1941-05-28 — Page 9

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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.

|

her

complete circles and that speed was again reduced. During the evening some our destroyers of the Tribal class.

of

under the command of Capt. P 1 Vian, RUN., in H. M. S. Cossack.

made contact soon after 11 pm

Destroyers Attack

BETWEEN 1.20 A.M. AND

27 MAY

THE 1.50 A.M. ON

WAS ATTACKED WITH TORPEDOES BY HM.S. (COMMANDER 11. It. ZULU GRAHAM, RN.), MAORI (COM - ARMSTRONG, MANDER H. T.

On the evening of May 23 Rear-Admiral BISMARCK 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.

R.N.) 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 SHIP

BATTLE-

be

attacks One hour after these

KING IN

GEORGE p by our destroyers it was reported Despite the difrutties of visi-, ING

Bismarck appeared to W. R. PATTERSON) that bility. Norfolk and Suffolk sha- (CAPT.

AT STEAMING

HIGH stopped, dowed the enemy successfully WAS throughout the night.

SPEED IN A SOUTH-WESTER- She was then about 400 miles Meanwhile other units of the LY DIRECTION FROM NORTH- due west of Brest and had been

Roval Navy were taking up dis. positions at high speed with view to intercepting the enemy and bringing him to action with our heavy forces.

company, made contact with the enemy. Action was minediately begun.

Bismarck On Fire

During the ensuing engagement the Bismarck received damage and was at one time seen to be on fre

ERN WATERS.

ARCHDUKE OTTO BISMARCK

STOPS ROMANCE

Archduke Otto, pre- tender to the throne of Hungary, has broken up a romance at Palm Beach, Florida, between his brother, Archduke Felix, and a wealthy American woman, Anne Frelinghuysen, who divorced her hus- bond, George Gris- wold Frelinghuysen, in 1938.

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 him

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 fre I have ever been under.

Otto, as his brother's "emperor," sternly ordered to cease seeing Mrs. Frelinghuysert, be- cause she was not of royal blood.

PREMIER AND ULSTER

In a Commons refer- ence to the proposal to in- troduce conscription in pursued by our forces for more Northern Ireland, the

than 1,750 miles.

I

"There was a lot of cloud and the weather was misty and hazy. We ducked into clouds and were the Bis- edge round trying to marck,

of

"Suddenly we came to the end and I our particular cloud found myself bang over the ship which was only about 400 yards

away.

"I thought

that they had us.

She put up the worst barrage I have ever seen.

"She seemed to be one big. and flash from bow to stern must have been turning loose on us everything she had.

Ticklish Moment "The Bismarck apparently It was subsequently reported Prime Minister stated: "I thought we were going to bomb

that the Bismarck

was

again

under way and had made about said a week ago this mat- her because she turned at a full 90 degrees off her course when we eight milcs in one hour and ter had been engaging

ran out of the cloud and opened Are as she was turning.

that she was still capable of heavy and accurate aunfire.

Norfolk In Action

our attention.

"I really don't know how we

we

crew busy stopping holes so

the water at our base."-Reuter.

Another force, under the com- mand of Vice-Admiral Sir James F. Somerville, with his flag flying in Renown (Capt. R. A. MacGre- north- Early in the morning of May 24 gor, R.N.) was steaming

R.N.), westward Hood (Captain R. Kerr,

ul high

from speed wearing the flag of Vice-Admiral] Gibraltar.

At daylight on May 27 another "We have mude a number of managed to dodge all the stuff she L. E Holland, with H M.S. Prince H.M.S. Rodney (Capt. F. G.

aircraft enquiries in various directions threw up. or Wales (Capt J C

R.N.) striking force of naval H. Dalrymple-Hamiston, Leach) 1

escorting convoys in was despatched from Ark Royal with the result we have come to

"It was a ticklish moment and who was

the conclusion that at the presentį we were lucky to get back into the North Atlantic. proceeded to but this attack had to be ran-

there can be no time, although the celled mwing to low vis bility the direction of move in

Shortly after daylight the Bis-

dispute about our rights or the the cloud but the Catalina went on flying throughout the opera- enemy. Extensive air searches were mi-marck engaged our destroyers by merits, it would be more trouble tion despite holes in the hull.

than it is worth to enforce such

uch | "I had several members of the gamused by the Coastal Command; gunfire.

a policy." Air and by the Royal Canadian

Asked it it was not the view

of Northern would not sink and we landed on Force stationed in Newfoundland

of the Government

conscription should: Norfolk was in actim with the Ireland that

Mr. Or rould be applied, immediately) be almost HOOD. AS ALREADY

Bismarck AN.

the Churchill rep led: "Yes, that was] NOUNCED, RECEIVED A HIT Not until about 10:30 am unterwards and very

cause ho words of IN A MAGAZINE AND BLEW May 26 was the enemy again Bismarck was being engaged by the view of the Government of purt of our

Details of this Northern Ireland, for whose loval pruise can be too high." UP THE PRINCE OF WALES located. At that time the Bismarck our heavy ships.

not aid and continued constant sup- tish Wireless SUSTAINED SLIGHT DAMAGE was sighted by Catalina mret.dt| phase of the action have

The chase was continued on a of the Coastal Command in a post- yet been received.

about 550 miles west fi IT IS KNOWN. HOWEVER south-westerly course, with Nor- tion

THAT H.M.S. DORSETSHIRE folk and Suffolk shadowing the Land's End. enemy and maintaining contact in This aircraft was attacked and] (CAPT. B. C. S. MARTIN. R.N.) the WAS ORDERED TO SINK THE spite of all the enemy's efforts as a result lost touch with shake off the pursuit.

enemy battleship half an hour BISMARCK WITH TORPEDOES. It appeared at this time that later, but by 11.15 a.m, the Bis-

The Bismarck sank the enemy's speed had been marck was sighted by naval air- yesterday_morning.

Ark Roval AS FAR AS IS KNOWN slightly reduced and reconnais- craft operating from sance aircraft of the Coastal (Captain L. E. H. Maund, R.N.). PRESENT THE ONLY DAMAGE

Command reported she leaving a wake of all.

"Prince Of Wales"

may

Found Again

scens USTAINED

Bismarck was

then steering she was

was

Only the and

easterly course.

On the evening of Prince of Wales again made con- tact with the enemy and action was joined for a short time.

S000

at

BY

11.01

AT

HIS OTHER SHIPS. MAJESTY'S THAN HOOD. IS THE SLIGHT ΤΟ PRINCE OF AT THIS TIME KING GEORGE | DAMAGE

V AND RODNEY WERE AP WALES ALREADY REFERRED

BUT TO-REUTER. 24 PROACHING THE AREA

WERE NOT YET SUFFICIENT- TO BRING THE LY CLOSE ENEMY TO ACTION.

once

was

CALL A LOUSE

The German ships at

As soon as the Bismarck turned away to westward and sighted by Ark Royal's aircraft,

round on to

Admiral Sir James Somerville cruiser Sheffield detached the our

then swung

southerly course, with forces still in pursuit.

a

Other of our naval forces were 1 now approaching the enemy

and!

during the night naval

torpedo

bombing aircraft

from

H.M.S.

Victorious (Capt. H. C. Bovell,

(Capt. C. A. A. Laroom, R.N.) to Make contact with and shadow the Bismarck.

Unsuccessful Attack

A LOUSE

R.N.) delivered a torpedo attack During the afternoon a strik- and education authorities. on the enemy from a considerable ing force of naval aircraft distance, and

The euphemism "uncleanliness,' is meant should when lousiness be abandoned in favour of plain Ministry of speaking, state the Health and the Board of Educa- tion, in a circular to public health Asking these authorities to re- organisation for ex- one torpedo was desputched from Ark Royal to view their seen to hit the Bismarck,

for head lice, attack with torpedoes but this amining children

and Norfolk, Suffolk and Prince of proved unsuccessful.

to submit proposals for im- Wales continued to shadow the Shortly after 5.30. p.m. Sheffield proving arrangements, enemy successfully until shortly made contact with the Bismarck Istries say that publicity in this after 3' a.m, on May 25.

and proceeded to shudow her. matter should be frank.

Low Visibility

Hit Amidships

was

the Min-

Touch with the enemy was now Within 20. minutes: another APPEALED – BIGGER

FINE

lost, owing to low visibility. The striking force of Royal Naval enemy was then approximately aircraft was flown off Ark Royal, 350 miles south-south-east of the This force attacked, successfully southern point of Greenland and one torpedo was seen to Bert Key, of Eel Pie Island, Twickenham, appealed at Mid- Searching dispositions were at hit the Bismarck amidships. once taken up by other units of A second hit was obtained by dlesex Sessions against a convic- the Royal Navy od kay Cake a torpedo on the starboard quar-tion and fine £1 for a black-out

THE MAIN BODY OF THE ter: br

offence, The appeal was dis HOME FLEET UNDER THE】| ::· It was subsequently reported missed, the fine increased to £5, COMMAND OFF ADMIRAL that on being hit, during this and he was ordered to pay, seven TOVEY, WITH HIS FLAG FLY- attack the 'Blamarok made two guineas, costs,

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