ORP Kujawiak in the Operation Harpoon

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greendragon
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Joined: Sat Sep 14, 2019 6:16 am

ORP Kujawiak in the Operation Harpoon

Unread post by greendragon »

Polish Navy , must be said tiny complement of (actually all of them combatant) ships was employed to different tasks by HM Admiralty equal to their own HM ships.
Some of the missions later became famous, much more sort of routine.
Operation Harpoon in which weaker forces of the British - and one Polish- destroyers fought a battle in defense of a Malta supply WS19 convoy was one of them.

ORP Kujawiak was commissioned under Polish flag on the 30th May 1941 and had had before intensive duties in escorting coastal convoys as well as taking part in operation Anklet - seizure of the Lofoten islands.
On the 04 June 1942 the 12th DF ( four Hunts, including Kujawiak) joined Force X and was escorting six merchants heading for Malta.

Before being mined and sunk at the gate of (relatively) safe Malta base ORP Kujawiak was part of the close escort of the convoy.
There were four Hunts led by HMS Cairo one of them the Polish ship.
In the gunnery phase of the battle HMS Cairo (flag) and the Hunts stayed with the convoy in order to protect it from aerial attacks making also smoke to hide the merchants which were within the range of the Italian cruisers and destroyers .

The Italians were shortening the range from initial sighting of 17 000 yds to distance 14 000 yds and ORP Kujawiak fired six salvos aiming at the left cruiser.
In fact as taken from the Italian sources her target was destroyer Vivaldi. During the exchange of fire ORP Kujawiak avoided by maneuver one of the torpedoes fired by the Italian destroyer Malocello .
When the range increased to 17 000 yds the British and Polish ships ceased firing in order to spare ammunition to engage bigger Italian ships.

At 0900hrs the close escort supported by the three HM fleet destroyers returned to convoy to protect it against continued aerial attacks.

tbc

gd
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jbryce1437
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Joined: Sun Aug 05, 2018 7:28 pm
Location: Roker, Sunderland

Re: ORP Kujawiak in the Operation Harpoon

Unread post by jbryce1437 »

Sterling work by the Polish Navy GD

Jim
HMS Raleigh 1963 , HMS Collingwood 1963 & 67 , HMS Ark Royal 1964-7, HMS Undaunted 1968-71, HMS Victory (Fleet Maintenance Group) 1971-72, HMS Exmouth 1972-74
JEM, EM, OEM, LOEM, POOEL
Then 28 years in the Fire Brigade
Retired since 2002
greendragon
Posts: 179
Joined: Sat Sep 14, 2019 6:16 am

Re: ORP Kujawiak in the Operation Harpoon

Unread post by greendragon »

At 2240hrs on the signal of SO/D on HMS Marne the destroyers formed "single line ahead" and kept "open order" - distance between the ships 2 cables.
ORP Kujawiak was last and followed HMS Ithuriel.
While on the course 322deg at 0041hrs signal was received that HMS Badsworth was mined and was damaged.
HMS ithuriel turned right leaving HMS Badsworth on his port side .ORP Kujawiak followed precisely the wake of Ithuriel and going by the Badsworth which was stopped asked if this ship needed any assistance. Badsworth replied "yes, we have 120 survivors on the deck"
And at 0053hrs Kujawiak hit a mine which exploded under the X gun mount.
The ship immediately listed to port and it was increasing fast.

At 0108hrs when ship listed to 35 deg Kujawiak CO LTCDR Lichodziejewski ordered abandon the ship.
At 0120hrs the ship went under water stern first.
HMS Blankney returned and launched her motor boat under command of LT P.E. Griffiths, RN.
Blankney under command of LTCDR P.F. Powlett was the first ship which commenced rescue operation of the Kujawiak crew.
HMS Hebe the minesweeper and three MLs joined the rescue operation .
Lichodziejewski reported that quick and brave action of LTCDR Powlett saved lifes of many Polish seamen who were in sea and were not good swimmers.
SubLT Sidney G. Venner in "the best tradition of he HM Navy" jumped into sea in uniform and saved life of one of the drowning Polish seamen.
Both officers Powlett and Venner were awarded with Polish Cross of Gallantry (important award for the PL Armed forces) for their actions.
Thirteen of the crew perished , most of them POs who were in their compartments when mine exploded underneath, seven were wounded two of them seriously.

During his short life of 382 days under Polish flag ORP Kujawiak sailed 32 000NM , took part in 5 operations, 11 patrols, escorted 4 ocean and 69 coastal convoys, shot down one a/c and a number of probables.
Unfortunately in the friendly fire accident the ship gunners shot down on the 02MAR 1942 British Sunderland aircraft.

gd
greendragon
Posts: 179
Joined: Sat Sep 14, 2019 6:16 am

Re: ORP Kujawiak in the Operation Harpoon

Unread post by greendragon »

There is an ultimate source of information which is Operation Harpoon, Report of Proceedings of Passage of force X and convoy to Malta on 14th and 15th June 1942.
It was made by Captain C.C. Hardy RN, Senior Officer , Force X.
It says that Blankney division (Hunts) two times engaged two Italian destroyers which were closing range to convoy.
The report clearly shows how active was defense of the convoy and all the considerations CPT Hardy had to consider .

Strange the report has no information about loss of ORP Kujawiak and damages to Badsworth made by floating mines at the roads to Malta

Among the vessels which were working on rescuing the crew of ORP Kujawiak a credit should be delivered also to a crew of "Malta port rowing boat".

LTCDR Lichodziejewski made all efforts to have his crew being evacuated quick from Malta. He succeeded and on the decks of different HM ships (incl HMS Argus) they landed in Greenock and Scapa on the 23rd and 24th of June respectively.

LTCDR Ludwik Lichodziejewski fought all the war on decks of Polish destroyers as XO and CO.
Had a look on LTCDR Powlett, RN career .
Very distinctive service.
His destroyer HMS Cassandra was hit by an uboat torpedo, lost the whole bows up to the B gun mount with the loss of 62 of her crew.

gd
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