TIME THEY REALIZED, WHEN THEY GOT THERE,

WHAT HAD HAPPENED \hTO THE LAUNCHES.

AND THEY WERE MET WITH A SCENE

\h\hTHAT WAS LIKENED TO DANTE’S INFERNO.

EVERYTHING WAS ON FIRE, \h\hEVEN THE SEA ITSELF.

Narrator: AS DAWN BROKE,

MOST OF THE COMMANDOS ON SHORE \h\h\h\h\h\hHAD BEEN CAPTURED.

AND THERE WAS ANOTHER PROBLEM--

THE BOMB ON BOARD CAMPBELTOWN \h\h\hHAD FAILED TO DETONATE.

\h\h\hTO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, GERMAN TROOPS AND SIGHTSEERS

WERE NOW CLIMBING ALL OVER THE BEACHED ENEMY VESSEL.

\hLush: THE FOLLOWING MORNING, LIEUTENANT COMMANDER BEATTIE,

WHO HAD BEEN RESCUED \h\hFROM THE RIVER,

WAS BEING INTERROGATED \hBY GERMAN OFFICERS,

AND THEY WERE SAYING TO HIM...

"YOU BRITISH MUST BE STUPID

\h\h\h\h\h\hIF YOU THINK YOU CAN DESTROY OUR DOCK

WITH THAT FLIMSY DESTROYER."

Montgomery: JUST AT THAT MOMENT, SHE WENT UP.

BEATTIE SMILED AT THE OFFICER \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND SAID,

"WE’RE NOT QUITE AS FOOLISH \h\h\h\h\h\h\hAS YOU THINK!"

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: THE RAID ON SAINT NAZAIRE

WAS A SUCCESS AFTER ALL.

BUT IT HAD COME AT A COST.

\h\h\hOF THE 611 MEN INVOLVED, ONLY 228 RETURNED TO BRITAIN.

Lush: WHEN ONE CONSIDERS \h\h\h\h\h\hTHE DISTANCE

THAT THE FORCE HAD TO TRAVEL \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO GET HERE,

\h\hWHAT THEY FACED WHEN THEY GOT HERE,

\h\hAND TO PUT THE CAMPBELTOWN WITHIN AN INCH OF ITS TARGET,

\hWITHIN FOUR MINUTES OF ITS PROJECTED TIME,

\h\h\hWITHOUT DOUBT JUSTIFIES THE LABEL

OF THE GREATEST RAID OF ALL.

\h\h\h\hNarrator: THE TIRPITZ NEVER DID REACH THE ATLANTIC.

THE ONCE ALL-POWERFUL BATTLESHIP WAS NOW OUT OF COMMISSION,

THANKS TO THE DARING RAID \h\h\h\hON SAINT-NAZAIRE.

♪

A FEW WEEKS LATER, THOUGH...

\h\h\h\h\h\hA CLASH TOOK PLACE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD

\h\hWHICH THREATENED TO MAKE THE BATTLESHIP COMPLETELY OBSOLETE.

ON JUNE 5, 1942, THE U.S. NAVY

WON A STUNNING VICTORY \h\h\h\hIN THE PACIFIC

AT THE BATTLE OF MIDWAY.

IT WAS A BATTLE FOUGHT AND WON \h\h\h\hBY AIRCRAFT CARRIERS.

THE U.S. LOST ONE CARRIER-- \h\h\h\h\hTHE USS YORKTOWN.

BUT AMERICAN AIRCRAFT DESTROYED FOUR JAPANESE CARRIERS.

\h\h\hIT WAS A SEA-CHANGE MOMENT IN THE HISTORY OF COMBAT SHIPS.

Craig Symonds: THE ASSUMPTION \h\h\hWHEN THEY WERE LAID DOWN

WAS THAT BATTLESHIPS WOULD BE \h\h\h\hTHE KEY TO THE FLEET,

\h\h\hAND AIRCRAFT CARRIERS WOULD SERVE TO PROTECT THEM

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND GUIDE THEM AND MARK THE FALL OF A SHOT

AND REPORT, YOU KNOW, \h\h\h"THAT WAS LONG"

OR "THAT WAS SHORT."

\h\h\h\hINSTEAD, THE ROLES WERE COMPLETELY REVERSED;

\h\h\hAIRCRAFT CARRIERS WERE THE PRINCIPAL STRIKING FORCE

OF NAVIES BY 1943.

Narrator: YET BATTLESHIPS \hWERE STILL BEING BUILT--

LIKE THIS ONE THAT WAS LAUNCHED A FEW WEEKS BEFORE MIDWAY--

THE USS MASSACHUSETTS.

♪

Brad King: SO THIS IS \h\h\hA FLOATING CITY,

\h\h\h\h\hA FLOATING TOWN, WHICH HAS ITS HIGH STREET,

\hIT HAS ITS PRISON AND A FIRE SERVICE.

IT HAS THE GUNNERY OFFICE, \h\h\h\hIT HAS THE BAKERY,

IT HAS A POST OFFICE.

\h\hIT’S AMERICA AFLOAT, BECAUSE IT’S A CREW OF 2,000 VOLUNTEERS,

\h\hALL COMING TOGETHER FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE,

ALL LEVELS OF SOCIETY,

FROM THE KENTUCKY FARM BOY WHO’D NEVER SEEN THE OCEAN

TO THE HARVARD YACHTSMAN.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: IMPRESSIVE THOUGH SHE WAS,

THE MASSACHUSETTS’ ROLE \h\h\h\h\h\hWAS UNCLEAR.

BUT HER FIRST TASTE OF WAR \h\h\hWOULD BE SIGNIFICANT

AND HELP CREATE A NEW ROLE \h\h\hFOR THE BATTLESHIP.

IN OCTOBER 1942, SHE SAILED

\hTO SUPPORT AN AMPHIBIOUS INVASION OF NORTH AFRICA.

THREE TASK FORCES INVADED FRENCH MOROCCO AND ALGERIA

ON NOVEMBER 8th.

OPERATION TORCH’S OBJECTIVE \h\h\h\h\h\h\hWAS TO REMOVE

THE GERMAN AND ITALIAN FORCES \h\h\h\h\h\h\hFROM THE REGION.

THE MASSACHUSETTS SUPPORTED THE LANDINGS AT CASABLANCA,

BOMBARDING SHORE DEFENSES.

\h\h\h\hBUT IN THE PORT, ANOTHER BATTLESHIP WAS WAITING FOR HER.

THE JEAN BART WAS AN UNFINISHED STATIONARY FRENCH VESSEL

\h\hWITH A CREW ALLIED TO THE GERMAN FORCES.

\h\h\h\h\hKing: SHE WAS A VERY CREDIBLE THREAT,

\h\h\h\h\h\hSHE WAS BEING BUILT, BUT SHE STILL HAD GUNS ON BOARD,

\h\hAND SO THIS MATCH BACKWARDS AND FORWARDS

STARTED WITH THE JEAN BART.

THE SHIP WAS ABOUT 13 MILES \h\h\h\h\h\h\hOFF THE COAST.

\h\h\hTHE RANGE OF OUR GUNS IS 22 MILES, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

THE SHELL IS ABOUT THE WEIGHT \h\h\h\h\hOF A TOYOTA COROLLA.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: FIVE OF THE MASSACHUSETTS’

MASSIVE 16-INCH SHELLS \h\hHIT THE JEAN BART,

THE FIRST CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE.

King: AND HERE YOU CAN SEE \h\h\h\h\h\hTHE JEAN BART,

THIS IS A PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN \hAFTER THE BATTLE ENDED.

\h\h\hYOU CAN SEE WHERE ONE OF THE SHELLS PENETRATED THE HULL

AND EXPLODED IN THE MAGAZINE.

WHEN THE SHELL EXPLODED,

THE DECK ACTUALLY FOLDED OVER \h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHE AFT TURRET.

\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: MEANWHILE, THE MASSACHUSETTS BECAME KNOWN

\h\h\hAS A LUCKY SHIP, AND WITH GOOD REASON.

A SHELL FROM THE JEAN BART \h\h\hSCORED A DIRECT HIT.

\h\hKing: ABOVE US YOU CAN SEE THE HOLE THAT THE SHELL MADE,

THE PATCH THAT WAS PUT ON IT, \h\h\h\h\h\hIT WAS CUT OUT...

AND THE SHELL CAME IN \h\h\h\h\hTHROUGH HERE

\h\h\h\hAND EXPLODED IN THIS COMPARTMENT,

NOW, THERE WAS NOBODY \hIN THIS COMPARTMENT

\h\h\hBECAUSE EVERYBODY WAS AT ACTION STATIONS,

BUT IF WE LOOK AT THE DECK

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hWE CAN SEE DENTS INTO THE 5.3-INCH STEEL DECK.

IN THE BULKHEADS OR WALLS,

\h\h\h\hWE CAN SEE PATCHES THAT WERE DONE AT THE TIME

OF HOLES WHERE THE SPLINTERS OF THE SHELL PUNCHED THROUGH

TO THE OTHER COMPARTMENTS.

VERY LUCKILY NOBODY WAS IN THIS COMPARTMENT WHEN IT WENT OFF.

Narrator: THE SUCCESS \hOF THE MASSACHUSETTS

AS AN OFFSHORE GUN BATTERY

\hBECAME THE BLUEPRINT FOR OTHER BATTLESHIPS.

\h\h\h\hAMPHIBIOUS INVASIONS IN THE PACIFIC AND ON D-DAY

WOULD SEE BATTLESHIPS \h\hTAKING A NEW ROLE.

Hewitt: THEY’RE BEING USED \h\hFOR SHORE BOMBARDMENT,

\h\h\h\h\hTHEY’RE BEING USED AS FLOATING ARTILLERY BY 1944, ’45.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hKing: THE BATTLESHIPS ENGAGED MORE

IN SHIP-TO-SHORE OPERATIONS,

SORT OF SOFTENING UP \h\h\h\hTHE ISLANDS,

SO THAT THE HEADS OF THE ENEMY \h\h\h\h\h\hWOULD BE KEPT DOWN

SO THE MARINES COULD GO IN

AND LAND ON THE BEACHES, \hRELATIVELY UNOPPOSED.

Narrator: OVER TWO WORLD WARS \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND 30 YEARS,

\h\h\h\hTHE BATTLESHIP HAS GONE FROM BEING THE KEY NAVAL VESSEL

\h\h\hTO LITTLE MORE THAN A SUPPORT ROLE.

SIZE, STRENGTH, AND FIREPOWER

\h\hHAVE BEEN USURPED BY SPEED, TECHNOLOGY,

AND THE ABILITY TO WAGE WAR ABOVE AND BELOW THE SURFACE.

\h\h\hIN WORLD WAR II A NEW COMBAT SHIP WAS INTRODUCED,

ONE THAT WOULD REDEFINE \h\h\h\hMODERN WARFARE--

THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER.