In November 1943 the Arctic Convoys restarted. On 19 December 1943 Grand Admiral Karl Dönitz submitted a request to Hitler to allow "Scharnhorst" to attack the next convoy sailing through the Barents Sea. On 25 December 1943 Dönitz ordered "Ostfront" to commence. Admiral Fraser (C-in-C of the Home Fleet), alerted by Norwegian resistance information to the possibility of an interception by "Scharnhorst", prepared a trap for the German warship. On 25 December "Scharnhorst" sailed to intercept the British convoy, JW 55B, believing it to be sparsely protected.