- HMS Bittern (L07)
HMS "Bittern" was a "Bittern" class
sloop of theRoyal Navy . She was laid down on27 August 1936 byJ. Samuel White , ofCowes ,Isle of Wight and launched on14 July 1937.She served in Home waters and off the coast of
Norway during theSecond World War . She took part in the ill-fatedNamsos Campaign of 1940, where she was used to defend alliedtroop ship s entering and leavingNamsos harbour from submarine attacks. The harbour came under regular air attack by theLuftwaffe , and on30 April , "Bittern" was spotted and mistaken for an allied cruiser by a squadron ofJunkers Ju 87 dive bombers. "Bittern" came under repeated attack from 0700 hours onwards. She was hit repeatedly and severely damaged, being set on fire. Nearby allied ships came alongside and took the survivors off. When this had been completed, "Bittern" was sunk with gunfire from HMS "Carlisle".References
*Colledge
* [http://www.uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/3908.html HMS Bittern at Uboat.net]
* [http://www.royal-naval-reserve.co.uk/namsen-fjord/reports2.htm A report on the situation in Namsen Fjord that day]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.