Editing Operation Anklet (section)

==Mission==
The naval task force was assembled at three locations: [[Scapa Flow]], [[Greenock]] and [[Lerwick]]. The task force, now known as Force J, left Scapa and Greenock for the Lofoten Islands on Monday 22 December, and those at Lerwick the following day. ''En route'' to join up with the main force, the infantry landing ship ''Prinses Josephine Charlotte'' developed engine trouble, and together with her destroyer escort ''Wheatland'' was sent back to Scapa, arriving on 24 December. ''Wheatland'' left Scapa alone on 25 December to catch up with the rest of Force J.<ref name= ships/> As the task force approached the islands, the submarine ''Sealion'' was already in position to act as a navigational beacon for the attack, which was planned for 26 December.

When the task force arrived, the infantry landing ship ''Prins Albert'', escorted by destroyer ''Lamerton'' and corvettes ''Eglantine'' and ''Acanthus'', headed towards [[Moskenesøya]] to land the commandos.<ref name=ships/> Some of  the other ships conducted operations around the islands. The destroyer ''Bedouin'' destroyed a radio station at [[Flakstadøya]], while the cruiser ''Arethusa'' and destroyers ''Somali'', ''Ashanti'', and ''Eskimo'' entered the [[Vestfjorden (Norway)|Vestfjorden]]. Here they captured the Norwegian coastal steamers ''Kong Harald'' and ''Nordland''  and ''Ashanti'' sank a German patrol boat.<ref name=ships/>

The 300-man landing force landed at 06:00 on [[Boxing Day]]. The date had been selected by British planners, who expected the German garrison to be concentrating on the [[Christmas]] festivities and would therefore be caught unprepared.<ref name=coop/> The landings were unopposed as the commandos, dressed in white camouflaged overalls, were landed on the western side of the island of [[Moskenesøya]]. They soon occupied the villages of [[Reine]] and [[Moskenes (village)|Moskenes]], capturing the small German garrison and a number of Norwegian [[Quisling]]s at the radio station at [[Glåpen]].<ref name=coop/>
[[File:Reine at Reinefjorden, 2010 September.jpg|thumb|centre|600px|alt=panoramic view of the town and mountains|[[Reine]] one of the villages occupied in the raid]]

The raiding force was attacked on 27 December 1941 by a German seaplane that bombed the cruiser ''Arethusa''. Although it was not hit, it did suffer some damage that would require 14 weeks in dock to repair.<ref name=ships/> With no air support of their own, the commander of the raid, [[Admiral]] [[Frederick Dalrymple-Hamilton|Hamilton]], having occupied the Norwegian villages for two days, decided to pull out and head back to Scapa, where they arrived on 1 January 1942.<ref name= coop/>