Flying Officer Arthur Joplin Helped Sink Tirpitz

Auckland-born Flying Officer Arthur Joplin, who has died in New Zealand aged 99, was the pilot of a Lancaster on the raid that finally sank the German battleship, the Tirpitz. His obituary is published in The Telegraph.

“Joplin’s [Tallboy] bomb was a near-miss between the shore and the battleship – which could sometimes be more effective than a direct hit owing to the shock wave created by the massive explosion. Joplin’s navigator reported: ‘Our bomb fell in the smoke which covered the ship. One direct hit and two near-misses were seen.’ Shortly after, Tirpitz capsized with heavy loss of life,” describes The Telegraph.

“After the attacks on the Tirpitz, [Joplin] dropped Tallboys on the Urft Dam near the German-Belgian border and the E-boat pens at Ijmuiden in Holland.”

“A humble man who did not speak of his wartime experiences, Joplin lived a quiet life playing golf and travelling with his wife. He was appointed to the Légion d’honneur by the French government for his wartime service.”

Original article by The Telegraph, April 17, 2023.