The Greatest Naval Speedrun in History

[dexter]

The Kriegsmarine faced a highly problematic situation: two of its most important capital ships docked in Brest, France, were under constant attack by the Royal Air Force, which was determined to disrupt their repair cycles. Meanwhile, the Scharnhorst-class battleships were desperately needed in Norway to dissuade British commandos from operating in the Nazi-occupied coastal territory. But getting from Northern France to Norway meant going around the British Isles or piercing the English Channel. Both options were almost hopeless. Going north and around the British Isles meant traversing dangerously close to the British main battle fleet at Scapa Flow. If the British intercepted the German capital ships, they would be decimated. On the other hand, going through the English Channel meant exposing themselves to the full might of the Royal Air Force, with minefields, torpedo boats, and fast warships exerting a naval blockade. As the matter became more pressing, the Kriegsmarine decided to do the unthinkable and attempt to do what no hostile fleet had managed to achieve in over 300 years: a frantic naval dash across the English Channel.