Lfd. Nr.: 1053
| Seegebiet: | Westraum |
| Datum / Zeit: | 12.02.1942 |
| Ort des Gefechts: | Dover-Enge |
| Verbandsführer (S.O.): | LtCdr. Pumphrey |
| Angreifer: | 6th MTB 221 219 44 45 48 ; 3rd MGB 43 41 |
| Gefechtsbericht A: | Operation "Cerberus": Torpedoangriffe auf S-Boote und Scharnhorst blieben erfolglos. Ein aufkommender Zerstörer wurde von den MGBs abgewehrt. -- The movement of German Battlecruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau with the Heavy Cruiser Prinz Eugen through the English Channel. At 11h55 MTB 221, MTB 219, MTB 44, MTB 45 and MTB 48 depart Dover. At 12h30 these MTBs form up for a torpedo attack in line between Calais and Gravelines. MTBs get within 4000 yards before firing and disengaging. Battleships take evasive action. MTB 44 fires torpedoes at one of the ships. A destroyer closes and engages with gunfire but is driven off by MGB 41 and MGB 43. MTBs recover 5 survivors from 'Swordfish' airplane attack. “The E Boats kept close station, preventing any attempt to break through the screen. We were forced to fire from about 4,000 yards or more, a far from ideal range for us. But there was nothing for it but to try, so we fired away gamely, loosing the torpedoes from all five boats.” No hits were scored and MTB 48 was chased close to the English coast by a German destroyer which was eventually shaken off by MTB 48 being steered straight for the Goodwin Sands. MGB 41, MGB 43 in daylight attacks on German battleships in the Dover Straits. MGB 43 engaged the German destroyer Friedrich Ihn forcing her to turn away by concentrating fire from two 20mm Oerlikons onto her bridge [4]. |
| erkannte Gegner: | 3 Schlachtschiffe, Schnellboote, Zerstörer |
| alliierte Erfolge: | keine |
| alliierte Verluste: | keine |
| tatsächliche Gegner: | Schlachtschiff Scharnhorst, Schnellboote, 1 Zerstörer |
| Gefechtsbericht B: | Op. Cerberus: Kanaldurchbruch. Sicherung durch 4. S-Flottille mit S 48, S 49, S 52, S 64, S 109, S 110, zur Verstärkung S 39, S 108, S 51, S 69 als Nahgeleit backbords von Scharnhorst und Gneisenau [2] - MTBs blieben erfolglos und wurden durch Zerstörer 'Friedrich Ihn' abgedrängt. |
| Ausgewertete Quellen: | 1) Home Waters, p.36/37 : CFI 13 ; 2) Chronik des Seekrieges ; 3) Hümmelchen, S.66 ; 4) https://cfv.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=384#p1310 ; 5) Peter Scott, Battle of the Narrow Seas, Chapter III (ed. 2009 p.30-32) |
| Letzte Änderung: | 21.07.2024 |