Convoy JW 51B

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Convoy JW 51B
Part of the Second World War
The Norwegian and the Barents seas, site of the Arctic convoys
Date 30 December 1942 – 3 January 1943 Location Arctic Ocean Result British victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom	Germany
Commanders and leaders
RN: John Tovey Robert Burnett Robert Sherbrooke  (WIA) Convoy commodore: Robin Melhuish	Karl Doenitz Oskar Kummetz Hans-Jürgen Stumpff
Strength
2 light cruisers (after 3 hours) 6 destroyers 2 corvettes 1 minesweeper 2 trawlers	2 heavy cruisers 6 destroyers
Casualties and losses
250 killed 1 destroyer sunk 1 destroyer damaged 1 minesweeper sunk	330 killed 1 cruiser damaged 1 destroyer sunk

Convoy JW 51B was an Arctic convoy sent from United Kingdom by the Western Allies to aid the Soviet Union during the Second World War. It sailed in late December 1942, reaching the Soviet northern ports in early January 1943.

Convoy JW 51B came under attack by German surface units, engaged in Operation Regenbogen, on 31 December. In the engagement, a British minesweeper and a British destroyer were sunk and a German destroyer were sunk; no ships were lost from the convoy in what became known as the Battle of the Barents Sea.