HMS Ardent (H41) - Final Battle

Final Battle

Ardent was detached from Ark Royal on 8 June, and joined Acasta in escorting Glorious back to Scapa Flow. En route, the three ships were discovered by the German warships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. Ardent and Acasta laid a protective smokescreen to hide the British ships, and engaged the German ships with her 4.7 in (120 mm) main armament, which proved to be ineffective at the range of the targets. Despite coming under heavy fire from the much larger guns of the Germans, Ardent carried out a torpedo attack. She managed to score a single hit with her 4.7 in (120 mm) gun, but was struck repeatedly by enemy shells. Ardent eventually capsized with the loss of 10 officers and 142 ratings. Acasta and Glorious were also sunk in the engagement. Only two of Ardent's survivors remained to be picked up by a German seaplane five days after the sinking. One of the two later died from exposure, leaving AB Roger Hooke, who crewed 'X' Gun, as Ardent's only survivor. Hooke was eventually repatriated to Britain in 1943 on account of ill health.