Attack at Dawn quotes an account of the discussion after the British destroyers came out of Narvik harbour for the second time. The officers did not know how much damage they had inflicted or what German forces remained because hostile gunfire had ceased early in the attack. They reasoned that withdrawing in the face of no opposition would waste the opportunity, while any small surviving force might still be eliminated. Against that, they considered the danger of enemy torpedoes, estimating that many had already been fired, while HMS Hostile had yet to use its own torpedoes. The account captures a tactical decision made with incomplete observations and rough estimates of enemy ammunition. It also shows how recent success could push officers toward a further attack while command responsibility remained with Warburton-Lee.
Notable Point · 11:21-13:01
Why the destroyers considered returning to Narvik harbour
The quoted officers’ discussion reconstructs a decision under uncertainty: enemy strength and damage were unknown, gunfire had stopped, and the destroyers had to weigh another attack against the torpedo danger.