Survivors of the Scharnhorst

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Dear Mick,
So glad you shared this information about Helmut Boekhoff. Did he ever speak of where he was sent as P.O.W,
Canada,or the U.S.A.? and if he was sent back to Germany after the war, prior to his choosing to settle in Britain ?
I recall seeing him in several photographs of meetings of the Scharnhorst Survivors association, when they came
to Great Britain and also in the interview he had with Sir Ludovic Kennedy, which I believe can be viewed on U-Tube.

Lance

 

With much time on my hands at present, I have been able to do a little more research on my Father's
meeting with Winston Churchill, when Mr Churchill asked my Father what the survivors had been
given to eat, whilst on board H.M.S. Duke of York. I have recently been in receipt of a copy of
Churchill's engagement diary for January 1944. The Survivors from Scharnhorst arrived at Latimer
House for interrogation London Camp no 1. on January 3rd, 1944, Churchill's diary had
no inclusion of the arrival of the survivors. However on January 19th. 1944 ,Churchill had Mr John
Winant [U.S. ambassador to Britain during WW2] Adm. Sir Bruce Fraser [C.inC. Battle of the North
Cape] together with Sir Archibald Clerk Kerr, [H.M.Ambassador to Moscow] to dine at 8.30pm.
The American Ambassador Mr Winant had a residence within the grounds of Latimer House, and
Mr Churchill spent much time at Latimer House, There is a strong possibility that my Father may
have been tasked with guarding Adm. Sir Bruce Fraser, whilst attending this dinner, and where he
was in conversation with Mr Churchill.
Sir Archibald Clerk Kerr, was a man with a dry sense of humour, and famous for a letter he wrote
to Lord Pembroke at the Foreign Office on the 6th April 1943. regarding a new Turkish colleague.
A copy of the letter can be found by searching Sir Archibald Clerk Kerr letter. The content is
somewhat risque.

Lance Shippey.

 

About 1989 an older gentleman with an English accent came into my work. He was wearing a hat with a Kriegsmarine High Seas Badge. I like to collect miltary badges and inquired as to how he came to own it. He told me that he served in the British navy during WW2 and that they had sunk a German Battle Crusier north of Scapa Flow and had taken it from one of the surviors.Because of my interest he offered it to me and I accepted. After researching I can find that the Scharnhorst was the only Capital Ship of the German Kriegsmarine to be sunk in these waters. Thought I would share, The picture although not of the badge I have, it is exactly the same

 

Dear Richard.
Thanks for sharing this, A little more information you may be interested in.
The High Seas Fleet Badge, or Flotten Kriegsabzeichen was awarded from
30th April 1941 on the instruction of Grossadmiral Dr, Erich Raeder to crews
of Battleships Bismark, Tirpitz, Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. Scharnhorst was
considered a Battleship rather than a Battlecruiser by the Krieegsmarine
The awarded badge was issued to ALL crew of the Scharnhorst. The badge
was also awarded Posthumously Most badges were awarded Posthumously
to crew of the Bismark. No badges were awarded to the Graf Spee crew
interned in Uruguay
The Badge was made from Tomak [Bronze](Buntmetal) until 1943, and then
from 1943 from Zinc. The largest producer was the company Adolf Bock, On
the pin side [backside] of the badge should be FEC Adolf Bock Ausf.. Schwerin
Berlin. It came with a certificate and case. It should have been worn on the left
breastside, and if the recipient had been awarded an Iron Cross 1st Class, It
should have been worn under the Iron Cross, There are quite a few of these
badges finding there way to German, and European auction houses. The
value differs. Euros150-500, but with certificate and box can reach over Euro1000.

The Gentleman that sold you the badge, and said he was in the R.N. on the Ship
that sank the Scharnhorst In my view, could have been serving on HMS Matchless,
or HMS Scorpion, but more than likely HMS Duke of York. Matchless and Scorpion
rescued the 36 survivors. then transferred the 36 survivors to HMS Duke of York.
I would think that the Gentleman was crew of Duke of York, however It was the
Royal Marines, whom were in charge of the survivors, and more likely to have
been given a gift from a survivor.The survivors were stripped naked, and put under
hot showers, to warm them up when rescued by HMS Matchless, and HMS Scorpion
I am not sure what happened tho their German naval uniforms. There were given
Merchant Navy clothing when transferred to the Duke of York. I don't think the
survivors would be carrying the badge, apart from on their uniform.

My Father was one of the 6 Royal Marines on the Duke of York. charged to guard
the survivors on Duke of York, and their journey from Scapa Flow to their interrogation
at Latimer House near Amersham [England] My father was given a watch, possibly
by survivor Johnny Merkle, which did not function. Not surprising, when submerged
in the freezing waters of the Barents Sea. On arrival at Scapa Flow, the 36 survivors
were accommodated for one night on the Iron Duke, a residential ship, before their
journey by rail from the Scottish mainland to Latimer House. German survivor "Kruse"
wrote in his memoirs "Treated Royally, and no Thefts" It is a little unusual that the
gentleman saying he was on the ship that sank the Scharnhorst North of Scapa Flow.
and didn't refer to the "Battle of the North Cape".

Thanks again, Richard for your information about the High Seas Fleet Badge.
I was not aware that ALL the crew of Scharnhorst were awarded. until researching a couple
of German language websites.Of the 1968 crew members from the Scharnhorst 1932
were either killed during the Battle of the North Cape, or died in the freezing waters of
the Barents Sea. There must have been considerable Posthumous badges for the cadets
who joined Scharnhorst on Christmas day 1943,

Lance Shippey


.

 

Britain's largest P.O.W. camp recently discovered.
Hidden under Forest and Moss near the city of Sheffield,
LODGE MOOR has recently been unearthed, together
with documents from WW1 and WW2.
In 1944 there were up to 11,000 German, Italian and
Ukrainian p.o.w.s at Lodge Moor. however perhaps the
most interesting prisoner was on 04th October 1918
just before WW! ended on 11th November 1918.
U-Boot 68 in the waters of the Mediterranean Sea, became
damaged, the crew were captured and brought to Lodge
Moor. Amongst the prisoners from U-68 was Karl Doenitz.
He spent six weeks at Lodge Moor, before being transferred
to Wythenshawe hospital {nowadays near Manchester Airport)
due to Doenitz claiming he had mental health problems.
(This would have helped him to avoid being tried for war crimes.)
News of the discovery of the camp has been given by Sheffield
University. You can find more information about Lodge Moor
by searching. Lodge Moor P.O.W. Camp ,or Lodge Moor
Kriegsgefangenenlager for German Language websites.

Lance Shippey

 

Scharnhorst Crew Losses.
Apart from the 1932 soles lost after the sinking of the Scharnhorst
on 26th December 1943 in the freezing waters of the Barents Sea,
Scharnhorst was no stranger to the loss of life amongst her crew.
8th. June 1940,"Operation Paul" Scharnhorst, and sister Gneisenau
were involved in a sea battle with British carrier HMS Glorious, and
two escort destroyers HMS Ardent, and HMS Acasta, HMS Glorious
was known as "Not a Happy Ship" and had requested to leave the
convoy, and return to Scapa Flow. Neither HMS Acasta, nor HMS
Ardent were fittle with radar. and HMS Glorious had no look out in
the crows nest. The three British vessels came as a surprise to the
two German battleships, Scharnhorst was under the command of
Kaptn zur see Friedrich Huffmeier.. He was known as a walking
disaster, and not popular with his men, due to his strict allegiance
to the "Party". He would take up a posting in Guernsey, Channel
Islands, and would be arrested on May 1945, and imprisoned
Special camp 11, with was known as "Island Farm" p.o.w. camp at
Bridgend, South Wales.. Scharnhorst at 16,30 hrs The third salvo
hit was a distance of 24 kms., considered the greatest hit distance
on a moving ship in WW2. HMS Acasta launched torpedoes, of which
one hit Scharnhorst. killing 48 crew.( 2x Officers, 48x sailors.).
HMS Glorious, HMS Ardent, and HMS Acasta were all sunk with a
loss of life of 1519 soles.

On April 4th 1943, an explosion below deck in "Department 111, a
storage room on Scharnhorst killed 17 men. This is thought to have
been an act of sabotage in Gotenhafen, during repairs to the ship.

Operation Paul, and the sinking of HMS Glorious, Ardent, and Acasta
have been very controversial. There are very interesting comments
on an aviation website which is very worthwhile taking a look at.
PPRuNe HMS Glorious and Operation Paul.
There is also an very interesting account of the battle, which is a little
difficult to locate, but possible by searching in German ,
Versenkung HMS Glorious. (77). Click on to the Wikipedia website in
GERMAN, go to the bottom of the pages, and click on The loss of HMS
Glorious by Captain V.W. Howland. (This is in English)

Lance Shippey.
.

 

Great stuff as usuaĺ, Lance!

I have a lot more on ddr but çertain persons want me and Finlañd out. I know why but i will call Simo Häyhä to take care of it.

 

Dear Kai-Petri.
Great to hear from you. Is there a son of Simo,? as Snr passed away 2002.
aged 96. Please let me know is you want any assistance. I am able to release
all my details to every British News agency and TV station, should you have
any further problems. As Linda Tocci, the daughter of Johnny Merkle told me.
"History is written by the Victor" It is important to me that history is written by
those who lived through it, and that goes for Scharnhorst, and the DDR. We
more often than not blindly accept the miserable accounts fed to us by those.
who are protecting their own asses Even more so over the past 10 months of
Hell.
kai-Petri, let me know of any further problems.

Lance..

 

DDR is not a very popular item. So having the discussion we had is like a fresh blow of air you know. And you have so much info I am amazed.

Cheers Lance

 

Hi Kai-Petri.
I see that your logo has changed from a tank to an elderly chap showing off an iron cross.
What was the reason for the change ?
Lance

 

Hi Lance forgive me for the very late response, for some reason I completely lost this forum and only found it when my memory was jogged about Helmut recently. Unfortunately I don't recall him ever talking about his war days too much other than one conversation in the works canteen where the lads were discussing relatives that had been on various ships during the war (most were from Portsmouth so from Naval families). I remember one lad talking about a grandad lost on - I believe the Hood ? - when Helmut started chuckling quietly, it all went a little quiet then someone asked what was so funny, he just smiled and said "I was on the Scharnhorst, we sunk that ship". It wasn't well received at the time but I don't recall anyone thinking the worst of him, or holding any grudge. I just remember him as a really nice fellow who looked out for me when I was a newbie out there. I'm sorry I can't be of more help, but it was 37 years ago now

 

Dear Mick,
Thanks for the story. I recently learned that his granddaughter is living near Manchester. A new book had just been released entitled "The Mystery of Operation Alphabet"
by Elaine Merrikin Trimlett Glover. (ISBN 978-139844-961-9) It addresses the sinking of HMS Glorious, Acasta, and Ardent, on 8th June 1940 by Scharnhorst and Gneisenau.. Elaine's Grandfather was a stoker first class on board HMS Acasta. Scharnhorst was sunk 26th December 1946.

Lance