The First Battle of Narvik, 10 April 1940

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marjan
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Re: 10 April 1940, the 1st battle of Narvik

Post by marjan »

The cold and snow was a common enemy for all troops at Narvik, but most of the Allies were poorly prepared for it. The Norwegians were the only ones fully equipped with skis and able to use them. The British attempted to use skis, but their troops were largely untrained and supply was scarce. German sailors faced the same problems. Even within the German and French mountain specialists, only a few units were equipped with skis. The Polish mountain brigade had no mountain training in fact.
rudihistory
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Re: 10 April 1940, the 1st battle of Narvik

Post by rudihistory »

Hello all, I am new to this forum, and wonder if some of you can help me. My father was a crew member on the Dieter von Roeder, and survived the battles at Narvik. I have some stories about that battle, but am looking for any further information about my Father and the crew. How can I find military records of my father? He joined the German Navy in peacetime, January 1934. I heard that the wreck of the Dieter von Roeder is still in the harbor at Narvik. Have any artifatcs been recovered? Where can I find a list of crew members, etc.? Can anyone help me? Many thanks.
Benjamin
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Re: The First Battle of Narvik, 10 April 1940

Post by Benjamin »

Did the German destroyers at Narvik have radar already?
Benjamin
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Re: The First Battle of Narvik, 10 April 1940

Post by Benjamin »

Anyone knows?

I have serached over the net but found nothing at all. Maybe radar was not fitted on destroyers until later? 1941?
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Antonio Bonomi
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Re: The First Battle of Narvik, 10 April 1940

Post by Antonio Bonomi »

Ciao all,

@ Benjamin,

as you can see on the available photos, no radar on german destroyers at Narvik on the spring 1940.

They were fitted on them later on ...

Bye Antonio :D
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Thorsten Wahl
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Re: The First Battle of Narvik, 10 April 1940

Post by Thorsten Wahl »

equipping german destroyers with radar(Hohentwiel) began in autumn 1940.
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Benjamin
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Re: The First Battle of Narvik, 10 April 1940

Post by Benjamin »

Ahhh... nice photo.
No radars in Narvik then, thanks.
Benjamin
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Re: The First Battle of Narvik, 10 April 1940

Post by Benjamin »

Thorsten Wahl wrote:equipping german destroyers with radar(Hohentwiel) began in autumn 1940.
Wasnt Hohentwiel used on u-boats?
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Rick Rather
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Re: The First Battle of Narvik, 10 April 1940

Post by Rick Rather »

Even if they had radar, the "clutter" from reflections off the surrounding terrain inside the fjord would have rendered them useless.
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Benjamin
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Re: The First Battle of Narvik, 10 April 1940

Post by Benjamin »

Rick Rather wrote:Even if they had radar, the "clutter" from reflections off the surrounding terrain inside the fjord would have rendered them useless.
Yes, radar would't change anything at all in this case, especially when you face an enemy battleship inside the fjord.
I was asking out of curiosity and thinking more of modeling purposes.
megmac157
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Re: The First Battle of Narvik, 10 April 1940

Post by megmac157 »

Hi My Grandfather was Captain of the SS Blythmoor Captain Nicholas , I am trying to find information about him and what happend to the merchent seament that were transported to Sweden where they stayed how they got there ect

Thank you
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aurora
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Re: The First Battle of Narvik, 10 April 1940

Post by aurora »

From what I have read about the Narvik Campaign-I found no mention of Uboats being deployed at this battle,where there many RN targets of great worth.I do know that the Uboat strength in 1940 was of the order of 60 boats;perhaps this explains their seeming absence????

aurora
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Re: The First Battle of Narvik, 10 April 1940

Post by dunmunro »

aurora wrote:From what I have read about the Narvik Campaign-I found no mention of Uboats being deployed at this battle,where there many RN targets of great worth.I do know that the Uboat strength in 1940 was of the order of 60 boats;perhaps this explains their seeming absence????

aurora
U-boats were deployed in considerable numbers, but fortunately for the RN the KM was suffering from "a great torpedo scandal" of sufficient magnitude to as to considerably reduce the effectiveness of KM u-boats.
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Dave Saxton
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Re: The First Battle of Narvik, 10 April 1940

Post by Dave Saxton »

aurora wrote:From what I have read about the Narvik Campaign-I found no mention of Uboats being deployed at this battle,where there many RN targets of great worth.I do know that the Uboat strength in 1940 was of the order of 60 boats;perhaps this explains their seeming absence????

aurora
U-boats were deployed as pickets protecting the entrances to the fjords, but their torpedoes failed.
Entering a night sea battle is an awesome business.The enveloping darkness, hiding the enemy's.. seems a living thing, malignant and oppressive.Swishing water at the bow and stern mark an inexorable advance toward an unknown destiny.
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aurora
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Re: The First Battle of Narvik, 10 April 1940

Post by aurora »

Thank you gentlemen-vis a vis Uboats-despite my searches in books/internet; I realise that I must have missed the points you raised.Really must research the German "great torpedo failure" :oops:

aurora
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