Operation Anklet

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Operation Anklet
Part of the North West Europe Campaign
Lofoten Islands
Date 26–27 December 1941 Location Lofoten Islands 67°59′N 13°00′E / 67.983°N 13.000°E / 67.983; 13.000 Result Allied victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom  Norway Poland	Germany
Commanders and leaders
Admiral Frederick Dalrymple-Hamilton Naval: Captain Hugh Dalrymple-Smith Land: Lieutenant Colonel S.S. Harrison	Generaloberst Nikolaus von Falkenhorst
Strength
Naval: Royal Navy 1 Light cruiser 6 Destroyers 3 Minesweepers 2 Landing Ship Infantry 2 Submarines 1 Survey ship Royal Fleet Auxiliary 2 Tankers 1 Freighter 1 Tugboat Royal Norwegian Navy 2 Corvettes Polish Navy 2 Destroyers Land: No. 12 Commando 223 men Norwegian Company 77 men	Eight divisions in Norway three coastal defence four infantry one Luftwaffe Field Division[1] Unknown number of aircraft and naval forces
Casualties and losses
1 light cruiser heavily damaged	1 patrol ship sunk 2 wireless stations destroyed

Operation Anklet was the codename given to a British Commando raid during the Second World War. The raid on the Lofoten Islands was carried out in December 1941, by 300 men from No. 12 Commando and the Norwegian Independent Company 1. The landing party was supported by 22 ships from three navies.

At the same time, another raid was taking place in Vågsøy. This raid was Operation Archery, on 27 December 1941, and Operation Anklet was seen as a diversionary raid for this bigger raid, intended to draw away the German naval and air forces.^[2]