Editing Channel Dash (section)

====Afternoon====
The six Swordfish torpedo-bombers of 825 Squadron FAA, took off from Manston at {{nowrap|12:20 p.m.,}} after Esmonde decided that he could wait no longer, meeting the Spitfire escorts of [[No. 72 Squadron RAF|72 Squadron]] at {{nowrap|12:28 p.m.,}} all setting off for a point {{cvt|10|nmi|mi+km}} north of Calais. The escorts of 121 Squadron and 401 Squadron were late and tried to rendezvous en route to the ships but missed them and turned back to search for the Swordfish at Manston. The Spitfires of 72 Squadron flying close escort sighted the German ships at {{nowrap|12:40 p.m.}} but were bounced by Bf 109s and FW 190s and lost contact with the Swordfish. The first section of three torpedo-bombers pressed on through the destroyer screen and Esmonde's aircraft was shot down before he could launch his torpedo. The other two aircraft continued through the German anti-aircraft barrage, dropped torpedoes and then ditched their aircraft which had been hit by flak. The second section of three Swordfish were seen to cross over the destroyer screen and disappear in the cloud and smoke.{{sfn|Richards|1974|pp=368–369}}{{efn|Five of the six crew were rescued by small craft but the second section, with 13 aircrew was lost with all hands. The Spitfires of 121 Squadron and 401 Squadron found no Swordfish at Manston and flew back out to sea. Arriving a few minutes after the Swordfish attack, they encountered the covering German fighters and were engaged in an air battle. Esmonde had flown in the [[Last battle of the battleship Bismarck|sinking of ''Bismarck'']] and had been killed in the attack, for which he received a [[Victoria Cross]] posthumously. Ramsay later wrote, "In my opinion the gallant sortie of these six Swordfish aircraft constitutes one of the finest exhibitions of self-sacrifice and devotion to duty the war had ever witnessed", while Ciliax remarked on "...the mothball attack of a handful of ancient planes, piloted by men whose bravery surpasses any other action by either side that day".{{sfn|Kemp|1957|pp=199–200}}}} While the German fighter escorts were absent, two sections (eight aircraft) of [[No. 452 Squadron RAAF|452 Squadron]] RAAF strafed several German ships and silenced the return fire of a destroyer, for a cracked perspex hood to one Spitfire.{{sfn|Southall|1958|pp=128–129}}{{efn|[[Keith Truscott|Bluey Truscott]] was awarded a Bar to his DFC for this action.{{sfn|Southall|1958|pp=128–129}}}}

[[File:Bundesarchiv DVM 10 Bild-23-63-11, Schlachtschiff "Gneisenau".jpg|thumb|{{center|''Gneisenau'' in 1939}}|alt=photograph of a German warship]]
The five operational [[Fairmile D motor torpedo boat|Motor Torpedo Boats]] (MTBs) based at Dover left harbour at {{nowrap|11:55 a.m.}} and sighted the German warships at {{nowrap|12:23 p.m.}} The RAF fighter cover for this attack was not airborne in time, one MTB had engine-trouble and the rest found their approach blocked by twelve E-boats in two lines. The defective MTB fired torpedoes at the extreme range of {{cvt|4000|yd|nmi+mi+km}} before returning to Dover; the rest were not able to get much closer and torpedoed through the gap between the E-boat lines, mistakenly claiming a hit on ''Prinz Eugen''. Two [[motor gun boat]]s (MGBs) arrived from Dover in time to defend the last MTB from a German [[Narvik-class destroyer]]. Two more MTBs had left Ramsgate at {{nowrap|12:25 p.m.}} but approached from too far astern of the German squadron and were unable to get into a position to attack before deteriorating weather and engine problems forced them to turn back.{{sfn|Ford|2012|pp=47–48}}

Several [[Westland Whirlwind (fighter)|Whirlwind]] fighters on a routine patrol were intercepted by the fighter screen at {{nowrap|2:00 p.m.}}<!--source?-->{{sfn|FC|2013|pp=44–51}} The seven Beauforts at Thorney Island were closest to the Brest Group when it was sighted. Two Beauforts had been bombed up and one went unserviceable, before the other four took off at {{nowrap|1:25 p.m.}} The four Beauforts were late to meet their fighter escorts at Manston and the torpedo-bombers and fighters were ordered independently to the German ships. The position, course and speed of the Brest Group was given by voice ([[radiotelephone|R/T]]) to the Spitfires and Morse ([[wireless telegraphy|W/T]]) to the Beauforts. The torpedo-bombers failed to receive the orders, because [[No. 16 Group RAF|16 Group]] forgot that they had been fitted with R/T for Operation Fuller. When the Beauforts reached Manston they circled with numerous fighters which appeared to ignore them. Two Beauforts flew to the French coast, found nothing and landed at Manston where the confusion was resolved. The other two aircraft had already landed at Manston, where the crews found out what was going on and set off for the Belgian coast, arriving at {{nowrap|3:40 p.m.}} (when the Nore Command destroyers were attacking). Both bombers flew through the German flak and attacked ''Prinz Eugen'', dropping their torpedoes at {{cvt|1000|yd|m}}, to no effect.{{sfn|Richards|1974|p=270}}

The 42 Squadron Beauforts from Scotland had to divert to [[RAF Coltishall]] in Norfolk because of snow but the torpedoes to be loaded were over 100 miles away at [[RAF North Coates]] in Lincolnshire and came by road too late. Nine of the aircraft had flown south with torpedoes on and took off at {{nowrap|2:25 p.m.,}} leaving the other four behind to rendezvous with their fighter escorts and several Hudsons, intended to create a diversion. The Beauforts reached Manston at {{nowrap|2:50 p.m.}} and tried to formate behind the Hudsons, which did the same thing; attempts to get the fighters to join the formation also failed. The Beaufort crews had been briefed that they would be escorted all the way, the fighters that they were to cover the Dover Strait in general and the aircraft circled Manston for thirty minutes, each formation under the impression that another one was leading. The Beaufort commander then set off, using the position of the Brest Group given at Coltishall and six Hudsons followed, the other five circling and waiting for the fighters, before giving up and landing at {{nowrap|4:00 p.m.}}{{sfn|Richards|1974|p=371}}

The Beauforts and Hudsons flew towards the Dutch coast and lost touch in the cloud and rain but the Hudsons made ASV contact and attacked the ships, two being shot down for no result. Six of the Beauforts then attacked through the flak and released their torpedoes, also with no effect. (The other three Beauforts had already attacked, possibly against British destroyers.) The two 217 Squadron Beauforts that had flown earlier had reached Manston, set off again independently and made ASV contact, attacking ''Scharnhorst'' at {{nowrap|5:10 and 6:00 p.m.}} The remaining Beauforts at St Eval in Cornwall had been sent to Thorney Island, arriving at {{nowrap|2:30 p.m.}} to refuel and be briefed to link with fighters at Coltishall in East Anglia, where they arrived at {{nowrap|5:00 p.m.}} to find no escorts waiting. The Beauforts pressed on to a position sent by wireless and at {{nowrap|6:05 p.m.,}} as dark fell, with visibility down to {{cvt|1000|yd|m}} and the cloud base at only {{cvt|600|ft|m}} saw four German minesweepers. One bomber attacked a "big ship" but flak damage jammed the torpedo and as night fell around {{nowrap|6:30 p.m.,}} the rest turned for Coltishall; two Beauforts were lost to flak or the weather.{{sfn|Richards|1974|pp=372–373}}{{efn|Coastal Command aircraft with ASV independently shadowed the Brest Group from {{nowrap|4:00 p.m.,}} gained two sightings, then several ASV contacts after dark, one at {{nowrap|1:55 a.m.}} on 13 February, showing that the Brest Group had split up but the information was too late to use.{{sfn|Richards|1974|p=373}}}}