| Original caption: “Wrecked German shipping in Narvik Bay after the attack by British warships.” This photograph shows Narvik harbor in the few days between the 1st battle of Narvik on April 10 and the 2nd battle on April 13. The harbor is strewn with the wrecks of Kriegsmarine and German merchant ships sunk in the 1st battle. German commanders prepared as best they could for a 2nd attack on the port and 1 destroyer, Z-13 Erich Koeller, which had run aground, was set up as a floating battery. Another ship, Z-17 Diether von Roeder, which had been damaged, was crewed to act as harbor defense. 2 naval battles were fought at Narvik in 1940. This Norwegian port was important to the Germans because it was used to ship out iron ore to supply Nazi Germany. On 9 April the Germans arrived in 10 destroyers and landed 2,000 troops there. The British had laid mines off the entrance to the port only the day before, but had not anticipated a German occupation. In April 1940, Nazi Germany launched Operation Weserübung, a bold and audacious plan to secure strategic footholds in Norway and Denmark. Control of Norway’s ports and fjords was critical for safeguarding iron ore shipments from neutral Sweden, a lifeline for the German war machine. Narvik, with its ice-free harbor and proximity to the Swedish ore fields, became a primary target. On April 9, 1940, the Kriegsmarine arrived in Narvik under the command of Kommodore Friedrich Bonte (October 19, 1896 – April 10, 1940). The destroyer flotilla were confronted by the Norwegian coastal defense ships Eidsvold and Norge, though outmatched, prepared for combat and engaged the German destroyers with remarkable bravery. Both were sunk quickly. The 1st battle of Narvik was initiated by the British Navy, who had orders to prevent the Nazi German landing. Captain Bernard Warburton-Lee (September 13, 1895 – April 10, 1940) commanded a British destroyer flotilla of 5 ships which arrived after they were already established ashore. Luckily, U-boats in the port failed to spot the flotilla. Early morning on April 10, the British 2nd Destroyer Flotilla commanded by Captain Warburton-Lee entered the Ofotfjord. Thanks to bad weather and heavy snowfall, the 5 destroyers led by HMS Hardy managed to reach Narvik unnoticed. The Germans were not expecting the sudden attack, and 2 of the 5 German destroyers anchored in the harbor were torpedoed and sunk, whilst the 3 others were heavily damaged. The British also sunk 6 merchant ships in the crowded harbor. Unbeknown to the British navy, a further 5 destroyers were at anchor in other fjords and these emerged to attack the British flotilla. On the way back toward the mouth of the fjord, the British fleet met the 5 German destroyers that had been placed in the neighboring fjords during the night. 2 of the British destroyers were lost and Warburton-Lee died during the battle. He received the Victoria Cross posthumously. But the Germans had to retreat and make repairs. They were stranded without fuel and a 2nd battle began on 13 April. The 2nd Royal Navy force consisted of the battleship HMS Warspite and 8 destroyers under the command of Vice Admiral Sir William “Jock” Whitworth (June 29, 1884 – October 25, 1973). The Germans had 8 destroyers still in the fjord along with 2 U-boats. The Koellner was torpedoed and sunk. Then Whitworth’s force met the German destroyers Kuinne, Ludemann, Zenker and Armin – destroying all of them. The remaining German destroyers were pursued from fjord to fjord by HMS Eskimo, HMS Bedouin, HMS Forester, HMS Hero and HMS Icarus. The Eskimo was badly damaged by the Theile, which was run aground before capsizing. Of the German forces in Narvik, only U-51 survived by escaping out to sea. The 2nd Naval Battle of Narvik was a decisive victory for the Allies. The entire German destroyer flotilla, out of ammunition and fuel, were scuttled or destroyed by British forces in the fjords around Narvik. HMS Warspite’s firepower proved overwhelming, and the Germans’ remaining naval presence was effectively eliminated. Additionally, the high density of well-preserved shipwrecks scattered across the seabed near Narvik Harbor and the surrounding fjords has made the area a popular destination for wreck diving. These underwater relics offer a unique way to explore the history of Narvik from a submerged perspective. Visitors to Narvik can explore this history through the Narvik War Museum, which houses artifacts, personal accounts, and exhibits that vividly recount the drama of 1940. | |
| Image Filename | wwii0748.jpg |
| Image Size | 212.43 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 1311 x 1866 |
| Photographer | |
| Photographer Title | United Kingdom Official Photographer |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | April 10, 1940 |
| Location | |
| City | Narvik |
| State or Province | Ofoten |
| Country | Norway |
| Archive | Library of Congress |
| Record Number | LC-USZ62-99475 |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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