 Despite the lack of success , the Admiralty and Admiral Sir Henry Moore , who had assumed command of the Home Fleet on 14 June 1944 , remained committed to attempting further carrier raids against Tirpitz . During June , the Admiralty received a series of intelligence reports indicating that repairs to Tirpitz were generally progressing well and the battleship would soon be ready to put to sea . Late that month Allied spies spotted Tirpitz conducting steaming trials in Kaafjord , and reported that she was capable of sailing at up to 20 knots ( 37 km / h ) and could rotate her main gun turrets . As a result , in late June the Admiralty directed that another aircraft carrier raid be conducted against Kaafjord during mid @-@ July . It was intended that this attack would take place before the resumption of the Arctic convoys , which had been suspended since April 1944 to free up ships for the invasion of France . 
