Martin Antonenko
A Fixture
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2008
- Messages
- 8,995
The "Scharnhorst" Sinks With 1,930 Men ...
In the Christmas days of 1943 the German battleship "Scharnhorst" operates, which had previously left a Norwegian fjord, where the ship had been hidden against British aerial reconnaissance ...
... in the Barents Sea...:
The aim is to intercept the convoy coming from Great Britain with the tactical number JW 55B, whose 19 cargo ships (most of them from the USA) have extensive war material for the Soviet Union on board and are on their way to Murmansk.
The "Scharnhorst" is supported by a destroyer association, the so-called "Kampfgruppe 1", consisting of the destroyers Z 29, Z 30, Z 33, Z 34 and Z 38 ...:
On board the German battleship is, in addition to the commander, Kapitän zur See Fritz Hintze ...
... also the fleet chief, Konteradmiral Erich Bey, who leads the squadron...:
It is a typical long night in the North Sea and the German ships are dimmed and have their radar switched off.
It is feared that the British have developed a new location method with which they can target German radar!
There are also two British combat groups on the move in the Barents Sea - three light and one heavy cruiser and at least eight destroyers, as well as - as flagship - the battleship "Duke of York" ...
... under the command of Rear Admiral Bruce Fraser ...:
The British are artillery and outnumber the Germans!
On December 26, 1943 around 9:30 am - it is still dark - the "Scharnhorst" sees herself completely surprisingly from the British cruisers "Belfast" ...
..."Norfolk"...
...and "Sheffield"...
... attacked and showered with rapid fire.
A hit destroys the radar antenna of the "Scharnhorst" ...:
After the loss of the main radar, a fight over long distances is impossible for the German battleship - so Rear Admiral Bey orders to withdraw.
During the battle, the "Scharnhorst" is separated from its destroyer combat group, which the battleship cannot find again - and ultimately has to march back without having achieved anything!
**continued nex post**
In the Christmas days of 1943 the German battleship "Scharnhorst" operates, which had previously left a Norwegian fjord, where the ship had been hidden against British aerial reconnaissance ...
... in the Barents Sea...:
The aim is to intercept the convoy coming from Great Britain with the tactical number JW 55B, whose 19 cargo ships (most of them from the USA) have extensive war material for the Soviet Union on board and are on their way to Murmansk.
The "Scharnhorst" is supported by a destroyer association, the so-called "Kampfgruppe 1", consisting of the destroyers Z 29, Z 30, Z 33, Z 34 and Z 38 ...:
On board the German battleship is, in addition to the commander, Kapitän zur See Fritz Hintze ...
... also the fleet chief, Konteradmiral Erich Bey, who leads the squadron...:
It is a typical long night in the North Sea and the German ships are dimmed and have their radar switched off.
It is feared that the British have developed a new location method with which they can target German radar!
There are also two British combat groups on the move in the Barents Sea - three light and one heavy cruiser and at least eight destroyers, as well as - as flagship - the battleship "Duke of York" ...
... under the command of Rear Admiral Bruce Fraser ...:
The British are artillery and outnumber the Germans!
On December 26, 1943 around 9:30 am - it is still dark - the "Scharnhorst" sees herself completely surprisingly from the British cruisers "Belfast" ...
..."Norfolk"...
...and "Sheffield"...
... attacked and showered with rapid fire.
A hit destroys the radar antenna of the "Scharnhorst" ...:
After the loss of the main radar, a fight over long distances is impossible for the German battleship - so Rear Admiral Bey orders to withdraw.
During the battle, the "Scharnhorst" is separated from its destroyer combat group, which the battleship cannot find again - and ultimately has to march back without having achieved anything!
**continued nex post**
