Action of 28 January 1945

Action of 28 January 1945
Part of the Second World War
Black and white photo of a World War II-era warship. The ship is painted in camouflage and is armed with several gun turrets.
HMS Diadem in 1944
Date27/28 January 1945
Location
Waters off Bergen, Norway
Result Inconclusive
Belligerents
 United Kingdom  Germany
Commanders and leaders
United Kingdom Frederick Dalrymple-Hamilton Nazi Germany H.F. von Wangenheim
Nazi Germany 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 the last of many actions between British and German warships off Norway during the war and the second-to-last surface engagement to be 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. The destroyers Z31 and Z34 were damaged by gunfire but the German flotilla outran the slower British ships and escaped. The German warships eventually reached the Baltic, though Z31 was delayed until repairs were completed in Norway.