Vian accepted responsibility for HMS Afridi's loss

Afridi used destroyer gunfire to support British troops in Norwegian fjords where the army lacked comparable artillery, then helped with evacuation work. When a Stuka attacked from starboard, the ship turned toward it to make the dive more difficult. A second aircraft approached from port, but Vian rejected reversing the rudder because he feared the ship would steady just as the bombs arrived. Two bombs struck around the bridge, causing fire and flooding while survivors from Bison were still embarked. Vian regarded his decision to continue the turn as fatal. His account records the rescuers' efforts and the loss of 49 officers and men, 13 soldiers, and more than 30 Bison survivors. He accepted responsibility for the decision and its consequences.