Action of 28 January 1945

HMS Diadem in 1944

Date	27/28 January 1945
Location	Waters off Bergen, Norway
Result	Inconclusive

Belligerents

United Kingdom

Germany

Commanders and leaders

Frederick Dalrymple-Hamilton

H.F. von Wangenheim

Karl Hetz

Strength

2 light cruisers

3 destroyers
Shore batteries

Casualties and losses

1 killed, 3 wounded
2 light cruisers lightly damaged

55 killed, 24 wounded
1 destroyer heavily damaged
1 destroyer lightly damaged

The Action of 28 January 1945 was an inconclusive naval battle of the Second World War fought between two British Royal Navy light cruisers and three Kriegsmarine (German navy) destroyers near Bergen, Norway. The battle was both the last of many actions between British and German warships off Norway during the war, and the second last surface engagement to fought by the Kriegsmarine. It resulted in heavy damage to one of the German destroyers and light damage to another destroyer and both British cruisers.

Shortly after midnight on the night of 27/28 January, as the three destroyers of the German 4th Destroyer Flotilla were sailing from northern Norway to the Baltic Sea, they were intercepted by the British cruisers HMS Diadem and Mauritius. In the resulting engagement, the destroyers Z31 and Z34 were damaged by gunfire but the German flotilla outran the slower British ships and escaped. All the German warships eventually reached the Baltic, though Z31 was delayed until repairs were completed in Norway.

The Kriegsmarine's 4th Destroyer Flotilla comprised the Narvik-class destroyers Z31, Z34, and Z38. By January 1945, these ships had been stationed in northern Norwegian waters for three and a half years, but had only occasionally put to sea during 1944. Due to Germany's deteriorating position, the flotilla was directed in January to leave Norwegian waters and return to the Baltic. The three destroyers departed Tromsø on the 25th of the month.

The Royal Navy's Home Fleet conducted a number of attacks on German shipping travelling off the coast of Norway during January 1945. These included successful attacks by motor torpedo boats on three escorted ships between 6 and 8 January and the interception of a convoy by the heavy cruiser HMS Norfolk and light cruiser HMS Bellona near Egersund on the night of 11/12 January. On 27 January, the escort carriers HMS Campania, Nairana and Premier departed the Home Fleet's main base at Scapa Flow to conduct a raid against shipping near Vaago which was designated Operation Winded. The carriers were escorted by the heavy cruiser HMS Berwick and six destroyers.

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