Perim Island
Loss of HMS Khartoum, 23rd June 1940
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When the Italian submarine Galileo Galilei was captured on 19 June 1940, only nine days after Italy entered the war, papers were found which gave the patrol areas of the remaining submarines of the flotilla operating out of Massaua.
It was this breach of security which led to the Royal Navy intercepting and sinking the Torricelli four days later near Perim. One of the three destroyers involved was HMS Khartoum, seen in the first photograph.
HMS Khartoum
Shortly after the engagement there was an explosion of the torpedo air vessel in one of Khartoum’s torpedo tubes. The warhead of the torpedo in the tube was blown across and through vital areas of the ship before coming to rest on the quarterdeck, where most fortunately the warhead did not explode, although it had started a serious fire. The after magazine could not be flooded as the flooding valves had been put out of action. The main hose aft had been cut through and the aft rising main shattered. Lesser hoses were rigged but had little effect.
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At the time of the original explosion the Khartoum was about seven miles south southeast of Perim lighthouse. Let an excerpt from the Captain’s official report, submitted on 24 June to S.N.O.R.S. (Senior Naval Officer Red Sea) take up the story:
At the time of the original explosion and immediate outbreak of the fire, His Majesty's Ship under my command was in approximate position seven miles 165 degrees from Perim Hight Light on patrol. Wind was northwest, force 2. The ship was put stern to wind to reduce the draught, but after thirteen minutes when it reported to me by the Executive Officer that the fire could not be got under control, and that the after magazine and shellroom could not be flooded, I altered course for Perim Harbour at full speed on one boiler and signalled to the Police Station to send boats. It was thought that the harbour would be reached before the magazine exploded, and preparations were made for throwing overboard in deep water Confidential Books and Secret matter on the bridge and in the Wireless Office, the boilers not being suitable for destruction by fire.
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Whilst sailing towards Perim, to reduce top weight, the torpedoes in the forward tubes were fired, gun ammunition was jettisoned overboard and those depth charges on the upper deck that were accessible were let go and thrown overboard. The Captain again:
I intended to beach the ship in Princes Shoal or further in if possible, but steam failed when passing the entrance to the harbour and electric power very shortly afterwards, thus putting the steering gear out of action. An appeal by telephone to the never failing engineering department resulted in enough speed to carry the ship close past the buoy and both anchors were let go, and the order given to abandon ship.
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A signal sent on the evening of the 23rd describes what then happened:
I attempted to beach ship on Prince's Shoal. Lack of steam prevented accomplishment of this and ship is lying in about 7 fathoms between Prince's Shoal and Murray Point. After magazine blew up about 10 minutes after abandoning ship followed about 5 minutes later by 29 depth charges in the War Head Magazine.
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This last explosion must have blown off a considerable proportion of the stern. The remainder settled on an even keel with the upper gun deck and bridge just awash. Amazingly there were very few casualties, only one sailor being killed and that by a large fragment as he was swimming ashore. Once ashore the ship’s company was mustered at the Police Barracks (the former manager’s house and later still the Assistant Resident’s residence above Murray Point). The police gave the crew tea and water. Two salvage parties then returned to the ship and recovered many articles of value. This was followed by HMS Kandahar, one of the other destroyers involved in the sinking of the Torricelli, evacuating the survivors back to Aden, less the 1st Lieutenant and 10 men who remained on Perim to continue salvage work. The major worry was the loss of codebooks and other security documents. To quote from a signal sent on 23 June and from the Captain’s full report written the following day:
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S.P.s in bridge safe lost out of boat during abandon ship. Day's recognition signals and S.P. 02175 (10) lashed to full .303 ammunition box accidentally jettisoned. Both these alongside ship and LEANDER will dive for them at sunrise. I regret to report that due to a misunderstanding, the Key Memoranda A and D, and the No. 8 and 10 Small Ship Recyphering Tables, which were securely lashed by 1" line to a box of .303 rifle ammunition ready for throwing overboard in deep water, were lost overboard alongside in about six to seven fathoms.
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It was the implications of the loss and potential compromise of cyphers, codes and other confidential papers that worried S.N.O.R.S. and his staff and considerable efforts were made to locate them, in particular the ammunition box containing the naval cyphers. In addition the police were asked on 24th June to make sure no confidential books or papers were lying around the island following the explosions.
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On 24 June the sea bed around the wreck was searched by a team of six divers, working one diver submerged at a time, from the cruiser HMS Leander, a sister ship of the Ajax and Achilles of River Plate fame. HMS Leander is the ship in the second photograph. Over a 5-hour period that morning nothing was found and it was thought likely that the box was in the sand under the wreck.
Bearing in mind that Perim was so close to airfields in Eritrea, HMS Leander would have been a prime target had she stayed in Perim harbour more than a few hours. One can perhaps assume that fighters from Aden provided air cover whilst she was at Perim.
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HMS Leander
As well as documents there were some salvageable items that could be recovered. Also at Aden was HMS Protector, a former Antarctic Ice Patrol ship, fitted out as a salvage vessel. She being sent to Perim but it was reported that “work around the ship may soon be hindered by air attack but perhaps Protector can recover gun searchlight” (which was about the only major item not submerged that was worth recovering).