JW 51B survives the Battle of the Barents Sea
The German heavy cruiser Admiral Hipper, the pocket battleship Lützow and destroyers attacked the fourteen-ship JW 51B. Captain Robert Sherbrooke's destroyers used smoke, torpedoes and repeated counterattacks to keep the German ships away from the merchants until Rear Admiral Robert Burnett's cruisers Sheffield and Jamaica entered the action. The German force broke off without sinking a merchant ship. The failure enraged Hitler and intensified his demand that the surface fleet be reduced, contributing to Grand Admiral Erich Raeder's resignation the following month. Operationally, JW 51B showed that a close escort…
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