Operation Rösselsprung (1942)
Rösselsprung was a plan by the German Kriegsmarine to intercept an Arctic convoy in mid-1942. It was the German Navy's largest operation of its type and arguably the most successful since it resulted in the near-destruction of Convoy PQ 17. Ironically, that success was entirely indirect, as no Rösselsprung ship caught sight of the convoy or fired a shot at it. PQ 17's losses were instead caused by U-boat and aircraft attacks. Despite not making contact with the convoy a number of the Rösselsprung ships were damaged in the course of the operation, notably the heavy cruiser Lützow, which ran aground in thick fog and needed three months of repairs. Background The name Rösselsprung refers to the Knight’s Move in Chess. It was an attempt to intercept the arctic convoy expected in late June 1942, which would be Convoy PQ 17. Two naval forces were assembled and held in readiness: the first, at Trondheim, comprised the battleship , the heavy cruiser and six destroyers under the command of Admiral Otto Schniewind; the second, at Narvik, was composed of the heavy cruisers Lützow and and six destroyers under the command of Vice-Admiral Oskar Kummetz. A patrol line of U-boats was established