Forum Marinearchiv

This was the Polish destroyer *Burza*

Regards

Jaap

Hallo Jaap,

Could you possibly share with us the source stating ORP BURZA having been in the cross hairs of U57 on Feb.17, 1940?

From a Pölish friend with a good documentation on ORP-vessels we could learn that:
- on Feb 10th BURZA and BLYSKAWICA were in Harwich were they celebrated Polish Navy Day. GROM was at the time in dockyard in Chatam
- between Feb 12th and 19th BLYSKAWICA was at Harwich (our correspondent has her log for that period)
- on Feb 20th BURZA and BLYSKAWICA sailed from Harwich for a patrol during which at 14.00 BURZA attacked in the approx position 52° N / 02° E an enemy submarine. Both destroyers returned to Harwich on Feb 24th.

If BURZA was the destroyer fired upon by U57 in AN16 (approx.58°39'N 2°12'W) on Feb 17, 1940, then she was about 445nm away from what seems to have been her homeport at the time: Harwich.
BURZA returned to Harwich (date unknown to us) to sail again from there on Feb.20, 1940. The 1400 attack by BURZA on a (unknown) uboat on the 20th is also mentioned in http://www.naval-history.net/xDKWW2-4002-11FEB02.htm (http://www.naval-history.net/xDKWW2-4002-11FEB02.htm).

ORP BURZA registered a lot of mileage in mid Feb 1940 - if she was the destroyer attacked by U57. Alas, our correspondent does not have BURZA's war diary covering the 17th. Therefor we hope to learn more from you about this action and the identification of the attacked destroyer as ORP BURZA.

Thank you in anticipation!

Met vriendelijke groeten,
Frans & Walter

hi,

Just  an idea : Burza had strong resemblance to https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bourrasque-Klasse (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bourrasque-Klasse)

Could it have been an misidentification ?

greetings, Urs

Hallo, boys,

my source was Ubootarchiv.de

Regards,

Jaap

Happy Wed to all,

anyone is aware what was the target of the Feb 17th, 1940 attack by U-57?
HMA provides it as ORP BURZA based on this information - https://www.forum-marinearchiv.de/smf/index.php/topic,28438.msg322716.html#msg322716 - but I was not able to locate the reference on ubootarchiv.de
And pretty much sure BURZA was at Harwich that time - day before CO was changed and between 11th and 19th Polish destroyers were at Harwich.

Any suggestions what might it be?

Both topics are together now.  :-)