[iambecomelife]

Originally Posted by Wulfmann

Scharnhorst was not torpedoed by a submarine in Norway; that was Gneisenau.
Scharnhorst was torpedoed by the destroyer HMS Acasta when the twins sank the aircraft carrier HMS Glorious.
During the North Cape battle, Scharnhorst initially encountered the cruisers HMS Norfolk, Sheffield and Belfast. As was stated above, the forward radar was knocked out by HMS Norfolk (Norfolk had knocked out Bismarck’s main gunnery control, the most important hit against the battleship after the torpedo hit)
Scharnhorst turned away and circled around. The British tracked her and kept her from the convoy but the Germans were ready thing time. Norfolk was the only ship not using flashless powder so was easily targeted and sustained two serious hits with Sheffield being sprayed by splinters the Germans actually had a chance to wipe out these cruisers but instead turned for home and ran into the battleship HMS Duke of York and cruiser Jamaica and their destroyers.
Belfast kept track of Scharnhorst while the two wounded cruisers held back. Belfast had the most modern radar at the scene and with the Duke of York and Jamaica and all the destroyers subdued the great ship.
Many things are fascinating about this battle. One, a 14inch shell hit near turret Bruno starting a fire in the magazine. This was flooded (note after a fire started which would have destroyed any other nation’s battleship) and then drained.
How is this possible?
Because the Germans did not use silk bags like all other navies. Their powder charges were in brass cases (Imagine the sizing dies for reloading, LOL).
Battered from all sides the hit that doomed her was a 14inch shell that passed into the engine room and reduced her speed or she would have escaped as she always did before.
She literally fought to the last shell. Out of ammo she was sunk with many torpedoes, 14 being thought but there could have been more; she would have sunk anyway sooner or later.
This time (unlike Bismarck) the British tried their best to get to the crew in the freezing dark waters but only 36 survived. As they sat on deck the British crew called out “Three cheers for the Scharnhorst.”
Admiral Sir Bruce Fraser, deeply moved by the heroics of the Germans said to his officers. “Gentlemen, the battle against the Scharnhorst has ended in a victory for us. I hope that any of you who are ever called upon to lead a ship into action against an opponent many times superior, will command your ship as gallantly as the Scharnhorst was commanded today.”

On the return from Russia, Sir Bruce ordered a wreath dropped at the site of the sinking (unprecedented) and the British brought the 36 survivors back to Britain rather than leave them with the Russians.
The Scharnhorst was mentioned in news reports more than any warship of World War II

A final chapter. 2 of the crew made off in a small motor launch past the British and made it to an island. Americans found them later. Their kerosene heater exploded killing them both.
Now that is as bad a luck as I have ever heard of. Deserves a country song!!

Sorry for the rant but I wrote a story on this a few years back so had the research done!

Wulfmann

That's fascinating. I'd seen something on the History Channel about her but this has details that even they left out. That's a shame about those 2 survivors...