Tirpitz in Norway: X-craft midget submarines raid the fjords, Operation Source 1943

by Angus Konstam, Edouard A. Groult (Illustrator), Adam Tooby (Illustrator), Alan Gilliland (Illustrator)

Overview

This study explores, in detail, the gripping tale of a handful of British X-Craft submarines which stole into one of the best-protected anchorages of World War II and crippled the great German battleship Tirpitz.

In September 1943, under the cover of darkness, six British midget submarines crept into the heart of enemy territory, penetrating a heavily guarded Norwegian fjord in an attempt to eliminate the threat of the powerful German battleship, the Tirpitz. Numerous previous attempts to attack the ship from both air and sea had failed, and this mission was carefully strategized and undertaken by skilled operatives who had undergone extensive training in an isolated sea loch. Though five of the six X-Craft submarines were either lost or captured, two crews had just enough time to lay their explosive charges, which detonated after they were forced to the surface, putting the Tirpitz out of action for a crucial six-month period. Masterminded from a top-secret naval headquarters on the east coast of Scotland, Operation Source has been memorialized as one of the most daring naval raids of World War II.

This new study tells the complete story of this epic operation in unparalleled detail, supported by full-color illustrations and contemporary photography.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781472835857
Publisher:	Bloomsbury USA
Publication date:	11/26/2019
Series:	Raid , #51
Pages:	80
Product dimensions:	7.10(w) x 9.50(h) x 0.30(d)

About the Author

Angus Konstam is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and has written widely on naval history, with well over a hundred books in print. He is a former Royal Navy officer, maritime archaeologist and museum curator, who has worked in the Royal Armouries, Tower of London, and Mel Fisher Maritime Museum. Now a full-time author and historian, he lives in Orkney.

Edouard Groult grew up inspired by watching historical documentaries with his father and developed a fascination for historical and fantasy art. Following art studies in both Paris and Belgium he worked as a concept artist in the videogame industry and in recent years has also undertaken historical commissions while working as a freelancer for historical magazines. He lives and works near London.

Adam Tooby is an internationally renowned digital artist and illustrator. His work can be found in publications worldwide and as box art for model aircraft kits. He also runs a successful illustration studio and aviation prints business. He is based in Cheshire, UK. To buy artwork, or contact the artist, visit http://www.adamtooby.com/.

Alan Gilliland, a contributor to more than 70 Osprey titles, notably in the Weapon series, writes, illustrates and publishes fiction (www.ravensquill.com), as well as illustrating for a variety of publishers (alangillilandillustration.blogspot.com).

Table of Contents

Introduction 4

Initial Strategy 6

The Arctic Convoys 6

The German response 9

The Tirpitz 10

The Plan 17

Chariots and Midgets 17

Operation Title 20

The X-craft 21

Preparing for Operation Source 28

The Raid 35

The passage 35

Through the fjord 43

The approach 48

The attack 55

Aftermath 72

The straggler 72

The battleship 74

Analysis 76

Conclusion 78

Further Reading 79

Index 80

Editorial Reviews

“This well-illustrated monograph is a fitting tribute to the daring operation.”” —Seapower Magazine

From the Publisher