During a bombardment near Middelkerke, the German Tirpitz battery singled out Marshal Ney at long range. One engine would not start, the helm jammed hard over, and the working engine had to keep running because it powered the compressed-air system. The ship therefore circled helplessly while German 11-inch shells fell nearby. HMS Viking laid funnel smoke to cover the rescue and towed the monitor back toward Dunkirk at roughly twice her normal full speed. The incident shows how machinery defects translated directly into combat danger and dependence on an escort.
Notable Point · 24:07-26:22
Marshal Ney circles under fire from the Tirpitz battery
Engine and steering failures leave Marshal Ney circling under German 11-inch fire until the destroyer Viking covers a tow with smoke and pulls the monitor clear.