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Action of Kristiansand - 10 April 1940


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#1 Dave Franklin

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Posted 20 October 2018 - 07:09 PM

The 6th engagement in the Atlantic Campaign...

 

The Allies and Germans had both been planning operations in the Norwegian theater for some time.  As recently as 28 February 1940, Oberkommando der Marine (OKM) had been contemplating a brief raid into the North Sea/Norwegian Sea, but elected to scrub it so as not to affect ship availability for Operation Weserübung, the code name for Germany's assault on Denmark and Norway.  In Norway, the plan called for the capture of six primary targets by amphibious landings on 9 April 1940.  Oslo was the target of Gruppe 5, which saw the new heavy cruiser Blücher, under the command of Kapitän zur See (KptzS) Heinrich Woldag, severely damaged (80%) by Norwegian shore batteries in Oslofjord, and limp back to Germany.

 

Another of the amphibious landings occurred at Kristiansand, which was the target of Gruppe 4.  Gruppe 4 consisted of the light cruiser Karlsruhe, under the command of KptzS Friedrirch Rieve, destroyer Z4 Richard Beitzen, under the command of Korvettenkapitän (KKpt) Hans von Davidson, and three torpedo boats, escorting the Schnellboot tender Tsingtau, which carried elements of the 163rd Infantry Division.  The fortifications at Kristiansand put up a resolute fight, twice repulsing the landing and lightly damaging Karlsruhe, nearly causing her to run aground.  Confusion sprang up when the Norwegians received the order not to fire on British and French ships, and the Germans began to use Norwegian codes they had captured at Horten.  The Germans used this opportunity to quickly reach the harbor and unload their troops, capturing Kristiansand by 1100.  During the night of 9/10 April, Karlsruhe and Z4 Richard Beitzen departed Kristiansand to return to Germany.  Shortly after they left Kristiansand, Karlsruhe was attacked by the British submarine HMS Truant, under the command of Lieutenant-Commander (Lt Cdr) Christopher Hutchinson, but the torpedoes missed.  At 1430 on 10 April, Karlsruhe and Z4 Richard Beitzen were steaming south at 20 knots through the North Sea northwest of Denmark, when out of the mist to the west a British force comprising the light cruiser Manchester, under the command of Captain (Capt) Henry Bousfield, and destroyers Janus (Lt Cdr John Tothill), Javelin (Cdr Anthony Pugsley), Juno (Cdr William Wilson), Kandahar (Cdr William Robson), and Kingston (Lt Cdr Philip Somerville), steaming east at 20 knots, came upon them.

 

Visibility was only 16,000 yards.  The Sea State was Force 3, with the wind at 10 knots from 060 degrees, under scattered clouds.

 

The Germans were in a column with Karlsruhe leading.  The British were also in a single column, with destroyers Janus and Javelin leading Manchester, and destroyers Juno, Kandahar, and Kingston following.  Upon sighting each other, both sides began to increase speed.  The Germans executed a simultaneous 2-point (22½o) turn to port to start opening the range, but still keeping the British in their broadside arcs.  Z4 Richard Beitzen targeted the leading British destroyer JanusKarlsruhe opened fire with her 5.9” main battery on Manchester, while her 8.8cm secondaries targeted Javelin (the one good thing about the German ‘K’ class CLs is they have two DCTs).  So as not to interfere with each other’s fall of shot, only two British ships opened fire: Manchester at Karlsruhe and Janus at Z4 Richard Beitzen.

 

By 1436, both sides had worked up to 30 knots, with the British executing a 2-point turn to port at the end of their move to try to open up their broadsides – though it would also mean the range would start increasing.  In an amazing display of gunnery (i.e. rolling 1’s on D12s), Karlsruhe hit Manchester, knocking out ‘A’ turret, and also hit Javelin, causing some flooding and reducing her top speed to 32 knots (1 hull box).

 

1442 saw both sides reaching their cruiser’s top speed of 32 knots, the British executing another 2-point turn to port at the end of their move, this time succeeding in opening up their broadsides.  Though now only able to fire her stern main guns, Karlsruhe hit Manchester again (OK, the other good thing about the German ‘K’ class CLs is two of their three turrets are aft), this time in the hull; Manchester only suffered some minor flooding (½ a hull box); however, since the shell did not penetrate, her ”bulkhead” was not ruptured.

 

At 1448 Manchester realized the float plane they had been preparing to launch was too damaged from shrapnel and splinters to fly, so they catapulted it overboard to avoid the fire hazard.  The British turned 2-points back to starboard, while the Germans, with the British now astern of their broadside arcs, started making funnel smoke.  All line of sight was either obscured by smoke or beyond visible range.  With only the rear “division” of three destroyers still able to outpace Karlsruhe, the Capt Bousfield elected not to pursue further.

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#2 W. Clark

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Posted 21 October 2018 - 09:24 AM

Oh, sure, save my lights after you lose my heavies. As for the Brits; what can I say; when your heart's on fire, smoke gets in your eyes.






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