Ron Cope - Doomed Destroyer

Peter Mitchell, the owner of submerged.co.uk sadly passed away since finishing this book. Without Peters cooperation and genuine interest, it would have taken a few more years to complete. He was a career Royal Marine and a highly experienced deep-sea diver. We swopped a few interesting stories over the years. Rest in peace, shipmate.

I would like to give a big thankyou to my publisher Clink Street/Authoright and show my appreciation for all the teams professional efforts in once again producing the task set them.

Thank you to the Imperial War Museum (Collections and Research Department). Audio Recordings for their great online assistance and speedy reply to my regular requests. Code Numbers of audio interviews as below:

Marshal Soult 12207; Sam Evens 11335; Cope 11586; Pulford 10610; Bourton 10746; Cheshire 16304; Robinson 11286; Harris 16792

Another thank you: War Diaries of the German Zerstrers [destroyers] involved in the Battles of Narvik. Archives at the Bundesarchiv-Militarachiv (BA-MA) Freiburg, Germany. As seen below.

RM Nos with initials of the ten German Zerstrers for instance GT 94/95 [Georg Thiele], BvA.94/78, WZ.94/78, 94/80, DvR.94/93, HL94/94, WH.94/95, HK94/99, EK.94/72 and AS.94/100. The contents taken from these documents were kindly translated into English by the distinguished Norwegian author Alf Reidar Jacobsen. Alf allowed me to use some of his first seen photographs.

Another distinguished Norwegian author, Geirr Haarr who in the latter stages of writing the book gave me sound advice and also allowed me to use some of his fantastic photographs. Both were indispensable to round off and filling in gaps for the story.

There were many accounts that enhanced the contents of my book, but one stands out which I felt had to be included. This was by Theodor Broch, who at the time of the Battles of Narvik was the Mayor of Narvik and had his experiences published in the book The Mountains Wait. I was privileged to be given permission from Theodors daughter Siri [nee Broch] to include parts of her fathers book. I would also like to thank Supreme Judge Lars Oftedal Broch for putting me in contact with his sister, Siri.

My sister-in-law, Jacqueline Vickery for her ongoing dedication, to reproofing and correcting errors. Alison, my wife for her patience over the nine years. She can now have her breakfast room and conservatory back.

John Warburton-Lee, Ralph Brigginshaw, (Norway), Trevor Baker for their fantastic support; now considered friends. Tom Currie, who was there from the beginning when I decided to put pen to paper and for his encouragement. Wikipedia (donations made), Leo Styles (Australia), Frank Hackney (Johannesburg)), Warrant Officer Anthony Royle R.N. Retd (grandson of Cyril Cope), Bill and Borg-Anna Sanders, Chris Mitchell at submerged.co.uk, Dr Nik Sifferlinger (Austria), Percy. C. Danby and Victor Wallwork. (Canada)

I was greatly thankful to Frank Hackney and ex pat living in Johannesburg who surprised me with his E Mail stating, I came across these photos and many more from WW2. I was told the collection belonged to a German who was on U-Boats. Are they of interest? They certainly were because they included shots taken shortly after the Battles of Narvik. The Kriegsmarine was Theo Werner Schettler who had settled in the Transvaal area after the war, he was either an official naval photographer or took them on the opportunites his U-Boat surfaced. My appreciation goes to Theo who would never know that his amazing efforts, seventy seven years later would be honoured in a British book.

A special mention must go to all the families and friends who were prepared to provide the accounts of their loved ones.

Barbara Wakeham and Joan Jowitt (Marshal Soults family friend and his sister), Carole Knowles (daughter: John Hague), Robin Ward, Claire Scholfield and Louise Nicholas (family of Captain David Nicholas), Christopher Clark (son of Lt Urling Clark), Barbara Roche (daughter of Harold Siddall) Donald Lancaster (nephew of Lt Peter Lancaster), Yasmin Yassie Duckworth (family of Cyril Holehouse), Lesley Hood-Bourton (daughter of Dougy Bourton), Les Smales, Jose Johnson and Ellen Siddall (daughters of Thomas Daddy Norton). Jill List (Billy Bradfields niece), Norman Bowden (son of Norman Bowden), Shelia and Arthur Horner (Shelia is daughter of Joe Settle), Jim Cook (son of Stan Cookie Cook), John Farrier (nephew of Bill Wallis), Ann Cruistan and Brendan Sheridan (sister and nephew of John Mulhall), David Goodey (son of Albert Goodey), Christine Taylor (Australia granddaughter of Leslie Oliver), Rob Harry (nephew of Jack Tucker), Terry Flannery (son of Captain Surgeon Albert Flannery), Janet Brown (niece of Ginger Turner), Jim Renshaw (son of Stormy Renshaw), Chris Boylan (son of First Officer Christopher Boylan), Shelley Hutton (granddaughter of Guy Hunter), Pat Duffy (son of Joseph Pat Duffy), Gavin Holt (grandson of Alfred Holt), Chris Lane (grandson of George Lane), Jim MacKenzie (grandson of James Smail), Gordon Lees (family friend of George Sutton), Geoff Webber (nephew of Harold Webber), Danny Beckford (grandson of Daniel Beckford), Tony Blundell (great nephew of Nicholas Blundell), Ged Jackson (great nephew of Billy Feddon), Terry Orford (nephew of Ted Orford), plus additional contributions from Daryl Harries, Mike Stanner, Tore Eggan, Denis Darmanin (Malta) John Mizzi (Malta), Petty Officer Daniel Reardon (HMS Warspite) John and Sylvia Cooper, (assisting my book signing events by joining me in their WW2 re-enactment Naval Uniforms). Professor. Robert Moore (University of Liverpool), Bob Lawrence (crewman-Leslie House). Peter Kershaw (son of Stan Jake Kershaw), Nigel Sefton (family member of David Johnson).

Nick Grant at Ian Allan Publishers for giving permission to reproduce quotes from Peter Dickens book.

War and Son.co.uk, warmemories.co.uk, www.bluebird-electric.net 2016, Beachcombings Bizarre History Blog.

National Archives at Kew and Her Majesties Stationary Office. National Maritime Museum, Greenwich. The Imperial War Museum. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Search iwmcollections.org.uk/civilians learningcurve.gov.uk/homefront.kington.keo.mercurytide.com, news.bbc.co.uk

Neville Chipulina (Gibraltar) A History of the Chipulina Family.

Last but not least, the Polish gentleman who saw me at a book signing event in Telford Town Centre Library, for advising me how much the Polish Navy were involved in the Battles of Narvik and others theatres of war. I hope by chance he gets to know about my book, if so make contact through my publisher. This would put my mind at rest.

If I have forgotten anyone, forgive me but by all means make contact and the error can be corrected at a later date. In the meantime, every effort has been made to trace the copyright holders of photographs and illustrations.

This book, similar to my first, Attack at Dawn, is not intended to mislead readers into thinking it is a comprehensive work of naval history. I leave that to those with far more professional qualifications. However, I believe it should be considered as being the first definitive record of accounts brought together from those who were actually involved in the Battles of Narvik.