Operation Catechism: How The Allies Sank Hitler's 'Unsinkable' Battleship | The Tirpitz | Timeline 

My dad piloted a Lancaster on this mission. His plane was named Lonesome Lola with 9th squadron. He was only 21 years old. I asked him when I was younger what the war was like. He told me that he was always afraid when he went on mission. Nonetheless he flew 34 missions and survived. He'd gone now but I'm so proud of him and his humble nature. RIP dad. Thanks.

My grandfather at 38:15, sadly passed away in december 2018, he told me many intresting stories about the war and everything he did in it, miss talking to him, but im glad i can watch this amazing documentary when i feel like it :) RIP

1944 was a long time ago. I was born 13 years after the fact. I never served in combat. My time in the Army was during peacetime. But still, this is one of the most heart-touching documentaries I've seen yet. By the end of the film, I was just about ready to cry, watching all these old men tell their stories, seeing the photos of their youth, and to see them set aside their differences to finish their lives in peace. No soldier or sailor from World War 2 alive today is younger than 90 years old. As they die, so dies the the history of the war and the lives of the people who were affected by it. WE MUST NOT FORGET.

As a military man, I have nothing but the highest respect for warriors who can lay down their weapons and join one another around a table of peace, understanding that they did not become enemies for personal reasons but enemies due to those who were beyond their control. 🙏

My dad was a navigator in a Lancaster, 12 Squadron. He and his crew made it safely through the war. My pride knows no bounds. Thanks for our dads.

They had about a 2.8 second window to release a single unguided bomb from 15,200' and the majority hit. That is a level of accuracy that isn't held by the vast majority of pilots even today.

"I was pretty tough once, but now its all gone." That coming from an old man who fought in one of the most brutal wars in human history chokes me up.

I am from Indonesia. There was a very old German who used to live here. Before he retired he was the head of Hapag Lloyd. Everyone called him Kapten Schwartz. He used to tell me how he had served on the Tirpitz as a very young sailor and how on the day she was sunk the captain ordered him to take a group of sailors ashore to go to church . They were on a cliff and saw the Tirpitz go down.

20 yrs after the war, my Dad became friends with a former German tank driver that fought in the same battles as Dad did. RIP Hans Dittmond & Floyd Durrell (Dad)❤️

Omg, Kurt Schultz at 45:00. It's heartbreaking hearing this man, and how he breaks down. Respect for his former enemy and the prowess they showed. Respect for his dead comrades in arms. "I was pretty tough once, but that's all gone." And young Tony, just after that- "All wars are dreadful." But--- "You couldn't have the Nazis in charge, could you?" I had to wait for the tears to pass before I could type this reply. I am in awe of these men, and what they went through, in their early 20s, then carried for the rest of their lives.

Man when he started crying in the end I couldn't help to shed a tear as well. I couldn't imagine being in a war fighting on the wrong side and the entire world is your enemy but your just a lad doing what your told by powers greater than yourself.

I thought the Bismark was the only beast of a German battleship like the Tirpitz. WWII has been a big fascination of mine and I can honestly say, I've never seen any information on the Tirpitz. A movie should honor the brave men on this important days of history!

Ron MacDonnell My dad was a tail gunner on an American B-17 Flying Fortress, based out of England. He often talked about the good times they had with the crew of one of the Lancasters that they served with when they weren't, as he said, "praying our way through a mission." In case that was your dad''s plane, thank you for looking out for him. He is also gone from us, but the Lancaster crew was one of the few happy memories he had of his years at war. He was 20 then.They were all so young.

"Crazy war, and for nothing!" the words of the German gentleman at the end of the documentary and seeing him break down in tears of sorrow, still after 70 years, just broke me down as well and I shed my own tears along with his. The most terrible thing is humans have learned nothing from the horrors of war, we just need to have a look around us. Documentaries like this one should be mandatory in schools around the world, to create a new mentality and for the world to see the real horrors of war.

That German pilot nailed it: “Crazy war, for nothing.”

These men changed history. All this should be tought in school. The boys nowadays could learn alot on how to be from these brave men. God Bless.

I served with the RAF Medical Branch in 1956-59 at RAF Hospital Wegberg, in the operating theatre. We had various German civilian staff and nurses, we never talked about the war, which was still fresh in their minds as they probably served too. We treated each other as human beings-many becoming good friends. I toured many of the cities that were bombed to rubble and the big dams. I was impressed with how much had been restored in those few years. I have recently added my experience and photos of my time there, in a recent display touring some German cities in the Westphalia region, 2018, of those post war times. War can bring out the worst and the best, I only saw and experienced the best. 🇬🇧🇦🇺

Both of my Grandfathers served the US in the war. Neither were flyers during that time. My mothers dad rarely talked about it. My paternal grandfather used to talk about it when his friends and relatives would come over and I so wish that as a child of less than 10 at the time, I could have recorded their stories. Our generation should learn from what these gentlemen had to say. These men , all of them were from the greatest generation. Salute to all the brave men who served and fought. RIP to all those that have passed and to those that died during.

One of the better documentaries I've seen. What a human experience and perspective they conveyed, very touching.

Excellent documentary! I appreciated that they mentioned the ones they had killed and it was obvious it was still heavy on their mind. I was a helicopter pilot in Vietnam and got to participate in the killing of many people and I am now in my 79th year and think of the deaths often. We humans are a pitiful lot to have to kill each other as we do. Best of luck to all of us.

When he speaks of those men trapped inside singing the Deutchland song until their voices were no longer heard was pretty heartbreaking. RIP to those men lost

These guys remind me so much of a World War II veteran I met named Hulon Cameron. He served in the Pacific theatre in the Navy and I always visited him for a while when I was on my route with the gas company. He was a very jolly person. Once as I walked up he was sitting in the swing in the sun and I asked if he was working on his sun tan and he said yes and that he was getting prettier every day. I remember him telling me how angry he was when Emperor Hirohito went to Disneyland and how he never went there because of It and never owned a Japanese car.

Amazing to see these heroes at such old ages. Nowadays, men with PTSD don't live as long, many of them self-destructing. If we could bottle the mentality that kept men alive so long after such tremendous stress, we could save millions. SALUTE RAF!

My great uncle was a Lancaster bomber rear gunner in 9 Squadron. He was on this mission aswell as the Urft and Sorpe dams. He flew in over 30 sorties. He was a beautiful man. Very humble. Absolute legend and hero in my eyes. RIP Flight Sgt Fred Whitfield DFM

I'm a wartime baby who survived the second world war, yet watching this video of sinking the Tirpitz makes me even more proud of our brave R.A.F. Pilots, who by their very efforts, in that raid, no doubt saved thousands of lives, that the Tirpitz no doubt would have taken. God Bless you pilots, on both sides. All were doing their duty. on both sides. Yet when it's all over, everyone is friends. Sad for the thousand young sailors of the German navy, and those of the British Airforce. We are here because of them They in my book will never be forgotten.

“crazy , crazy war, for nothing, 80 years of my life and it gets through to me now” jesus that killed me

Of all the things I've heard pilots say about flying in the war, hearing Brit pilots talking about SEEing 15" shells coming up from the Tirpitz might well be the most surreal. That high up, following a ballistic firing solution that must have been as nearly vertical as those guns were capable of, I have no trouble believing they saw exactly that...

Its bittersweet to see these men who were once enemies(Not by choice)getting together each week and reminiscent about the war

At 29:20 begins an excellent blow-by-blow description of the attack overlaid with graphics. I've seen the historical footage many times without quite being sure of the orientation of The ship and where it was located amongst all the smoke and spray. Kudos to whoever was in charge of researching and editing that line of footage...

you gotta hand It to these old blokes, they have a story to tell and It Is a damn good one that should be preserved for educational purpose.

My grandfather was in WWI Battle of the Argon Forest. Three of his sons were in WWII Uncle Elmer was killed. I never met him. My Uncle Ray was my favorite uncle on my mothers side of the family. I miss them.

I'm glad they didn't have blaring music that overpowered the voices.

A B17 was crippled over Germany. The plane was heavily damaged and some of the crew were injured. And a 109 pilot spared the plane and crew and let them return to England. After the war was over the too american and Greman plots were reunited. Very touching.

A wonderful story with the actual veterans towards the end of their lives. Did you know that a fine navigator called F/O W.E.(Ricky) Richardson from my little island of Jamaica, was on board one of those Lancasters that helped sink the Tirpitz. Yes, most persons forget it was a british colony up to 1962. Three of my father's brothers also served in the RAF. One was killed in action. "Lest we Forget." Thank you for sharing this documentary.

I'm a retired USN submariner and I agree completely with his statement @44:20 - @44:32. The politicians (rich people) make war and we regular people pay the price.

What a remarkable change from 1940 when RAF bombers couldn't drop bombs within 5 miles of their targets. To hit a battleship from 15,000 feet a number of times was skill of the highest order.

My father was on a ship in the Pacific. He would talk about the "fun" parts of the war but never about the combat.God bless my father. Rest in peace, dad.

This documentary highlighted the human sufferings at the end very responsibly. Use of graphics and music were subtle. You'll find lots of documentaries(mainly from US) focused on WWII with dramatic music, extravagant graphics, fake historians which do not do justice to the millions of lives lost during those days. Kudos to the team behind this great work.

My Dad was in the navy + took part in the Arctic Convoys, he served on HMS Zest. I believe a number of the ships were all named something beginning with the letter 'Z', an odd detail among what sadly is the little I know of his time during the war. He rarely spoke of it, although he was happy to answer questions when asked. I wish I could ask about The Tirpitz, but he died back in May, 2020, he was 95-years old. I'm so proud of his service, + for that of all the heroes who served.... Lest we forget........

WW2 redefined the entire world. I LOVE this series. But this one, in particular, has the best ending with the raw emotion of the German pilot.

My Grandfather That served throughout WWII became friends with some Japanese WWII veterans after the war and it lasted for the rest of their lives. God Bless All Those that Have Served With Honor.

The bravery of these heroes is immeasurable! Their chuckles and smiles show some of the joy they had as young men after their victory against beast!

I love this format. All the experiences from spry old veterans. Like having a bunch of grandpa's telling us about the war.

This doc was a surprisingly striking commentary on the futility of war, and the human spirit.

There a bitter aftertaste of what Tony said... You can feel his pain. Respect for those who braved the skies of WW2. So as to the men who sailed the seas and marched the ground of that gruesome era.

What a tragic experience for so many, but with a beautiful ending. Touched my heart to see these 2 once enemies now friends, still teaching us to this day. Its such a blessing that they are still here with us. I find it most interesting how those who fought these battles and live to tell the story, share their feelings and thoughts about the value of war.

Fantastic documentary, but it’s the pilots both axis and allied that tore my heart. They spoke as true gentleman and I have nothing but respect for all involved including those on that magnificent ship

Impressive. As a Veteran myself, I actually liked the end the best. War really does suck. What do opposing militaries really do? They send their youngest, bravest, those with the most potential in life,......to die. God Bless Them All.

I never get tired of WW2 anything.

44:10, I could watch guys like this talk about anything for hours and it would be more entertaining than most things on TV these days.

Deeply moving. And as the German said "All for nothing". Modern day and future tyrants should learn that all mendacious schemes fail, but not before ruining so many lives.

It's so good to hear directly from these men involved, they must have been so tense flying into this action, same for the men on the tirpitz. May the lost rest in peace.

Brilliant presentation. The personal stories of the veterans from both the German and British servicemen really topped it off. "Lest we forget."

I have just come across this documentary - how fantastic to see this. My dad, Colin "Bill" Campbell DFC was a Navigator/Bomb Aimer for 9 Squadron (an Aussie in the RAAF) and flew with Bomber Command until the war ended. Dad was given a model of the Tall Boy bomb by Barnes Wallace - the same bombs he deployed, along with others in both Squadrons, that finally sunk the Tirpitz. He rarely spoke of the war and suffered ill health for the rest of his short life. Although I was a child I remember his nightmares and perhaps he suffered what we now have a name for .... PTSD. How all those young men climbed into their Lancasters night after night knowing that some, maybe them, would not be returning. War is a terrible thing - our politicians need to remember that. We loved you and are proud of you Dad. Jeanne Campbell Bartell

That last little bit of the two men talking really got to me. My father was in the Angolan border war with South Africa fighting for South Africa. I hate what he had to go through. For nothing, in a pointless war waged by greedy and misguided politicians to attempt to keep Angola's independence stripped away from it. All because of different ideologies

Years ago, I was secretary to an RAF pilot. When I tried to ask him about the war, he said, don't ask me about the war. I lost my family in the bombing of Britain.

Fun fact: Steel plates from the Tirpitz are to this day used to cover temporary ditches dug across roadways in Norway. Whenever such ditches need to be dug, for whatever reason. They are inches thick and can withstand whatever load is driven over them.

My grandpa and his brother were 14 and 15 when tirpitz sank. They lived next to the fjord where tirpitz sank. They saw the whole thing and heard screams. He past away 1 year ago

All who served are HEROES. I can't thank your dad, but you are right to be proud of him.

29:40 A near miss from a 12,000 lb. Tallboy was almost as good as a hit. Each one contained 5,2000 lb. of Torpex D1. (Torpex is 50% more powerful than TNT.) The pressure blast against the hull of Tirpitz from the bomb exploding in water nearby would crumple hull plates, buckle bulkheads and lead to massive flooding. With two direct hits and three near misses, Tirpitz was torn apart. In addition, the in water detonations scoured away a lot of the sandbank that has been created to prevent Tirpitz from capsizing if hit. Tirpitz was doomed.

45:13 Could not help myself but shed a tear, thinking back of our own war encounters, friends and foe's lost

This needed to happen for the outcome of the War to be what it was but it is so sad to hear the German soldiers recount their experience of it. War truly is a bunch of old men sitting around deciding the fate of young men. RIP to the young men who were condemned by the actions of others who had no concern for them as human beings.

45:11 I can’t imagine spending 8 years thinking you’re fighting for your people, only for the war to end and you’re pinned as one of the “bad guys” for the rest of your life. I have the utmost respect for all warriors with good hearts.

"This situation is where we as human beings finally come through after the politicians did to us whatever they wanted to do. And we said, "Yes, Sir." This is definitely one of the best documentaries on this channel. Touches your heart and soul in a way. Gives you a glimpse of the humans behind war.

Timeline comes through yet again. This is a great documentary. Most documentaries on WWII (and other military history) by other organizations are not nearly as good. Thanks, Timeline.

Fantastic documentary, I didn't even notice 46 minutes go by. What extraordinary men!

My great uncle was a part of operation source as the Sub Lieutenant of the X5. RIP Alastair David Malcolm. I wish I could go back in time to meet you

"For nothing." The poignancy of those words is awe inspiring.

Tirpitz was chopped into small pieces and steel plates from the ship are still used all over Norway as bridges over ditches on roads during road works. They're just called Tirpitz plates.

Every time I see one of these old WWII veterans break down, I do too. Same with Band of Brothers, the interviews at the end.

I often feel like the Bismarck's case overshows the story of the Tirpitz Battleship. Which is ironic, given that they were both of the same class of Battleships. Thank you for covering this topic🙏

And now you have to remember this all happened because the transport plane costs 5 minute and they came 3 minutes to late. Grates to that guy

The navigator, Basil Fish, has one of the most quintessentially English faces you'll ever see.

Even with the enormous losses of life aboard the ships themselves, the Bismarck and it's identical sister ship the Tirpitz ABSOLUTELY had to be sunk at all costs. May those lost souls rest in peace in thier watery grave.

How unfathomably sad the cost of one mans ego, how many lives because of this are uncountable. Lest we forget.

I love how they put a marker over each bomb that hit the tirpitz, RIP sailors

Never put ‘unsinkable’ in front of a ship’s name. Titanic Bismarck Tirpitz Just to name a few

they sang the national anthem until the end of their life, what a true patriot.

Great coverage of this historical event. Thank you for including Squadron 9. So many are unaware of their contribution. I only knew of Squadron 9 because my Uncle's participation. Attacked the Tirpitz twice when flying with F/O Taylor and crew.

Sir Winson Churchill said it, if I remember well : " So many owing so much to so few ! ". Great Documentary.

I would love to have a piece of Tirpitz off the beach for my wall. What a conversation piece it would be.

seeing today's world i think many peeps forgot why these brave men gave their lives

My eyes are full of tears. Those were real men on both sides. To Ron Macdonell, you can be so proud. God Bless your Dad and all who flew on this mission.

Can you imagine the youth of today having to deal with a war like those men did, i cant fathom how they did it. A salute to all those men, more of a man than i could ever wish to be

This is what makes Men, Men. Incredible. Thank God for Men like this.

Thank you RAF and thank you USAF for making a difference and for changing the course of history. My respect for the Deutsche Navy and the Luftwaffe, they fought courageously, but as in any war, someone has got to lose.

It's crazy how the young men of that era would lie to fight, my grandpa was too young when he enlisted but somehow pulled it off. He was a Canadian paratrooper, he was in Normandy on D-day

"You couldn't have the Nazis in charge, could you? No way!" Such passion behind those few words.

Well done Timeline. This one has everything a documentary should have. Thanks for uploading this for our pleasure. This is why I have paid for premium. Great programming with no ads wins.

I thoroughly enjoyed this. Superb narration, beautiful scenery, and outstanding personal accounts from men on both sides who were there in the air (on both sides) and aboard the Tirpitz. Outstanding !

What a great documentary! So well done. The Norwegian coastline and snow-covered mountains are eerily beautiful. I love the testimonies of all these brave men. When I was a boy, I built a scale model of the Tirpitz. It was so amazing to me. I still recognize the camouflage scheme. There is simply something about a great ship, especially a battleship. I saw an aircraft carrier off.the coast of southern California and it was truly imposing. I can't imagine how the Tirpitz or Bismarck must have appeared in person. Thank you again for this wonderful video!

Very, very impressive!! I can't believe they actually scored direct hits with those huge bombs!! Can't imagine seeing 15 inch shells coming up like that, what a sight it must have been!!

These men are the real heroes of our world. We cannot begin to understand what they went through to give us our freedom. They gave their lives and childhoods for this nonsense set up by a ruthless dictator. I will forever have the utmost respect and admiration of people like these men.

The best channel in the history of RU-vid.

The people that start the wars are seldom the ones that lose their lives. With respect to the aircrews that accomplished their mission. Condolences to the poor young men that had their lives cut short.

Damn, Tirpitz had a range of 17 miles away. If you look up cities 17 miles from your house, you really understand how horrifying it would be to be its target.

This was actually a very good doc on a piece of WWII history. Thanks for uploading !

Does anyone feel the German ace Kurt Schultz. Even though he is admiring RAF accomplishment but still regretting he couldn't saved them. "Thousand Germans died" tears in the eyes.

Came here for a war documentary and left feeling moved, sad, grateful. My respect to all the men, both British and German who were interviewed. We should listen to them. And yet, the war is happening again.

I admire all your courage ! Thank you for the stories!! I could tell you guys enjoyed telling them again!!!