“The Channel Dash” by Robert Taylor

THE CHANNEL DASH by Robert Taylor. © The Military Gallery. www.militarygallery.com

Undetected, the battlecruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau, together with the cruiser Prinz Eugen and supporting vessels, had escaped from the French port of Brest, and were making an audacious dash – in broad daylight and under the noses of the enemy – to the safety of the Elbe Estuary. But first they must sail through the Straits of Dover, one of the narrowest and most heavily defended straits in the world. Everything depended on surprise – and air cover. Given the job of providing that air cover was one of Hitler’s youngest Generals, Adolf Galland, who through diligent planning and daring tactics ensured the operation was a complete success. Galland later described the mission as one of the most important and successful of his career.

Reproduced with permission from The Military Gallery http://www.militarygallery.com where artwork can be purchased. Please do not reproduce without their permission.