The Bismarck

The Bismarck

Prinz Eugen

On 24 May 1941in the Battle of the Denmark Strait the German battleship Bismark sunk the British battlecruiser HMS Hood and the battleship HMS Prince of Wales was forced to withdraw after being struck by the Bismarck four times and three times by the German Heavy Cruiser Prinz Eugen

HMS Hood

HMS Prince of Wales

The British Admiralty ordered every available warship to hunt down and destroy the Bismarck.  The chase of the Bismarck had begun.  On 26 May the Bismarck was being shadowed by the British Cruiser HMS Sheffield.

HMS Sheffield

At 2047 through heavy cloud Swordfish aircraft from the carrier HMS Ark Royal attacked.

HMS Ark Royal

With her rudder disabled by a torpedo the Bismarck was now only capable of steaming in a large circle. German Admiral Günther Lütjens radioed "Ship unmanoeuvrable. We will fight to the last shell. Long live the Führer."  At daybreak on the 27th the British battleship King George V led the attack.

HMS King George V

Followed by the British battleship HMS Rodney

HMS Rodney

Aided by the heavy cruisers HMS Dorsetshire and HMS Norfolk.


Which led to this: