30 October, 1939... Churchill "almost" lost with all hands aboard HMS Nelson... or maybe not!

On this date in 1939, German U Boat - U-56 penetrated the defensive screen around HMS Rodney and HMS Nelson, the latter which "may or may not" have been carrying then First Lord of the Admiralty, Winston Churchill and First Sea Lord Dudley Pound, off the Orkneys. Nelson was hit with three torpedoes. Amazingly all three torpedos proved to be duds and the Nelson proceeded unscathed.?

This has often been referred to as the most dramatic non-sinking of the war, coming as it almost did on the heels of Royal Oak’s sinking in Scapa Flow by U-Boat U-47.

The back story is that on 14 October, 1939, illuminated by the northern lights, the German submarine U-47 threaded its way through sunken barriers and slipped into the British anchorage at Scapa Flow, a 125.3-square-mile natural port off the northern coast of Scotland, in the Orkney Islands. The submarine quietly approached the Royal Oak and fired a three-torpedo spread, then turned quickly to escape. One of the three torpedoes struck the Royal Oak’s bow at 12:58 am, and the dull thud and muffled explosions of its detonation confused the sailors onboard.?

Out of the Royal Oak ’s complement of 1,234 men and boys, 833 were killed that night or died later of their injuries. Immediately after the sinking, there was confusion—and sometimes wild speculation—as to what had caused the sinking. It was only when divers descended to the wreck and discovered the remains of a German torpedo that the cause was confirmed as having been a U-boat attack.

In fact, Churchill and Pound were onboard HMS Nelson just two weeks later to hold a conference over the sinking of the Royal Oak. Many sources claim the Nelson certainly would have sunk if all three torpedoes exploded.

As historians have ofter remarked, without Winston Churchill's indomitable spirit and "bulldog" tenacity, Britain just may have capitulated to the Germans after Dunkirk. (Think of a "The Man in the High Castle" scenario...)

Churchill aboard Nelson (undated)

The "Official Ships log for HMS Nelson for October, 1939 as reproduced here states...

30th – At 0800 hours the Fleet was in approximate position 59-41N, 5-01W.

At approximately 1000 hours when west of the Orkneys and returning to the Clyde, the Home Fleet comprising NELSON, RODNEY, HOOD and destroyers ICARUS, IMPULSIVE, IVANHOE, INTREPID and KELLY ran into a line of 4 U-boats. U 56 fired three torpedoes at NELSON and all three struck the target, two broke upon hitting and the other failed to exploded. The crew of NELSON and the other ships of the Fleet were unaware of the attack.

31st – At 0900 hours the Fleet arrived in the Clyde off Greenock. Whilst off Greenock the CinC Home Fleet was visited by the First Sea Lord, Winston Churchill, Admiral of the Fleet, Sir Dudley Pound and the Deputy Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sir Richard Peirse.

The discussion that took place on board NELSON was about the provision of air defence and anti-submarine defences at the fleet bases.

HMS Nelson (Forward)... with HMS Rodney off her port side stern (undated)

What appears in both the Nelson's and U-56 logs confirms that three torpedoes were fired and all three were duds. It is also undisputed that Churchill, Pound and Peirse were aboard Nelson on the 31st.

Many have speculated that Nelson's logs (written at the time) deliberately omitted the fact that all three senior military leaders were in fact aboard on the 30th as well and could have been lost had the German torpedoes detonated.

It is hard to imagine World War II Britain WITHOUT Churchill's leadership. If he had been lost in October of 1939,

About the author. Paul McBride is a former Marine Officer and the Founder and President of American Military Society Press. You can contact him at [email protected]

This article originally appeared on the amsp1775.com website on October 30, 2019?