Story of Scharnhorst

[Kunal Biswas]

On December 22 1943, German forces discovered a group of transports moving along the Norwegian coast. After long hesitations and intelligence gathering, the Kriegsmarine command was unable to spot the British force screening the convoy, and decided to take the risk and attack.

On December 25 1943, the battleship Scharnhorst, accompanied by the 4th destroyer flotilla with Z-29 as its flagship, took to the sea.

On the morning of December 26, due to a severe storm and mistakes by the German admiral, Scharnhorst was separated from its destroyer escort. The ship stumbled across a British squadron consisting of three cruisers led by HMS Belfast.

The first British salvos took the Germans by complete surprise. Shells from HMS Norfolk knocked out its main radar but Scharnhorst, unwilling to engage cruisers, used its better speed in the stormy conditions to shake off the pursuers, and continued looking for the Allied convoy.

The Vice Admiral Burnett's cruiser squadron returned to protect the transports. Meanwhile, Scharnhorst spent several hours trying to locate the convoy, but without success. Burnett's forces were joined by a destroyer flotilla (HMS Musketeer, HMS Matchless, HMS Opportune, and HMS Virago), but British admirals grew anxious that the enemy might have escaped their trap. However, in the poor weather conditions, the German battleship was effectively blind, while the British radars performed flawlessly. At about 12:00 on December 26, HMS Belfast picked up Scharnhorst on radar again.

In the ensuing skirmish, the battleship gave the British ships a hard time. German 283-mm shells disabled a primary armament turret on HMS Norfolk and inflicted serious damage to its hull. The HMS Sheffield was riddled with heavy shrapnel, while the destroyer Virago was nearly sank after being hit by a salvo from the Scharnhorst's main guns.

 

[Kunal Biswas]

In the ensuing skirmish, the battleship gave the British ships a hard time. German 283-mm shells disabled a primary armament turret on HMS Norfolk and inflicted serious damage to its hull. The HMS Sheffield was riddled with heavy shrapnel, while the destroyer Virago was nearly sank after being hit by a salvo from the Scharnhorst's main guns.

Without knowing it, by engaging cruisers again, Scharnhorst was some 12 to 15 miles away from the convoy. However, Rear Admiral Bey, commanding from the battleship, decided to abort the operation and ordered Scharnhorst and destroyers, which were still vainly looking for the convoy, to turn towards Norway. Burnett's squadron pursued the German battleship at maximum speed maintaining radar contact, but keeping outside its visibility range. Damaged British cruisers fell behind one after another, fighting against the raging storm.

HMS Belfast continued the pursuit alone, constantly transmitting the German ship's position to Admiral Fraser's forces rushing towards the combat area. German destroyers led by Z-29 were too far away and couldn't provide spotting and reconnaissance for their flagship. Meanwhile the Scharnhorst, with it's radar disabled, headed straight into a trap.

Battleship HMS Duke of York, cruiser HMS Jamaica, and four destroyers (HMS Savage, HMS Saumarez, HMS Scorpion, and Norwegian Stord) were quickly approaching on an intercept course. Vice Admiral Fraser on the bridge of the British flagship gave the order to open fire, but only after getting as close to the enemy as possible.

Finally, at 16:47, the German battleship was lit up by star shells from HMS Belfast, and completely taken by surprise. Right after that, Duke of York fires a full broadside with ten 356-mm guns. One of the first hits on Scharnhorst knocked out the primary armament turret.

Caught in a trap, Scharnhorst changed course. Now going at full speed while firing back with all guns available, it was desperate to shake off the pursuers. British cruisers attempted a pincer movement, with HMS Belfast and HMS Norfolk coming from the north, and HMS Jamaica from the south. The German battleship found itself between the hammer and the anvil.

By this point, Duke of York is now firing at the maximum rate, showering the enemy ship with shells. Hits followed one after another, disabling artillery and destroying the superstructure. However, the thick armour belt of the German battleship protects it from critical damage, and Scharnhorst is able to put some distance between it and the British ships by gaining a speed of more than 30 knots. It escaped the cruisers' firing range and soon the British flagship stops firing too. However, just before that, a 356-mm shell from Duke of York penetrated the thin top armour belt of the German battleship and explodes in the engine room. Scharnhorst quicklylost speed—this fatal hit sealed its fate.

The British ships approached the heavily damaged, but still threatening, German battleship. Admiral Fraser ordered destroyers to carry out a torpedo attack. Despite return fire, Savage, Saumarez, Scorpion, and Stord wentright up to the target and launched 28 torpedoes in total, 4 of which hit. Regardless of sustained damage, Scharnhorst demonstrated excellent survivability, and continued to manoeuvre and fire its remaining guns.

 

[Kunal Biswas]

Having approached, Duke of York fired at the battleship from an extremely close range. The German ship doesn't answer the helm anymore, and almost stops.

Cruisers Belfast and Jamaica, together with the remaining destroyers, approached to finish it off. HMS Musketeer launched four torpedoes at the Scharnhorst from a distance of a several hundred metres. In total, the battleship was hit by at least 11 torpedoes. At 19:45, Scharnhorst sank in a cloud of smoke and fire.

The British were astonished by the resilience of their adversary. After the battle, Admiral Fraser told his officers, "I hope that if any of you are ever called upon to lead a ship into action against an opponent many times superior, you will command your ship as gallantly as Scharnhorst was commanded today."

Source : https://worldofwarships.asia/en/news/history-feature/scharnhorst-story/

 

[Kunal Biswas]

A detail documentary on the subject ..

 

[The Ultranationalist]

The germans were brave as hell, truly awe inspiring.

 

[Suryavanshi]

@Kunal Biswas what should get the most credit here the ship or the crew

 

[Willy2]

Scharnhorst and it's story is more legendary in eastern front /USSR...contrast to Bismark in west

Damn !!those days are gone..otherwise it would be epic to have 40000+ ton battleship under indian colour

 

[binayak95]

The Kriegsmarine was the one arm of the Wehrmacht that was largely free of warcrimes.
Admiral Karl Donitz was even congratulated on the absolutely professional conduct of his men and officers throughout the war during the Nuremburg trials.

 

[Tactical Frog]

The Kriegsmarine was the one arm of the Wehrmacht that was largely free of warcrimes.
Admiral Karl Donitz was even congratulated on the absolutely professional conduct of his men and officers throughout the war during the Nuremburg trials.

I am not sure if Doenitz was really congratulated but Admiral Nimitz definitely helped his defence by stating at Nuremberg that Americans too had carried on unrestricted submarine warfare in the Pacific from day one of their entry in war.

 

[binayak95]

I am not sure if Doenitz was really congratulated but Admiral Nimitz definitely helped his defence by stating at Nuremberg that Americans too had carried on unrestricted submarine warfare in the Pacific from day one of their entry in war.

This fact is mentioned in the book, "Transition to Eminence - the Indian Navy 1976-1990" in the beginning sections of the book. I'll see if I can dig that book up. It's here in my home somewhere.

 

[binayak95]

Scharnhorst and it's story is more legendary in eastern front /USSR...contrast to Bismark in west

Damn !!those days are gone..otherwise it would be epic to have 40000+ ton battleship under indian colour

That's because the sinking of the Bismarck was a revenge story. She had sunk the pride of the RN, the HMS Hood, and Admiralty dispatched a destroyer squadron, two battleships (Rodney and King George V) and the Ark Royal to sink her. The Bismarck was a serious threat to the British Home Fleet.

The Scharnhorst, on the other hand, was a menace to Arctic Convoys from the English Isles to Murmansk. PQ-17 was one, that was wiped out, with 24 merchantmen sunk out of 35, all because of the threat that the German heavy ships posed (which caused the flotilla commander to scatter his ships)

 

[Kunal Biswas]

The battle of river plate was also a example of Germans fighting multiple adversaries at one time ..

==================

Indian connection after the war : HMNZS Achilles She was sold to the Indian Navy in 1948 and recommissioned as INS Delhi. She was scrapped in 1978.

 

[The Last Stand]

If you guys like Naval fiction as much as the actual war, try HMS Ulysses, Alistair Maclean's first book.

Related to the Arctic Convoys to Murmansk that Binayak mentions above.

 

[Willy2]

That's because the sinking of the Bismarck was a revenge story. She had sunk the pride of the RN, the HMS Hood, and Admiralty dispatched a destroyer squadron, two battleships (Rodney and King George V) and the Ark Royal to sink her. The Bismarck was a serious threat to the British Home Fleet.

The Scharnhorst, on the other hand, was a menace to Arctic Convoys from the English Isles to Murmansk. PQ-17 was one, that was wiped out, with 24 merchantmen sunk out of 35, all because of the threat that the German heavy ships posed (which caused the flotilla commander to scatter his ships)

Poor Bishmark...sunk "pride of royal navy" in 1 to 1 duel and in return britishers did Avimanyu ...cowards

German ships are beast...Bishmark's sister ship called tirpitz too is legendary .She survive 33 battle before met her end

 

[binayak95]

That's unfair and prejudiced. The Hood was older, outgunned and outranged by the Bismarck. Still, the crew of the Bismarck fought on bravely, to the last man and the last shell. In the latter engagement, the British battleships showed particularly effective seamanship, sailing deftly to avoid being bracketed by the Bismarck's 15-inch batteries and using their own 14" and 16" guns effectively.

Poor Bishmark...sunk "pride of royal navy" in 1 to 1 duel and in return britishers did Avimanyu ...cowards

German ships are beast...Bishmark's sister ship called tirpitz too is legendary .She survive 33 battle before met her end

 

[binayak95]

The battle of river plate was also a example of Germans fighting multiple adversaries at one time ..

==================

Indian connection after the war : HMNZS Achilles She was sold to the Indian Navy in 1948 and recommissioned as INS Delhi. She was scrapped in 1978.

This was more of an example of successful British propaganda. The Graf Spee was a pocket battleship, more than a match for the assembled British cruisers. The British heavy cruiser Exeter (the only ship with effective 8" guns, the others had 6" guns) had already been badly damaged by the time the Graf Spee entered the Montevideo, in neutral Argentina.

The British spread rumours that heavy cruisers and battleships were awaiting the Graf Spee (international law meant that the Graf Spee couldn't seek refuge for more than 72 hrs). So, believing the battle to be lost, Capt. Langsdorff scuttled the ship. That's prudent, but not very brave.

 

[Wisemarko]

European nations didn't realize this at the start of WW2 but the era of battleships had already ended by the late 1930s. Japan with its 10 aircraft carriers and United States with 3 carriers at the beginning of the war showed the world how obsolete the battleships had become. British Navy was giving tough time to the Nazis but in a brief encounter in the battle of Malaya with Japanese, both HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse - the capital ships that sunk Bismarck were easily destroyed by Japanese aircraft. This, according to many historians was a pivotal moment in the naval history where balance of power decisively shifted to the air power. Never again could battleships play any major role in deciding the outcomes of a war.
In fact, sinking of Bismarck also had important role played by Swordfish light torpedo bombers from HMS Ark Royal - that damaged the rudder of Bismarck, thus preventing her from reaching the French port of Brest.

 

[binayak95]

European nations didn't realize this at the start of WW2 but era of the battleships had already ended by late 1930s. Japan with its 10 aircraft carriers and United States with 3 carriers at the beginning of the war showed the world how obsolete battleships had become. British Navy was giving tough time to Nazis but in a brief encounter in the battle of Malaya with Japanese, both Prince of Wales and Repulse - the capital ships that sunk Bismarck were easily destroyed by Japanese aircraft. This, according to many historians was a pivotal moment in naval history where balance of power decisively shifted to air power. Never again could battleships play a major role in deciding the outcomes of a war after this event.
In fact, sinking of Bismarck also had important role played by light torpedo bombers from HMS Ark Royal - who damaged the rudder of Bismarck, thus preventing her from reaching the French port of Brest.

Quite true, battleships would be relegated to secondary roles -that of escort for the fleet carriers and Naval Gun Support during amphibious operations.

The British were lucky that the Germans and the Italians both didn't operate battleships, ceding the control of the seas to the RN/USN.

The same wasn't true of the Pacific, and thus the disasters of the Malay campaign, loss of Singapore, loss of the Indonesian islands.
Battleships would play important roles (in the Battle of Philippine Sea for example). But the greatest coming of age moment for the aircraft carrier was perhaps the sinking of the Yamato, well before she could bring her devastating 18" guns to bear.

 

[asianobserve]

Just imagine a battleship engagement in the Pacific between the Japanese Yamato Class and American Iowa Class battleships without aircraft carriers. That would have been epic.

A very interesting battle however that happens in WW2 was the Battle of Surigao Straight or the Battle off Samar. I will post a separate thread.

 

[binayak95]

The British were lucky that the Germans and the Italians both didn't operate battleships, ceding the control of the seas to the RN/USN.

I meant aircraft carriers. My bad....