Near Cape Race, the German ships sank several merchants and captured the tankers Bianca, San Casimiro, and Polycarp. Prize crews sent the three vessels toward France, offering Germany a chance to gain cargo and hulls rather than simply destroy them. That gain was fragile because the captured ships had to cross Allied patrol zones without the battleships' protection. Renown's approach on 20 March forced Bianca and San Casimiro to be scuttled, while Polycarp reached Bordeaux two days after the raiders entered Brest. The episode shows how difficult it was to convert a tactical merchant capture into usable strategic resources.
Notable Point · 2:33:39-2:51:47
Captured tankers were fragile prizes in the Atlantic
Three captured tankers headed for France under prize crews, but only Polycarp completed the passage through British patrols.