Product Description

On 25 December 1943 the German battlecruiser Scharnhorst slipped out Altenfjord in Norway to attack Artic convoy JW55B which was carrying vital war supplies to the Soviet Union. But British naval intelligence knew of the Scharnhorst's mission before she sailed and the vulnerable convoy was protected by a large Royal Naval force including the battleship Duke of York. In effect the Scharnhorst was sailing into a trap. One of the most compelling naval dramas of the Second World War had begun. Angus Konstam's gripping account tells the story of this crucial and under-studied naval battle, and explains why the hopes of the German Kriegsmarine went down with their last great ship.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #146057 in Books
• Published on: 2009-03-19
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 224 pages

Customer Reviews

The battle of North cape
Konstam's book captures the tension and drama of the german capitol ship's fatal attempt to deal a death blow to the Allied Artic convoys. While following the stories of the opposing ships and crews, it highlights that Luck and Commander's abilities make victories and poor co-ordination can result in bitter defeat.

A worthy review of the last kreigsmarine sortie of a capitol ship during world war 2.

Battle of Northcape
Very well written but extremely detailed. Resulting in 'skipping' text that slowed down the story. A book for the maritime historian rather than someone like me who has an interest in the Navy.

Icily Gripping Narrative
In the 1950's the BBC broadcast a documentary about this battle of which I remember little except the appalling death rate of the German seamen.
This book is short and punchy and is an exciting a read as you could wish for. It is detailed and I do not always follow the nautical turns and direction shifting but that did not matter because I understood the rest.
The one thing wrong is that are no references as to sources - amajor weakness.