I Was On Radio For An Hour Today.....

[10ClarionSt]

....in the Bournemouth area, on a station called Hope FM, talking about HM Ships Glorious, Ardent & Acasta. Today is the 78th anniversary of their sinking. I know it's only a small local station but it was nice to see the interest and be able to talk about a little known episode of WW2 which was covered up and still has lots of unanswered questions.

[kvalidir]

Cool do they have listen again feature e could check out?

[10ClarionSt]

Sorry Kv, I don't think they do. I've just checked their website and I can't see a "Listen again" option.

[kvalidir]

That's a shame I'd have listened to that :)

[mushroom25]

the matter of the sinking of these 3 ships was covered by a documentary commissioned for channel 4 called "secret history". the documentary occasioned a debate in parliament in 1999, which you can read about here:-
https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1999/jan/28/hms-glorious

[10ClarionSt]

That debate was led by Alan Beith who asked for the files to be opened and a further inquiry. He was blocked by Tam D'Yel, who was a friend of the Captains' relatives. He opposed it because he said it would cause unjustified embarrassment for the Captains' family. I bet it would. It would have shown what a mistake it was to appoint his first surface ship command to an aircraft carrier, when he had only previously commanded submarines. His tactics in the battle were ridiculed by the Germans, and made it easier for them to sink the Glorious.

[10ClarionSt]

Kv, this is the documentary mentioned by mushroom.



Since this programme aired on Channel 4 in 1997, we now have memorials in place in Malta, Alrewas, Norway and St. Nicholas' Church in HMS Drake, Devonport. We are planning to have one placed in the Belvedere Gardens, just below Plymouth Hoe, overlooking Plymouth Sound.