JW 51B sailed from Loch Ewe on 22 December 1942 and collected its full escort near Iceland on Christmas Day. Gales on 28 and 29 December scattered ships and sent escorts searching for stragglers, leaving Bramble and Oribi away from the main convoy. German reconnaissance and submarine shadowing helped bring the two attacking divisions into position. At about 08:20, Obdurate sighted German destroyers while Onslow detected Admiral Hipper. Sherbrooke took his fighting destroyers toward the threat, while Achates stayed with the merchants to make smoke.
Chapter · 1:22:40-1:28:19
Storm dispersal shaped the opening contact
Gales scattered ships before the German pincer closed, leaving Bramble isolated and reducing the destroyers immediately available to Sherbrooke.