Admiral Hipper served as the flagship of the force carrying about 1,700 German troops toward Trondheim during Operation Weserübung. HMS Glowworm's ram caused severe external damage, but Hipper continued rather than abandon the landing mission. On approaching Trondheim, the cruiser successfully posed as a British warship long enough to steam past Norwegian coastal artillery. The embarked mountain troops could then land and seize the batteries from the rear, removing the obstacle to the naval force. The episode shows how deception and the timing of troop delivery could matter as much as a cruiser's gunnery in an amphibious operation.
Notable Point · 29:00-31:36
Admiral Hipper bluffed her way into Trondheim
After the collision with HMS Glowworm, Admiral Hipper still passed as a British warship long enough to get her embarked mountain troops behind Trondheim's coastal batteries.