Barents Sea submarine campaign (1941)

At the beginning of war, the Soviet Navy operated 15 submarines from Polyarny, later augmented by 8 vessels of the Baltic Fleet coming through channels. The Royal Navy reinforced this unit dispatching HMS Tigris and Trident, later relieved by HMS Sealion and Seawolf.[1]

• On 17 August, British submarine HMS Tigris torpedoed and sank the Norwegian merchant "Haakon Jarl" (1492 GRT)[2]
• On 19 August, British submarine HMS Trident damaged with gunfire the German merchant "Levante" (4769 GRT)[3]
• On 22 August, British submarine HMS Trident torpedoed and sank the German merchant "Ostpreussen" (3030 GRT)[4]
• On 30 August, British submarine HMS Trident torpedoed and sank the German merchants "Donau II" (2931 GRT) and "Bahia Laura" (8561 GRT)[5]
• On 13 September, British submarine HMS Tigris torpedoed and sank the Norwegian merchant "Richard With" (905 GRT)[6]
• On 27 September, British submarine HMS Trident torpedoed and damaged the German submarine chaser UJ-1201.[7]
• On 17 October, the Soviet submarine ShCh-422 torpedoed and sank the Norwegian merchant "Ottar Jarl" (1459 GRT)[8]
• On 17 October, the Soviet submarine ShCh-402 torpedoed and sank the Norwegian merchant "Vesteraalen"(682 GRT).[9]
• On 3 November, British submarine HMS Trident torpedoed and sank the German submarine chaser UJ-1213.[10]
• On 18 November, British submarine HMS Seawolf torpedoed and sank the Norwegian tanker "Vesco" (331 GRT)[11]
• On 3 December, the Soviet submarine K-3 missed with torpedoes the German merchant "Altkirch" (4713 GRT): she was subjected to depth charges and damaged by escort. Forced to surface, the submarine engaged in gun battle with the submarine chasers "UJ-1403", "UJ-1416" and "UJ-1708". During the fight, "UJ-1708" sunk and the other vessels fled allowing K-3 to return at base.[12]
• On 5 December, British submarine HMS Seawolf torpedoed and sank the Norwegian merchant "Island" (638 GRT)[13]
• On 11 December, Soviet submarine K-22 shelled and sank the Norwegian fishing vessels "Alphar" and "Borgar". Two days earlier, she also laid a field of mines (but they scored no success).[14]

Soviet submarine K-1 of the oceanic K class laid 3 fields of mines on 27 October, 29 October and 16 December. On the first and third fields sunk respectively:[15]

• German merchant "Flottbek" (1930 GRT)
• Norwegian merchant "Kong Ring" (1994 GRT)

Soviet submarine K-23 of the oceanic K class laid a single field of mines on 5 November.[16]

• These mines were responsible for damaging the German minesweeper M-22 on 22 October.

Soviet submarine K-21 of the oceanic K class laid a single field of mines on 11 November.

• On these mines was sunk German merchant "Bessheim" (1774 GRT).[17]

The Soviet results achieved from the campaign were modest, despite losing no vessel: success was hampered not just by the extremely harsh Arctic climate but also due inexperience, in contrast the British vessels gained more success. The British officers instructed the Soviet submarine D-3 to follow their own tactics but despite many victories claimed, none was real.[18]

Prior the departure from Polyarny after completing her first mission, the submarine HMS Trinidad received as gift a reindeer foal (named "Pollyanna"). The submarine endured a six-week patrol before returning home with the reindeer living on board. Once back in England, the animal was gifted to the Regent's Park Zoo.[19]