BARHAM HMS 1915

[aukepalmhof]

Built as one of the Queen Elizabeth class battleships by the yard of John Brown, Clydebank for the Royal Navy.
24 February 1913 laid down.
13 October 1914 launched as HMS BARHAM (name on the stamp is wrong). The name Barham came from Admiral Charles Middleton, who was Lord Barham and he became the First Lord of the Admiralty at the time of Trafalgar (1762-1813).
Displacement 29.150 tons standard, 33.000 tons full load. Dim. 196 x 27.4 x 9.2m. (draught),. Length on waterline 193.4m.
Powered by 4 Parsons geared turbines, 75.000 shp., four propellers, speed 25 knots.
Range by 12.5 knots 8.600 miles, by 21 knots 3.900 miles.
Bunker capacity 650 tons normal, maximum 3.400 tons oil carried also 100 tons coal.
Armament 8 – 15 inch, 14 – 6 inch, 20 – 4.45mm guns, 4 – 21 inch torpedo tubes.
Crew 925-951 men.
05 November 1915 commissioned.

After commissioned a unit of the Home Fleet.
01 December 1915 in collision with HMS WARSPITE, minor damage.
31 May 1916 she was flagship of the 5th Battle Squadron at the Battle of Jutland and carried the flag of Rear-Admiral Evan Thomas.
Around 4 o’clock the BARHAM opened fire on the German ships, and 05.00 a shot fell about 2 yards short of the BARHAM. Then she was coming under heavy fire of the German ships. During the battle 26 men were killed and 37 wounded, and the ship herself was badly damaged.
Between 1930 and 1933 partial modernisation took place, her two funnels were trunked in one.
12 December 1939 in collision with the destroyer HMS DUCHESS of Mull of Kyntire in the North Channel, where after the DUCHESS sank with the loss of 6 officers and 123 ratings.
28 December 1939 torpedoed by U-30 below Canteen Flat off Flannen Isles and damaged. The U-30 was under command of Kptl Fritz Julius Lemp, which torpedoed also the liner ATHENIA.
The BARHAM sailed to Liverpool for repairs.

June 1940 she left the dry-dock, and after a period of exercise, sailed to Freetown in August of that year.
Between 23/26 used for a bombardment on Dakar, during that time she was attacked by a German U boat, her crew discovered the 3 torpedoes fired on her in time and by manoeuvring the torpedoes missed her but did strike the HMS ROYAL SOVEREIGN.
The ROYAL SOVEREIGN got a list and was towed by the BARHAM to Freetown.
November 1940 an attempted torpedoing by Italian frogmen when she was berthed alongside the Detached Mole at Gibraltar failed.
06 November 1940 sailed from Gibraltar, together with HMS GLASGOW, where after she joined the East Mediterranean Fleet.
11 November 1940 attacked together with HMS ILLUSTRIOUS Taranto, Italy.
02 January 1941 bombarded Bardia.
28 March 1941, Battle of Matapan, the BARHAM helps to sink the Italian cruiser ZARA, the Italian surveyors were picked up by HMS JUNO.
April 1941, bombarded Tripoli.
25 May 1941 she bombarded Scarpanto airfield, a bomb from a Stucka dive-bomber exploded in X turret of BARHAM.
27 May 1941 together with HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH she covered the last supplies to Suda Bay., Crete.
01 June 1941 Crete evacuation completed.
June 1941 passed Suez Canal, sailed for Durban for repairs.
August/September returned to Alexandria, Egypt and bombarded Tripoli.
24 November 1941 she sailed from Alexandria, under command of Capt. G.C. Cooke and was the same day hit by four torpedoes fired from U-331.
She made a heavy list to port, then her aft magazines exploded destroying the BARHAM and she sank, taken with her about 2/3 of her crew.

St Kitts 2001 $1.40 sg?, scott?
Guyana 2015 $80 sg?, scott?

[Archiee]

Good details and interesting history.

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