The Hunt for Battleship Tirpitz

The Hunt for Battleship Tirpitz:?It is September 1943. Captain Hans Meyer of the mighty battleship Tirpitz, stationed in the heavily defended Karfjord, was tasked with safeguarding the pride of the German fleet against constant British air raids. As dawn broke on September 22nd, Meyer's vigilance was tested when a British midget submarine, X-6, breached the defenses around his ship. Initially mistaking it for a harmless porpoise, Meyer's crew soon realized the danger as they realized it was, in fact, a submarine.?

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Bullets pierced the air as the tense standoff ensued. The submarine crew knew there was no escape, however, and decided to surrender. Captain Meyer ordered the capture of the intruders, believing the crisis averted. Yet, unbeknownst to them, this wasn't the only midget submarine sailing towards the Tirpitz that night. And underneath the hull, the timer on the charges planted by the British ticked towards certain destruction. In 1933, Hitler's ascent to power led to a reinvigoration of the German military, with particular emphasis on the Luftwaffe and Heer. However, Hitler's ambitions extended to the creation of a powerful German fleet, posing a direct threat to Britain's mighty Royal Navy.?

The super battleship Tirpitz, launched in 1939, represented a great threat to Allied shipping routes. At the time, together with its sister ship Bismarck, it was the largest battleship in Europe. Tirpitz was part of a much larger plan. Hitler's authorisation of Plan Z just two months before the launch aimed to expand the Kriegsmarine to challenge Britain's naval supremacy by 1948. This ambitious plan called for a fleet centered on ten battleships and four aircraft carriers, along with long-range cruisers and U-boats.?

However, the outbreak of war in September 1939 hindered the Kriegsmarine's progress toward achieving the plan's objectives. At the time of the British declaration of war, the Kriegsmarine possessed only a fraction of the envisioned fleet, with three pocket battleships, two cruisers, about three dozen destroyers, and 57 submarines, and the battleships Tirpitz and Bismarck. and 57 submarines, and the battleships Tirpitz and Bismarck. These two Bismarck-class battleships were developed by the Kriegsmarine in response to French naval expansion, particularly the Richelieu-class battleships.?

Constructed during the mid-1930s, they were initially designed to adhere to the 35,000 long-ton limit imposed by the Washington Naval Treaty. However, both ships exceeded this limit significantly, with Tirpitz displacing 42,900 tons as built and 52,600 tons fully loaded, with a complement of up to 2,500 sailors and 108 officers. Tirpitz was equipped with an imposing armament, including eight 15-inch guns arranged in four twin turrets, with a range of up to 36 kilometers, along with a secondary armament of 12 5.9-inch guns, 16 4-inch guns, and 58 anti-aircraft guns.?

Additionally, eight torpedo tubes were installed after 1942. The battleship featured advanced radar systems for search purposes, as well as a Würzburg fire control radar for targeting. To ensure aerial reconnaissance, there were four Arado R-196 seaplanes on board, carrying machine guns and one bomb. Tirpitz boasted strong armor protection, while its propulsion system consisted of three steam turbines driving screw propellers, providing a maximum speed of 30.8 knots.

?In 1939, the war broke out with Germany and the Soviet Union invading Poland. The following year, in April, German troops swiftly invaded Norway and occupied key cities. The importance of Norway's naval bases became evident following Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941, as the Allied powers fired up Arctic supply convoys to bolster the Red Army's defenses. The loss of battleship Bismarck in May 1941 made Tirpitz the Kriegsmarine's sole battleship, drawing Allied attention.?

While Tirpitz faced bombing raids during construction, it remained largely unscathed until entering active service in January 1942. Hitler ordered Tirpitz to Norwegian waters to defend against potential Allied invasion and disrupt the Arctic convoys supplying the Soviet Union. She sailed for Trondheim in January 1942. Nearly immediately, a bombing raid with 27 heavy bombers was launched from Lossimuth. However, the planes failed to locate the battleship and didn't damage her.?

Tirpitz set sail on March 6th to intercept Allied convoys PQ-12 and QP-8 in the Arctic. Lack of clear intelligence led to a fruitless search, frustrating the Germans. Three days later, the British Fleet Air Arm launched an airstrike against Tirpitz.?

Despite heavy flak, the albacores approached for the attack. However, due to various factors including weather and an intelligence gap, none of the torpedoes hit Tirpitz. By mid-1942, the mere presence of Tirpitz dominated the Norwegian fjords, holding the British Royal Navy at bay and restricting vital convoy routes to the Soviet Union.?

Despite immense firepower, Tirpitz remained largely inactive, serving as a fleet in being to tie down Allied resources. The Allies suffered constant setbacks, with multiple bombing raids failing to damage the battleship. However, the biggest disaster of all was the destruction of Convoy PQ-17, where nearly three dozen Allied merchant ships dispersed as they feared running into the Tirpitz, only to be ambushed by U-boats and aircraft.

?It became one of the most significant naval losses for the Allies during the war. In October, an attempt to sink Tirpitz with chariot torpedoes failed. Tirpitz's only active engagement was in September, when she bombarded Spitsbergen, achieving success as a German landing party, and captured the naval base.

?In late February, Captain Topp was promoted to Vice Admiral, and was replaced by Meyer once again. Meanwhile, Winston Churchill prioritized destroying the Tirpitz, leading to the development of X-Craft submarines armed with detachable explosive charges, four tons of Ametex high explosives.?

The development process was challenging due to the cramped interiors and required specially trained crews. They were substantially larger than the chariot-manned torpedoes. Typically towed by a larger mother submarine to their operation area, the X-Craft had a passage crew on board for transit, with the operational crew transferred by dinghy when nearing the target.?

With a range limited by crew endurance, the X-Craft could operate for up to 14 days or cover approximately 1,100 kilometers surfaced and 150 kilometers submerged. To evade detection, they were equipped with electromagnets, sonar, and a periscope. After months of logistical and operational obstacles to overcome, Operation Source, the plan to sink the Tirpitz, commenced in June 1943. After brief and intense training in Scotland, a select crew of sailors were ready for their mission. the crew of sailors were ready for their mission.?

The operation involved submarines rendezvousing near the Shetland Islands before navigating independently through Altafjord to lay charges beneath the enemy ships. On their way, there were setbacks like equipment failures and mechanical issues. The X-9 disappeared kilometers from the Norwegian coast four days before their arrival.?

All men on board died. X-10 and X-8 were scuttled from the Norwegian coast because of mechanical failures and its inability to return home. As dusk fell on September 20th, the remaining X-craft surfaced and detached from their tow lines, proceeding independently, passing through a German minefield.?

They navigated with caution, finally emerging safely before dawn. Their passage continued through Stjernsund into the Altenfjord on September 21, encountering distant sightings of German warships. The Tirpitz, stationed at the end of Barbrudel and Bay in the Karfjord, was heavily fortified with torpedo nets surrounding her mooring. The narrow entrance to the fjord, guarded by booms and patrol boats equipped with hydrophones, posed a significant challenge for the X-Craft.?

The plan stipulated that no attacks were to occur before 1am on September 22nd, allowing time for all X-Craft to reach their targets. X, 5, 6, and 7 coordinated to approach the Tirpitz between 5 AM and 8 AM, aiming to set their charges to detonate at 8.30 AM. Intelligence underestimated the complexity of the defenses, particularly an additional net beneath the visible ones. As dawn approached, Lieutenant Donald Cameron led X-6 toward their target, navigating past the fjord's strong defences. His approach through the boom gate went unnoticed.

?As X-6 pressed forward toward its target, the midget submarine navigated through a dense concentration of enemy vessels and depth charges. With the tanker and destroyers blocking their path to the tirpitz, Cameron calculated a risky course to slip past undetected. However, the incessant noise of the submarine's trim pumps threatened to betray their presence to German hydrophone operators.?

X6 was faced with a flooded periscope and had to rely on a secondary search periscope. The approach took longer than anticipated. Blind, X6 dove to 20 meters and headed towards the open gate in the nets, sneaking through the gate undetected. Cameron's bold decision, albeit nerve-wracking, enabled their entry into the car fjord.?

Then a malfunction ignited a fire, enveloping the compartment in smoke. With mechanical failures, the risk of being detected, and the deadline for the attack approaching, the crew was worried about their isolation and the unknown fate of their fellow X-Craft. Meanwhile, X-7, led by Lieutenant Godfrey Place, opted for a dramatic entry. After leaving Bratholme around midnight, they arrived at the Auskirner's boom by 3am, waiting for sufficient light before proceeding towards the open gate at Hemmerluft.?

Benefiting from the passage of a trawler, they submerged beneath its wake. However, they became entangled in anti-torpedo nets, necessitating a half-hour struggle to break free before continuing towards their target. Despite technical issues, including a faulty gyro compass and trimming pump, place persisted, finally sighting Tirpitz at 5.45 am.?

X-5's approach remains unknown, but they likely navigated the boom similarly to the other midget submarines. Approaching the battleship, X-6 briefly ran aground but evaded detection, mistaken for a porpoise. Luck seemed to favour them until they struck a submerged rock.?

The hit and ensuing damage forced them to the surface. Though initially mistaken for a false alarm again, the crew's presence soon sparked confusion aboard the battleship. Realising what was happening, officers aboard the Tirpitz ordered their sailors to open fire. As bullets rained around them, Cameron dove and blindly maneuvered toward the Tirpitz's shadow, becoming entangled but managing to release the charges near B turret. Realizing escape was impossible, the submarine resurfaced.?

The crew destroyed their documents and surrendered. They were taken aboard, while they were fully aware the timer of the charges stuck on the battleship was slowly counting down. As they were taken aboard the Tirpitz, the crew, exhausted and uncertain of their fate, surprised the Germans with a salute. Under Captain Hans Meyer's orders, they were treated with coffee and schnapps. Meanwhile, places X-7 had been ensnared in nets around the Lutzo and later the Tirpitz. Places craft surfaced, damaged and disoriented.?

However, luck was on his side as he inadvertently found an opening in the nets and approached the Tirpitz undetected, placing charges beneath the bridge and aft turrets. He initiated a timer for each. Meanwhile, aboard the Tirpitz, confusion reigned as the crew grappled with the unexpected presence of X-6's crew. Initially mistaking them for Russians, Captain Meyer grew suspicious, realizing they lacked the demeanor of failed attackers.?

Not even 150 meters away from the Tirpitz, the X-7 was stuck in nets underwater, unable to sail away. Then, at 8.12am, the charges beneath Tirpitz detonated prematurely. The explosions occurred in two near-simultaneous blasts. The first erupted beneath Bruno turret, followed by the fourth charge detonating further aft. The force of the explosions caused the entire ship to oscillate violently as the British prisoners were thrown off their chairs.?

Crew members working on the upper deck were hurled into the air, resulting in injuries and one fatality. The battleship listened to port, with a large hole blown in her side near the bows. Below deck, smoke filled the air from short circuits, and steam escaped from severed pipes. The ship descended into chaos, with doors jammed and hatches slamming shut. Amidst the chaos, the British prisoners feared for their lives as German officers demanded information about additional submarines.?

However, Admiral Oskar Kummertz's arrival diffused the situation, averting potential violence. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Pace ran into serious difficulties after his craft was wrenched clear of the netting by the explosions. Being forced to surface to sail over the nets, his submarine was detected by the Germans. He faced relentless gunfire from Tirpitz.

?Near a gunnery target, place signaled his surrender, but as X-7 sank, three crew members remained trapped inside, with only one managing to escape later. The survivors joined their comrades aboard the Tirpitz, unaware of the damage caused. The fate of X-5, commanded by Lieutenant H. Henty Krier, remains a mystery.?

While believed sunk with all hands, speculation persists that charges were planted before the attack. The controversy continues, fueled by the discovery of X-5's wreck in 2003 without its charges. Despite the cost, six lost submarines, nine killed, and six taken prisoner, the mission was hailed as a victory. Lieutenant Cameron and Lieutenant Place were awarded the Victoria Cross for their roles.?

Cameron died in 1961, while Place retired as a rear admiral and passed away in 1994. The attack on Tirpitz caused severe damage, though not immediately apparent. While the hull remained intact, there was a one-meter hole at the waterline on the port side of the forecastle, and the keel was slightly distorted.?

Rapid flooding occurred in various compartments, including below the engine room and in the steering compartment. The blast lifted tear pits up to six feet out of the water, causing extensive internal damage. Two out of three propeller shafts were buckled, rendering the main engines inoperable, and three of four diesel generators were damaged.?

The turbine casings were cracked, auxiliary machinery was heavily damaged, and the ship was effectively immobilized for several months, with repairs estimated to take at least six months. Above the waterline, gunnery direction equipment and anti-aircraft directors were shattered, and the port rudder was jammed. Additionally, the main armament, the 15-inch gun turrets, sustained extensive damage, rendering them inoperable.?

Repairs commenced in October 1943, but not in a German dockyard. Instead, a steamer with 750 engineers was sent to Kaffjord to repair Tirpitz. Logistical constraints meant these repairs couldn't be completed until March 1944 due to the lack of operational engines. Churchill's desired outcome of neutralizing Tirpitz's threat to Arctic convoys was achieved, as the battleship was effectively incapacitated for an extended period. She remained laid up until April 1944, and never fully regained operational efficiency. Yet the British were already planning for another attack, to neutralize the Tirpitz once and for all.?