antarmike Posted September 17, 2008 Share Posted September 17, 2008 Soviet troops invade Poland. This is a natural consequence of Moscow-Berlin pact signed the month before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antarmike Posted September 17, 2008 Author Share Posted September 17, 2008 The same day sees a German U boat torpedo the Aircraft Carrier HMS Courageous of the Irish coast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antarmike Posted September 17, 2008 Author Share Posted September 17, 2008 Courageous served with the Home Fleet in the Channel Force at the start of World War II. On 17 September 1939, under the command of Captain W. T. Mackaig-Jones, she was on an anti-submarine patrol off the coast of Ireland. Two of her four escorting destroyers had been sent to help a merchant ship under attack. During this time, Courageous was stalked for over two hours by the U-29, commanded by Kapitanleutnant Otto Schuhart. Then Courageous turned into the wind to launch her aircraft. This maneuver put the ship right across the bow of the U-29, which then fired three torpedoes. Two of the torpedoes struck the ship on her port side, and she capsized and sank in 15 minutes with the loss of 518 of her crew, including her captain. She was the first British warship to be lost in the war; the civilian passenger liner Athenia having been sunk two weeks earlier. After an unsuccessful attack on HMS Ark Royal by U-39 on 14 September and the sinking of Courageous, the Royal Navy withdrew its fleet carriers from anti-submarine patrol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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