In September and October 1943, the German battleship Tirpitz was photographed by three members of ...

In September and October 1943, the German battleship Tirpitz was photographed by three members of 543 Photographic Reconnaissance Unit (PRU), RAF, while lying in Alten Fiord, prior and subsequent to its attack by midget submarines of the Royal Navy on 22 September 1943. This aerial photograph, taken the day after the British attack, identified the presence of the battlecruiser Scharnhorst which had also accompanied Tirpitz (not in view). These two capital ships, along with escorting warships, proved a formidable threat to the Royal Navy and those merchant fleet convoys which supported the Russian war effort. 405595 Flying Officer (FO) John H Dixon, a member of the RAAF, flew with this unit from its base in northern Russia monitoring the movements of this battle group. For his wartime service, FO Dixon later received the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC).