Sinking of Æger

9 April 1940, Off Stavanger, south-west Norway

Norwegian success, then German; Roda and Æger both sunk

Among the German merchant ships sent ahead of the invasion of Norway, disguised as ordinary traders, was Roda, which had reached Stavanger with the heavy anti-aircraft guns meant to defend Sola airfield once German paratroops had taken it. Early on 9 April the little destroyer Æger was sent to seize her, and when the Germans would not give her up, sank her with gunfire. Soon afterwards German bombers arrived. Æger dodged them for a time, but a 250-kilogram bomb hit her amidships and wrecked her engine room; eight of her crew were killed and the rest got ashore. Sola fell that morning, but without Roda's guns it lay open to the RAF.