Chronology

  1. Royal Navy group is sent out from Plymouth to intercept the German Blockade Runner Munsterland.
  2. The British encounters the German 4th TB Flotilla employed in escorting a small convoy.
  3. HMS Charybdis finds the German ships via radar at 0136 and opens fire with starshell a few minutes later, but the British never visually sight the Germans.
  4. The Germans spot the British, turn away and fire a total of 24 torpedoes.
  5. HMS Charybdis is sunk by two torpedoes from T23 and T27.
  6. HMS Limbourne is crippled by one torpedo from either T22 or T26.
  7. HMS Limbourne is finished off by a torpedo from HMS Rocket.
  8. No German ships are damaged.

British Forces

  • CL Charybdis (flagship)(flagship) (sunk)(sunk)
    Commanding officer: Captain Voelcker
  • DD Grenville
  • DD Rocket
  • DD Limbourne (sunk)(sunk)
  • DD Wensleydale
  • DD Talybont
  • DD Stevenstone

German Forces

4th Torpedo Boat (TB) Flotilla
  • K. Kpt. Kohlauf
  • T23 (flagship)(flagship)
    Commanding officer: Kpt. Lt. W. Weinlig
  • T22
    Commanding officer: Kpt. Lt. Blöse
  • T25
    Commanding officer: K. Kpt. von Gartzen
  • T26
    Commanding officer: Kpt. Lt. Quendenfeldt
  • T27
    Commanding officer: K. Kpt. Verlohr

Sources

  • "Chronology of the War at Sea 1939-1945" by Rohwer & Hummelchen
  • "German Destroyers of WWII" by M.J. Whitley