 The German force split into two, with "Hipper" and three destroyers attacking from the northwest and "Lutzow" and the other three destroyers from the south, with the intention that the escort would be drawn off to the first attacker, leaving the convoy unprotected.The Germans attacked on 31 December, in the Battle of the Barents Sea.Sherbrooke in "Onslow" led the other destroyers in dummy torpedo attacks against "Hipper" in order to force the cruiser to keep from closing, while laying a smoke-screen to protect the convoy.