Allied order of battle for Operation Mascot

This article provides an order of battle for the Allied forces involved in the Operation Mascot attack on the German battleship Tirpitz on 17 July 1944.

Home Fleet forces dispatched

The attack force comprised the following ships and Fleet Air Arm units:[1][2][3][4]

• HMS Duke of York (flagship of Admiral Henry Moore)
  • First Cruiser Squadron
    • HMS Formidable
      • 1841 Naval Air Squadron (18 Vought F4U Corsairs)
      • No. 8 Torpedo Bomber Reconnaissance Wing
        • 827 Naval Air Squadron (12 Fairey Barracudas)
        • 830 Naval Air Squadron (12 Barracudas)
    • HMS Furious
      • 880 Naval Air Squadron (12 Supermarine Seafires)
      • 1840 Naval Air Squadron (20 Grumman F6F Hellcats)
      • 842 Flight (3 Fairey Swordfish)
    • HMS Indefatigable
      • 894 Naval Air Squadron (16 Seafires)
      • 1770 Naval Air Squadron (12 Fairey Fireflys)
      • No. 9 Torpedo Bomber Reconnaissance Wing
        • 820 Naval Air Squadron (12 Barracudas)
        • 826 Naval Air Squadron (12 Barracudas)
    • HMS Devonshire
    • HMS Kent
    • HMS Jamaica
    • HMS Bellona
  • Third Destroyer Flotilla
    • HMS Milne (flagship)
    • HMS Marne
    • HMS Matchless
    • HMS Musketeer
    • HMS Nubian (F36)
    • HMS Scourge
    • HMS Verulam
    • HMS Vigilant
    • HMS Virago
    • HMS Volage
    • HMCS Algonquin
    • HMCS Sioux
  • 20th Escort Group
    • HMS Burges (flagship)
    • HMS Bulldog
    • HMS Hoste
    • HMS Inman

Strike force

The strike force launched in the early hours of 17 July comprised the following units:[5]

• No. 8 Torpedo Bomber Reconnaissance Wing (21 Barracudas)
• No. 9 Torpedo Bomber Reconnaissance Wing (23 Barracudas)
• 1770 Naval Air Squadron (12 Fireflys)
• 1840 Naval Air Squadron (20 Hellcats)
• 1841 Naval Air Squadron (18 Corsairs)

References

Citations

1. Roskill (1961), p. 156
2. Brown (1968), p. 40
3. Brown (1977), p. 36
4. "Admiralty War Diaries of World War 2: Home Fleet - July to August 1944". naval-history.net. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
5. Brown (1977), p. 37

Works consulted

• Brown, J.D. (1968). Carrier Operations in World War II : Volume One - The Royal Navy. London: Ian Allan.
• Brown, David (1977). Tirpitz: The Floating Fortress. London: Arms and Armour Press. ISBN 0853683417.
• Roskill, S.W. (1961). The War at Sea 1939–1945. Volume III: The Offensive Part II. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office. OCLC 59005418.
• Tactical, Torpedo and Staff Duties Division (Historical Section) (2012) [1944]. "Naval Aircraft Attack on the Tirpitz (Operation 'Tungsten') 3 April 1944". In Bennett, G.H. (ed.). Hunting Tirpitz: Naval Operations Against Bismarck's Sister Ship. Plymouth, United Kingdom: University of Plymouth Press. pp. 133–177. ISBN 9781841023106.