Navies in the Arctic: Warships of the Battle of North Cape

Remembering the Warships in World War II’s Battle of the North Cape

The HMS Onslow after the Battle of North Cape (public domain image from Wiki Commons)

The Battle of North Cape, in 1943, was one of a number of Arctic convoy battles. Supply convoys sent to the USSR delivered a flow of Allied armaments and munitions, and their ships were occasionally intercepted by German naval units and aircraft. At the Battle of North Cape, a sizeable fleet of Allied warships was sent to provide cover for the convoy, which was a mouse trap for the Germans.

Scharnhorst

If the convoy was the mouse trap, the Scharnhorst was the mouse. This was a German battleship/battlecruiser that had taken out a few Royal Navy warships in naval engagements around Norway. By 1943, the Scharnhorst was one of the few German battleships that could be dispatched for Arctic convoy raids.

The Scharnhorst (public domain image from Wiki Commons)

When the orders came for the Scharnhorst to depart port in late ’43, it sailed toward the Allied naval fleet and merchant ships. Once the Royal Navy was informed of the ship’s sailing, the trap was sprung. The Scharnhorst was first intercepted by British cruisers, and their shells had enough impact to wipe out the ship’s radar.

The Scharnhorst could reach up to 31 knots on the high seas, which gave the ship considerable pace. When it became clear that it was surrounded by Royal Navy ships, the orders were given for it to withdraw. However, during its retreat, the impact from further shells ensured that its speed was reduced. Then Royal Navy ships closed in to finish off the ship.

HMS Duke of York

The largest warship at the Battle of North Cape was the HMS Duke of York. With a maximum displacement of approximately 42,000 tons, it was a larger ship than the Scharnhorst. Aside from its convoy escort missions, the Duke of York also provided naval support in the Mediterranean.

The HMS Duke of York (public domain image from Wiki Commons)

At the Battle of North Cape, shells from the Duke of York took out one of its boiler rooms. When the Duke of York closed in, the Schanhorst was further besieged. During the engagement, the Duke of York also took a pounding from Schanhorst shells, but the battleship remained very much intact and returned to port for repairs.

Cruisers

Royal Navy cruisers at the Battle of North Cape provided essential naval support. They included the Belfast, HMS Jamaica, HMS Norfolk, and HMS Sheffield. The Belfast was the flagship of the Royal Navy fleet at the Battle of North Cape. The cruisers at the battle were among the first to intercept the Scharnhorst. As mentioned, it was their shells that took out the ship’s radar.

Destroyers

Along with the battleship and cruisers, an assortment of Royal Navy destroyers were also present at the battle. These were primarily S-class destroyers such as the HMS Matchless, HMS Musketeer, HMS Opportune, HMS Virago, and HNoMS Stord. The Stord was, in fact, a Norwegian destroyer that was added to the Royal Navy fleet. Destroyers such as the HMS Saumarez were among the naval units that closed in on the Scharnhorst, and their torpedoes further decimated the ship.

With their victory at the Battle of North Cape, the Royal Navy had defeated another German capital ship. The Bismarck and Graf Spee were a couple of the others that were also lost at sea. Afterwards, the convoy supply ships reached Russia.

Read more of my World War II Europe articles on Medium:

The Aftermath of the Battle of the River Plate in World War II

The Events That Led to D-Day in 1944

The U-Boat Flotillas in World War II’s Battle of the Mediterranean

Remembering World War II’s Battle of Monte Cassino

The Role of Crete in World War II