The Sinking of HMS Auckland
off Tobruk
August 2000
The sloops HMS Auckland and HMAS Parramatta escorted the small coastal
oiler, the "Pass of Balmaha" to besieged Tobruk. On making the final run
into harbour in late afternoon, the convoy was attacked by
German ju88 (Stuka divebombers) and Italian S79s.
 During the attack the Auckland was sunk and the amateur photograph of
the sinking taken from Parramatta, is one of the most dramatic taken
during the Mediterranean war.
The most famous naval photograph of the war is the sinking of the
battleship HMS Barham, I witnessed. Many photographs were taken from the
many ships present, including a movie taken by an offical naval
photographer. This film has been used by many countries. It is probably
the most famous movie naval war sequence of the war ever taken. It has
been used whether concerning the incident or not, which annoys us naval
vets who were present.
[See larger version of above picture]
Other famous photographs in the Med are: HMS Kipling of the 14th
Destroyer Flotilla, exiting a smoke screen in rough weather to carry out
a daring torpedo attack on the Italian fleet in the Battle of Sirte on
22 March, 1942 (called the most brilliant action of the war by
Command-in-Chief Admiral Cunningham); the aircraft carrier HMS Ark
Royal, keeling over before she sank, hit by one German torpedo, within
sight of Gibralter; the fast well-armed freighter "Dorset" steaming
through the spray of several near-misses around her on a Malta convoy.
She was unforunately sunk by air
attack in the Malta approaches. Also a similar picture of the aircraft
carrier HMS Illustrious being bombed near Malta.
At 1736 hours on 24 June 1941, close to Tobruk, Auckland (so named
because she was slated for New Zealand navy), Parramatta and the Pass of
Balmaha were set upon by 48 German stukas in three formations. Two
formations attacked Auckland and one on the other ships.
Auckland was immediately hit. Her stern was blown off, probably by a
bomb setting of her depth charges and she was set on fire aft and
listing seriously to port. She was stopped and preparing to abandon
ship. The other two ships were not touched.
Another attack started at 1829 hours and while this was going on a huge
internal explosion in the Auckland occured, probably in the boiler room,
shaking the ship and throwing her upwards. Her back broke with an
opening down her starboard side and she quickly sank.
Her captain, Commander M.S. Thomas, was thrown off the bridge and
landed 50 yards away in the sea. 35 of her crew were lost, 50 wounded
and the rest, from a complement of 200, survived.
Auckland is famous for her signal in the Norwegian campaign
in April 1940. It was "bombed again, have shot him down." It was quoted
by Winston Churchill in the House of Commons and quoted in the British
press. The Pass of Balmaha, got into Tobruk and
unloaded its precious cargo.
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