Quote:
Originally Posted by cyberia
Please do. I have heard the story both as true, and as propaganda, but this is the first time I saw any photo associated with it.
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Paul net provides several very short refers that it happened even another shot of the proud crew.
Myself I'm highly skeptical, This was covered in another forum, and the one good ref against the sinking by a Panzer IV is by m K...... he cites no source however so I'll not link it unless you'd like to see.
However, I did find a British sailors account of the troop rescue by RN Destroyers at the same location and dates, he mentions a fight between the ship and the Panzers, which caused some damage to the ship and drove the Panzers off.
BBC - WW2 People's War - Two Days Before Dunkirk
Based on this and my own knowledge of what 3" to 5" guns can do to land targets, Destroyers in general and what Panzer IV's 7.5cm L24 can do. I would say this was a ruse, maybe to convince the fleeing troops all was lost. It's interesting that, the Germans took no pictures beside the sunk Destroyer since they controlled the port very shortly afterwards. I have yet the find a Royal Navy claim of a lost Destroyer here either.