Twitter is normally a social media channel where we people with maximum 140 characters can teaser a Story and then set a link for more details.
That you can also tell a whole story in “tweets” has been impressively shown by the Naval Historian Dr. Phil Weir who told the story of the “Sinking of the Scharnhorst” on Twitter.
To reward this great idea and to thank Dr. Weir for his work in keeping memories alive we’ve dedicated this page to the story fully featured in tweets.
Dr. Weir asked us to also thank the “excellent @I_W_M online archive http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/search … & http://www.maritimequest.com “, which we hereby naturally do with pleasure. **(see also his original message at the end of the story)
On this day 1943 @RoyalNavy Home Fleet under Adm Sir Bruce Fraser fights German battleship Sharnhorst off North Cape pic.twitter.com/XoX650KbSK
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 26, 2015
Warned by intelligence from Bletchley Park that Scharnhorst was likely to attack an Arctic convoy, Adm Fraser's fleet was protecting two.
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 26, 2015
The most important of these was JW55B outbound & loaded with war materiel for Russia. RA55A on the other hand was homeward bound for Britain
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 26, 2015
At 0901 25/12/1943 JW55B, slow in the heavy weather, was spotted by U603 & later a Luftwaffe reconnaissance aircraft & another U-boat.
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 26, 2015
Thanks to Bletchley Park these sighting reports reached Adm Fraser virtually at the same time as they reached their German recipients.
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 26, 2015
At 1415 Grand Admiral Karl Doenitz, ordered R/Adm Erich Bey to sail on Scharnhorst & attack https://t.co/fgJr7IRBid pic.twitter.com/2qTa4GJGBa
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 26, 2015
R/Adm Bey then transferred with his staff from Tirpitz (crippled by XCraft attack) to Scharnhorst & sailed at 1900 pic.twitter.com/LbHrzmTpdk
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 26, 2015
Adm Fraser learned that Scharnhorst had probably sailed at 0216 26/12/1943 & began planning for it. RA55A was clear of danger JW55B was not
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
Consequently, at 0401 Adm Fraser ordered JW55B to turn north & V/Adm Robert Burnett's 18th Cruiser Squadron to close on the convoy at 0628.
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
Meanwhile, guided by U-boat sighting reports, R/Adm Bey had got himself into an excellent position & by 0855 was just 30 miles from JW55B.
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
Bey's only serious error at this point was that he had lost contact with his destroyers, which were continuing SW after he turned N at 0820.
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
As a consequence, five powerful German destroyers were unable to play any part in the action that was to come.
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
1st to make contact were V/Adm Burnett's cruisers, with Bismarck hunt veteran HMS Norfolk sighting on radar at 0834 pic.twitter.com/iC2q661ho9
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
V/Adm Burnett's flagship HMS Belfast then detected Scharnhorst at 0840, her near sister HMS Sheffield did it at 0850 pic.twitter.com/yJqkBvKItS
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
At 0921 HMS Sheffield physically sighted Scharnhorst 13000yds away & V/Adm Burnett ordered starshell fired to try to illuminate the target.
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
This failed. Nonetheless, with the range down to 9800yds V/Adm Burnett ordered HMS Norfolk to open fire with her 8in guns at 0930.
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
Despite being "mere" 8in shells against a battleship's armour,HMS Norfolk's hits told,destroying Scharnhorst's forward radar &a gun director
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
while HMS Norfolk's 2nd hit penetrated Scharnhorst's deck near the secondary armament & ended up in the PO's mess but didn't explode.
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
R/Adm Bey seemed to have been taken completely by surprise & immediately increased speed to 30kt & turned away, opening fire with aft turret
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
With his cruisers only able to make 24kt in the heavy weather V/Adm Burnett took the risky decision to stop pursuit & return to the convoy.
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
Given tthe speed disparity however, this was probably the right decision at the time as Scharnhorst could have lured him away & doubled back
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
Nonetheless, V/Adm Burnett's signal that he had lost contact was not especially welcomed by Adm Fraser, who replied "Unless touch can be…
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
regained by some unit, there is no chance of my finding enemy." On Scharnhorst, meanwhile, R/Adm Bey tried & failed to reassemble his force.
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
At 1210 however, V/Adm Burnett's decision to break off was vindicated as HMS Sheffield picked up Scharnhorst on radar once more at 12 miles.
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
This time, HMS Belfast was 1st to open fire with her 6in guns at 1221. Scharnhorst replied at 1225 & this time to far better effect.
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
One of her early salvoes with her 11in guns straddled HMS Sheffield, riddling that Bismarck hunt veteran with splinters.
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
Scharnhorst then turned her fire on her old tormentor HMS Norfolk & at 1227 one of her shells smashed into the British heavy cruiser.
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
The 730lb 11in shell hit HMS Norfolk's X turret putting it out of action& causing a huge cordite fire visible to all pic.twitter.com/2rTJnvZ2IB
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
Swift flooding of X turret's magazine by HMS Norfolk's crew prevented anything catastrophic. Meanwhile a 2nd hit struck her deck amidships.
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
Fire ceased at 1247, with Scharnhorst steaming south through heavy seas R/Adm Bey having resolved to head for home. pic.twitter.com/QrXoEy7lTk
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
Little did R/Adm Bey know, however, steaming through equally heavy seas & now on an intercept course was Adm Fraser pic.twitter.com/DgVdq852aF
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
At 1603, things almost went badly wrong for the British. Fire from damage from Scharnhorst's hits suddenly flared up again in HMS Norfolk.
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
Seven mins later HMS Sheffield stripped a bearing on her port inner shaft. Both had to fall out of line leavin only HMS Belfast shadowing.
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
Had R/Adm Bey chosen to turn on V/Adm Burnett at this point, he could well have got through to the convoy. It was not to be, however.
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
40 min later, after some remarkable damage control, HMS Norfolk & HMS Sheffield had rejoined HMS Belfast & the chance was gone.
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
The two cruisers returned just in time for at 1647 Adm Fraser, aboard his flagship HMS Duke of York was in position pic.twitter.com/vqf04V6GUL
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
With HMS Duke of York 1st detected Scharnhorst by radar at 1617, at a remarkable 45500yd Adm Fraser had had plenty of time to prepare.
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
At 1647 starshell were fired to illuminate Scharnhorst, followed at 1651 by HMS Duke of York's 10 huge 14in guns. pic.twitter.com/p8p9TTcdBE
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
HMS Duke of York's 1st broadside was extremely accurate, straddling Scharnhorst & hitting her beside turret Anton, putting it out of action.
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
With her 3rd broadside HMS Duke of York hit Scharnhorst near Caesar turret, destroying the aircraft hangar& causing casualties among AA crew
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
The cruiser HMS Jamaica, accompanying HMS Duke of York, opened fire with her 6in guns at 1652 hitting on her 3rd too pic.twitter.com/6YSW9kPwYm
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
At 1655 R/Adm Bey swung Scharnhorst north to try to escape, but ran straight into HMS Belfast & HMS Norfolk which opened fire at 1657.
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
Scharnhorst's shooting in response to this was not bad, with the first few coming up short, but later efforts straddling HMS Duke of York.
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
At 1708, R/Adm Bey ordered Scharnhorst onto an easterly course & began to use his superior speed to open the range on HMS Duke of York.
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
Nonetheless HMS Duke of York's fire continued to inflict punishment with one hit knocking out Bruno 11in gun turret & another obliterating..
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
one of Scharnhorst's 5.9in secondary armament turrets, blowing a large hole in her side. By 1825 Scharnhorst had take some 13 hits from…
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
HMS Duke of York's 14in guns, but at that point, a fault with the British battleship's gunnery radar forced her to cease fire.
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
A young Lt by the name of Bates was sent climbing HMS Duke of York's mast to resplice wires shaken loose by the shaking caused by the guns
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
but at that moment, with the range at 21000yds & increasing, it looked like Scharnhorst would miraculously escape, but luck was not with her
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
Scharnhorst's speed immediately dropped to around 8kt & despite displaying skill equal or better to that of his British counterparts earlier
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
Engineering Cdr Otto Konig's efforts were in vain. He managed to restore Scharnhorst to 22kt in short order, but it was not enough.
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
Scharnhorst's vital speed advantage over her pursuers was gone for good & the end now was only a matter of time.
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
1st in this time were Adm Fraser's destroyers led by HMS Saumarez & HMS Savage, firing their 4.7 & 4.5in guns pic.twitter.com/6M4m0diQ8k
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
Fear of a torpedo attack by these drove Scharnhorst onto a real torpedo attack by HMS Scorpion & the Norwegian Stord pic.twitter.com/R9hfDcbsbf
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
Taking one torpedo hit on her starboard side, Scharnhorst swung back again, battering HMS Saumarez & killing 11 but taking another three…
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
torpedo hits on her port side. This damage caused Scharnhorst to drop again to 8kt, but she was soon back to 22kt once more after another…
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
dose of engineering miracles from Cdr Konig, but it was difficult to escape the obvious. at 1900, R/Adm Bey signalled "We shall fight to the
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
last shell. Scharnhorst ever onwards."
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
One min later Scharnhorst's quarterdeck errupted under the impact of 14in shells from HMS Duke of York's 1st salvo. pic.twitter.com/o6783hW5Mc
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
What followed was little short of an execution as the German battleship was battered to a blazing wreck in 11min. pic.twitter.com/IsE6eJmIRn
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
Listing to starboard 7 making just 10kt by 1912,Scharnhorst endured another 17min of gunnery bombardment before Adm Fraser ordered ceasefire
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
Adm Fraser now ordered ships with torpedoes to go in & finish Scharnhorst off. HMS Jamaica went 1st firing 3 torpedoes at 1925.
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
At around this point abandon ship was ordered aboard Scharnhorst, though some guns were still firing, so HMS Jamaica launched another four.
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
This time HMS Jamaica scored 2 possible hits. Her 1st attack had been followed by HMS Belfast, scoring another possible hit at 1927.
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
Next came the destroyers HMS Musketeer, HMS Opportune & HMS Virago between 1931 & 1934, claiming another seven hits. pic.twitter.com/O4p5EBaUSX
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
HMS Belfast then arrived to make her 2nd attack at 1948, but just before she could do so, at 1945, a huge explosion forward rent Scharnhorst
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
The great German battleship slipped beneath the waves. A mere 36 survivors were picked up from a crew of some 1,968 pic.twitter.com/IasgtUW6mS
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
A tragic fate awaited all too many who went into the freezing, stormy water that night. Scharnhorst's Captain Hintze & his Executive Officer
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
both gave away their lifejackets to crew without. Hintze died before he could be picked up, while Dominik, the Executive Officer had his…
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
hands on a rope, but, exhausted, he slipped back into the sea to his death. Many others didn't even get that close.
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
The Battle of the North Cape was now over & Arctic Convoy JW55B continued unmolested on its way to Murmansk, arriving without loss.
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 27, 2015
—————-
**Additional comments by Dr. Weir
@exparcticraptor the excellent @I_W_M online archive https://t.co/PV3KWdJiPc & https://t.co/SIGVVAUgZG
— Dr Phil Weir (@navalhistorian) December 29, 2015