Black Friday (1945)

"Black Friday" raid on Førde Fjord
Part of World War II
Z33 under attack by Allied aircraft on 9 February 1945
Date 9 February 1945 Location Førde Fjord, Norway Result German victory
Belligerents
Australia  Canada  New Zealand  United Kingdom	Germany
Commanders and leaders
Colin Milson
Strength
31 or 32 Beaufighters 10 or 12 P-51 Mustangs 2 Warwicks	12 Fw 190s 1 destroyer 3 to 9 escort warships
Casualties and losses
9 Beaufighters 1 P-51 Mustang 14 aircrew KIA 4 POW	4 or 5 Fw 190s 2 pilots, 7 sailors KIA

On 9 February 1945, a force of Allied Bristol Beaufighter aircraft suffered heavy casualties during an unsuccessful attack on the German destroyer Z33 and its escorting vessels; the operation was labelled "Black Friday" by the surviving Allied aircrew. The German ships were sheltering in a strong defensive position in Førde Fjord, Norway, forcing the Allied aircraft to attack through heavy anti-aircraft fire. The Beaufighters and their escort of Mustang Mk III fighters from the RAF's No. 65 Squadron were also intercepted by twelve German Focke-Wulf Fw 190 fighters of the Luftwaffe fighter wing Jagdgeschwader 5. In the resulting attack, the Allies damaged at least two of the German ships for the loss of seven Beaufighters shot down by flak guns. Another two Beaufighters and one Mustang were shot down by the Fw 190s. Four or five German fighters were shot down by the Allied aircraft, including one flown by German Ace Rudi Linz.

The decision to attack Z33 and her escorts rather than a nearby group of merchant ships was in accordance with RAF Coastal Command's orders from the British Admiralty. The heavy casualties sustained in the raid led to merchant ships being prioritised over destroyers and small warships in subsequent operations. In addition, another squadron of P-51 Mustangs was assigned to protect Allied aircraft operating near Norway from German fighters.

Due to Allied victories in France and Eastern Europe, Germany's surface shipping was largely confined to the lower Baltic and Norwegian waters by late 1944. This left ports in Norway as Germany's last remaining bases to continue the Battle of the Atlantic and conduct trade with Sweden. When the Baltic iced over during the winter of 1944–45, Germany was forced to transport its vital imports of Swedish iron ore from the port of Narvik in northern Norway.

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