The End of the Tirpitz '
The last of the great German battleships, the Tirpirz,' has been sunk at her anchorage in Tromso Fjord with 12,000-pound bombs dropped by Lancasters of Bomber Command led by King Com- mander J. B Tait and Squadron Leader A. G. Williams. The advance of the Russians into northern Norway led to her removal from Alten Fjord only a few weeks ago. Her existence as a potential fighting force has been of more value to the Germans than her actual achievements. As long as she was there in northern waters, and capable of movement, she was a constant menace to our convoys bound for Russia, and capital ships of the Royal Navy had always to be available to deal with her if she should venture out.
She has been the object of many attacks and she has sustained many injuries which have kept her under repair for a considerable part of her life. First put into commission shortly after the destruction of the ' Bismarck ' in 1941, she was soon sent to Trondheim, where she was attacked by Halifaxes, and thence to Alten Fjord. Damaged by Russian torpedoes in 1942, she was injured again by midget British submarines and by hits from Home Fleet bombers. This " unsinkable " battleship, with heavy surface armour, has been sent to the bottom by three hits from 12,000 lb. bombs—a more formid- able explosive than had been contemplated by her designers. The result is further evidence of the fact that no ship is proof against well-directed air assault unless it is provided with fighter protection. The destruction of the last of Germany's great fighting ships will have the effect of releasing yet more of our battleships for use else- where, and removing one at least of the dangers that threatened our northern convoys.
