Tirpitz

Kåfjord, near Alta, Norway

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Kåfjord 1943
Tirpitz in her first anchorage, Barbrudalen, Kåfjord, in 1943.
Kåfjord 2004
Photo of both anchorages used by Tirpitz, closest to the camera is Babrudalen, where the photo was taken from, and in the background the peninsula Straumsneset can be seen. Tirpitz was moved from her Barbrudalen anchorage to her second anchorage at Straumsneset in spring 1944.
Kåfjord 1943
Another photo of Tirpitz in her Barbrudalen anchorage. Notice the heavy cruiser Lützow in the background to the left. In the background the mountain Sakkobadne can also be seen.
Kåfjord 2004
The caracteristic mountain Sakkobadne seen from Straumsneset.
Kåfjord 1944
German aircraft photo of Tirpitz in her second anchorage at Straumsneset in summer 1944.
Kåfjord 2004
Photo of Straumsneset to the right and the mountain Sakkobadne in the background.
Tirpitz's first Anchorage - Barbrudalen, Kåfjord 2004
A photo of Barbrudalen where Tirpitz was anchored from spring 1943 to spring 1944.
Photo from Barbrudalen, Kåfjord showing the entrance to the fiord.
Tirpitz's second Anchorage - Straumsneset, Kåfjord 2004
Photo of the Straumsneset peninsula and mountain Sakkobadne.
Straumsneset and the mountain Sakkobadne from another angle. When Tirpitz was anchored next to Straumsneset the Germans had built a small bridge so it was possible to cross the water. This was the only landbased access to the ship.
A close-up view of Straumsneset. Tirpitz was anchored to the left side of the peninsula on this photo.
A huge bomb crater on Straumsneset from a Tall Boy that failed to hit Tirpitz 15. September 1944.
The Straumsneset peninsula. Tirpitz was anchored to the left, outside of the photo. Smoke generators and anti-aircraft guns was mounted on the Sakkobadne mountain in the background.
Photo of the peninsula Straumsneset in Kåfjord.
A photo from Straumsneset towards south-west showing the inner Kåfjord. Damage on the sloped ground from a Tall Boy bomb can also be seen. When Tirpitz was attacked by Lancaster bombers 15. September 1944 they came from this direction following the fiord to the target.
A view from Straumsneset towards Barbrudalen and Tirpitz's first anchorage in Kåfjord.
A bomb crater at Straumsneset from a bomb that failed to hit Tirpitz. Most likely it is from the attack at 3. April 1943 carried out by carrier based aircraft.
A door from Tirpitz lying on the shore of Straumsneset where Tirpitz was moored. Most likely this door was damaged during the attack on Tirpitz 3. April 1944 and replaced.
A photo of Tirpitz's second anchorage at Straumsneset in Kåfjord. In the background Auskarneset (center of photo) where Scharnhorst occasionally was anchored. The intrance to Kåfjord can be seen to the right of Auskarneset.
Inner Kåfjord 2004
A view from south-west and inner Kåfjord towards north-east, Tirpitz's anchorages and the entrance to Kåfjord. The British Lancasters attacked Tirpitz from this direction 15. September 1944, when the German battleship was attacked for the first time with the huge Tall Boy bombs. Following a valley or fiord was a very commonly used way to approach a target. It helped the aircraft to get the right bearing and get in the best possible position to bomb the target.
A close-up view towards the Tirpitz anchorages as seen from south-west. Straumsneset can be seen as the peninsula sticking out from the right side of the photo. The British Lancasters came from this direction
Another view from south-west and inner Kåfjord towards north-east.
Here it is easy to the see Straumsneset peninsula to the right and the Auskarneset and entrance to Kåfjord (center of photo).
Scharnhorst's Anchorage - Auskarneset, Kåfjord 2004
The entrance to Kåfjord seen from south-east at a point called Jemmeluftneset. Kåfjord is to the left of the photo. Altafjord is to the right and Auskarneset can be seen in the center. Auskarneset is a peninsula where Scharnhorst was anchored in Kåfjord. The peninsula looks like a spoon upside down which has given the peninsula its name.
The entrance to Kåfjord seen from south-west. Photo taken from Simaneset. Auskarneset can be seen to the left of the photo.
A photo of taken from the peninsula Auskarneset showing Scharnhorst's anchorage in Kåfjord. Auskarneset also mark the entrance to Kåfjord.
Another photo of Scharnhorst's anchorage in Kåfjord and the peninsula Auskarneset in the background. The two round indentations in the sloped ground are not bomb craters, but marks where anchor blocks made of concrete was to help keep Scharnhorst in place. These anchor blocks was removed after the war.
A view from Auskarneset showing Scharnhorst's anchorage and Kåfjord as seen from north-east.
X-Craft Memorial, Kåfjord 2004
The oldest of two memorials in Kåfjord to commemorate the X-Craft against Tirpitz 22. September 1943 and their crew. The attack took place in Barbrudalen just behind the memorial plate at Tirpitz's first anchorage in Kåfjord.
Memorial Inscription in Norwegian
TIL MINNE OM MANNSKAPENE PÅ TRE DVERGUBÅTER
(X-CRAFTS) FRA ROYAL NAVY SOM ANGREP DET
TYSKE SLAGSKIPET TIRPITZ I DENNE FJORD
DEN 22 SEPTEMBER 1943.
REIST AV THE KAAFJORD EXPEDITION, ET DYKKERTEAM
FRA BRITISH SUB-AQUA CLUB SOM I 1974 OG 1976
DYKKET I DISSE FARVANN FOR Å FINNE UT MER
OM ANGREPET OG FOR Å HEDRE MINNET OM
UBÅTSMANNSKAPENES TAPPERHET.
Memorial Inscription in English
IN MEMORY OF THE CREWS OF THE THREE MIDGET
SUBMARINES (X-CRAFT) OF THE ROYAL NAVY WHICH
ATTACKED THE GERMAN BATTLESHIP TIRPITZ ON
22ND SEPTEMBER 1943 IN THIS FJORD.
PLACED HERE BY THE KAAFJORD EXPEDITION, A TEAM
OF BRITISH SUB-AQUA CLUB DIVERS WHO DIVED
IN THESE WATERS IN 1974 AND 1976 TO DISCOVER
A LITTLE MORE OF THE ATTACK AND TO PAY
TRIBUTE TO THE BRAVERY OF THE CREWS.
X-Craft Memorial, Kåfjord 2004
Kåfjord kirke (church) where the second and newest memorial commemorating the X-Craft attack and crew is erected. It was erected 21. September 2003 commemorating the 60 year day for the attack. For practical reasons it was erected a day too soon as 21. September 2003 was a Sunday. The attack took place at 22. September 1943.
Memorial Inscription
Twelfth Submarine Flotilla


This Cairn is erected to the memory of the men of the
12th Submarine Flotilla, Royal Navy, who gave their lives
for us during the successful and daring attack on the
German Battleship 'Tirpitz' in X Craft (Midget Submarines) in


OPERATION SOURCE-SEPTEMBER 1943

HMS/M X5
Lieutenant H Henty-Creer RNVR
Sub Lieut AD Malcolm RNVR
Sub Lieut TJ Nelson RNVR
Engine Room Artificer RJ Mortiboys

HMS/M X7
Lieutenant LBC Whittam RNVR
(Buried in Tromsø)
Engine Room Artificer WM Whitley
(Buried in Alta)

HMS/M X9
Sub Lieut EA Kearon RNVR
Ordinary Seaman AH Harte
Stoker GH Hollett

Altafjord 2004
Altafjord as seen from south, south-east and the city of Alta. Kåfjord is a side fiord to Altafjord and the entrance to Kåfjord is to the left of the photo. Tirpitz carried out several excersises in Altafjord.
Kåfjord 2006
Kåfjord seen from north, north-west. Tirpitz's anchorages can be seen in the center of the photo.
The photo was taken by Jörgen Toll in August 2006.


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