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.