This poem is dedicated to the crew of HMS Glowworm, sunk off Norway April 8th 1940 following action against the German Battlecruiser “Admiral Hipper”. Having been badly damaged by shells, the Glowworm rammed the Admiral Hipper causing extensive damage to the battleship. Sadly, the Glowworm sank with 109 men lost and 60 survivors who were picked up by the crew of the Hipper. The German Captain Helmuth Heye recommended the British Captain of the Glowworm be awarded the Victoria Cross and this was awarded posthumously as Commander Broadmead Roope was drowned after the ship sank. One of the crew members that died was my Uncle, Stoker 1st class Wilfred James Findon, aged 22. My father carried his brother’s picture with him all his life.
Out of darkness light,
With lantern black and silver rays,
A Glowworm on the northern ocean,
In those dark and heavy days,
A Maelstrom to ride,
Man, overboard to be found,
Breakaway from the flotilla,
Onward Norway bound,
But danger lurks in the storm.
Bigger fish there are by three,
A clash of David versus Goliath,
On that tumultuous black grey sea,
Torpedoes fired miss their target,
A smoke screen now laid,
Four-inch salvo’s hit home,
And a terrible price is paid,
Men inside their duty done,
The engine room hit hard,
And of his brother killed,
Carried his photo card,
Orders from the bridge,
Standby to ram!
Damage done abaft the anchor,
We don’t give a damn,
Loss of life of many tars,
The Captain tried to save,
And with his David broken in two,
Vanished under a wave,
A common bond between foe’s,
Survivors pulled from the sea,
A Commanders courage duly noted,
Victoria Cross posthumously,
A ship now lies in its grave,
Named to those that fell.
Upon the Southsea memorial,
With time for us to dwell.
James Findon © May 2026.
