Operation Anklet

Operation Anklet
Part of the North West Europe Campaign

Lofoten Islands
Date26–27 December 1941
Location67°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
United Kingdom Admiral Frederick Dalrymple-Hamilton
Naval:
Captain Hugh Dalrymple-Smith
Land:
Lieutenant Colonel S.S. Harrison
Nazi Germany 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]

  1. ^ Messenger, p.47
  2. ^ "No. 38342". The London Gazette. 2 July 1948. p. 3881. "Raid on military and economic objectives in the vicinity of Vaagso island"