Beaufort attack on Lützow

13 June 1941, North Sea, off Egersund, Norway

British success; Lützow torpedoed and her Atlantic raid abandoned

Three weeks after Bismarck was sunk, Lützow sailed from Kiel with five destroyers to break out into the Atlantic, but she was spotted off the Norwegian coast. In the early hours of 13 June 1941 Beauforts of 42 Squadron searched for her, and one, flown by Flight Sergeant Ray Loveitt, found her and put a torpedo into her amidships from close range. Her electrics failed and she took a heavy list. She limped back to Kiel and was under repair for six months, and no German heavy ship tried to break out into the Atlantic again.