Operation Rösselsprung (1942) facts for kids

Operation Rösselsprung was a secret plan by the German Navy (called the Kriegsmarine) during World War II. It aimed to stop a group of supply ships, known as an Arctic convoy, in the middle of 1942. These convoys were sailing through the cold Arctic waters to deliver important supplies to the Soviet Union.

This operation was the biggest of its kind for the German Navy. It led to many ships in Convoy PQ 17 being destroyed. But here's the surprising part: no German ship from Operation Rösselsprung actually saw the convoy or fired a single shot at it! The ships in PQ 17 were lost because of attacks from German submarines (U-boats) and airplanes. Even though the German ships didn't fight the convoy directly, some of them were damaged during the operation. For example, the large warship Lützow got stuck in thick fog and needed three months of repairs.

What Was Operation Rösselsprung?

The name Rösselsprung means "Knight's Move" in Chess. It's like how a knight moves in an 'L' shape on a chessboard. This name was chosen for the plan to stop Convoy PQ 17. This convoy was expected to sail in late June 1942.

The German Navy got two groups of warships ready for this mission:

• The first group was in Trondheim, Norway. It included the huge battleship Tirpitz, the heavy cruiser Admiral Hipper, and six destroyers. Admiral Otto Schniewind was in charge of this group.
• The second group was in Narvik, Norway. It had the heavy cruisers Lützow and Admiral Scheer, along with six destroyers. Vice-Admiral Oskar Kummetz led this group.

How the Plan Was Set Up

The Germans also set up a line of U-boats (submarines) in the Norwegian Sea. This group was called Eisteufel (Ice Devil). It started with six submarines and later grew to eight. Three more submarines were placed near Iceland. Their job was to spot the convoy early.

The plan was simple:

• Once the convoy was seen, both German warship groups would sail north.
• They would meet and refuel at a place called Altenfjord.
• Then, they would wait for the order to attack the convoy near Bear Island.

However, Operation Rösselsprung had some problems. The orders were very confusing. The German leader, Adolf Hitler, had to approve every step. The warships were told to attack the convoy, but also to avoid any damage to the big ships, especially the Tirpitz. This made it hard for the commanders to make quick decisions.

The Operation Begins

Convoy PQ 17 left Hvalfjörður, Iceland, on June 27, 1942. But the German submarines watching for it didn't see it right away. The convoy wasn't spotted until July 1, by a U-boat called U-456. By then, the convoy had already passed Jan Mayen Island.

Because of the slow decision-making process, the German warships didn't move until July 2.

• The Tirpitz, Hipper, and four destroyers left Trondheim on July 2.
• The Lützow and Scheer, with five destroyers, left Narvik on July 3.

These ships sailed through narrow, hidden channels between the Norwegian islands and the coast. These channels are tricky to navigate. The German ships ran into trouble almost immediately:

• Three of the destroyers escorting the Tirpitz hit rocks and had to go back for repairs.
• The Tirpitz and Hipper reached Altenfjord on July 4.
• The Lützow ran aground (got stuck on the seabed) in Tjel Sund. It also had to return for repairs. Vice-Admiral Kummetz moved to the Scheer. The Scheer also arrived at Altenfjord on July 4.

The Convoy Scatters

British spies found out that the Tirpitz and Hipper were moving north. Because of this, the British Admiralty made a very risky decision: they told Convoy PQ 17 to scatter. This meant the ships would stop sailing together in a protected group. This happened on July 4.

Without the protection of sailing in a convoy, the individual ships became easy targets for German airplanes and U-boats. Over the next six days, twenty ships were lost. In total, 24 ships from the convoy were sunk.

The German naval intelligence service (called B-Dienst) quickly realized that the convoy was scattering. Admiral Schniewind asked for permission to attack. But again, the long chain of command caused delays. Permission didn't come until July 5. Even then, it came with a warning: avoid fighting any big British warships. The German U-boats were told to stop attacking the convoy ships and instead look for the British Home Fleet, especially the aircraft carrier HMS Victorious.

German Fleet Recalled

At 3:00 PM on July 5, the German fleet left Altenfjord. It now included the Tirpitz, Hipper, and Scheer, along with seven destroyers and two torpedo boats. They headed northwest towards the scattered ships of PQ 17.

Almost immediately, a Soviet submarine called K-21 (led by Commander Nikolai Lunin) spotted them. Lunin reported seeing the German fleet and even claimed to have hit the Tirpitz with a torpedo. However, other sources don't confirm this hit. An hour later, a British Catalina airplane saw the fleet. Two hours after that, the British submarine HMS Unshaken also spotted them.

The German B-Dienst detected both the British sighting reports. At 9:30 PM, Admiral Erich Raeder became worried that his fleet was sailing into a trap. Just six hours after they had set sail, he ordered them to turn back.

What Happened After?

Even though Operation Rösselsprung didn't directly attack Convoy PQ 17, it caused the convoy to scatter, which led to huge losses for the Allies. However, the operation was a disappointment for the German warships. The Tirpitz, Lützow, and three destroyers had to spend a lot of time in dry dock for repairs. This meant the German Navy couldn't launch such a big operation again in the Arctic for a long time. They never had a similar naval success in the Arctic campaign after this.