The positions of the German capital ships according to the U.S. Joint Intelligence Committee. Daily summary dated 21 January 1942

U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command, MH 71390.

 Tirpitz anchored in the Alta Fjord, Norway between 1943-1944

Scharnhorst. ©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com

An item referred to a reliable source reporting the German battleship Tirpitz (1) lying on 19 January at Trondheim, Norway. The German battle cruiser Scharnhorst (2) and heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen (3) were on 20 January lying at their usual berths at Brest. France. Where the German battle cruiser Gneisenau (4) was, could not be reported due the atmospheric conditions.

Notes

1. Laid down by Kriegsmarinewerft Wilhelmshaven, Germany on 2 November 1936, launched on 1 April 1939, commissioned on 25 February 1941 and sunk by the Royal Air Force on 12 November 1944 at Tromsø, Norway, with her wreck broken up between 1948-1957. Of the Bismarck-class as answer on the French Richelieu-class battleships preceded by Scharnhorst-class succeeded by planned H-class.

2. Scharnhorst-class preceded by planned L20e a-class and realized Bayern-class succeeded by Bismarch-class, laid down at the Kriegsmarinewerft Wilhemshaven, Germany on 15 June 1935, launched on 3 October 1936, commissioned on 7 January 1939 and sunk while in battle off the North Cape on 26 December 1943 by the British battleship HMS Duke of York with just 36 survivors of a crew of 1,968 men. Her sister ship was the Gneisenau. The Scharnhorst was to replace the old dreadnought Elsass and so she became first know in official documents and newspaper as the Ersatz Elsass and in the contracts as “D”.

3. Of the Admiral Hipper-class heavy cruisers, preceded by Deutschland-class. Laid down by Germaniawerft, Kiel on 23 April 1936, launched on 22 August 1938, commissioned on 1 August 1940, decommissioned on 7 May 1945, surrendered on 8 May 1945, handed over to the USA and sunk on 22 December 1946 during nuclear tests.

4. Scharnhorst-class preceded by planned L20e α-class and realized Bayern-class preceded by Bismarck-class, laid down by Deutsche Werke, Kiel, Germany on 6 May 1935, launched on 8 December 1936, commissioned on 21 May 1938, decommissioned on 1 July 1942, scuttled as block ship on 23 March 1945 and broken up in 1951.

Source

Map Room Papers (Roosevelt Administration), 1942 - 1945. U.S. Joint Intelligence Committee. Daily summary No. 42 dated 21 January 1942