after completing her refit in early september (the ship may have been fitted with a fumo 21 or fumo 24 radar set above the bridge at this time), "eckoldt" was transferred to france with four of the surviving destroyers on 9 september. the ship covered five other destroyers laying mines in falmouth bay during the night of 28/29 september. five ships totalling only 2026 grt were sunk by this minefield. "eckoldt" was attacked by fairey swordfish of no. 812 squadron of the fleet air arm during the night of 9/10 october and lightly damaged by bomb splinters. one man was killed and three were wounded. the ship was transferred back to hamburg on 5 november where she was refitted until the end of december. "eckoldt" was training in the baltic until she escorted the battleship and the heavy cruiser from cape arkona to trondheim on 19–22 may as they sortied into the north atlantic. the following month, she escorted the pocket battleship from kiel to norway as the latter ship attempted to break through the british blockade. several bristol beaufort aircraft spotted "lützow" and her escorts and one managed to surprise the ships and torpedo the pocket battleship early on the morning of 13 june. "eckoldt" took "lützow" under tow until the latter managed to restart her starboard engine and proceed under her own power.