[abb]

HMS Glowworm under attack by Admiral Hipper.

[CougarGA7]

That is an incredible picture. I have this to add to the events off of Norway. Admiral Forbes had taken the Fleet to sea yesterday and headed north to disguise its intentions on Norway.

On the 8th, London ordered the First Cruiser Squadron at Rosyth to leave its troops behind and join the Fleet - without telling Forbes until it had been done. Then the cruiser and six destroyers in the Clyde which were to escort the troop-transports waiting there, were ordered to Scapa Flow to back up the Home Fleet. The First Sea Lord, Admiral Pound, thereby made the execution of Plan R4 impossible. Also on the 8th, the Admiralty pulled the minelayers back from the approaches to Narvik, leaving it uncovered, while Forbes sent ships to look for the Glowworm, whos last signals he had heard. The minelaying destroyers were told by London to join the Renown - which had been ordered by Forbes to cover the area they abandoned.

The Atlantic Campaign, Dan Van der Vat, pp 153-153