Ships. Likewise, there was now extended aircraft cover from the Luftwaffe operating out of France. With summer drawing near, the lighter nights would significantly reduce the cover which was needed to spirit the ship into the Atlantic through the British sea blockade. Also, there was the increasing threat of America joining the war on the side of the Allies. The United States’ naval power would dwarf that of Nazi Germany.
Fleet commander Gunther Lutjens was as confident in the strength of his new ship as the rest of Germany. But he had one nagging doubt that was shared by many senior officers in the Germany navy. It was the wisdom of going to sea without round-the-clock aircraft cover. In one sense, the Bismarck was out of date even before setting sail. The days of superships dominating the sea were rapidly diminishing. The sun was rising on the fleet air arms which
Below: HMS Hood, like the Bismarck, was thought by admirals to be invincible.
Could offer so much more by way of flexibility and accuracy. While both Japan and America were gearing up their navies for the new age, Germany and Britain were lagging behind, both caught unawares by the outbreak of war. The Bismarck had the capacity to hold just four floatplanes, which were used primarily for reconnaissance missions.
Lutjens himself was the son of a retailer who shone at naval college in
It was only a matter of time before sighting of this monster was confirmed to London
Kiel after making an early resolution to combat any hurdle placed in front o( him. A veteran of the sea assaults in World War I, he had already earned the distinction of a Knight’s Cross during World War II through his courage in the Norwegian campaign of 1940.
Loyal to his country, ,S1-year-old Lutjens was nevertheless not a Na/i and refused to offer the party salute. Instead he preferred the time-honoured navy salute and wore the old fashioned insignia of the Kaiser’s navy instead of a swastika.
On 19 May the Bismarck sailed under cover of darkness to begin 'Operation Rheinubung’. In the company of the 17,000-ton heavy cruiser Prinz Kugen, itself a formidable ship, the Bismarck purred off into the Baltic to be joined by other German navy vessels for its historic voyage. Its aim was to sink the battleships protecting convoys while the smaller Prinz F. ugen picked off the merchantmen.
¦ VULNERABILITY ¦
Slipping down the Danish waterways and shadowing the Swedish coastline, it was only a matter of time before tbe sighting of this magnificent monster was confirmed to l. ondon. It was enough to spark Sir John Tovey, commander in chief of the Home Licet, into action. At the pinnacle of his plan would be HMS Hood, 20 years old but still an inspiring sight. It was a match for the Bismarck in size and gunnery but its weakness lay in tbe relatively thin armour plating which covered its body and decks. It was this vulnerability that Bismarck exploited to the full.
Left: A confident crew parade aboard the Bismarck unaware of their fate.
On 22 May, )ust a day after news of the Bismarck arrived in London, Hood, the Prince of Wales and six other vessels set off from Scapa How. The following day two of the fleet, the Norfolk and the Suffolk, encountered the Bismarck in the Denmark Strait, between Iceland and Greenland. As they dashed for cover in the icy fog, the Bismarck registered their presence and fired off a warning shot.
¦ DEADLY BLOW ¦
The mood was tense among officers and men on the Hood and the Prince of Wales as the hunt for their fearsome quarry continued. All the crew were poised to strike but lost their chance when their ships slipped past the giant battleship in the darkness as it skirted the Greenland ice pack.
Bismarck continued altering its course, not greatly but enough to put the ships commanded by ViceAdmiral Lancelot Holland in a
Above: Following his encounter with Hood, Admiral Lutjens bolted lor France.
¦ hunting the BISMARCK
On 19 May the Bismarck sailed under cover of darkness to begin Operation Rheinubung. In the company of the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen, Bismarck headed through the Skagerrak to the Norwegian coast. Passing so close to the Danish and Swedish coasts, it was only a matter of time before the two warships were sighted by British agents, and the news transmitted to London. Sir John Tovey was ordered to get the Bismarck.
On 22 May, just a day after news of the Bismarck arrived in London, the largest ship in the Royal Navy, HMS Hood, and the brand-new battleship HMS Prince of Wales set off from Scapa Flow in the Orkneys, accompanied by six other vessels.
Quandary. The initial plan had been to creep up on the Bismarck under cover of darkness in a short range strike. Now the Hood was forced to make a broad sweep at the enemy and would be exposed to the brunt of its firepower.
When they sighted Bismarck, the Hood and Prince of Wales, travelling in close formation, were about 17 miles distant. At Admiral Holland’s command, both ships began a charge at the enemy.
Lutjens was under orders to engage only the escorts of convoys. He wasn’t
Looking for a duel and had hoped to avoid one. But now he had no choice. When the Hood and Prince of Wales
The initial plan had been to creep up on the Bismarck under cover of darkness closed the gap to 13 miles, they fired. Seconds later, the Bismarck and the Prinz Eugen replied in kind. And while
The British ships failed to find their targets, the Germans had them well and truly in range.
The second salvo from Prinz Eugen's guns struck the Hood, igniting anti-aircraft ammunition. Another hit and then a third slaughtered many of the gun crews taking shelter. Still the guns from both sides continued firing.
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