Convoy JW 55B Convoy JW 55B was an Arctic convoy sent from Great Britain by the Western Allies to aid the Soviet Union during World War II . It sailed in late December 1943 , reaching the Soviet northern ports at the end of the month . All ships arrived safely . During the voyage JW 55B was attacked by a German force centred on the battleship " Scharnhorst " ; no contact was made with the convoy , but " Scharnhorst " was sunk , in the Battle of the North Cape , by and a handful of Royal Navy light surface combatants . Ships . The convoy consisted of 19 merchant ships which departed from Loch Ewe on 22 December 1943 . Close escort was provided by a force of two destroyers and three other escort vessels . There was also an Ocean escort , comprising the destroyer " Onslow " ( Capt . JA McCoy commanding ) and seven other Home Fleet destroyers . The convoy was also accompanied initially by a local escort group from Britain , and was also joined later by the ocean escort of convoy JW 55A , out of Murmansk . A cruiser cover force comprising " Belfast " ( V . Adm R Burnett commanding ) , " Norfolk " , and " Sheffield " also followed the convoy , to guard against attack by surface units . Distant cover was provided by a Heavy Cover Force comprising the battleship " Duke of York " , the cruiser " Jamaica " and four destroyers under the command of V Adm . Bruce Fraser . JW 55B was opposed by a U - boat force of thirteen boats in a patrol line , code - named " Eisenbart " , in the Norwegian Sea . A surface force comprising the battleship " Scharnhorst " and five destroyers was also in readiness , stationed at Altenfjord . Action . JW 55B departed Loch Ewe on 20 December 1943 , accompanied by its local escort , of two minesweepers and two corvettes , and its close escort . Two days later , on 22 December , it was joined by the ocean escort , while the local escort departed . At the same time the Cruiser Force , from Murmansk , and the Distant Cover Force , waiting at Akureyri , in Iceland , also put to sea , taking station in the Norwegian Sea . Also on 22 December the convoy was sighted by a patrolling German aircraft , which commenced shadowing ; a succession of aircraft were able to maintain contact over the next few days , sending accurate reports of course and speed to the surface force at Altenfjord . On 25 December the convoy was also sighted by " U - 601 " , an " Eisenbart " boat , and later that day Adm . Bey , in " Scharnhorst " , received permission to sortie with his force . That evening " U - 716 " came close enough to fire on one of the escorts , and " U - 701 " was depth - charged . Also on 25 December JW 55B was joined by the ocean escort of JW 55A , which was accompanying the returning convoy RA 55A . Fraser was concerned that a German surface force would reach JW 55B before he would , and ordered the convoy to reverse course . In the event this proved too difficult , but the convoy was slowed to 8 knots in order to assist the meeting . " Scharnhorst " was unable to make contact with JW 55B , but on 26 December was intercepted , first by Burnett ’ s cruisers , then by Fraser ’ s heavy units , and sunk , in the Battle of the North Cape , only staying afloat long enough to score two minor hits on both " Duke of York " and destroyer . Meanwhile contact by the U - boats had been lost , and no further contact with JW 55B was made by the " Eisenbart " wolf - pack . On 28 December the convoy was met by the eastern local escort force , three Soviet destroyers and two minesweepers , and arrived at Kola without further incident on 30 December 1943 . Conclusion . The 19 ships of JW 55B arrived at Murmansk without loss , while the German attempt to attack the convoy had led to the loss of their last operational capital ship in Norway . Thereafter , until " Tirpitz " was returned to active service , the Allied Arctic convoys were under no serious threat from the German Navy ' s surface forces . Ships involved . Axis ships . U - boat force Surface force