FIRST ATTACK ON TIRPITZ

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 15, 13 October 1943, Page 5

FIRST ATTACK ON TIRPITZ

The Tirpitz is the most powerful warship in the German Navy, and is a sister ship of the Bismarck, which was sunk on her first attempt at commerce raiding. Laid down in 1036, she was listed as a 35,000-ton vessel (but, like the Bismarck, she is believed to, have been fitted with extra armour which brought her tonnage up to more than 40,000. Some estimates give the tonnage at 45,000. She mounts eight 15in. guns, 12 5.9 in. and 16 4ilin. AA. -guns. She carries four aircraft. , The Tirpitz was first attacked on the morning of March 9, 1942. She had left Trondheim and was proceeding in a northerly direction up the Norwegian coast when she was located- and attacked with torpedoes iby British naval aircraft. It was not possible -to observe in detail the result of the attack, but the Tirpitz was last seen retiring under cover of a heavy smokescreen toward the Norwegian coast. The surface forces did not succeed in making contact with the enemy. . . 1 Later, an R.A.F. reconnaissance aircraft took -a photo of the Tirpitz in Ans Fiord, Norway. She was -protected by an anti-torpedo iboom, floating camouflage lay on both sides of her bow and stern and heavy white camouflage material was spread over the barrels of her lain, guns. \