Operations of WW2 - C

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Operation Catechism

Operation "Catechism" (12 November 1944)

From: Tirpitz - Gallery - Operation "Catechism"

Tirpitz - The History - Operation "Catechism"

Early in the morning of 12 November the Lancasters took off again for their third and final raid against Tirpitz, Operation "Catechism". Whatever the outcome of this attack there would be little chance of a fourth attempt since by 27 November the sun would be below the horizon even at mid-day and there would not be sufficient light to see the target.
There was a heavy frost at the airfield and 7 of 9 Squadron's Lancasters were so severely iced up that they could not take off in their overweight state; in all 32 aircraft took to the air at about 0300.
They reached the rendezvous about 0935 low over Tornea Trask, a lake a 160 kilometer (100 miles) south-east of Tromsø, took up formation and then they flew towards north-west, climbing to 4,267 meter (14,000 feet) to clear the mountains and gain height for the bombs. Radar picked them up as they gained height and the race was on, a race made even more tense than formerly by the knowledge that a German fighter squadron had recently been posted to Bardufoss.
As the Lancasters came over the last mountain range they were met with intense anti-aircraft fire from Tirpitz, the other ships and shore batteries, but the battleship herself lay clearly visible. There was no cloud and no smoke-screen. Tirpitz indeed was trying to conceal herself by smoke which rose in the still air but the smoke pots brought down from Kåfjord although in position were not primed.