Cerberus

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CERBERUS, German codename for naval operation mounted on 11 February 1942 to dispatch the two battle-cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau and the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen to Norway from Brest, via the English Channel. It was ordered by Hitler, who feared an imminent Allied invasion of Norway. Grand Admiral Raeder, the German Navy's C-in-C, was so appalled at the risks it entailed that he refused to take any responsibility for the operation.

The British had calculated that the Germans might take this gamble and had long-laid plans to counter it, principally with attacks by aircraft of Bomber Command. ULTRA intelligence, which revealed the areas being cleared of mines for the passage of the warships and the gathering of additional German air and sea forces to protect the squadron, gave clear warning that the break-out was imminent. But through a series of mischances, the clever jamming (see electronic warfare)—and breakdown—of British radar, and the mistaken assumption that the German squadron would steam through the Channel at night, the Admiralty was not alerted when it sailed at 2245 on 11 February 1942, and remained in ignorance of its presence until the three ships had passed Boulogne in broad daylight. By then it was much too late to mount a co-ordinated attack. Only MTBs, some torpedo bombers, and six destroyers were available (the Home Fleet could not be risked), for C-in-C Bomber Command had, without telling the Admiralty, stood down over half the bombers allotted to the operation and the remainder were on four hours' notice instead of the required two. Piecemeal attacks were mounted—a complete flight of six torpedo bombers was destroyed—but all three ships eventually reached Germany, an achievement that was rightly seen by the Germans as a triumph, and by the British as a blow to their prestige which caused a public outcry.

In fact the operation was assessed by the German Naval High Command as a tactical success but a strategic failure as the ships presented a much greater threat when based at Brest. It also transpired that both battle-cruisers had been damaged by mines which British aircraft had laid in the areas already swept by the Germans; and though both Scharnhorst and Prinz Eugen eventually reached Norway, Gneisenau was so badly damaged by RAF bombs while in dry-dock that her refit was abandoned. See also sea power.

Bibliography

Polter, J. , Fiasco (London, 1970).

Cerberus in Greek mythology, a monstrous watchdog with three (or in some accounts fifty) heads, which guarded the entrance to Hades. Cerberus could be appeased with a cake, as by Aeneas, or lulled to sleep (as by Orpheus) with lyre music; one of the twelve labours of Hercules was to bring him up from the underworld.

Cerberus , in Greek mythology, many-headed dog with a mane and a tail of snakes; offspring of Typhon and Echidna. He guarded the entrance of Hades. One of the 12 labors of Hercules was to capture him.

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