SCOTLAND: Scapa Flow:



LV Duke of York at anchor. LV Group of men on deck: Admiral and Commanders who commanded ships. SV Frazer speaking. CU Frazer speaking. SV Capt. Bain of H.M.S. Norfolk who introduces himself. SV Commander Meyrick - posing silent for off stage. SCU Meyrick speaks (With hand in coat.) SV Capt. of destroyer Muskateer Commander Fisher silent for off stage. SCU Fisher talking. CU Yeoman of Signals Hartel who introduces himself. SV Vice Admiral Burnett. SCU Burnett speaking.

SOUND EFFECTS.

SV Fraser speaking. "As the Duke of York was converging on the Scharnhorst which was closely followed by our cruisers and as the gloomy Arctic twilight turned into blackness I went down for a moment to my sea cabin and I said to myself 'My staff, my men - are alright ... am I quite sure that I myself shall not fail?' And after a few minutes I returned to the bridge knowing that the battle would be successful."

CU Frazer speaking. "I would like to say one word of thanks to all those men who are continually building improving and bringing our ships up to date. Good luck to you all."

SV Capt. Bain of H.M.S. Norfolk. "I have the honour of being captain of H.M.S. Norfolk. I haven't much to say except that we were the first to sight the enemy, we were the first to open fire, we were the first to hit, and we were the first ship to be hit. And thank God the Scharnhorst was sunk. A grand ending and a very grand crew to be in command of."

SCU Commander Meyrick of destroyer "Savage." At 18.50 under cover of smoke .. the enemy altered course about 90 degrees to the southwards, thereby playing right into our hands as he put himself directly between the two sub divisions or groups of destroyers."

SCU Commander Fisher - of Destroyer Muskateer. "The enemy turned away to the East and we were very jealous of Commander Meyrick's division ... that it was they who caught her up and fired their torpedo and turned her. We were doing long stop at the other end of the pitch and if she had come our way we would have been the lucky ones."

SV Yeoman of Signals Hartel: Duke of York. "I am Chief of Yeoman of Signals Hartel of H.M.S. Duke of York. And my position being on the bridge I had a grand stand view of the whole show and my word, what a show."

SV Vice Admiral Burnett. "As the part the cruisers had to play in this action, was, from my point of view, a fairly simple one, I am glad to say I have certain experience in these waters I knew exactly what our Commander-in-Chief wished us to do."

SCU Burnett speaking. "But to my mind the great feature of the conclusion of the action was the brilliantly gallant attack of the destroyers which finally allowed her down so that the Commander-in-Chief of the Duke of York could finish her off in less time than it would have taken him had he chased him to the eastern for a long time. The cruisers under my command did what I had expected them to do and their conduct was all and more than I could possibly have wished for."

Personalities - Armed Forces; Vox Populi; Navy - Active; Bruce Austen Fraser, Baron Fraser of North Cape (1888-1981)
Background: MISSING SLATE INFORMATION: 'HOW WE SANK THE SCHARNHORST' Admiral Fraser and some of the officers and men under his command give their own accounts of recent action.