THE CHINA MAIL, MAY 28, 1941.
Page 9.
HOW BISMARCK WAS TRAPPED
Graphic Details Of Vengeance Hunt By The
Navy
THE PURSUIT AND SINKING OF THE BISMARCK IS DESCRIBED IN DETAIL IN AN ADMIRALTY COMMUNIQUE ISSUED IN LONDON LAST NIGHT, WHICH DECLARED THAT AIR RECONNAISSANCE BY COASTAL COMMAND AIRCRAFT REVEALED THAT A GERMAN BAT- TLESHIP AND A CRUISER, WHICH HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN LOCAT- ED IN BERGEN, HAD SAILED.
Certain dispositions were therefore order- ed, and as a result H.M.S. Norfolk (Captain A. J. L. Phillips, R.N.), wearing the flag of Rear-Admiral W. F. Wake-Walker, and H.M.S. Suffolk (Capt. R. M. Ellis, R.N.) were ordered to take up position in the Denmark Strait.
On the evening of May 23 Rear-Admiral Wake-Walker reported sighting an enemy force of one battleship and one cruiser pro- ceeding at high speed south-westward.
Visibility in the Denmark Strait was bad and extremely variable. Range of the enemy was only six miles when first sighted, and storms of snow and sleet and patches of mist at times reduced visibility to one mile.
IN
her
of
complete circles and that speed was again reduced. During the evening some our destroyers of the Tribal class, under the command of Capt, P. L. Vian, R.N., in H. M. S. Cossack, made contact soon after 11 p.n.
Destroyers Attack
ARCHDUKE OTTO BISMARCK
STOPS ROMANCE
Archduke Otto, pre- tender to the throne of Hungary, has broken up a romance at Palm Beach, Florido, between his brother, Archduke Felix, and a wealthy American woman, Anne Frelinghuysen, who divorced her hus- band, George Gris- wold Frelinghuysen, in 1938.
Otto, as his brother's "emperor,"
him sternly ordered to cease seeing Mrs. be - Frelinghuyseri, AND
cause she was not of royal blood.
BETWEEN 1.20 A.M.
MAY 27 THE 1.59 A.M. ON BISMARCK WAS ATTACKED WITH TORPEDOES BY H.M.S. R. ZULU
H. (COMMANDER GRAHAM, R.N.). MAORI (COM- MANDER H. T. ARMSTRONG, RN AND COSSACK.
COSSACK AND MAORI EACH HIT WITH ONE TORPEDO.
AFTER MAORI'S ATTACK IT WAS REPORTED THERE WAS A FIRE ON THE FORECASTLE OF THE GERMAN BATTLE- SHIP,
be
One hour after these attacks by our destroyers it was reported
Bismarck appeared to That V¡ stopped. KING GEORGE Despite the difficulties of vis, ING
She was then about 400 miles bility. Norfolk and Suffolk sha- (CAPT. W. R. PATTERSON) 1
STEAMING AT HIGH due west of Brest and had been dowed the enemy successfully | WAS
SPEED IN A SOUTH-WESTER- pursued by our forces for more throughout the night.
LY DIRECTION FROM NORTH-, than 1,750 miles.
It was subsequently reported that the Blamarck
Again
ERN WATERS,
Meanwhile other units of the Royal Navy were taking up dis.
1 Another force, under the com- positions at high speed with view to intercepting the enemy mand of Vice-Admiral Sir James and bringing him to action with F. Somerville, with his flag flying our heavy forces.
in Renown (Capt. R. A. MacGre- Early in the morning of May 24. gor, R.N.) was steamning
speed R.N.), westward at high Hood (Captain R. Kerr, wearing the flag of Vice-Admiral| Gibraltar. L. E. Hulland, with HM.S. Prince of Wales (Capt. J. C, Leach) mi company, made contact with the
enemy. begun.
Action was immediately
Bismarck On Fire
During the ensuing engagement the Benarek received damage arich war. at one time seen to be
1k fire
HOOD. AS ALREADY AN-
NOUNCED, RECEIVED A HIT
IN
was
PREMIER AND ULSTER
In a Commons refer- ence to the proposal to in- troduce conscription in Northern Ireland, the
GIVES
AIRCRAFT
HOT TIME
How American - built Catalina flying boats of the Royal Air Force Coastal Command, to- gether with Sunderlands. shadowed the Bismarck day and night until she sank, is told by the pilot of a Catalina which was holed by Bismarck's fire.
In describing how they dodged anti-aircraft fire every time they showed themselves out of a cloud the pilot said: "It was the hottest fire I have ever been under."
"There was a lot of cloud and the weather was misty and hazy. We ducked into clouds and were
the Bis trying to edge round marck,
"Suddenly we came to the end and I cloud of our particular found myself bang over the ship which was only about 400 yards uway.
had us.
"I thought
that they
She put up the worst barrage I have ever seen.
"She seemed
big to be one bow to
and stern flash from must have been turning loose on us everything she had.
Ticklish Moment
"The
Bismarck
apparently
under way and had made about Prime Minister stated: "I thought we were going to bomb said a week ago this mat-her because she turned at a full 90 degrees off her course when we ter had been engaging.
ran out of the cloud and opened fire as she was turning. our attention.
don't know how "I really managed to dodge all the stuff she threw up.
eight miles in
and ond hour that she w.as still capable of heavy and accurate gunfire. north-
At daylight on May 27 another front
aircraft striking force of naval was despatched from Ark Royal but this attack had to be can- celled owing to low visibility.
H.M.S. Rodney (Capt. F. G. R.N.) H. Dairymple-Hamiston, who was escorting convoys in
Shortly after daylight the Bis marck engaged our destroyers by gunfire.
"We have made a number of in various directions | enquiries
with the result we have come to
time, although the
the North Atlantic, proceeded to move in the direction of enemy. Extensive air searches were or- ganised by the Coastal Command and by the Royal Canadian Force stationed in New Foundland
Found Again
Not until about
10 30 8.1.
Air
Norfolk in Action
we
"It was a ticklish moment and
the conclusion that at the present we were lucky to get back into the cloud but the Catalina went the opera- on flying throughout tion despite holes in the hull.
"I had several members of the crew busy stopping holes so would not sink and we landed on the water at our base."- Reuter.
we
Bri-
there can be no d-spute about our rights of the merits, it would be more trouble than it is worth to enforce such Norfolk was in action with the
a policy" almost Bismarck
mediately. Asked if it was not the view of Northern thear the Government afterwards and very 5000
conscription should! Bismarck was being engaged by Ireland that
could be applied, Mr. Details of this be our heavy ships.
not Churchill rep led: "Yes, that was un phase of the action have
Government of port of our cause no words of the view of the enemy again yet been received. A MAGAZINE AND BLEW May 26 was the
IT IS KNOWN. HOWEVER. Northern Ireland, for whose loyal praise can be too high.” UP THE PRINCE OF WALES, located. At that time the Bismarck,
THAT H.M.S. DORSETSHIRE aid and continued constant sup-'tish Wireless SUSTAINED SLIGHT DAMAGEį was sighted by Catalina aireraft |
(CAPT. B. C. S. MARTIN, R.N.) al of the Coastal Command in a post- The chase was continued on
about 550 miles west
WAS ORDERED TO SINK THE south-westerly course, with Nor- tion
BISMARCK WITH TORPEDOES. Suffolk shadowing the Land's End.
11.01 folk und
at The Bismarck sank This aircraft was attacked and enemy and maintaining contact in
the yesterday morning.
AT spite of all the enemy's efforts tel as a result lost touch with
half an
AS FAR AS IS KNOWN hour shake off the pursuit.
enemy battleship
BY HIS later, but by 11.15 a.m. the Bis- PRESENT THE ONLY DAMAGE marck was sighted by naval air-SUSTAINED
SHIPS. OTHER Ark Royal MAJESTY'S craft operating from (Captain L. E. H. Maund, R.N.). THAN HOOD. IS THE SLIGHT
ΤΟ PRINCE DAMAGE Bismarck was Only the
WALES ALREADY REFERRED ind she was then steering an
TO. REUTER. easterly course.
It appeared at this time that the enemy'a speed had been slightly reduced and reconnais sance aircraft of the Coasta: Command reported she leaving a wake of oil.
"Prince Of Wales"
may
was
24
seen
AT THIS TIME KING GEORGE; V AND RODNEY WERE AP- PROACHING THE AREA BUT On the evening of
WERE NOT YET SUFFICIENT- Prince of Wales again inade con-
THE TO BRING tact with the enemy and action] LY CLOSE was joined for a short time.
swung
southerly
ENEMY TO ACTION.
WAB
BRITISH SEAMAN
OF
SENTENCED
The German ships at once
As soon as the Blamarck and turned away to wastward
sighted by Ark Royal'a aircraft, round then
on to
Admiral Sir James Somerville a with our detached the cruiser Sheffield (Capt. C. A. A. Laroom, R.N.) to Make contact with and shadow the Blamarck.
course, forces still in pursuit.
Other of our naval forces were! and! now approaching the enemy
during the night naval torpedo
from H.M.S.
Victorious (Capt. H. C. Bovell,
bombing aircraft
R.N.) delivered a torpedo attack
on the enemy from a considerable ing force of naval aircraft distance, and
to
Reginald Bernard Pitts, seaman on board a ves- sel in harbour, appeared
Unsuccessful Attack
a strik- before Commander J. Jol- During the afternoon
was ly at the Marine Court from Ark Royal
this this morning on charges attack with torpedoes but
of disobedience and Norfolk, Suffolk and Prince of proved unsuccessful. Wales continued to shadow the Shortly after 5.30 p.m. Sheffield enemy successfully until shortly made contact with the Bismarck neglect of duty. after 3 a.m. on May 25.
one torpedo was despatched seen to hit the Bismarck.
Low Visibility
and proceeded to shadow, her,
Hit Amidships
Mr. W. A. Mackinlay, for the master of the vessel, stated that defendant refused to return to duty on May 17 when ordered to
Touch with the enemy was now Within 20 minutes another do so by the master.
It was further stated that de- lost, owing to low visibility. The striking force of Royal Naval enemy was then approximately aircraft was flown off Ark Royal. fendant had on several occasions 350 miles south-south-east of the This force attacked successfully absented himself from the vessel southern point of Greenland and one torpedo was seen to not only in Hong Kong but in
Searching dispositions were
other ports as well. at hit the Bismarck, amidships. once taken up by other units of A second hit was obtained by On two occasions, the Chief the Royal Navy.
wana torpedo on the starboard quar Officer was threatened by defen-
dant. THE MAIN BODY OF THE ter HOME FLEET, UNDER THE COMMAND OF
ADMIRAZVogult was subsequently reported Defendant pleaded guilty
that on being hit during this charges and was sentenced to TOVEY WITH HIS FEAG-FLY-1 attack the Blemarck made twoj fourteen days' imprisonment,
"PREST-O-LITE"
YOUR NEXT
BATTERY
NO BETTER ASSURANCE OF
RELIABLE
SERVICE
THAN THE EXPRESSED SATISFACTION OF CAR OWNERS
TYPES AVAILABLE
(Dry uncharged)
VOLTS 13 & 15 PLATES
12 VOLTS 7 PLATES
For further particulars apply
HONG KONG HOTEL GARAGE
PHONE 27778-9
STUBBS ROAD
GEO. FALCONER & CO., LTD.
UNION BLDG. OPP. G.P.O. EST. 1855
Specialists in
Repairing Watches, Clocks, Chronometers Binoculars and Technical Instruments, All repairs are carried through in our own workshop under European Supervision.
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.