Operation Claymore

Operation Claymore was a World War II raid on the Lofoten Islands, by the British Armed forces. It was carried out on 4 March, 1941, by British Commando and Royal Naval units on the remote islands off the coast of Norway, just inside the Arctic Circle.

The raid was conducted by approximately 1000 men of No. 3 and No. 4 Commando, 52 Norwegians of Norwegian Independent Company 1 and demolition teams from the 55th Field Squadron Royal Engineers. The force made an unopposed landing and generally continued to meet no opposition. They achieved their objective of destroying fish oil factories and some 3,600 tonnes (800,000 gallons) of oil and glycerine (some of the oil being destined for use in munitions).

Through naval gunfire and demolition parties, 18,000 tons of shipping were sunk. Perhaps the most significant outcome of the raid, however, was the capture of a set of rotor wheels for an Enigma cypher machine and its code books from the German armed trawler Krebs. This enabled German naval codes to be read at Bletchley Park, providing the intelligence needed to enable allied convoys to avoid u-boat concentrations.

The British experienced only one accidental injury and returned with some 228 German prisoners, 314 loyal Norwegian volunteers and a number of Quisling collaborators.

See also

• Operation Archery

External links

• Museum article on Lofoten raid