Source: ADM 1/10785
Report
of HMS Harrier
To: The Rear Admiral, Invergordon
Sir,
I have the honour to report that HMS
Harrier weighed and proceeded from Invergordon at 1248 on Saturday,
February 3rd 1940 to
render assistance to HMS Speedwell who had
reported that she was towing HMS SPHINX,
badly damaged by enemy aircraft attack. The Medical Officer from the base
was embarked.
At 1917 contact was made in
approximate position 57°
58’ N and 2° 33’ W. HMS Speedwell informed me
that her tow had parted at 1250 and the HMS Skipjack
was towing HMS SPHINX at 3 knots, also
that HM Ships Boreas and Brazen
were screening. Harrier took station on the port beam of HMS
Speedwell, course 220 speed 3 knots.
The weather was very bad and
deteriorating rapidly and the night very dark. At 2157 HMS
Speedwell reported that the tow had again parted. HMS
Harrier proceeded to HMS SPHINX and
attempted to take her in tow. At about 2300 a grass line from HMS
SPHINX was got onboard and HMS SPHINX informed
me that her 3˝” wire
was bent to it. The grass was hove in but no wire was attached. By this
time HMS Harrier had drifted a long way
leeward.
At about 0100 HMS
SPHINX asked for a ship to go alongside to evacuate wounded. HMS
Speedwell was the nearest ship and made two attempts to go
alongside but desisted owing to danger of sinking HMS
SPHINX, who reported that she was lying comfortably. HM Ships Harrier
and Skipjack made a lee for this operation.
At 0245 HMS
Harrier proceeded to HMS SPHINX with
the intention of getting a wire in to hold her into the wind. At 0300 HMS
SPHINX informed me that she was going to abandon ship. HMS
Speedwell was ordered to proceed alongside and evacuate the
ship’s company, and HMS Skipjack to keep to
leeward of HMS SPHINX to pick up boats or
survivors in the water. Contact between HMS Harrier and
destroyers was not established at this time.
HMS Harrier
was manoeuvred to windward of HMS SPHINX and
lay beam to sea discharging oil and afforded the greatest possible lee. HMS
Speedwell managed to get alongside HMS SPHINX
at her second attempt and took off a few ratings. At about 0340 HMS
Boreas joined HMS Speedwell and
between them they made several attempts to get alongside. HMS
Boreas succeeded in taking a few men off. The weather at this time
was exceedingly bad and a full south easterly gale blowing and a very high
sea running. HMS Brazen was screening around
the operations.
Searchlights were used to illuminate
the scene. At 0455 HMS SPHINX
capsized and all ships closed the wreck and looked for survivors. Position
approximately 136 Clyth Ness 10 miles. HMS Boreas
succeeded in rescuing 36 ratings and 2 officers.
At about 0600 HMS
Boreas requested that a Medical Officer should be sent on board as
soon as possible, and HMS Harrier ordered her
to proceed in company to nearest shelter which was Dornock Firth. HM Ships Speedwell and Skipjack
were ordered to remain by the wreck until daylight and continue searching
for survivors.
At 0835 signal was made to HMS Speedwell asking whether wreck was still
afloat and number of survivors rescued. Reply was received at 0905 that
there was no sign of wreck of any more survivors.
The Medical Officer was transferred to
HMS Boreas at 0945 and ships then proceeded
to Invergordon.
The behaviour of Officers and men of HMS
SPHINX was deserving of the highest praise and was in the best
traditions of the Service. The handling of HM Ships Speedwell
and Boreas was magnificently carried out but
the weather was so appalling that it was impossible to keep alongside the
wreck long enough to evacuate any number of men.
??Richard Clark
Lt Commander
in Command HMS Harrier
Invergordon
7th Feb1940
