This Day in the War in Europe: The Beginning

20 MAY 1941
Known Reinforcements
Allied
Banff Class Sloop HMS LAND GUARD (Y-56)


MLs 185 and 264
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Losses
U-138 sank the MV JAVANESE PRINCE (UK 8593 grt) in the Western Approaches whilst she was outbound travelling empty to New York. A crew of 60 was embarked, of which two were to lose their lives in the attack. At 2124 hrs the JAVANESE PRINCE was hit in the engine room by one of three torpedoes fired by U-138 and sank slowly 155 miles NW of the Butt of Lewis, Outer Hebrides. Two crew members were lost. The master, 45 crew members, eight gunners and four passengers were picked up by HM Ships FAULKNOR, LINCOLN and ASSURANCE. All survivors were transferred to the rescue ship TOWARD and landed at Gourock on 28 May.


U-556 sank the Tkr BRITISH SECURITY (UK 8470 grt) in the Nth Atlantic whilst part of HX-126. The ships was on passage from Curacao to Liverpool via Halifax carrying a full load of gasoline. A crew of 53 was on board, all of them were to perish in the attack. It was one of the most tragic losses in the merchant marine for some time. At 1448, 1450 and 1516 hrs, U-556 fired torpedoes at the convoy HX-126 sth of Cape Farewell and sank three ships, the DARLINGTON COURT, BRITISH SECURITY and COCKAPONSET. The BRITISH SECURITY caught fire after she was hit and burned for three days until she sank. The master, 48 crew members and four gunners were lost.


U-556 sank the Steamer COCKAPONSET (UK 5595 grt) in the Nth Atlantic whilst part of HX-126. The ships was on passage from Houston to Cardiff via Halifax carrying steel, carbon graphite, TNT and trucks. A crew of 41 was on board, all of them were to survive the attack. The master and 40 crew members from the COCKAPONSET were picked up by the Dutch rescue ship HONTESTROOM landed at Reykjavik on 27 May.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

U-556 sank the Steamer DARLINGTON COURT (UK 4974 grt) in the Nth Atlantic whilst part of HX-126. The ships was on passage from New York to Liverpool via Halifax carrying wheat and a/c. A crew of 40 was on board, 28 of them were to perish in the attack. The master, ten crew members and one gunner from the ship were picked up by the rescue ship HONTESTROOM and landed at Reykjavik on 27 May. 22 crew members, three gunners and three passengers were lost.


U.556 damaged British tanker SAN FELIX in the Nth Atlantic as part of her attacks on HX 126. The tkr arrived at St John's, NF, on the 26th. She was drydocked at Halifax and later sent to New York for permanent repairs.

U-94 sank the tkr JOHN P PEDERSEN (Nor 6128 grt) whilst travelling in HX 126. The ships was on passage from Curacao to the Clyde via Halifax carrying Admiralty fuel oil. A crew of 38 was on board, 22 of them were to perish in the attack. At 1817 hrs the JOHN P PEDERSEN, dispersed from convoy HX-126 the same day, was torpedoed by U-94 about 160 miles south of Greenland. One British gunner was lost and 37 survivors abandoned ship in two lifeboats. The tanker was sunk by the U-boat with two coups de grace fired at 1850 and 1920 hours. 16 survivors in one boat were picked up by the Dutch rescue ship HONTESTROOM on 23 May and taken to Reykjavik. Four of them joined the Norwegian Navy there, while eight continued to Gourock on board the Dutch vessel. Another three were sent to Preston, while one was briefly admitted to a hospital at Reykjavik. The other lifeboat with 21 survivors, including the master (13 Norwegians, two Dutch, two Swedish and four British) was never found.


U-94 sank MV NORMAN MONARCH (UK 4718 grt) in the Nth Atlantic, as part of the attack on HX 126. The ship was on passage from Halifax to the Barrie Roads with a cargo of wheat. A crew of 48 was on board, all of them were to survive the attack. At 0453 hrs the NORMAN MONARCH in position #91 of the convoy was hit on the starboard side by one of two torpedoes fired by U-94 and sank about 200 miles SSE of Cape Farewell. The HARPAGUS in station #93 was the designed rescue ship for the column and dropped back to rescue survivors. After picking up the master, 41 crew members and six gunners the ship tried to rejoin the convoy, but was torpedoed and sunk herself by U-109. The master 19 crew members and six gunners from the NORMAN MONARCH did not survive the second sinking, the remaining 22 crew members were picked up by HMS BURNHAM and landed at Reykjavik.
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U-98 sank steamer ROTHERMERE (UK 5624 grt) in the Nth Atlantic, as part of the attack on HX 126. The ship was on passage from Halifax to the London via Liverpool with a cargo of paper pulp and steel. A crew of 56 was on board, 22 of them were to perish in the attack. At 1729 hrs the ROTHERMERE, dispersed from the convoy the same day, was hit in the engine room by one torpedo fired byU-98 SE of Cape Farewell. The ship sank by the stern after being hit by a coup de grace at 1756 hours. The master, 18 crew members and three gunners were lost. 32 crew members, one gunner and one passenger were picked up by the Icelandic steam merchant BRUARFOSS and landed at Reykjavik.


U-109 sank steamer HARPAGUS (UK 5163 grt) a straggler from HX 126, in the Nth Atlantic. The ship was on passage from Baltimore to the UK west coast, via Halifax, with a cargo of grain. She had a complement of 98, of which 58 were to lose their lives in the attack. The HARPAGUSin station #93 was the designated rescue ship for the column and dropped back to rescue survivors from the stricken NORMAN MONARCH . After picking up the whole complement of 48 men, she set course to regain the convoy.

At 2320 hrs the HARPAGUS, having almost regained position, was struck by two torpedoes from U-109 in the starboard side and sank very quickly about 250 miles SSE of Cape Farewell. 25 crew members, four gunners, three passengers and 26 survivors were lost. The master, 17 crew members and 22 survivors were picked up by HMS BURNHAM (H-82) and landed at Reykjavik.
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RM submarine OTARIA badly damaged steamer STARCROSS (UK 4662 grt) from convoy SL.73 in the SW Approaches. The entire crew were rescued by RCN DD ST FRANCIS. The steamer was scuttled by the convoy escort.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

UBOATS
At Sea 20 May 1941
U-38, U-43, U-46, U-66, U-69, U-74, U-93, U-94, U-96, U-97, U-98, U-103, U-105, U-106, U-107, U-109, U-111, U-138, U-201, U-556, U-557, UA

22 boats at sea

OPERATIONS
Baltic
Operation Rheinubung
On 20 May, while in the Kattegat, the battle group was sighted by numerous Danish and Swedish fishing boats. The weather was clear, and at 1300, the German ships were sighted by the Swedish cruiser GOTLAND which reported the sighting to Stockholm. This report was passed to the British embassy. Lütjens assumed this ship would report his position, and at 1737 radioed this incident to Group North, the German Naval command station based in Wilhelmshaven. The Swedish had reported the sighting and then it was leaked to the British Naval Attaché, Captain Henry W. Denham. Later in the day, from the British embassy in Stockholm, Denham transmitted the following message to the Admiralty in London:

"Kattegat, today 20 May. At 1500, two large warships, escorted by three DDs, five ships and ten or twelve planes, passed Marstrand to the northeast. 2058/20."

Meanwhile, at 1615 in the afternoon, MSW Flot 5 joined the German battle group temporarily to help them pass through the minefields that blocked the entrance to the Kattegat. At dusk on 20 May, the German ships were already getting out of the Skagerrak near Kristiansand. They were then sighted from the coast by Viggo Axelssen, of the Norwegian resistance, who duly reported the sighting to the British in London via Gunvald Tomstad's secret, unregistered personal transmitter at Flekkefjord. During the night of 20/21 May the Germans headed north.

BISMARCK during her voyage to Norway 20 May 1941

Northern Waters
CA EXETER departed Scapa Flow after refitting, and arrived in the Clyde on the 21st. DD BRIGHTON departed Scapa Flow for Loch Alsh after repairs.

Med/Biscay
Submarine URGE unsuccessfully attacked RM DD ALPINO in the central basin

Steamer ZEFFIRO (FI 5165 grt) was sunk and Italian steamer PERSEO damaged 5.8 miles 130° from Cape Bon on a newly laid Italian minefield.


Operation Mercury
On the morning of 20 May 1941, the Germans launched an airborne invasion of Crete, under the code-name Operation Mercury. Despite initial heavy casualties, Maleme airfield in western Crete fell to the Germans and enabled them to fly in heavy equipment and reinforcements and overwhelm the Allied forces. After a week of heavy fighting, British commanders decided that the situation was hopeless and ordered a withdrawal from Sfakia. During the next four nights, 16,000 troops were evacuated to Egypt by sea. A smaller number of ships were to withdraw troops on a separate mission from HeraKlion, but these ships were attacked en route by LW Divebombers. Without air cover, Cunningham's ships suffered serious losses. Cunningham was determined, though, that the "navy must not let the army down", and when army generals feared he would lose too many ships, Cunningham famously said, "It takes the Navy three years to build a destroyer. It takes 300 years to build a tradition. The evacuation will continue"

The "never say die" attitude of Cunningham and the men under his command meant that of 22,000 men on Crete, 16,500 were rescued but at the loss of three cruisers and six destroyers. Fifteen other major warships were damaged.

Status at daylight on the 20th.

Force A-1 - BBs WARSPITE and VALIANT with DDs KIMBERLEY, ISIS, JANUS, GRIFFIN, and IMPERIAL were west of Crete.

Force B – CLs GLOUCESTER and FIJI were en route to join A-1.

Force C – CLA NAIAD, RAN CL PERTH and DDs KANDAHAR, NUBIAN, KINGSTON, JUNO were in Kaso Strait.

Force D – CLA DIDO, CLs ORION, AJAX with DDs HASTY, HEREWARD, HERO, and GREYHOUND were in Antikithera Strait.

Mediterranean Fleet night deployment for 20/21 May.

Force B - CLs GLOUCESTER and FIJI swept off Cape Matapan. They were to join A-1 at dawn on the 21st.

Force C – CLA NAIAD, CL PERTH with DDs NUBIAN, KINGSTON, JUNO, and KANDAHAR passed through the Kaso Strait to be off Heraklion by dawn on the 21st. In Kaso Strait, the force engaged five RM MAS boats. No damage was done to either side. CLA CALCUTTA departed Alexandria to join the Force at daylight on the 21st off Heraklion. Force C was attacked by RA torpedo carrying a/c near Kaso Strait at 2040. The attacks were unsuccessful. An hour later, six Italian MAS boats attacked Force C and were engaged by CLA NAIAD and DDs JUNO and KANDAHAR. The British force claimed sinking one MAS boat and damaging two, but no damage was done to either side.

Force D – CLA DIDO, CLs AJAX, ORION and DDs ISIS, KIMBERLEY, IMPERIAL, and JANUS. They swept through the Antikithera Strait and were to be off Canea by daylight on the 21st to join Force A 1. Steamer PADRE ETERNO (FI 52 grt) was sunk north of Canea by Gunfire.

Force E - DDs JERVIS, NIZAM, and ILEX departed Alexandria on the afternoon of the 20th. They bombarded Scarpanto airdrome at 0242 on the 21st, and were joined by CLA CARLISLE at dawn for protection and joined Force C at daylight. At 0115 on the 21st, RM submarine ONICE attacked RAN DD NIZAM of Force E, eight miles south of Kaso Strait without success.

Steamer AGHIOS GEORGIOS (ex-Gk 194 grt) was sunk by shell fire off Crete.
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DD CURTATONE (RM 953 grt) was sunk by Greek mines in the Gulf of Athens.


MSW WIDNES (RN 710 grt) was badly damaged by German bombing at Suda Bay.
The minesweeper was run aground a total loss.

Armed trawler KOS XXIII (RN 353 grt) was badly damaged by the LW in Suda Bay.
The trawler was declared a total loss on the 23rd. Two officers were taken prisoner on Crete
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Nth Atlantic
HX.128 departed Halifax, escort AMC CALIFORNIA, corvettes ALBERNI and RIMOUSKI, and escort ships SENNEN, TOTLAND, and WALNEY. The corvettes were detached later that day. BHX.128 departed Bermuda on the 18th escort AMC MONTCLARE. The convoy rendezvoused with convoy HX.128 on the 27th and the MONTCLARE was detached. BB REVENGE joined the convoy on the 28th. On the 30th, DD BURWELL joined the escort. Corvettes HEPATICA, HYDERANGEA, TULIP, and WINDFLOWER joined on the 31st. On 1 June, BB REVENGE and corvettes HEPATICA and WINDFLOWER were detached and minesweepers HEBE, SEAGULL, and SHARPSHOOTER joined. On the 2nd DDs MALCOLM and SCIMITAR and corvette MAYFLOWER joined and corvette TRILLIUM, which had joined, was detached. DD RIPLEY joined on 3 June. DDs BURWELL and MALCOLM and corvette SPIKENARD, which had joined, were detached. The convoy arrived at Liverpool on 6 June.

US CV WASP, CA QUINCY, and DDs LIVERMORE and KEARNY departed Bermuda on neutrality patrol. They arrived back on 3 June.

Central Atlantic
Submarine TRUANT departed Gibraltar to refit in the U. S. The sub arrived at Portsmouth, N. H. on 10 June for refitting completed on 16 September.

ML cruiser LATONA arrived at Gibraltar with stores and personnel for the Eastern Mediterranean. After embarking Oerlikon guns from CVL FURIOUS, the ML departed Gibraltar on the 21st for Freetown and beyond. The ML was ordered to return to Gibraltar on the 23rd, but the message was not received and the ship continued to Freetown.

Pacific/Australia
NZ manned CL ACHILLES escorted British steamer RANGATIRA from Auckland to Fiji, and arrived back at Wellington on 2 June.

Malta
AIR RAIDS DAWN 20 MAY TO DAWN 21 MAY 1941
Weather Fine.

0805-0831 hrs Air raid alert for a single JU 88 bomber escorted by three ME 109s which carries out reconnaissance off the east coast of the Island at 23000 feet. Anti-aircraft guns engage and Hurricanes are scrambled; no claims.

0954-1010 hrs Air raid alert triggered by the return of friendly aircraft.
1035-1045 hrs Air raid alert; raid does not materialise.
1155-1230 hrs Air raid alert for a formation of 23 ME 109 and ME 110 fighters which approach from the north and dive down from 17000 to 10000 feet to bomb Luqa aerodrome, setting a Beaufighter alight which burns out. The control tower is damaged by a near-miss; the runways are undamaged. One civilian employee is killed. Heavy and light anti-aircraft guns put up an intense barrage; no claims. Hurricane fighters are scrambled but do not intercept.
1728-1814 hrs Air raid alert for 12 ME 109 fighters which approach from the north west over Gozo and drop bombs on Ta Qali aerodrome from 12000 feet, damaging one Hurricane on the ground. Anti-aircraft guns put up a barrage; no claims. Malta fighters are scrambled; one Hurricane is shot down in combat with an enemy fighter – the pilot bales out and escapes with only slight injuries. A second Hurricane is riddled with bullet holes but lands safely.

OPERATIONS REPORTS TUESDAY 20 MAY 1941
AIR HQ Arrivals 2 Sunderland; 4 Wellington. Departures 2 Sunderland; 1 Bombay. 69 Squadron 2 Marylands searched area north and east of Messina for convoy reported to be leaving Patras. Maryland patrol Corfu to Zante and return.
HAL FAR One Hurricane crashed on landing; pilot F/Lt Hancock was unhurt.

21 MAY 1941
Known Reinforcements
Axis
Type IXC U-129

29 ships sunk, total tonnage 143,748 GRT. Decommissioned in August 1944 at Lorient and scuttled sw of U-boat pen Keroman I on 18 August 1944. Wreck captured by US forces in May 1945 and handed over to France. Raised and broken up in 1946.

Type VIIC U-402

14 ships sunk, total tonnage 70,434 GRT, Sunk on 13 October 1943 in the Nth Atlantic north of the Azores, by a "Fido" homing torpedo from two Avenger a/c of the USN CVE CARD 50 dead (all hands lost).

Allied
MGB 67, ML227, MTB 45
[NO IMAGES FOUND]

Losses
U-69 sank MV ROBIN MOOR (US 4999 grt) in the Central Atlantic midway between the west African and Brazilian coasts. The ship was on passage from to New York to Mozambique, with a general cargo, including tin plate, steel rails, refrigerators, automobiles, trucks and tractors and a crew of 46 all of whom survived the attack. At 0525 hours the unescorted, unarmed and neutral ROBIN MOORwas ordered to stop with a Morse lamp by U-69 about 750 miles west of Freetown. After questioning the chief mate that came aboard the U-boat, Metzler told him that he was to sink the ship in accordance with the prize rules and ordered the crew to leave their ship in 30 minutes. The nine officers, 29 crewmen and eight passengers (four men, three women and one child) abandoned ship in four lifeboats and the boat with the master then came alongside U-69. However, the cargo manifest shown to Metzler only confirmed his view that the ship was carrying contraband. The Germans gave four tins of bread, two tins of butter, some cognac and bandages to the lifeboats and then submerged. At 1005 hrs, the U-boat fired one G7e torpedo from the stern torpedo tube that hit ROBIN MOOR on the port side amidships, but surfaced again 40 minutes later because the ship only settled slowly and began shelling her with the deck gun, firing 39 rounds and causing the ship to sink by the stern after 17 minutes. The wooden crates carried as deck cargo floated free and were sunk with gunfire from the anti-aircraft guns.
The lifeboats initially remained together, but one of them became separated after three days. The occupants of three boats were picked up after sailing about 600 miles in 13 days by the CITY OF WELLINGTON and landed at Capetown on 18 June. The ten crew members and one passenger in the boat in charge of the third officer were rescued by OZORIO on 9 June in position 00°46N/37°37W and two days later landed at Recife, Brazil.


U-69 sank MV TEWKESBURY (UK 4601 grt) in the Central Atlantic midway between the West African and Brazilian coasts. The ship was on passage from Montevideo to Oban, with a general cargo, including wheat and tinned meat. and a crew of 42 all of whom survived the attack. At 2342 hrs the unescorted TEWKESBURY was hit on the starboard side underneath the bridge by one G7a torpedo from U-69 about 540 miles south of the Cape Verde Islands. The explosion threw up a terrific column of water that washed over the ship, sweeping away the starboard jolly boat and pouring water into the engine room through the skylight and ventilators. The men on watch below immediately secured the engines and the crew of 38 men and four gunners (the ship was armed with one 4in and four machine guns) began to abandon ship in two lifeboats when she developed a 10° list to starboard. The master tried to collect the confidential books from the bridge, but found them buried under the collapsed cement protection. He then brought a sextant and chronometer to the starboard lifeboat before abandoning ship in the port boat after helping the chief officer to launch it. Shortly after the boats had rowed away, the U-boat fired a star shell to illuminate the target at 2358 hrs and then commenced shelling the ship from the port bow with 21 incendiary shells, but all failed to ignite upon impact. At 0036 hrs on 22 May, the TEWKESBURY was struck on the port side in the stokehold by a coup de grace and sank by the bow about 7 mins later. The Germans then left the area without questioning the survivors as the ship had already been identified by her distress signal.

The radio officer had managed to send the distress signal several times, so the lifeboat waited 24 hrs in the vicinity for assistance but then decided to sail for Fernando de Noronha, about 760 miles to the sw. In the meantime the master had transferred to the starboard boat and left the chief officer in charge of the port boat, but the boats soon lost contact in the morning of 23 May. On 26 May, the master and 20 survivors were picked up by the US MV EXHIBITION. The ship then unsuccessfully searched the area for the other lifeboat in a radius of 30 miles until noon the next day. As she was bound for Bombay, the survivors were transferred to HMS CILICIA after a week and eventually landed at Freetown after 12 days. On 2 June, the chief officer and 20 survivors were picked up with their lifeboat by the ANTINOUS and taken to Capetown. All survivors were found in good health.

The master Theodore Pryse was awarded the OBE for his actions, but when this was published in the London Gazette he had already been lost while in command of NEWBURY which was sunk by U-94 on 15 Sep 1941.


U-93 sank tkr ELUSA (NL 6235 grt) in the Nth Atlantic whilst on passage from Curacao to the Clyde via Halifax as part of HX 126. She was transporting gasoline with a crew of 54, 5 of whom were lost in the attack. The ELUSA was in HX-126 which had already lost seven ships the day before. Her crew witnessed the explosion of the BRITISH SECURITY, which was also carrying gasoline and was sunk with all hands by U-556. U-93 had tried for hours to come into a position from which an attack was possible, and when at last a torpedo was launched it missed the target, a tanker. In a second attack at 0522 hrs two single torpedoes were launched on a freighter and on a tanker, but missed the targets again. However, the torpedo aimed at the freighter hit the ELUSA at 0529 hrs. Immediately after the tkr was hit, the cargo caught fire, mainly in the rear section of the vessel where the crew quarters were located. According to regulations they had stopped the main engines. Some crewmembers at the rear of the ship did not wait for orders to abandon ship. They immediately lowered the lifeboats and left the vessel, which saved their lives. Amidships some Chinese crewmembers also lowered a lifeboat without orders, and rowed away before the other crewmembers could enter it. Remembering the fate of the BREITISH SECURITY, doubtless they wished to waste no time distancing themselves from their explosive cargo. The other crew members succeeded in lowering another lifeboat, in which all the remaining crew members found a place. The master coolly remained on board the ELUSA, throwing the classified documents overboard and succeeding in leveling the vessel, which was listing to starboard. Thirty minutes after the hit a British DD arrived, rescued the crew members in the three lifeboats and took the master aboard. The DD stayed near the burning ship during the night. Soon it became clear that the first engineer was missing (caught by surprise by the fire). Moreover two Chinese, the third cook and a donkeyman drowned when they tried to get into the lifeboats. In the next morning the master, the first mate and the second engineer re-boarded the ELUSA and they saw how devastating the fire had been, but they also discovered that the boilers of the vessel were still in good shape. But fact was that the vessel was not able to sail under its own power and the distance to the nearest tug was too big, so they left the ELUSA who was still afloat (She sank later in 58.30N/38.10W). The 49 survivors were disembarked at Reykjavik on 25 May.


U-98 sank MV MARCONI (UK 7403 grt) of OB 322 in an empty condition whilst she was on passage from Liverpool to the River Plate. 22 of the 78 man crew were lost. At 0512 hrs the unescorted MARCONI, dispersed from convoy OB-322, was hit by one torpedo from U-98 and sank after 33 minutes SSE of Cape Farewell. The ship had already been missed by the same U-boat at 1836 hrs on 20 May. The master and ten crew members were lost. The survivors abandoned ship in the lifeboats but eight of them died before they were picked up by USCGC GENERAL GREENE and landed at St. John's, where three others died in a hospital. 52 crew members and four gunners survived.


UBOATS
At Sea 21 May 1941
U-38, U-43, U-46, U-66, U-69, U-73, U-74, U-93, U-94, U-96, U-97, U-98, U-103, U-105, U-106, U-107, U-109, U-111, U-138, U U-556, U-557, UA

22 boats at sea

OPERATIONS
North Sea
AA ship ALYNBANK departed Scapa Flow and escorted convoy WN.29 to the southward. During the afternoon, the ship transferred to convoy EC.22. The ship remained with convoy EC.22 until night in the Pentland Firth. On the 22nd, she met convoy WN.30 in Pentland Firth and provided cover for the convoy to Methil where they arrived at 0830/23rd.

Operation Rheinubung
Early on 21 May, the Admiralty received the sighting report from Denham, and a/c were instructed to be on the alert for the German force. At about 0900, the German squadron entered the Korsfjord sth of Bergen with clear weather. Admiral Lütjens had wanted to continue to the north without stopping in Norway, but because of the clear weather he decided to enter the Korsfjord and continue the voyage that night under cover of darkness. Pilots were taken aboard the German ships, and at noon, the BISMARCK anchored in the Grimstadfjord at 250-500 meters off the nearest shore. The EUGEN headed nth with the 3 DDs and anchored in Kalvanes Bay. As a measure of precaution two merchant ships were laid along both sides of Prinz Eugen as torpedo shields.

Meanwhile, at 1100 on 21 May, RAF CC had dispatched a long range Spitfire PRU from Scotland to look for the German ships. At 1315, the Spitfire successfully sighted and photographed the German ships in the Korsfjord from an altitude of 26,200 ft, and then returned to Scotland where it landed at Wick Airfield at about 1415. The sighting of the battle group by the Swedish cruiser GOTLAND in the Kattegat as well as by Norwegian resistance operatives the previous day, had proven very unfortunate for the Germans.

During their brief stay in the Korsfjord, the two ships painted over their striped camouflage paint with outboard grey. In addition, EUGEN with less than 2,500 tons of fuel oil left in her tanks refuelled from tanker WOLLIN. The BISMARCK did not refuel and this would later prove to be a mistake. It seems that refuelling the BISMARCK was not scheduled, and that PRINZ EUGEN was refuelled only because she absolutely had to be due to her shorter endurance. By 1700, the PRINZ EUGEN completed refuelling, and at 1930, the German ships weighted anchor. At this time, BISMARCK's BDienst team received a message from Germany, in which, based on an intercepted radio message, British a/c had been instructed to be on the alert for two battleships and three destroyers proceeding on a northerly course. Around 2000, just before night fall, the five German ships left the Norwegian fiord, and after separating from the coastline, set a course of 0º at 2340, due North.

Upon receipt of the first sighting reports, the CinC Home Fleet, Admiral Sir John Tovey, immediately began to consider the possible intentions of the German warships. He ordered CAs SUFFOLK and NORFOLK, both under the command of Rear-Admiral William Frederick Wake-Walker, to patrol the Denmark Strait. Later in the afternoon, the photos taken by the Spitfire arrived, thus positively identifying the BISMARCK and EUGEN in Bergen. Therefore, shortly before midnight on 21 May, BC HOOD flying the flag of Vice-Admiral Holland, the BB PRINCE OF WALES, and DDs ACHATES, ANTELOPE, ANTHONY, ECHO, ELECTRA, and ICARUS, cleared Scapa Flow for Hvalfjord in Iceland. Their mission to cover the access points sth and east of Iceland.

BISMARCK in Korsfjord on the morning of 21 May1941

At 1830, all available Home Fleet warships came to two hours' notice for sailing as a result of air reconnaissance of the German ships at Korsfjord.

On the 22nd, a Martin Maryland of 771 Sqn from Hatston advised the German ships had sailed. The crew of the Maryland were Lt N. E. Goddard, Cdr G. A. Rotherham, Leading Airman J. D. Milne, and Leading Airman J. W. Armstrong.

Northern Waters
DD FARNDALE departed Scapa Flow and met steamers AMSTERDAM and LADY OF MANN off the entrance to Aberdeen at 1500. After providing escort for these two ships, the DD arrived back at Scapa Flow later that evening.

DD WALPOLE departed Scapa Flow to return to the Nore following her work up.

West Coast
OB.325 departed Liverpool, escort DD SALADIN and corvette GLADIOLUS. The escorted was joined the next day by DD LEAMINGTON, corvette CLARKIA, and ASW trawler ST ZENO. The escort was detached when the convoy was dispersed on the 25th.

Med/Biscay
RM TB LUPO departed Milos early on the 21st with a convoy for Canea. RM TB
SAGITTARIO departed Piraeus with a convoy for Heraklion. SAGITTARIO was accidently attacked by German bombers, but was not damaged. At about the same time, RM DD SELLA was seriously damaged by the LW out of a group of 5 DDs which had just departed Piraeus. Both convoys for Crete were being sent in desperation due to casualties and lack of success of the German paratroop landing. Some hundreds of Germans trropps were to lose their lives to drowning in these attempts.

British air reconnaissance located these convoys and Force C was sent to the NW of Crete to intercept.

RAN DDs STUART, VOYAGER, and VENDETTA departed Alexandria to join A-1.

J Class DD HMS JUNO (RN 1690 grt) was hit by three bombs and sank in two minutes off the Crete coast. 128 of the crew went down with the ship and 21 were wounded. It was just the start of heavy losses for the RN. Just 15 officers and men were rescued unhurt.

CL AJAX was damaged by the near misses. There were no casualties. The cruiser sustained some shaft distortion.

Force A-1, B, and D operated SW of Kithera to deal with any possible sortie by the RM battlefleet. These were BBs WARSPITE and VALIANT, CLs FIJI, GLOUCESTER, , AJAX, and ORION, CLA DIDO and DDs ISIS, IMPERIAL, KIMBERLEY, JANUS, NAPIER, DECOY, GRIFFIN, and HOTSPUR.

DDs KELLY, KASHMIR, KIPLING, JACKAL, KELVIN of DesFlot 5 departed Malta at dusk to join the Med Flt operating off Crete. DD FORESIGHT left at the same time to rejoin Force H.and arrived at Gibraltar on the 23rd.

CLAs CALCUTTA and CARLISLE joined Force C on the 21st. DDs JERVIS, ILEX, and RAN NIZAM arrived at Alexandria to refuel. British Force E, after refuelling, departed Alexandria on the 21st to return to the Kaso Strait area. RAN DDs STUART, VOYAGER, and VENDETTA departed Alexandria to join Force A-1.

Sloop AUCKLAND departed Alexandria with British oiler CHERRYLEAF to refuel destroyers in a position one hundred miles northwest of Alexandria. On the 22nd, the escort duties of the oiler was taken over by RHN DD AETOS.

At 2330 on the 21st NE of Canea, the convoy being led by RM LUPO convoy was attacked by CLA DIDO, CL AJAX, and ORION and DDs KIMBERLEY, HASTY, HEREWARD, and JANUS of Force D. The bow of cruiser AJAX was bent through ramming a caique. ORION sustained some damage to her bridge from pom pom fire from DIDO. Two men were killed and nine were wounded. DIDO expended 70% of her ammunition, CL ORION 62%, and AJAX 58%.

Ten schooners (FI 5000 grt (est)) were sunk by the British ships. Steamer CARMEN SYLVA (Ru 1601 grt) was also sunk.
[NO IMAGES FOUND]

RM TB LUPO was hit by 18 six inch shells but incredibly survived despite heavy damage. The action was broken off at 0400/22nd. RM TB LIRA rescued some of LUPO convoy survivors.

Force D joined Force A 1 at 0800 outside of Kithera Straits. At 1045, due to the ammunition shortages in the cruisers, Force D was detached to Alexandria.

Cruisers ORION and AJAX were detached to join Force E, but when it was found they could not reach the rendezvous in time, they returned to Force D

Force D arrived at Alexandria on the 23rd.

Coastal steamer GLADIATOR (FI 248 grt) was sunk on a mine at Sibenik.

Central Atlantic
Ocean boarding vessel MARON departed Gibraltar on Western Patrol.

22 MAY 1941
Known Reinforcements
Axis
Type VIIC U-373

Used in Training until June 1944. Active service from then on, however she only survived a few days whilst on active patrol. 3 ships sunk, total tonnage 10,263 GRT. Sunk on 8 June 1944 in the Bay Of Biscay, west of Brest, , by depth charges from a British Liberatoraircraft (224 Sqn RAF/G). 4 dead and 47 survivors.

Type VIIC U571

5 ships sunk, total tonnage 33,511 GRT. Sunk on 28 January 1944 in Nth Atlantic west of Ireland, , by DCs from an Australian Sunderland aircraft (461 Sqn RAAF/D). 52 dead (all hands lost).

Allied
Flower Class Corvette HMCS AVIDA (K-113)


Isles Class ASW Trawler HMS CUMBRAE (T-154)
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

HDML 1014
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

70' type MGB 18
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Fairmile B MLs 237, 239, 260
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Losses
U-103 sank the MV BRITISH GRENADIER (UK 6857 grt) off the West African coast, whilst she was outward bound, empty, from Freetown to Aruba. A crew of 49 was aboard at the tim of loss. All would survive the attack. At 2252 hrs the unescorted BRITISH GRENADIER was hit amidships by one torpedo from U-103 while steaming on a zigzag course SW of Freetown. The ship stopped and was then hit amidships by a coup de grace, but remained afloat. At 2359 hours, the U-boat fired a second coup de grace that hit in the engine room, causing the tanker to settled slowly by the stern. The BRITISH GRENADIER was left in a sinking condition and later foundered. The master, 22 crew members and two gunners were picked up by the GANDA and 24 crew members were rescued by the Spanish tanker JOSE CALVO SOTELO and landed at Freetown.


U-111 sank MV BARNBY(UK 4813 grt) in the Nth Atlantic. The ship had been travelling in convoy HX 126, on passage from St Johns to Hull via Halifax, loaded with flour and with a crew of 45, of which on be was to be lost. At 1340 hrs the BARNBY, dispersed from convoy HX-126, was torpedoed and sunk by U-111 southwest of Iceland. One crew member was lost. The master, 35 crew members and eight gunners landed at Reykjavik.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Steamer DITMAR KOEL (Ger 5088 grt) was sunk on a mine near Juist (near the port of Emden).
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

UBOATS
Arrivals
St Nazaire: U-96

Departures
St Nazaire:U-48

At Sea 22 May 1941
U-38, U-43, U-46, U-48 U-66, U-69, U-73, U-74, U-93, U-94, U-97, U-98, U-103, U-105, U-106, U-107, U-109, U-111, U-138, U U-556, U-557, UA

22 boats at sea

OPERATIONS
North Sea
ML TEVIOT BANK, escort DD CATTISTOCK, laid minefield BS.61 off the east coast of England. Paddle MSWs SNAEFELL and THAMES QUEEN accompanied the ML.

DDs INGLEFIELD and ESCAPADE at 0545 and INTREPID at 1000 arrived at Scapa Flow after supporting convoy HX.125.

Northern Waters
DD HAMBLEDON arrived at Scapa Flow to work up after completion of repairs.

CLA HERMIONE arrived at Scapa Flow. The cruiser had a defect involving one of her turrets. This defect had been discovering during her work up the month before. The repairs would require fourteen days once personnel and facilities were available to do the work.

Operation Rheinubung
On 22 May, the weather worsened. During the night, the German battle group headed Nth, with the 3 DDs in the lead (experiencing station keeping difficulties) and the PRINZ EUGEN closing the formation. At 0420, the worsening weather forced the DDs to be detached and headed east to Trondheim, while the BISMARCK and PRINZ EUGEN maintained their northward course at 24 knots. At 1237 there was a submarine and air alarm, and the German ships zig-zagged for about half an hour. When the alarm ended, the tops of the main and secondary turrets were painted over, and the swastikas on the decks were covered with canvas, as they could help enemy aircraft to identify the German ships. Afterwards, the group set a NW course to the Denmark Strait. It was cloudy the entire day and the fog was so thick that the two ships had to switch on their searchlights from time to time in order to maintain contact and keep position. The weather conditions were therefore very favourable for an undetected breakout, which was the prime objective of these early moves.

BISMARCK Photographed from PRINZ EUGEN with her stern light on 22 May 1941
BC HOOD and BB PRINCE OF WALES with DDs ACHATES, ANTELOPE, ANTHONY, ECHO, ELECTRA, and ICARUS departed Scapa Flow at 0100 to cover the forces on patrol in the Denmark Strait. In the Iceland-Faroes Channel were CLs MANCHESTER and BIRMINGHAM and five trawlers. The two CLs refuelled in the Faroes to refuel on the 22nd. CL ARETHUSA, which arrived at Reykjavik on the 21st, was sent to reinforce these ships. CA NORFOLK was patrolling in the Denmark Strait. CA SUFFOLK, after refuelling at Hvalfjord on this date, returned to reinforce this patrol.

The Home Fleet departed Scapa Flow at 2300 with BB KING GEORGE V, CV VICTORIOUS, CLs GALATEA, AURORA, KENYA, and CLA HERMIONE, and DDs ACTIVE, PUNJABI, RAN NESTOR, LANCE, WINDSOR, INGLEFIELD, and INTREPID. DD LANCE returned to Scapa Flow with boiler defects. The DD was able to depart again after noon on the 23rd for Skaalefjord, pre-dawn on the 24th. She departed at early after dawn sailing westward to join the fleet.

BC REPULSE was already at sea, putting out from the Clyde at 1600 with DDs LEGION, SAGUENAY, and ASSINIBOINE. The BC and DDs rendezvoused with Tovey off the Butt of Lewis at noon on the 23rd.

DDs ANTHONY and ANTELOPE were detached on the 23rd from the BC HOOD force to refuel at Hvalfjord. The DDs refuelled and departed at 2100 to rejoin. At 2000 on the 23r, the BC Gp was in 62-45N, 25-30W. Tovey's force was in 61-30N, 22-00W.

At 2032, CA NORFOLK glimpsed the German ships in 66-50N, 25-30W. CA SUFFOLK also sighted the ships and the two cruisers commenced shadowing the German force through the night.

CL GALATEA and CLA HERMIONE proceeded to patrol to the NE of Iceland should the enemy attempt to turn back, but these ships were later recalled to the Tovey group and CLs MANCHESTER, BIRMINGHAM, and ARETHUSA carried out the patrol.

DD ACTIVE refuelled at Hvalfjord on the 24th and departing the same day. RAN DD NESTOR refuelled at Iceland, departing on the 26th. DD WINDSOR was detached to Iceland on the 24th, but remained until 26 May. DDs PUNJABI, INGLEFIELD, and LANCE refuelled in Iceland arriving and departing on the 26th. DD INTREPID arrived in Iceland to refuel on the 26th, but did not depart due to machinery defects until at 0930 on the 31st. DD INTREPID arrived at Scapa Flow at 1630 from Iceland.

On the 24th, RCN DD SAGUENAY was detached to Hvalfjord to refuel. The DD departed the same day to rejoin. On the 26th, DDs LEGION and ASSINIBOINE arrived at Hvalfjord to refuel and departed the same day to rejoin. On the 27th, all three DDs arrived at Londonderry.

CV VICTORIOUS refuelled at Hvalfjord on the 27th. CL GALATEA on the 27th and departed on the 28th.CL AURORA on the 27th and departed 30 May. CL KENYA on the 27th and departed 30 May. CLA on the 26th and departed Hvalfjord on the 31st to relieve CL ARETHUSA on Denmark Strait patrol.

On the 25th, BC REPULSE was ordered to proceed for refuelling and arrived at Conception Bay, Newfoundland, on the 27th. The BC departed Conception Bay on the 29th to escort convoy HX.129.

That night of 22/23 May, after receiving the report, Winston Churchill cabled to president Franklin D. Roosevelt: "Yesterday, twenty-first, BISMARCK, PRINZ EUGEN and eight merchant ships located in Bergen. Low clouds prevented air attack. Tonight they have sailed. We have reason to believe that a formidable Atlantic raid is intended. Should we fail to catch them going out your Navy should surely be able to mark them down for us. KG V, PoW, HOOD, REPULSE and CV VICTORIOUS, with auxiliary vessels will be on their track. Give us the news and we will finish the job."

West Coast
Troopship BRITANNIC departed the Clyde escorted by BB RODNEY, en route to the US for extensive overhaul, and DDs SOMALI, ESKIMO, TARTAR, and MASHONA.
DDs BEDOUIN and IMPULSIVE with ML SOUTHERN PRINCE had departed Loch Alsh on the 21st en route to the US. The ML carried equipment for battleship RODNEY's refitting and specialist naval ratings en route to Canada. The two groups joined at sea for the Atlantic crossing. The ML arrived at Bermuda on 2 June.

Convoy WS.8B departed the Clyde with steamers CHRISTIAAN HUYGENS, ABOSSO, GEORGIC, MARTAND, DUCHESS OF RICHMOND, ALMANZORA, and ORDUNA.
Escort was provided by CA EXETER, CLA CAIRO, and DDs COSSACK, SIKH, MAORI, ZULU, (ORP) PIORUN, (RCN) OTTAWA, (RCN) RESTIGOUCHE, and ERIDGE. All were detached on the 26th except cruiser EXETER. Included in this convoy were CV VICTORIOUS and CVE ARGUS. VICTORIOUS was soon detached from the convoy for Fleet operations. Liners ORDUNA and ALMANZORA collided on the 31st. DD BOREAS and DUNCAN joined the convoy on 2 June and remained until 4 June. Corvette MARGUERITE joined the convoy on 3 June and remained until 4 June. The convoy arrived at Freetown on 4 June. The convoy, less CHRISTIAAN HUYGENS and ABOSSO, departed Freetown on 6 June escort DDs BOREAS, DUNCAN, and HIGHLANDER from 6 to 8 June. CA EXETER proceeded with the convoy. On 20 June, the convoy arrived at Durban. The convoy, plus steamer NIEUW ZEELAND departed on 23 June, still escorted by EXETER. The convoy arrived off Aden on 4 July and proceeded independently to Suez.

SW Approaches
CA LONDON with DDs HAVELOCK and HARVESTER departed Gibraltar to escort steamer ARUNDEL CASTLE and convoy SL.75 to England.

Channel
British steamer EMPIRE PROGRESS was damaged by the LW 3 miles SW of Needles (Isle of Wight). Four crew were killed. The steamer was beached in Totland Bay on the 23rd. She was refloated the same day and taken to Southampton for drydocking.

Med/Biscay
Submarine RORQUAL laid mines in the Gulf of Salonika.

British troopship ARUNDEL CASTLE arrived at Gibraltar from Freetown.

Battle For Crete
Force B CLs GLOUCESTER and FIJI with DDs GRIFFIN and GREYHOUND, returning from an uneventful sweep through Matapan Strait, was bombed for 1.5 hrs from 0630 as it was returning to join Force A-1. GLOUCESTER received some splinter damage from near misses. Cruiser FIJI received slight hull damage from near misses. GLOUCESTER only had 18% of her AA ammunition remaining. Cruiser FIJI only had 30% remaining. Force B joined Force A 1 at 0830.

British Force C, composed of CLAs NAIAD, CALCUTTA and CARLISLE, and RAN CL PERTH, as well as DDs KANDAHAR, KINGSTON, and NUBIAN attacked the RM convoy being escorted by TB SAGITTARIO. Torpedo boat SAGITTARIO was hit several times and at least one caique was set on fire. However the attack was broken off due to air attacks. The force withdrew to the SW, but was hampered in that CARLISLE's maximum speed was only twenty one knots, due to various defects.

CLA NAIAD sustained four near misses and her speed was limited to 16 knots. Two of her turrets were knocked out. The damage was structural. 7 men were killed and 31 wounded. NAIAD was able to proceed to Alexandria arriving on the 23rd.

CLA CARLISLE was hit on the bridge by a bomb and badly damaged. The skipper was was killed. The cruiser was also struck by a second bomb. 15 crew were killed and 25 were wounded. The cruiser was repaired at Port Said from 26 May to 20 June.

DD KINGSTON closed to take off survivors from cruiser CARLISLE, but was ordered away. The cruiser was able to continue unassisted. KINGSTON was damaged by a near miss which caused damage to her machinery and hull. One rating was killed and two were wounded on the DD.

RAN CL PERTH was damaged by a near miss which damaged her six inch fire control. She sustained no personnel casualties. The cruiser arrived at Alexandria on the 23rd.

Force C joined Force A 1 at 1500. The German air attacks continued. BB WARSPITE was hit by a bomb at 1332 that put her starboard 4" and 6" batteries out of action. Her speed was reduced to 18 knots. Commissioned Boatswain A. E. Harding and seven ratings were killed, twenty four were missing, eleven died of wounds, and sixty nine were wounded. The BB arrived at Alexandria on the 24th. On 25 June, BB WARSPITE departed Alexandria for repairs at Bremerton, Washington. The BB departed Honolulu on 4 August and arrived at Esquimalt on 10 August escorted by two Canadian warships. She departed that day, under US.escort, for Bremerton, arriving on 11 August. Repairs were completed on 18 December 1941.

BB VALIANT was struck by two bombs aft that caused no serious damage or any personnel casualties.

At about noon, GHI Class DD GREYHOUND (RN 1350 grt) was detached to sink a caique, sighted by BB WARSPITE, between Pori and Antikithera. The DD sank the caique, but then was sunk herself by bombing while rejoining the Fleet. 76 officers and crew were lost with the ship. A further 8 crew were killed while in the water when strafed by attacking Me 109s. Some of the crew ended up on Crete, where 4 ratings were make POWs.


What followed was a major blow for the RN. HMS GLOUCESTER formed part of a naval force acting against Axis military transports that themselves were trying desperately to get reinforcements to the hard pressed paratroopes fighting for Maleme airfield. The force began in operations nth of Crete with some success. On 22 May 1941, while in the Kythera, about 14 mi nth of Crete, she was attacked by LW Ju87s and sank, having sustained at least four heavy bomb hits and three near-misses. Of the 807 men aboard at the time of her sinking, only 85 survived. Her sinking is considered to be one of Britain's worst wartime naval disasters.

DDs KANDAHAR and KINGSTON picked up survivors. KINGSTON was damaged by near misses of air bombs. CLs FIJI and GLOUCESTER were ordered to support DDs KANDAHAR and KINGSTON.

Colony Class CL FIJI in company with GLOUCESTER, returning to join Force C, came under heavy air attack at 1550. Town Class CL GLOUCESTER (RN 9400 grt) was hit by bombs and sunk. Cruiser FIJI dropped rafts for the survivors and continued with DDs KANDAHAR and KINGSTON.


On 30 May 1941, in a letter to the First sea Lord Dudley Pound, Admiral Cunningham wrote, "The sending back of GLOUCESTERand FIJI to the GREYHOUND was another grave error and cost us those two ships. They were practically out of ammunition but even had they been full up I think they would have gone. The CO of FILI told me that the air over GLOUCESTER was black with planes"

Colony Class CL FIJI (RN 8530 grt) was sunk at 1830 by the LW. DDs KANDAHAR and KINGSTON dropped rafts and left the area, returning after dark to rescue survivors. KINGSTON picked up 339 survivors and KANDAHAR picked up 184. There were 523 survivors of the 780 man crew.


DDs KANDAHAR and KINGSTON were able to refuel from the battleships in Force A 1.

RAN DDs STUART, VOYAGER, and VENDETTA coming from Alexandria were also ordered to pick up FIJI survivors, but they were unable to locate any. DDs KELLY, KASHMIR, KIPLING, KELVIN, and JACKAL from Malta joined Force A 1 later on the 22nd. At 1930, the DDs were detached to search of survivors of CLs GLOUCESTER and FIJI.

DDs DECOY and HERO were detached from Force A-1 to pick up the King of Greece, the Greek Prime Minister, and other important personages at Suda Bay.

Commando ship GLENROY with 900 troops departed Alexandria for Tymbaki escorted by CLA COVENTRY and sloops AUCKLAND and FLAMINGO. They were ordered at 2335 on the 23rd to return to Alexandria.

DDs JAGUAR and DEFENDER with ammunition for the troops on Crete departed Alexandria and joined Force A-1 off Crete. The DDs were detached to Suda Bay at 2359 on the 23rd.

CA YORK was abandoned after further damage by the LW.

During the night of 22/23 May in Crete operations, DD DECOY picked up the King of Greece and his party from Crete. DD HERO in company picked up other important persons. Both DDs rejoined Force A-1 on the 23rd. The DDs were sent on ahead later on the 23rd.
DDs KELLY, KASHMIR, and KIPLING were on patrol in the Canea Bay area. DD KIPLING experienced a steering defects and withdrew to the west to correct it. DDs JACKAL and KELVIN patrolled in Kissamo Bay without event and returned to Force A-1 at dawn. DDs JERVIS, RAN NIZAM, ILEX, and HAVOCK patrolled Heraklion.
CLs ORION and AJAX were to join, but were unable to rendezvous in time and returned to Force D
DD ILEX was damaged by a near miss from the LW during the morning of 23 May. There was damage to her propeller, but sustained no personnel casualties. DD HAVOCK was near missed by the LW with damage to the boiler room. 15 men were killed and 10 were wounded. Force E arrived at Alexandria at 2000/23rd.

Malta
AIR RAIDS DAWN 22 MAY TO DAWN 23 MAY 1941
Weather Fine.

1126-1310 hrsAir raid alert for six ME 109s which patrol to the east of the Island. Hurricane fighters are scrambled; no interception.

1547-1618 hrs Air raid alert for four ME 109s which patrol to the west of the Island. Hurricane fighters are scrambled; no interception.
OPERATIONS REPORTS THURSDAY 22 MAY 1941

AIR HQ69 SquadronMaryland reconnaissance after Blenheim attack reveals merchant vessel smoking and probably abandoned. Two Marylands patrol eastern Tunisian coast report a convoy. A Maryland is despatched to shadow. Four Blenheims 139 Squadron are despatched to attack and successfully bomb a tanker.

May 24 Saturday
ATLANTIC OCEAN: Unternehmen Rheinübung: Battle of the Denmark Strait: In the early morning hours, the German battleship "Bismarck" and cruiser "Prinz Eugen" steamed southwesterly through the Denmark Strait, shadowed by the British heavy cruisers "Suffolk" and "Norfolk". Shortly before 0600 hours, "Prinz Eugen", which was ahead of "Bismarck", sighted ships to the southeast. These were the Royal Navy's battlecruiser "Hood", long the World's largest warship, and battleship "Prince of Wales", a new ship that was not yet properly "shaken down". The British capital ships soon opened fire with their forward turrets, while rapidly closing the range. "Hood" initially fired her fifteen-inch guns at "Prinz Eugen". Her consort, which carried fourteen-inch guns, shot at "Bismarck", but neither made hits. As the British began a turn to bring their after turrets to bear, the two Germans opened fire at "Hood", whose identity was clearly apparent. "Bismarck's" fifteen-inch guns, and the much smaller eight-inchers of "Prinz Eugen", soon found the range and started hitting. "Prinz Eugen" scored the first hit on HMS "Hood". Fire broke out amidships on "Hood" as "Bismarck" was hit on the port side by three shells from HMS "Prince of Wales". At 0600 hours, immediately after "Bismarck's" fourth salvo, a 15 inch shell penetrated "Hood's" thin deck armor. The great battlecruiser's after-ammunition magazines exploded in a jet of flame and a large cloud of smoke. "Hood's" bow rose as her shattered after-hull filled with water, and she was soon gone. Only three survivors were picked up by the destroyer HMS "Electra", leaving 1418 casualties. Now it was HMS "Prince of Wales" turn to be the target. Between 0602 and 0609 hours, "Bismarck" scored four hits on HMS "Prince of Wales", causing her to break off from the battle at 0604 hours after being hit 7 times. At 0801 hours, "Bismarck" reported damage with electric plant no. 4 and boiler room no. 2. One of the three British 14" projectiles hit "Bismarck's" hull forward, flooding some of the German ship's bow compartments. Another hit low and amidships, brought more water into the ship. This damage, though hardly vital, left "Bismarck" listing to port, down at the bow and unable to use all her oil fuel. Her maximum speed, seakeeping ability and range were all reduced, and she was now leaving an oil slick in her wake. The brief Battle of the Denmark Strait, which lasted only about seventeen minutes from opening shot to "cease fire", caused the Germans to terminate "Bismarck's" sortie. Lütjens had now decided that the "Bismarck" needed some repairs in a dockyard. At 0801 hours, Lütjens signaled Group North, together with a report on "Bismarck's" damage and the efficacy of British radar, his intensions to release "Prinz Eugen" for independent cruiser warfare and for "Bismarck" to put into St. Nazaire. Luftflotte 3 Headquarters was notified of 'Bismarck's intention to dock at Saint-Nazaire and given the order to do all it can to secure the ship's arrival at port. But nothing can be done for two days while the ship was out of range of land-based Ju 88s and He 111s. British cruisers HMS "Suffolk" and HMS "Norfolk" and for a while the damaged "Prince of Wales", continue following "Bismarck" and "Prinz Eugen". About 1000 hours, Lütjens ordered the "Prinz Eugen" to take up position aft of "Bismarck" temporarily in order to observe her loss of oil. An hour later, the "Prinz Eugen" resumed her previous position in front of the "Bismarck". At 1240 hours the German task force changed course to due south at 24 knots. Admiral Tovey hurried west with the rest of the Home Fleet. The British battleships "Rodney" and "Ramillies" leave the convoys they have been escorting to join the hunt. The Admiralty decided that the destruction of the "Bismarck" was the highest-priority task facing the Royal Navy, and it was willing to take certain risks to achieve that goal. Admiral Somerville's Force H, standing by at Gibraltar, was now committed to the pursuit. That force consisted of the battlecruiser "Renown", the aircraft carrier "Ark Royal", and the light cruiser "Sheffield". At 1830 hours the "Bismarck" was firing at 18,000 meters (20,000 yards) against the "Suffolk" which was the more persistent ship in maintaining contact, but she was able to avoid damage by turning away under a smoke screen. Between 1840 and 1856 hours, there was an exchange of shells at long distance with the "Prince of Wales". "Bismarck" was trying to hold the British ships to let the "Prinz Eugen" escape. The last thing her crewmen on deck saw of the "Bismarck" was the flashes of her guns as she continued to fire on the British ships until the cruiser was in the clear. Later in the evening, while it was still light, Admiral Tovey's second task force came within aircraft range of the "Bismarck", and he ordered an air strike from the "Victorious" in an effort to disable her or at least slow her down. At 2210 hours, nine Swordfish torpedo planes of the RAF No. 825 Squadron were sent to delay the German fleet. At 2300 hours, they were followed by three Fulmars, and at 0100 by two more. At 2350 hours, the Swordfish torpedo bombers attacked "Bismarck" after she had resumed her southerly course. The "Bismarck" received a single torpedo hit at 2338 hours on the starboard side, amidships, at the level of the main belt which resisted the impact without much problem. Except for two Fulmar's which ran out of fuel, all of the aircraft returned safely to the "Victorious" in spite of the heavy anti-aircraft fire directed against them and poor visibility as darkness fell. After the attack of the Swordfish, the "Bismarck" reduced her speed from 27 to 16 knots to do some repairs in the forecastle.

U.S. Navy Patrol Squadron Fifty Two (VP-52) based at Naval Air Station (NAS) Argentia, Newfoundland, dispatches their eleven PBY-5 Catalinas in the face of strong gales to search for the German battleship "Bismarck". Because of the weather, none of the aircraft are able to return to NAS Argentia and they land in Labrador, Quebec and other places in Newfoundland.

German submarine U-38 sank British ship "Vulcain" off British West Africa at 0249 hours, killing 7. In the same general area, U-103 sank Greek ship "Marionga" at 0356 hours, killing 26. German auxiliary cruiser "Atlantis" sank British ship "Trafalgar" 850 miles off South Africa; 12 were killed, 33 survived.

MEDITERRANEAN Unternehmen Merkur: In the face of a constant flow of fresh German troops at Maleme and continued fighting around the airports at Rethimnon and Heraklion, the Allies began a series of retreats south across Crete. German 55.Kradschützenbataillon, armed with Spandau machine guns mounted on side-cars, advances towards the south coast to prevent Allied reinforcements arriving from North Africa. German bombers attacked Chaniá on the northern coast, causing great damage. After dark, British minelayer HMS "Abdiel" transported 200 British commandos from Alexandria, Egypt to Suda Bay, Crete. Another effort to transport 800 commandos to Port Lutro, Crete was canceled due to bad weather. Admiral Cunningham receives orders from London to prevent at all costs German reinforcements reaching Crete by sea.

King George II of Greece departed Crete, Greece for Cairo, Egypt.

Axis convoy departs for Tripoli with four vessels escorted by Italian destroyers "Camicia Nera" and "Freccia" and three torpedo boats supported by two cruisers and three more destroyers. Italian vessel "Conte Rosso", in convoy bound for Tripoli, sunk by RN submarine HMS "Upholder" with over 800 Italian troops lost. British Lieutenant Commander Malcolm Wanklyn of the submarine HMS "Upholder" won the Victoria Cross for sinking an Italian transport off Sicily, Italy and surviving 37 depth charges in 20 minutes. By the end of the year he had sunk 140,000 tons of enemy shipping. Wanklyn and "Upholder" were lost off Tripoli in Apr 1942.

MIDDLE EAST: British sappers, airlifted in and out, demolish a bridge in Syria to close the Aleppo-Mosul railway. But a train carrying war supplies provided by Vichy arrives at Mosul from Syria via Turkey.

The sloop HMAS "Yarra", (CMDR W. H. Harrington, RAN), was involved in the attack on Iraqi positions at Habib Shawi, and landed Gurkha troops to neutralize the position. On completion, the troops were re-embarked.

NORTH AFRICA: In southern Abyssinia Soddu falls to the Allied forces. In this area General Gazzera leads seven weak Italian divisions. The attacking Allied force is made up of the 11th and 12th African Divisions.

NORTHERN EUROPE: Norway Theatre Strike: The Germans presented a new ultimatum, and arrested union representatives at the theatres in Oslo, Bergen and Trondheim.

UNITED KINGDOM: The British government collected £124,000,000 in donations after a week-long War Weapon Week event.

Jan Smuts was made a field marshal of the British Empire.

.

23 MAY 1941
Known Reinforcements
Neutral
Gar Class Sub USS GRAMPUS (SS 207)


Allied
Flower Class Corvette HMCS QUESNEL (K-133)


Losses
U.38 sank steamer BERHALA (NL 6622 grt), from dispersed convoy OB.318,. Three crew were lost on the steamer. She was sunk off the West African Coast whilst on passage from Hull to Turkey via Freetown and the cape. She was carrying general cargo at the time, and a crew of 64, 3 of whom were to lose their lives in the attack . At 1925 hrs the unescorted BERHALA, dispersed from convoy OB-318 10 May, was hit on the port side in the engine room by one of two G7a torpedoes fired by U-38 while steaming on a non-evasive course in calm weather about 280 miles WNW of Freetown. The explosion killed three crew members on watch below and destroyed the port lifeboats. In their haste to leave the ship that developed a list the Chinese crew members cut through the ropes of both starboard lifeboats and rowed away in them. The survivors left behind were forced to jump overboard and swim to the boats when a G7a torpedo struck the ship on port side amidships as coup de grace at 1951 hrs, causing the ship to break in two and sink within nine minutes. The U-boat did not question the survivors as it immediately departed the scene to chase and sink the VULCAIN which had been spotted in the distance during this attack. Shortly after the sinking of BERHALA, the survivors were picked up by HMS BOREAS and taken to Freetown.


UBOATS
At Sea 23 May 1941
U-38, U-43, U-46, U-48 U-66, U-69, U-73, U-74, U-93, U-94, U-97, U-98, U-103, U-105, U-106, U-107, U-109, U-111, U-138, U U-556, U-557, UA

22 boats at sea

OPERATIONS
Northern Patrol
Minefield SN.64 in the Faroes-North Rona field was postponed due to the German activity.

DD FARNDALE departed Scapa Flow at 0400 for Rosyth. The destroyer met AMC MOOLTAN and RNorN DD SLEIPNER off May Island and escorted them to Pentland Firth, where they arrived on the 24th having been delayed by bad visibility. DD BLANKNEY departed Scapa Flow and relieved DD FARNDALE of the escort.

Sloop BLACK SWAN departed Scapa Flow for Dundee for machinery repairs. The sloop arrived that evening.

DD BRIGHTON arrived at Scapa Flow from Loch Alsh and berthed alongside DD depot ship TYNE for repairs.

Operation Rheinubung
On 23 May the weather remained the same. At 1811 in the afternoon, the Germans sighted ships to starboard, but soon realised they were actually icebergs which were common in those latitudes. Meanwhile, the battle group reached the ice limit, and set a course of 240º. At 1922, the BISMARCK and PRINZ EUGEN were sighted and positively identified by the RN CA SUFFOLK at a distance of seven miles. The SUFFOLKsent an enemy report: "One battleship, one cruiser in sight at 20º. Distance seven miles, course 240º." The Germans had detected the British cruiser as well, but were unable to engage the enemy because the Suffolk took cover in the fog and was able to maintain her tracking mission using her surface radar. About an hour later, at 2030, the Germans sighted a second RN CA, HMS NORFOLK and this time the BISMARCK opened fire immediately. She fired five salvos, three of which straddled the RN ship throwing some splinters on board. The NORFOLK was not hit by any direct impact, but had to launch a smoke screen and retire into the fog. The British cruisers then took up positions astern of the German ships; the SUFFOLK (equipped with a new Type 284 radar) on the starboard quarter, and the NORFOLK (with an old Type 286M radar) on the port quarter. Both ships would keep RDF contact and report the Germans' position until more powerful British ships could engage.

On board the BISMARCK the forward radar instrument (FuMO 23) had been disabled by the blast of the forward turrets. Because of this, Admiral Lütjens ordered his ships to exchange positions and PRINZ EUGEN with her radar sets (FuMO 27) intact took the lead. BISMARCK's powerful armament would serve to keep the British cruisers from coming any closer. This change would produce great confusion for the British the next morning.

After being sighted by the RN cruisers, Lütjens could have then turned around and head for the Norwegian Sea in order to refuel from tkr WEISSENBURG . He had already done this earlier that year when in command of SCHARNHORST and GNEISENAU his force was detected by the CLA NAIAD in the Faeroes-Iceland gap. An early retreat at this point would have forced the four British capital ships (HOOD, PRINCE OF WALES, KING GEORGE V and REPULSE) that had already put to sea, to go back to Scapa Flow with a considerable expenditure of fuel. This time however, Lütjens continued towards the Atlantic with the hope of shaking off the British cruisers at night and believing he had little to fear from the british capital ships all of which were inferior to his own. The weather conditions in the Denmark Strait were favourable to do so. When Lütjens decided to press on, it is probably because he believed that the heavy units of the Home Flt were too far away to intercept him, and that they may still be in Scapa Flow. The German recon reports seemed to confirm this, although the truth is that Vice-Admiral Holland's force was already approaching the area at high speed. Another thing Lütjens did not count on was the effective use of British radars. At about 2200, the BISMARCK reversed her course trying to catch the SUFFOLK, but the British cruiser withdrew maintaining the distance. Therefore, the BISMARCK returned to the formation behind the PRINZ EUGEN.


HMS SUFFOLK FINDS SMS BISMARCK - DENMARK STRAIT 23 MAY 1941 – watercolour by Commander Eric Tufnell RN (1888-1979). signed and inscribed "HMS SUFFOLK, 23rd May 1941"

West Coast
Submarine TROOPER, under construction at the Scotts yard, was damaged by the LW at Greenock.

Med/Biscay
RAN DD WATERHEN delivered stores to Tobruk during the night of 23/24 May. RM sub SCIRE passed into the Atlantic. Late on the 24th, the submarine sent up the Guadalite River to Cadiz where SLC crews waited in the interned Italian tanker FULGOR (6504grt). Early on the 25th, submarine SCIRE departed Cadiz.

On the 26th, the SLCs were launched against Gibraltar. However, they were discovered entering Gibraltar and no damage was done.

Battle For Crete
JKN Class DD HMS KELLY (RN 1760 grt) and JKN Class DD HMS KASHMIR (RN 1760 grt) were sank two caiques in Canea Bay, before they themselves were attacked and sunk by the LW. DD KIPLING rejoined this force during the attacks and was able to rescue survivors from both ships. 99 crewmembers from the KELLY and 83 crew members were lost from the KASMIR


HMS KELLY



HMS KASHMIR

DD KIPLING was badly damaged when the bow of DD KELLY's submerged wreck punctured her fuel tanks, while KIPLING was alongside the sinking ship. DD KIPLING was slowed to 20 knots and had a heavy list to port. The destroyer ran out of fuel 70 miles from Alexandria early on the 24th. Netlayer PROTECTOR refuelled the DD and KIPLING arrived in Alexandria under her own power. KIPLING departed Alexandria on the 27th for repairs at Suez.

Forces A-1 and C returned to Alexandria to refuel and take on ammunition. All forces arrived at Alexandria early on the 24th. DDs DEFENDER and JAGUAR with ammunition for Suda Bay were detached from Force A-1, as it retired to Alexandria. The ammunition was delivered early on the 24th and the DDs then returned to Alexandria alone, arriving on the 24th.

At Suda Bay, MTB.67, MTB.213, MTB.214, MTB.216, and MTB.217 (RN 375 grt combined) were sunk in a heavy LW dive bombing attack. There were no personnel casualties.

Damaged Corvette SALVIA arrived at Alexandria from Suda Bay.

Nth Atlantic

Central Atlantic
CA LONDON, DDs HAVELOCK and HARVESTER, and troopship ARUNDEL CASTLE departed Gibraltar for the UK.

Submarine PANDORA departed Gibraltar for the UK, but orders were changed whilst at sea, and the submarine proceeded to the United States. She arrived on 28 June and was refitting at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, completing on 18 December. The submarine departed after trials on 7 January 1942. En route on the 23rd, the submarine sighted and pursued an Italian submarine in 41-12N, 11-00W. Anti-submarine trawler IMPERIALIST was sent to assist.

Red Sea/Indian Ocean
NZ manned CL LEANDER departed Trincomalee for Aden where she arrived on the 29th.

Malta
AIR RAIDS DAWN 23 MAY TO DAWN 24 MAY 1941

Weather Intermittent rain (heavy later) and squalls; poor visibility.
No air raids.

OPERATIONS REPORTS FRIDAY 23 MAY 1941

ROYAL NAVY Upholder attacked Captaine Damiani; probably sunk.
AIR HQ 69 Squadron One Maryland reconnaissance eastern Tunisian coast. Marylands reconnaissance of northern part of eastern Tunisian coast. Blenheims could not be despatched due to very unfavourable weather conditions.

24 MAY 1941 (PART I)
Known Reinforcements
Axis
Type VIIc U-433

No ships sunk. Sunk at 2155hrs on 16 November 1941 in the Med East of Gibraltar, by depth charges and gunfire from the British corvette HMS MARIGOLD. 6 dead and 38 survivors.

Type VIIc U-752

7 ships sunk, total tonnage 32,966 GRT. Sunk on 23 May 1943 in the Nth Atlantic, , by rockets from a Swordfish a/c (819 Sqn FAA/G) of the RN CVE HMS ARCHER. 29 dead and 17 survivors.
Losses
U-103 sank the Steamer MARIONGA (Gk 4236 grt) off the West African coast. The ship had been part of OB 317 but was dispersed and sailing independently when lost. She was on passage from Glasgow to Takoradi carrying government stores when lost. From her crew of 31, 26 were to lose their lives. At 0356 hrs the unescorted MARIONGA, was hit underneath the aft mast by one torpedo fired by U-103 and sank by the stern within four minutes about 30 miles WSW of Buchanan, Liberia. The U-boat had spotted the ship 8 hours earlier, but had to wait for the night due to the very good visibility and then missed with the first two torpedoes fired at 0036 and 0154 hrs. On 28 May, three survivors were picked up from a raft by the British steam merchant CITY OF RANGOON and were landed at Capetown on 9 June. Two survivors landed at Monrovia on 10 June.


U-38 sank the Steamer VULCAIN (UK 4362 grt) off the coast of West Africa. The ship had been part of OB 317 but was dispersed and sailing independently when lost. She was on passage from Newport to Freetown with a load of coal and a crew of 42, of which 7 were to perish. At 0249 hrs the unescorted VULCAIN, was hit on the starboard side underneath the bridge in #2 hold by one G7a torpedo fired byU-38 165 miles NW of Freetown. The ship was steaming on a zigzag course at only 6 knots as she had boiler troubles and sank rapidly by the bow after being hit. Seven crew members were lost. The U-boat had spotted her while chasing the BERHALA in the evening on 23 May, sank the other ship and managed to locate VULCAIN again, but missed with a spread of two G7a torpedoes at 0032 hrs. One of the torpedo that missed had been observed passing from port by the third mate on watch and the crew of 38 and four gunners (the ship was armed with one 12pdr, one 25mm and four machine guns) heard and felt the concussion after it detonated at the end of its run, so they were alert and able to quickly abandon ship in the lifeboats when hit. The survivors later made landfall at Boffa, French West Africa, where they were interned by the Vichy French authorities and after some months repatriated to Freetown. The master was awarded the Lloyds War Medal for bravery at sea.


UBOATS
Departures
Bergen: U-147
Kiel: U-204

At Sea 24 May1941
U-38, U-43, U-46, U-48 U-66, U-69, U-73, U-74, U-93, U-94, U-97, U-98, U-103, U-105, U-106, U-107, U-109, U-111, U-138, U-147, u-204, U-556, U-557, UA

24 boats at sea

West Coast
British tkr OCTANE was damaged on a mine on the west coast. Three crew were killed on the tkr. The tkr was beached one cable NW of Anthony. The tkr was drydocked at Falmouth on 4 June and later taken to Barry. British steamer SARNIA was damaged by German bombing at anchor in Milford Haven. The steamer was towed to Milford Docks. British steamer CRESSDENE was damaged by German bombers in Mumbles Roads.

Steamer MATRONNA (Gk 2846 grt) was sunk by the LW in Dale Roads at Milford Haven. The crew were all rescued.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Western Approaches
Three Western Approaches convoys were at sea. Convoy OB.324, which departed Liverpool on the 18th was escorted by DDs CAMPBELTOWN, WANDERER, and WESTCOTT, sloops FLEETWOOD and ROCHESTER, and corvettes AUICULA, DIANTHUS, MARIGOLD, NASTURTIUM, PERIWINKLE, and PRIMROSE. This escort was relieved on the 24th by DDs CHELSEA, VERITY, and VETERAN and corvette CONVOLVULUS. OB.325, which departed Liverpool on the 21st was escorted by DDs LEAMINGTON and SALADIN, corvettes CLARKIA and GLADIOLUS, and ASW trawler ST ZENO. OB.326, which departed Liverpool on the 22nd, was escorted by DDs ASSINIBOINE (RCN), SALISBURY, and SKATE, corvettes ABELIA, ALISMA, and ANEMONE, and ASW trawler ST KENAN.

Med/Biscay
Submarines SEVERN and CLYDE departed Gibraltar on the 27th to take up offensive patrols in the Straits of Gibraltar.
ML ABDIEL departed Alexandria during the night of 23/24 May and landed 200 commandoes at Suda Bay during the night of 24/25 May. The ML returned to Alexandria on the 25th. 800 commandos from troopship GLENROY were embarked on DDs NIZAM (RAN), ISIS, DECOY, and HERO which departed Alexandria at on the 24th. These troops were not landed at Port Lutro due to bad weather. The operation was covered by CLA DIDO and CL AJAX and DDs KIMBERLEY, HOTSPUR, IMPERIAL, and JANUS which departed Alexandria at early on the 24th. JANUS was detached soon after sailing to return to Alexandria. AJAX and DIDO with DDs KIMBERLEY, HOTSPUR, and IMPERIAL were to bombard Maleme during the night of 24/25 May. The operation was cancelled when AJAX was unable to arrive due to bad weather. The Force returned towards Kaso Strait to sweep the north coast during the night of 25/26 May.

DDs NAPIER, KELVIN, and JACKAL departed Alexandria on the 25th to relieve the 3 DDs in the AJAX force.

Submarine UPHOLDER torpedoed Vichy French tanker CAPITAINE DAMIANI, which had departed Marseille on the 19th in company of tanker ALBERTA for Constanza.
The tkr reached Messina that evening. She departed the next day and arrived at Naples on the 27th. Tanker CAPITAINE DAMIANI departed Naples under the tow of tug GOLIATH on 12 June after temporary repairs. They arrived at Marseilles on 19 June.

Naval drifter AURORA II (RN 76 grt) was sunk by the LW at Tobruk.
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DD BRILLIANT departed Gibraltar for Freetown. Submarine CLYDE arrived at Gibraltar from Holy Loch.

Greek troopship NEA HELLAS, returning from the Middle East, arrived at Gibraltar from Freetown.

Nth Atlantic
DDs ECHO, ICARUS, ELECTRA, and ACHATES were detached from the BC HOOD force to search north, then refuel at Hvalfjord.

The Battle of the Denmark Strait, also known as the Iceland Battle, was a brief naval engagement of little more than a quarter of an hour. It was a clash of titans in which the largest warships in the world were put to the test, and it will be remembered as a battle that ended in the sinking of a mythic ship but also a battle that doomed another.


Battle Of Denmark Strait 24 May 1941 – Battle Map

In the early morning of 24 May, the weather improved and the visibility increased. The German battle group maintained a course of 220º and a speed of 28 knots, when at 0525, the PRINZ EUGEN's hydrophones detected propeller noises of two ships on her port side. At 0537 the Germans sighted what they first thought to be a CL at about 19 miles (38,480 yards) on port side. At 0543, another unidentified unit was sighted to port, and thereafter the alarm was given aboard the BISMARCK and PRINZ EUGEN. Aboard the BISMARCK the identification of the enemy ships was uncertain, and they were now both mistakenly thought to be CAs. Correct identification at this time was vital in order to choose the right type of shells. PRINZ EUGEN's First gunnery, LCDR Paulus Jasper, also believed the approaching ships to be cruisers and ordered to load 20.3cm HE shells. At this point, the British warships (in reality the BC HOOD and BB PRINCE OF WALES (PoW) were approaching the German battle group on a course of 280º at 28 knots. Vice-Admiral Holland, aboard the HOOD, familiar with the vulnerability of his BC in long range combat (horizontal protection from plunging fire was particularly weak in the HOOD), was probably trying to get closer quickly before opening fire. Admiral Lütjens did not have any other choice but to accept the combat.


BISMARCK astern of PRINZ EUGEN on the morning of 24 May
Due to the similar silhouettes of the German ships, at 0549 Holland ordered his ships to both engage the leading German ship (the PRINZ EUGEN) believing she was theBISMARCK. After this, the British ships made a 20º turn to starboard on a new course of 300º. At 0552, just before opening fire, Holland correctly identified the BISMARCK at last, and ordered his force to shift target to the right-hand ship, but for some reason HOOD kept tracking the leading ship. Aboard the PRINCE OF WALES, however, they correctly targeted the BISMARCK which followed in PRINZ EUGEN'S wake a mile or so behind. Suddenly, at 0552½, and from a distance of about 12.5 miles (25,330 yards), the HOOD opened fire, followed by the PRINCE OF WALES half a minute later at 0553. Both ships opened fire with their forward turrets (4 x 38 cm + 6 x 35.6 cm), since their after turrets could not be brought to bear due to the ships' unfavourable angle of approach. Admiral Lütjens immediately signalled to Group North: "Am in a fight with two heavy units". But Lutjens did not give the order to openb fire immediately, and this has been the subject of disagreement postwar. Some believe that Lutjens was suffering clinical depreassion and was dealing with the relaisatiuon that the battlegroup had been discoverdd. In any event, the order to return fire was never given by Lutjens, it was given by Captain Lindemann. The first salvo from PRINCE OF WALES landed over and astern of BISMARCK. Soon after the start of the battle, PRINCE OF WALES started suffering the first of many mechanical problems, as "A" turret's no. 1 gun broke down temporarily and could not fire anymore. Her second, third and fourth salvoes fell over BISMARCK. HOOD'S first two salvoes fell short from PRINZ EUGEN throwing some splinters and much water on board.

BISMARCK opens fire on the HOOD about 0555

The Destruction of the Hood.
At 0600, the HOOD and PRINCE OF WALES were in the process of turning another 20º to port in order to bring their after turrets into action, when BISMARCK's fifth salvo hit the HOOD. The distance was less than 9 miles (18,236 yards). At the time it was believed that at least one 15-inch shell penetrated HOOD's armour belt and reached an after magazine where it exploded. However dive evidence by the Mearns expedition in 2001 shows no evidence of a belt penetration though the aft magazine did explode and was the cause of the ships loss. It is now uncertain what precisely caused the loss, though one theory is that a shell blast blew open one of the vent shutters and further forced flame down these shafts into the magazine area. The German observers were awestruck by the enormous explosion. Sunderland Z/201 (Flight-Lieutenant R. J. Vaughn) that had just arrived in the neighbourhood from Iceland saw the BC HOOD (RN 46680 grt) blowing up from the air before coming under heavy A.A. fire from the German ships and forced to take immediate cloud cover.

The HOOD, the mighty HOOD, pride of the Royal Navy and during 20 years the largest warship in the world for much of that time, split in two and sank in three minutes at about 63º 22' North, 32º 17' West. The stern portion sank first, end up and centre down, followed by the bow portion, stem up centre down. It all happened so fast that there was not even time to abandon the ship. Out of a crew of 1,418 men, only 3 survived. Vice-Admiral Holland and his fleet staff, the commander of the HOOD Captain Ralph Kerr, and everyone else perished. The three survivors were rescued after three and a half hours in the water by the DD ELECTRA, and later landed in Reykjavik

0601 hours. The Hood blows up as seen from the Prinz Eugen. It took the Bismarck 40 shells to sink the Hood.

DDs ELECTRA, ACHATES, ANTHONY, ECHO, ICARUS, and WINDSOR arrived at Hvalfjord at 2140on the 24th for refuelling. The sixth DD with the BC force, DD ANTELOPE was continuing to search for HOOD survivors until 2200 before proceeding to Hvalfjord. DD MALCOLM from convoy escort duty was also ordered into the area to search for survivors.

After the HOOD blew up, the BISMARCK concentrated her fire on the PRINCE OF WALES. It did not take long for her to gain the upper hand. The British BB had since altered her course to avoid the wreck of the HOOD, and this placed her between the sinking BC and the German ships. The Germans were thus presented with an easily visible and vulnerable target. At 0602, the BISMARCK hit PRINCE OF WALES' bridge, killing everybody there, except the commander, Captain John Leach and another man. The distance had decreased to 15,310 yards, and now even the 10.5 cm heavy AA battery on PRINZ EUGEN (and probably on BISMARCK too, though there is no record of that) entered in action. The PRINCE OF WALES was at a clear disadvantage, and at 0603 launched a smoke screen and retreated from the combat after being hit a total of four times by the BISMARCK and three more by the PRINZ EUGEN. Though by no stretch of the imagination can it be seen that the Prince Of WALES gained an advantage, at some stage BISMARCK suffered at least three hits that were to prove her ultimate undoing. Just after 0605 the German ships began doing a series of avoidance monoeuvres after torpedoes had been erroneously detected by hydrophones and bubble trails spotted from the bridge of PRINZ EUGEN. These sudden changes of course undoubtedly affected the fire of the Germans that didn't get anymore hits on the enemy. The British battleship, in turn, fired three more salvoes with "Y" turret under local control while retreating, but did not obtain any hits either. At 0609 the Germans fired their last salvo and the battle ended. For the British, this must have been incredible, the German ships kept the same course instead of following the damaged PRINCE OF WALES and finishing her off. In fact the Kriegsmarine had a strict policy of not seeking to engage like for like targets as the risk of loss were simply too high, and Hitler had many times repeated this maxim to his naval commanders (though in the angry recriminations that followed the BISMARCKs loss he flatly denied ever having issued such a directive).


0604-0605 - BISMARCK switches fire to the PRINCE OF WALES

The PRINZ EUGEN was not hit during the battle and remained undamaged, even though some HOOD'S shells landed close by in the opening phase of the engagement and fragments landed on board. However, the BISMARCK had been hit on the port side by three 14-inch shells. The PRINCE OF WALES had in fact achieved three hits on BISMARCK. The first shell hit BISMARCK amidships below the waterline in section XIV, passed through the outer hull just below the main belt, and exploded against the 45-mm armoured torpedo bulkhead. This hit caused the flooding of the port electric plant No. 4. The adjacent No. 2 boiler room also took some water, but this was contained by the damage control parties through the use of hammocks. The second shell hit the bow in section XX-XXI, just above the waterline. This projectile entered the port side, passed through the ship above the 20-mm upper platform deck without exploding, and exited the starboard side leaving a hole of 1.5 meters in diameter. Around 1,000 tons of salt water got into the forecastle, and as a consequence of this several hundred tons of fuel oil were blocked down in the lower tanks. The third shell simply passed through a boat amidships without any appreciable damage at all.

As a result of these hits, the top speed of the BISMARCKwas temporarily reduced to 27 knots. The BB was 3º down by the bow and had a 9º list to port. Because of this, the blades tips of the starboard propeller were out of the water at times. Therefore the starboard void tanks in sections II and III were flooded to reduce the bow trim and list. The damage was not particularly serious, the BISMARCKmaintained intact her fighting capability, good speed, and there were no casualties among the crew; only five men had been slightly wounded. However, the loss of fuel was to affect the remaining course of action.

The chase of the BISMARCK
After the battle in the Denmark Strait, the German ships continued on a SW course. At this time Lütjens had two main options. The first was to return to Norway and the second to carry on into the Nth Atlantic. Today most people agree that, if at all possible, Lütjens should have destroyed or at least disabled the already damaged PRINCE OF WALES, then turn around, and head for Trondheim, via the Denmark Strait. Lütjens could also have taken a shorter path to Bergen, via the Faeroes-Iceland passage, although the chances of being intercepted by Tovey's battle group (KING GEORGE V, REPULSE, and VICTORIOUS) coming from Scapa Flow were greater. as well. Instead, the German Admiral opted not to pursue the PRINCE OF WALES (per his standing directive) and headed for the Atlantic. At 0801, Admiral Lütjens sent a series of messages to the Group North informing it of his intention to take BISMARCKto Saint-Nazaire for repairs. The PRINZ EUGEN, which was undamaged, would stay in the Atlantic to attack enemy convoys on her own. His decision to make for the French Ports was not supported by Captain Lindemann, and Lutjens propensity to break radio silence would give away his position to the British at critical times.

The decision to head for Saint-Nazaire shows that after a survey of the damage sustained, Lütjens had correctly decided to cancel Operation Rheinübung at least temporarily until the BISMARCKcould be repaired in port. But big questions remain as to why he chose to make a run for Saint-Nazaire. The French port was farther than Norway and it required greater fuel expenditure. Lütjens probably thought France was the best place to resume the battle of the Atlantic as soon as possible following Raeder's wishes. In fact, he had successfully entered Brest with SCHARNHORST and GNEISENAU a couple of months earlier.

At 0950, Captain Brinkmann was informed by semaphore of the damage received by BISMARCK, and afterwards Lütjens ordered the PRINZ EUGEN to take up position aft of BISMARCK temporarily in order to ascertain the severity of her oil loss. By 1100, the PRINZ EUGEN resumed her previous position in front of the battle group. The three British pursuing ships, now under command of Rear-Admiral Wake-Walker, were still shadowing the Germans; the SUFFOLK from the starboard quarter, and the NORFOLK with PRINCE OF WALES from the port quarter. At noon, the German command transferred the operative control of Operation Rheinübung from Group North to Group West, and at 1240 the battlegroup set a new course of 180º due south at 24 knots.

May 25 Sunday
ATLANTIC OCEAN: Unternehmen Rheinübung: After the attack of the Swordfish, the "Bismarck" reduced her speed from 27 to 16 knots to do some repairs in the forecastle. The distance between both forces decreased, and at 0131 hours the "Prince of Wales" fired two salvos from 15,000 meters (16,000 yards) against the "Bismarck" which responded with another two salvos. However the visibility was very bad and no hits were scored. The "Prinz Eugen" had escaped, and now it was the "Bismarck's" turn to try to shake her pursuers. The crew of the "Bismarck" noted that HMS "Suffolk" and "Norfolk" were staying on her port quarter and that they had begun zigzagging, probably as a precaution against U-boats believed to have been dispatched to help the "Bismarck". Once darkness had fallen, the "Suffolk" could maintain contact with the "Bismarck" only by radar, but at times her zigzagging took her temporarily out of radar range. Admiral Lütjens, realizing that this might be the case, decided to take advantage of those circumstances and try to break away from his pursuers. At 0306 hours, the "Suffolk" was beginning to make another south-eastward swing on her zigzag course which would again put her out of radar contact with the "Bismarck" for a few moments. When the cruiser seemed to be approaching the limit of her south-eastward swing, Lütjens ordered the "Bismarck" to make an immediate turn to starboard and to continue almost due west at high speed away from the British force. The maneuver worked. When the "Suffolk" returned to the south-westward leg of her zigzag course, her radar did not pick up the "Bismarck" as it had done after earlier zigzags. Concentrating on the "Bismarck", the "Suffolk" was not yet aware that the "Prinz Eugen" had already escaped. When the loss of radar contact with the "Bismarck" was reported to Admiral Wake-Walker on the "Norfolk", he immediately ordered his two cruisers to steam in a south-westerly and then a westerly direction in an attempt to regain it. Lütjens, however, instead of renewing his southerly course after breaking free, decided to make a wide swing to the north and circle around to the rear of the British ships. Once he had completed the circle, he headed in a southeasterly course toward St. Nazaire. By dawn, it became apparent that the "Bismarck" and "Prinz Eugen" had successfully eluded their pursuers and that it would take the combined resources of all available British air and sea forces to find them again. British commanders do not know the "Bismarck's" location but Lütjens breaks radio silence to report and this is picked up on the British direction-finding equipment. This information is passed to Admiral Tovey but is at first misinterpreted. Tovey now has "King George V" and "Rodney", but both are short of fuel and by this mistake they lose their chance of meeting the "Bismarck" unless her speed can be reduced. All British attempts to locate "Bismarck", however, failed. Admiral Tovey continued to sail in a south-westerly direction while the "Prince of Wales" was ordered to remain on a southerly course and join his task force. Force H, now more urgently required than before, was proceeding northward off Spain after leaving its convoy a few hours earlier. Other units of the Royal Navy were also converging on the area to assist in the search for the "Bismarck". As soon as it became light enough on the morning of 25 May, the "Victorious" was ordered to make an air search to the north-west for the "Bismarck", but by that time she was already south-east of that area and heading further away. Several Swordfish took off and after a search of several hours, they returned without success. One Swordfish did not return and was lost without trace. During the day, the "Bismarck" was forced to reduce her speed to a more economical 20 knots instead of her maximum sustained speed of 28 knots. A repair crew was later able to bypass some of the damaged pipes and valving and thereby allow part of the fuel reserves earlier cut off to be tapped for use, but this only slightly alleviated the problem.

German submarine U-103 sank Egyptian ship "Radames" off Monrovia, Liberia at 1631 hours, killing 1. At 2213 hours, U-103 struck again, sinking Dutch ship "Wangi Wangi", killing 1.

ASIA: At Haiphong in French Indochina, Japanese soldiers remove $10 million worth of American goods from two warehouses.

EASTERN EUROPE: 100 troop trains are moved every 24 hours as the German High Command builds up its attacking forces on the Russian border.

GERMANY: Finnish military delegation arrives for discussions about cooperation against Soviet Union.

German Navy Chief, Admiral Raeder warns that US convoying of British war supplies would be considered an act of war.

MEDITERRANEAN Unternehmen Merkur: The Germans decide to go on the offensive having now received substantial reinforcement through Maleme airfield on Crete. German Stuka dive bombers attacked Allied lines at 1600 hours, softening defenses for a ground assault toward Galatas on the northern coast. German paratroops and mountain troops attack the town (on the approach to Suda Bay) from both South and West. Allied forces quickly withdraw but a group under Major John Russell holds their position and is surrounded. New Zealand Colonel Howard Kippenberger immediately organizes a scratch force with 2 British light tanks (3rd Hussars) to counterattack. Led by a Maori war chant (haka), New Zealand troops charge into Galatas with bayonets fixed, causing a German retreat and freeing Russell Force. Germans mortar fire pushes them back out of the town with the loss of 1 tank. Elsewhere on the island, German aircraft bombed Heraklion. Australian 19th Infantry Brigade attacked German 2nd Fallschirmjäger Regiment near Retimo. 1st Battalion of Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders arrives from Tymbaki on the south coast to reinforce British 14th Infantry Brigade at Heraklion.

Operation MAQ3: British Intelligence had assessed that most of the damaging Stuka attacks on Royal Navy ships in the Mediterranean were being launched from Scarpanto (now known as Karpathos) in the Dodecanese Islands, some 50 miles east of Crete. Commander-in-Chief Admiral Cunningham ordered HMS "Formidable" to put to sea and her aircraft were to attack the airfield in an operation code-named Operation MAQ3. "Formidable" sailed with a reduced complement of seven Albacores and eight Swordfish along with 13 Fulmars aboard. At noon, Force A departed Alexandria for Scarpanto Island for Operation MAQ3.

Sloop HMS "Grimsby" and the supply ship she is escorting on the run to Tobruk are both sunk by bombers northeast of the port.

MIDDLE EAST: One of the last two serviceable Bf 110's from II./ZG76 in Iraq, were dispatched against Habbaniyah. Bf 110 WrNr 4035 made a successful wheels-up landing not far from the target, and was recovered by the RAF. Using spare parts salvaged from wreckage found at Mosul, the Bf 110 was restored to airworthiness and test flown, both at Habbaniyah by Sqn Ldr Al Bocking of No 11 Squadron and, later, at RAF Heliopolis near Cairo in Egypt. By now the otherwise anonymous aircraft, which had been adopted as a unit 'hack' by RAF No. 267 Squadron, was given the name THE BELLE OF BERLIN, and allocated RAF serial HK846.

Fiat CR-42 fighters of Italian 155th Squadriglia arrive at Aleppo en route to Iraq. British Habforce arrives Habbaniya from Palestine.

WESTERN FRONT: Pierre Laval criticized the Vichy French government during an interview with American journalist Ralph Heinzen in Paris, France.


RAF Bomber Command sends 30 aircraft on anti-shipping missions along coast of occupied Europe. Kriegsmarine mine vessel "Sperrbrecher-33" was sunk by RAF aircraft. RAF Bomber Command sends 48 aircraft on minelaying operations off Brest and St Nazaire overnight.

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May 26 Monday
ATLANTIC OCEAN: Unternehmen Rheinübung: In 30 hours since her last sighting by the British, German battleship "Bismarck" travels 750 miles Southeast towards France. A Catalina flying boat of RAF Coastal Command 209 Squadron discovers the battleship "Bismarck" about 700 nm from Brest, its port of destination at 1030 hours. Another Catalina of RAF No 240 Squadron with Lieutenant James E. Johnson, USN, aboard begins shadowing the German ship. British Admiral Tovey orders Royal Navy ships to the area, including Force H from Gibraltar with aircraft carrier HMS "Ark Royal". Soon the light cruiser HMS "Sheffield" also from Force H, was spotted by the "Bismarck". Now that the "Bismarck" had been discovered, it would just be a matter of time before all of the available resources of the Royal Navy would be thrown against her. At 1450 hours 15 Swordfish launch from "Ark Royal" but attack British cruiser HMS "Sheffield" in error (no damage done) and return to "Ark Royal" to reload torpedoes. At 1915 hours, another fifteen Swordfish took off from the "Ark Royal". The torpedo bombers attacked between 2047 and 2115 hours. Two or three torpedoes hit her, one of which hit the stern and jammed her rudder at 12 degrees to port, causing "Bismarck" to steam in circles. At 2140 hours, she radioed in the message "Ship unable to maneuver. We will fight to the last shell. Long live the Führer." Tovey sends 6 destroyers to harry "Bismarck" and maintain contact overnight while the capital ships converge. On the day when the Luftwaffe can finally protect the 'Bismarck', a weather front arrives making flying almost impossible. A few planes take off but with no results although one Fw 200 does sight the British fleet. The British fleet is about 750 miles off the French coast while the maximum distance that the Luftwaffe bombers can fly is 550 miles. Take-off is planned for the next morning.

ASIA: Eighteen I-153s of Chinese 29th Pursuit Squadron led by squadron commander Yu Ping-Xiang were flying from the region of Gansucheng to Lanzhou when they encountered Japanese fighters. Yu Ping-Xiang and Zhang Senyi were shot down, both baling out. The remainder followed the Squadron Vice-commander Tang (or Tan) Zhouli, but when they landed for refueling, the remaining 16 I-153s were destroyed on the ground by the Japanese. The Japanese didn't suffer any losses in this attack.

A flight of eleven A6Ms from the 12th Kokutai under the command of Lieutenant Minoru Suzuki flew a long-range attack during the day. They left Ichang base and attacked Tienshui and Nancheng. During the sortie PO3c Masayuki Nakase claimed three enemy aircraft and PO3c Kunimori Nakakariya (in his first combat) claimed two more enemy aircraft.

The Kayaba Ka-1, Army Model 1 Observation Autogyro makes its maiden flight. In 1939, the Japanese Army purchased a Kellet KD-1A single-engine two-seat autogyro from the U.S. (The USAAC purchased nine KD-1s and designated them YG-1s.) Unfortunately for the Japanese, the machine was damaged beyond repair in a crash during flight tests at low altitude. The wreck was delivered to the Kayaba Industrial Co. Ltd. and they were told to develop a similar machine. A two-seat observation machine was built based on the KD-1A but modified to Japanese production standards. This machine makes its first flight today. About 240 Ka-1s were built.

GERMANY: Adolf Hitler met with tank generals and tank designers at his residence Berghof in southern Germany. In a similar meeting three months prior he had asked for 75-millimeter guns for Panzer III and Panzer IV tanks. Because 75-millimeter guns relied on special tungsten shells, Hitler now asked for 88-millimeter guns to be used for future heavy tanks. He also demanded 100-millimeter frontal armor and 60-millimeter side armor.

MEDITERRANEAN Unternehmen Merkur: During the day, German aircraft misidentified the German column moving from Galatas, Crete, Greece toward Canea on the Suda Bay. When the German attack around Galatas stalled and the attackers suffered high losses, the Wehrmacht operation staff requested Mussolini to send army units to Crete and thus take some of the pressure off the German forces there. Mussolini immediately agreed, and two days later an Italian regiment, reinforced with armour and artillery, landed near Sitia in the eastern part of the island. Overnight, confused orders from General Freyberg and other Allied commanders cause a botched changeover in front of Canae, allowing Germans to surround 1000 fresh Allied troops held in reserve until this point. Also during the night, British minelayer HMS "Abdiel" and destroyers HMS "Hero" and HMS "Nizam" arrived at Suda Bay from Alexandria, Egypt and disembarked 750 British commandos under Colonel Robert Laycock; they evacuated personnel from the naval base as they departed.

Operation MAQ3: By 0300 hours, Force A had made its way to about 100 miles south-south-west of Scarpanto. A force of 12 aircraft was ranged on deck for the strike. Things did not go well. Seven Albacores were prepared for the dawn attack. Each carried a load of 4x 250lb GP bombs and 12x 40lb bomblets. Six Fulmars were to join the strike as escort and to strafe the airfield. One of the Albacores failed to start after it had been hauled up to the deck. But the remaining six flew off at 0330 hours. One returned 30 minutes later to make an emergency landing with engine trouble. The Albacore strike was reduced to just four machines. Six Fulmars had been ranged for take-off at 0430 hours after the Albacores had departed. But their launch was delayed by the Albacore's emergency landing. Once the deck had been cleared and reorganised by 0500, only four Fulmars departed - 30 minutes late. Two had developed faulty engines while warming-up and had been struck below. The four remaining Albacores attacked Scarpanto between 0505 and 0515 hours, dropping their bombs in the dark. A few RAF Wellingtons had timed their arrival to participate in the attack. The Fulmars made their strafing runs at 0545 hours and reported seeing at least two destroyed aircraft on the ground. Observers counted 15 Ju87s and 15 CR42s arrayed in lines on the field. The four Albacores and four Fulmars that participated in the attack all returned safely to "Formidable" and Force A then withdrew to the south. While the strike Albacores and Fulmars were over Scarpanto, HMS "Formidable's" radar had been tracking a considerable number of air movements in the area. A fighter section from RAF No. 806 squadron was launched at 0535 hours as a precautionary air patrol. At 0700 hours, Force A's defenses were augmented by the arrival of the cruisers HMS "Ajax" and "Dido", along with the fleet destroyers HMS "Napier", "Kelvin" and "Jackal". All morning and into the afternoon, the Fulmars chased and attacked numerous single flights of Ju 88s that tried to attack the formation. All four of these Fulmars landed on HMS "Formidable" at 1310 hours. But the Luftwaffe wasn't finished. After sweeping along the coast towards Alexandria in a hunt for convoys or fast supply ships, the Stukas of II./StG 2 were at the edge of their range and preparing to turn back. This is when Oberleutnant Bernhard Hamester spotted Force A and the ultimate target in the war for the Mediterranean: a British carrier. He immediately led his Staffel in for the attack. The other formations followed suit. On HMS "Formidable" the last remaining available Fulmars, Brown Section, were flown off at the same time the Grey and Red Sections came in to land. By the time Brown Section was launched at 1310, the Fighter Controllers had reported the raid appeared to be of several formations. Brown Section, which had not had enough time to gain effective operational height, was directed towards the enemy's position at 1318. The hostile aircraft were quickly sighted some 5000ft above the Fulmars. German records reveal the attacking force was made up of 17 Ju87Bs from II./StG2 which had flown out of North Africa. They had been joined by 11 Ju88s of LG1. The first Stuka formation was from II./StG2 led by Major Walter Enneccerus. Staffel 4, led by Oberleutnant Eberhard Jakob, and Staffel 6, led by Oberleutnant Fritz Eyer, immediately followed suit. The dive-bombers plunged through the flak to strike the carrier. She was hit twice in a short space of time. "Formidable's" two Fulmars gave chase to the departing Stukas. Each claimed a Stuka destroyed. Brown Section was then forced to break away after being attacked by four Bf110s. At 1400 hours a fresh group of enemy aircraft was detected at 55 miles distance. It was estimated to contain 12 aircraft. At 1425 the formation carried out a high-level bombing attack. Their weapons fell around HMS "Nubian" and "Jervis", at that time positioned in the outer screen some 5 miles from the main body of the fleet. HMS "Nubian" had been hit aft and had her stern blown off. But the damage was mostly above the waterline, and she was able to continue at 20 knots. A variety of RAF aircraft had appeared over the fleet from 1532 hours onward, but communications and identification proved difficult. HMS "Ajax" opened fire on two Blenheim heavy fighters before the error was realized. Several flights of Hurricanes also made appearances over the fleet. Shortly after, the carrier was detached with HMAS "Voyager", "Vendetta" and HMS "Hereward" for the refuge of Alexandria. HMS "Decoy", which had just rendezvoused with Force A, was also assigned to the carrier's escort. The night passage was uneventful.

Axis Convoy departs Naples for Tripoli with six vessels escorted by Italian destroyers "Vivaldi" and "Da Noli" and three torpedo boats and supported by a cruiser and two more destroyers.

MIDDLE EAST: Iraqi forces received supplies by train from Vichy French forces in Syria, including 8 155mm guns, 6,000 shells, 30,000 grenades, and 32 trucks. By this date, all German fighters in Iraq had become unserviceable after 10 days of engagements with British fighters; the Germans then evacuated their main base at Mosul, Iraq before the Commonwealth forces could overrun it. Eleven remaining Fiat CR-42 fighters of Italian 155th Squadriglia arrive at Kirkuk and begin attacking British units in the Fallujah-Baghdad area.

NORTH AFRICA: Unternehmen Skorpion: Unternehmen Skorpion was intended to recapture Halfaya Pass by a demonstration on a wide front, to bluff the British into a withdrawal. On the frontier, Kampfgruppe von Herff (Oberst Maximilian von Herff), included Panzer Regiment 8 and troops from Motorised Infantry Regiment 15, Reconnaissance Battalion 33 and a battalion of Rifle Regiment 104. The panzer regiment had 160 tanks but insufficient fuel and only 70 panzers were used in the attack. The Kampfgruppe was divided into Group Wechmar on the right, with much of the artillery that was to perform a flanking move to the right towards Deir el Hamra. In the centre, Group Cramer with most of the tanks, was to advance on Sidi Suleiman to the south-west of the pass and on the left (coastal) flank, Group Bach was to advance close to the escarpment against the British infantry positions, where there was bad going for tanks. Group Knabe was held in reserve and if the British stood their ground, Group Wechmar and Group Cramer were to concentrate before attacking. During the evening of 26 May, Kampfgruppe von Herff assembled on the coast at the foot of Halfaya Pass.

NORTH AMERICA: America's first experimental blackout takes place at Newark, New Jersey.

WESTERN FRONT: RAF Fighter Command conducted Rhubarb operations while RAF Bomber Command sent 12 aircraft on shipping sweeps. RAF Bomber Command sends 38 aircraft on minelaying operations off Brest overnight.

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May 27 Tuesday
ATLANTIC OCEAN: Unternehmen Rheinübung: On the morning of 27 May Admiral Tovey maneuvered his squadron so that it would approach the "Bismarck" from the west and have the target silhouetted by the morning light. The battleships, "King George V" and "Rodney", sailed in line abreast about 550 meter (600 yards) apart toward the last reported position of the enemy. At 0710 hours, battleship "Bismarck" sent in what would become her last radio report. She was sighted by battleships HMS "King George V" and HMS "Rodney" at 0844 hours, and their guns fired 3 minutes later, hitting "Bismarck" and quickly disabling her guns. Heavy cruisers HMS "Norfolk" and HMS "Dorsetshire" joined in on the attack shortly after. After receiving about 400 gunfire hits from the British ships and several torpedo hits from HMS "Dorsetshire", "Bismarck's" crew set off scuttling charges in the boiler room to scuttle her. She sank at 1039 hours; 2,091, most of her crew, were killed including Admiral Lütjens and her captain, Ernst Lindemann. German weather ship "Sachsenwald" picked up 5 survivors next day. Five Ju 88s of Coastal Gruppe 606 had taken off in the morning to search for the 'Bismarck' but it was too late. Nevertheless the bombers tried to intervene during the after-battle. Taking aim on a cruiser they dropped their bomb loads. Every bomb misses. An hour later seventeen He 115s of I./KG 28 arrive but the great battleship has already sunk. They instead attack the 'Ark Royal' but heavy fire from the fleet keeps them away. Following KG 28 were bombers from Kampfgruppe 100, II./KG 1, II./KG 54 and I./KG 77 but they fail to find the British fleet.

German submarine U-107 sank British ship "Colonial" off Guinea, French West Africa at 0146 hours; the entire crew of 100 survived and rescued by HMS "Centurion".

The first catapult equipped merchantman, the steamship 'Michael E' puts to sea, with its complement of two Hurricanes. It is later sunk by torpedo.

The convoy HX129, becomes the first to have continuous escort protection across the Atlantic.

ASIA: The Battle of South Shanxi ended in Japanese victory with Japanese North China Front Army holding its positions and Chinese 1st War Area of 150,000 troops broken up and out of action.

GERMANY: RAF Bomber Command sends 64 aircraft to attack Cologne overnight.

MEDITERRANEAN Unternehmen Merkur: The Battle of 42nd Street: Overnight, Allied troops begin retreating from Canea and Suda Bay, crossing the White Mountains to the South. However, Germans mistakenly push east along the coast road towards Rethymno and Heraklion, where they meet stern ANZAC resistance – The Battle of 42nd Street. The weakened Australian 2/7th and 2/8th Battalions, supported by the New Zealand 21st, 28th, 19th, 22nd and 23rd Battalions, had taken up positions along 42nd Street, south-east of Canea where they formed a rearguard to protect the rest of the Commonwealth forces that were being pushed south. The road was nicknamed after the 42nd Field Company of the Royal Engineers, who had previously been camped there; but was known locally as Tsikalarion Road. The 1st Battalion of the 141st Gebirgsjager Regiment were seen approaching 42nd Street, estimated by the Australian and New Zealand defenders as numbering about 400 men. In response, two companies of the Australian 2/7th Battalion – 'C' and 'D' Companies – charged the Germans, attacking on their flank with bayonets and small arms, and soon heavy close quarters fighting ensued. The New Zealand 28th (Maori) Battalion also joined in the charge, followed by the other battalions, and supported by machine guns of the 2/1st Machine Gun Battalion. The charge resulted in the Germans retreating back 1,500 metres. Over 280 Germans were killed and three taken prisoner; 10 Australians from the 2/7th were killed and 28 wounded, while the Maori Battalion suffered a further 14 casualties. The action halted the German 5th Alpine Division for the remainder of the day. That afternoon though, German forces were seen moving to the south-west on the flanks of the mountains trying to encircle the Anzacs. The Anzac troops withdrew joining the columns retreating south. The Mayor of Canea initially refuses to surrender to Germans entering Canea due to the disheveled appearance of their commander Captain von der Heydte. Later Archibald Wavell sent a message to Churchill explaining that Crete was "no longer tenable" and that troops must be withdrawn. The Chiefs of Staff agreed and ordered evacuation. In the afternoon, General Wavell ordered the evacuation of Crete from Sphakia on the south of the island. A brigade of the 'Regina' Division, protected by the RM destroyer 'Crispi' and the Spica-class destroyer-escorts 'Lira', 'Lince', and 'Libra', land unopposed at Sitia and link up with the Germans.

"Scirè" launched three manned torpedoes into Gibraltar harbor. They failed to damage any enemy vessel.

MIDDLE EAST: Allied forces advanced toward Baghdad, Iraq in two columns. From the south, Indian 20th Brigade advanced north along and on the Euphrates River while Indian 21st Brigade advanced on the Tigris River from Basra. From the west, British forces departed Fallujah. Also on this date, 12 Italian CR.42 biplane fighters arrived at Mosul to reinforce the German and Iraqi forces in the area.

NORTH AFRICA: Unternehmen Skorpion: Kampfgruppe von Herff attacked the British positions at Halfaya Pass, intending to bluff the British into retiring from the plateau above the escarpment. A panzer battalion west of Fort Capuzzo manoeuvred as a decoy, to give the British the impression that an outflanking move was under way on the desert flank. Only Group Bach encountered opposition and in the afternoon, Herff ordered the tanks of Group Cramer to move northwards to defeat the British at Halfaya. Group Knabe attacked the head of the pass, Group Bach attacked the foot and the panzers appeared at the top of the escarpment and bombarded the coastal plain. The Allied commander of the nine 4th RTR tanks at Halfaya, ordered an advance to engage the German tanks until finally during the morning, Gott authorized a withdrawal. Moubray managed to extricate the battalion, although some Guards were captured at the bottom of the pass by Group Bach. There were no British forces near enough to reinforce and the pass was re-occupied by Axis troops. British casualties were 173 men, four 25-pounder field guns, eight 2-pounder anti-tank guns and five Infantry tanks. Herff reported that forty prisoners, nine 25-pounder field guns, seven Matilda (A12) tanks and two other tanks had been captured. The Coldstream Guards lost 100 men.

The Allies captured Gondar in Ethiopia to complete the elimination of the Italian Empire in East Africa.

NORTH AMERICA: Franklin Roosevelt warned America of Nazi designs on the Americas. He promised to extend US patrols in the Atlantic to protect the sea-lanes to Britain, and announced that he had proclaimed an "unlimited national emergency." requiring that its military, naval, air and civilian defenses be put on the basis of readiness to repel any and all acts or threats of aggression directed toward any part of the Western Hemisphere. The US was rearming only for self-defense, he said. He also declares that labour and capital must defer to government mediation processes "without stoppage of work."

UNITED KINGDOM: In Britain a secret War Office memo banned Fascists and Communists from joining the Home Guard. All those already in the service are to be dismissed as "Services no longer required".

WESTERN FRONT: During an armed reconnaissance mission over the Channel, a He 111 from 4./KG 55 is shot down by P/O F. Oliver of RAF No 66 Squadron in a Spitfire and crashes west of St. Ives, Cornwall.

The Vichy vice-premier, Admiral Darlan, signs the "Paris Protocols", granting Germany access to airfields in the Levant, ports of Bizerte and Sousse for supplying Axis forces in North Africa, and Dakar as U-boat base. In exchange, Germany agrees to release 6000 prisoners including General Juin, allow some rearmament of French forces in North Africa, and grant more freedom of movement for French warships.

RAF Bomber Command sends 14 aircraft on shipping sweeps. RAF Bomber Command sends 60 aircraft on anti-shipping and minelaying operations off Boulogne, Brest, and St Nazaire overnight.

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24 MAY 1941 (PART II)
OPERATIONS (CONT'D)

Nth Atlantic (CONT'D)
Dispositions made by the British Admiralty.
The unexpected sinking of the HOOD caused enormous indignation in London, and the British Admiralty began to divert all available warships from their original missions in order to join in the chase for BISMARCK. Some accounts claim that the convoys at sea at the time, in the area around the action were left unescorted. This is not generally the case, however.
DDs BULLDOG and AMAZON, corvettes AUBRETIA, HOLLYHOCK, and NIGELLA, and ASW trawler DANEMAN were with convoy SC.31 to the sth of BC HOOD nearest the HOOD sinking. The convoy was taken into Hvalfjord to avoid contact, arriving on the 25th.
BB RODNEY and DDs SOMALI, TARTAR, and MASHONA were ordered to leave troopship BRITANNIC to DD ESKIMO and proceed towards BISMARCK. DD ESKIMO remained with the troopship until 0200 on the 26th when she proceeded to Hvalfjord. The Admiralty ordered RODNEY to operate against BISMARCK and at 1036 on the 24th signalled: "If BRITANNIC cannot keep up, leave her behind with 1 DD." Therefore RODNEY and DDs TARTAR, MASHONA and SOMALI left BRITANNIC with DD ESKIMO at noon. BB RAMILLIES to the South of Cape Farewell was also instructed to leave the convoy she was escorting (HX-127) and "proceed so as to make contact with enemy from westwards, subsequently placing enemy between RAMILLIES and C.-in-C". In addition, the BB REVENGE in Halifax was ordered to put to sea, and she left port at 1500, then headed east.
DD LANCE proceeded to Hvalfjord at 1030. DDs BEDOUIN and IMPULSIVE having left ML SOUTHERN PRINCE in 48-35N, 31-45W were also en route to Hvalfjord. DDs BEDOUIN and IMPULSIVE remained with ML SOUTHERN PRINCE until 25 May at which time they too joined the hunting groups. DDs BEDOUIN and IMPULSIVE had been detached to refuel with instructions if they encountered the German ships DD IMPULSIVE was to make a contact report, while destroyer BEDOUIN engaged them. DD JUPITER, which had departed Plymouth for Scapa Flow to work up, was diverted to refuel at Skaalefjord and await orders there. On the 26th, the DD was ordered to refuel at Londonderry and join the BB RODNEY.

Despite these extensive calls to any available units of use,. At this point it was the Home fleet that bore the main responsibility for intercepting the German BG and for some critical time the Home Fleet headed north when it should have headed in a southerly direction. By the time the error was realised, the Home Fleet was more than 130 miles astern the BISMARCK.
DDs ELECTRA, ANTHONY, ECHO, and ACHATES departed Hvalfjord at 2200on the 25th to meet BB PRINCE OF WALES.

Submarine THUNDERBOLt departed Halifax on the 25th to attempt to intercept the German ships. Submarine SEALION departed Portsmouth for patrol in Biscay and submarine H.44 departed Holyhead for Biscay. Submarines SEAWOLF, STURGEON, TIGRIS, and PANDORA were also deployed in Biscay to intercept.

The PRINZ EUGEN is Detached.
Later that morning of 24 May, Admiral Lütjens had already decided to detach the PRINZ EUGEN, and at 1420 sent a semaphore signal to Captain Brinkmann:

"Intend to shake stalker as follows: During rain squall, the BISMARCK will change course west. PRINZ EUGEN will maintain course and speed until he is forced to change position or three hours after the departure of Bismarck. Subsequently, is released to take on oil from "Belchen" or "Lothringen". Afterwards, pursue independent cruiser war. Implementation upon cue word, "Hood".

This was to be a diversionary manoeuvre in which the BISMARCK intended to distract the British ships long enough to let the PRINZ EUGEN escape. Meanwhile, Vice-Admiral Karl Dönitz had ordered the U-boat force a complete cessation of operations against merchant shipping in order to support the BISMARCK. At this time Lütjens urged Dönitz on a radio telegram to assemble his U-boats in quadrant AJ 68. His intention was that BISMARCK would be able to lead the British pursuing ships into a trap the next day. Therefore Dönitz stationed several U-boats (U-93, U-43, U-46, U-557, U-66, U-94) in the given area to the South of the southern tip of Greenland. At 1540, the German battle group entered a rain squall, and the execution order of "Hood" was given. The BISMARCK turned to starboard at 28 knots (speed had been restored), however the SUFFOLK was shadowing with radar very close from the starboard quarter and the manoeuvre failed. Therefore, at 1600 the BISMARCK resumed her position on PRINZ EUGEN'S wake. 2 hrs later, at 1814, repeated the manoeuvre. This time the manoeuvre was successful and the PRINZ EUGEN maintained her course and left the formation. The BISMARCK closed on the SUFFOLK, and at 1830 opened fire from 19,685 yards, but the cruiser quickly retired under a smoke screen. Subsequently, the BISMARCK became engaged with the PRINCE OF WALES at long distance, and after an exchange of shells the fire ceased at 1856. After this action, in which no hits were scored by either side, the SUFFOLK joined the NORFOLK and PRINCE OF WALES back to the port side of the BISMARCK, probably to avoid being surprised by the DKM BB if she decided to reverse her course again. This left BISMARCK's starboard side open. The British would pay a high price for this manoeuvre a few hours later, but before this they would still have an opportunity to attack the BISMARCK.

The fuel situation aboard BISMARCK had become serious, and at 2056, Lütjens informed Group West that, due to fuel shortage, he was to proceed directly to Saint-Nazaire. In fact, at this time the BISMARCK had less than 3,000 tons of fuel-oil available, and unless some of the 1,000 tons of fuel blocked under the forecastle could be retrieved, the battleship would be forced to slow down in order to reach the French coast. Had BISMARCK been refuelled in Bergen on 21 May, now she would have some 1,000 tons more of additional fuel available. That would have given BISMARCK more freedom of movement and would have enabled Lütjens to make a diversionary manoeuvre to try shake off his pursuers. But the reality was that the fuel shortage hampered the original idea to drive the pursuing British forces into the western U-boat screen, and it forced BISMARCKto follow a steady course to France. As a result of this change of plans, all available U-boats in the Bay of Biscay were now ordered to form a patrol line to cover BISMARCK's new expected course.

Central Atlantic
CL EDINBURGH, patrolling near the Azores looking for German blockade runners, was ordered to close DKM BB BISMARCK's last known location. CA DORSETSHIRE left convoy SL.74 without permission. The escort was left to AMC BULOLO. CA LONDON, escorting steamer ARUNDEL CASTLE with DDs HAVELOCK and HARVESTER from Gibraltar to join convoy SL.75, was detached to close BISMARCK's location, but shortly after was directed to the Azores to intercept German tankers. On the 26th, the cruiser was directed to join convoy SL.75. She was diverted to Bathurst, arriving to refuel on the 31st and to join convoy SL.76. On the 25th, the DDs were instructed to reverse course for twelve hours, then return to their original route.

BC RENOWN, CV ARK ROYAL, CL SHEFFIELD, and DDs FAULKNOR, FORESTER, FORESIGHT, FOXHOUND, FURY, and HESPERUS departed Gibraltar at 0200 to intercept BISMARCK. At 1245, DDs FORESIGHT, FOXHOUND, and FURY were detached to return to Gibraltar. On the 25th, DDs FAULKNOR, FORESTER, and HESPERUS returned to Gibraltar to refuel.

BB NELSON was ordered from Freetown to Gibraltar. Later she escorted convoy SL.75 to 46N before returning to Scapa Flow, arriving on 8 June.

Sth Atlantic
Steamer TRAFALGAR (UK 4530 grt) was sunk by DKM raider ATLANTIS in the sth Atlantic, whilst on voyage from Newport to Alexandria carrying coal.. 12 crew were lost on the steamer.



Pacific/Australia
British troopship DUCHESS OF YORK departed Singapore with 326 personnel. The troopship was escorted by CL GLASGOW to 0-50N, 70E when RAN CA CANBERRA relieved the CL. One hundred and forty additional personnel were embarked at Colombo. The troopship arrived at Mombasa on 9 June.

Malta
AIR RAIDS DAWN 24 MAY TO DAWN 25 MAY 1941

Weather Heavy rain and strong, cold wind, clearing later.

1455-1505 hrs Air raid alert for a patrol of 12 enemy aircraft which approach to within 10 miles of the north coast of the Island before turning back to the north.
OPERATIONS REPORTS SATURDAY 24 MAY 1941

ROYAL NAVY Upholder sank Conte Rosso.

AIR HQ 69 Squadron PM Maryland patrol east Sicilian coast. 2 Marylands patrols eastern Tunisian coast including Lampedusa Harbour to Zuara reported several vessels and convoy movements. One Maryland machine-guns a Dornier 18 from 50 feet with no opposition. 139 Squadron Two Blenheims are despatched to attack merchant vessels south of Djerba and score hits with two bombs.

25 MAY 1941
Known Reinforcements
Axis
Type VIIC U-653

Losses
U-103 sank MV RADAMES (EG 3575 grt) off the West African Coast. One crewmember lost his life in the attack. The vessel was on passage from Vizagapatam (near Madras, India) to Barry Roads, carrying iron ore, groundnuts and flour. At 1631 hrs the unescorted RADAMES was hit in the stern by one torpedo fired by U-103 after being chased for about five hours and sank slowly by the stern about 80 miles from Monrovia, Liberia.


U-103 sank MV WANGI WANGI (NL 7789 grt) off the West African coast whilst on passage from Sydney (Australia) to the Clyde via Durbasn and Freetown. She was carrying steel, lead and other cargo at the time of her loss, and was manned by a 93 man crew, of whom 1 man would be lost in the attack. At 2213 hrs the unescorted WANGI WANGIwas hit in the bow by one torpedo from U-103 and sank after 30 minutes about 90 miles south of Monrovia, Liberia. One Lascarian stoker was lost. The master, 87 crew members and four passengers abandoned ship in a motorboat and a lifeboat, reached the Liberian coast the next day and were taken to Robertsport and later to Freetown. The survivors in one boat were questioned by the Germans, provided the course to Monrovia and offered food and water, but this was refused


UBOATS
Departures
Unknown: U-108

At Sea 25 May 1941
U-38, U-43, U-46, U-48 U-66, U-69, U-73, U-74, U-93, U-94, U-97, U-98, U-103, U-105, U-106, U-107, U-108, U-109, U-111, U-138, U 147, U-204, U-552, U-556, U-557, U-561, UA

27 boats at sea

OPERATIONS
Baltic

North Sea
FV HARRY (Faeroes 125 grt) was badly damaged by the LW 30 miles nth of Rattray Hd. The vessel was sunk 17 miles NW of Kinnaird Hd after an unsuccessful attempt to tow.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Steamer SILVIA (Ger 1049 grt) was sunk by bombing near Den Helder (at the entrance to the Ijsscelmeer).
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

West Coast
DD JUPITER in the Irish Sea was ordered to join the screen of BB RODNEY. The DD did not join until after BISMARCK had been sunk.

SW Approaches
[The BISMARCK operation, despite the post war claims to the contrary had virtually no immediate effect on convoy traffic to and from Britain. Had the Battle group (BG) been able to break into the seal lanes undetected it would have been a different story, and had the BISMARCK been joined by TIRPITZ, SCHARNHORST and GNEISENAU, as had been the original planned, there was a strong (or at least arguable) chance that Britain would have been forced to make terms with Germany].

OG.63 departed Liverpool escorted by DD READING, corvettes HIBISCUS and PIMPERNEL, ocean boarding vessel CORINTHIAN, and ASW trawlers RUNSWICK BAY and ST MELANTE. The ocean boarding vessel was detached that same day.
On the 26th, the convoy was joined by DD VANQUISHER and sloop WELLINGTON. On the 27th, corvette FREESIA joined the escort. DD VANQUISHER were detached to Fleet operations and later joined SL.74. On the 30th, DD READING and corvettes FREESIA, HIBISCUS, and PIMPERNEL were detached to convoy SL.74. Corvette JONQUIL, RNN sub O.23, and ASW trawler LADY HOGARTH joined the convoy on 1 June. DD WRESTLER departed Gibraltar on 7 June after submarine attacks to reinforce the convoy to Cape Spartel, then join CV VICTORIOUS. On 7 June, corvette AZALEA joined the convoy. The convoy arrived at Gibraltar on 7 June.

HG.63 departed Gibraltar escort sloop SCARBOROUGH, RNN sub O.23, and corvettes GERANIUM and JONQUIL, and ASW trawler LADY HOGARTH. The corvettes, submarine, and trawler were detached on the 31st. On 2 June, the convoy was joined by DDs CAMPELTOWN, WANDERER, and WESTCOTT, corvettes AURICULA, MARIGOLD, and PERIWINKLE, and CAM ship PEGASUS, which was detached on 8 June. The convoy arrived at Liverpool on 9 June.

Med/Biscay
An Italian convoy departed Naples on the 24th for Tripoli with troopships CONTE ROSSO (FI 17,879 grt) with 2729 troops and crew, MARCO POLO (12,272grt), VICTORIA (13,098grt), and ESPERIA (11,398grt) escorted by DDs FRECCIA and CAMICIA NERA and TBs PROCIONE, ORSA, and PEGASO. The convoy was supported by CAs TRIESTE and BOLZANO and DDs CORAZZIERE, LANCIERE, and ASCARI. The convoy was just clearing the Straits of Messina on the 25th when submarine UPHOLDER sank the CONTE ROSSO ten miles 85° from Capo Murro di Porco. TBs CIGNO, PALLADE, and CLIO were involved in rescuing the survivors from the troopship. After the loss of the CONTE ROSSO, the convoy returned to Naples.

A Convoy to Tobruk consisting of tkr HELKA (UK 3471 grt) escorted by sloop GRIMSBY and trawler SOUTHERN MAID was attacked by RA bombers near Tobruk.
HELKA was sunk


In these attacks, sloop GRIMSBY (RN 990 grt) was hit by two bombs and also sunk 40 miles northeast of Tobruk. Eleven ratings were lost on the sloop. One crewman and one gunner were lost on the tanker. Trawler SOUTHERN MAID rescued the survivors from both ships.


View from an unidentified ship of the British sloop HMS Grimsby (left) listing in the water and a tanker, probably the Helka, sinking at right. The ships had been attacked and severely damaged by German aircraft in the waters off the besieged port city of Tobruk.

Steamer LEROS (Gk 846 grt) was sunk by the LW at Heraklion.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Nth Atlantic
SC.31 arrived at Hvalfjord on the 25th to avoid contact with the DKM BG with DDs CAMPBELTOWN, WANDERER, and WESTCOTT, sloops FLEETWOOD and ROCHESTER, and corvettes AURICULA, DIANTHUS, MARIGOLD, NASTURTIUM, PERIWINKLE, and PRIMROSE which had relieved the DD BULLDOG group the day before. The convoy was able to proceed and arrived at Liverpool on the 30th.

First Air Attack by HMS VICTORIOUS Swordfish Torpedo Planes.
At 1509 (25th), Admiral Tovey had CV VICTORIOUS and CLs GALATEA, AURORA, KENYA and CLA HERMIONE to close the range and deliver a torpedo attack. At 2210, some 120 miles from BISMARCK, VICTORIOUS launched nine Swordfish torpedo planes of the 825th Squadron under the command of Lcdr Eugene Esmonde. At 2300 (in darkness), they were followed by three Fulmars of the 800Z Sqn, and at 0100 (26th) by two more to maintain touch. Esmonde obtained a surface contact on his ASV (Air-to-Surface Vessel) radar at 2350, and prepared his a/c for the attack, but instead of BISMARCK he initially found the US Coast Guard Cutter MODOC. The BISMARCK, only six miles away, spotted the British a/c and opened fire immediately while increasing the speed to 27 knots.

One Swordfish lost contact with the rest of the squadron in a cloud layer, and only eight planes proceeded to attack around midnight. The German AA fire was very intense but not very accurate and even the main and secondary batteries opened fire. The press buttons of the steering gear were successfully applied to avoid the first six torpedoes when suddenly the battleship was hit. A 18 inch MK XII torpedo struck BISMARCK's starboard side, amidships, at the level of the main belt which resisted the explosion very well. The damage was minimal, although the explosion caused one fatality aboard the ship and seriously injured 6 others.

On a search mission after the raid, sub Lt (A) P. B. Jackson died on the 25th when the plane crashed landed in the sea. A/Sub Lt (A) D. A. Berrill and Leading Airman F. G. Sparkes from Jackson's plane were able to survive in an abandoned lifeboat before being picked on 3 June up by Icelandic steamer LAGARFOSS which took them to Reykjavik. Lt (A) H. C. M. Pollard, sub Lt (A) D. M. Beattie RNVR, and Leading Airman P. W. Clitheroe of 825 Sqn were lost when their Swordfish failed to return on the 26th from a search mission.
+
BISMARCK Photographed by a Swordfish observer from 825 sqn HMS VICTORIOUS

Despite the heavy AA none of the attacking Swordfish were shot down, and by 0230, on the 25th all of them had landed safely back on the carrier. However, the last two Fulmars that had been launched were not so fortunate, and they were lost after they ran out of fuel and were forced to land in the sea. The crew of one of them was rescued later by the merchant ship BEAVERHILL.

After the Swordfish attack, the BISMARCK reduced her speed to 16 knots to alleviate the pressure in the forecastle and carry out repairs. The distance between both forces decreased, and at 0131 on 25 May, the PRINCE OF WALES opened fire on BISMARCK. The BBs exchanged two salvoes each at a range of 16,400 yards, but due to the poor visibility neither side scored any hits. Morale aboard the BISMARCK was high and sometime about then, the crew wished the Chief of Fleet a happy birthday by the ship's loudspeaker system.

Admiral Lütjens Makes His Move.
All three British ships that were shadowing the BISMARCK from the port quarter had begun to zig-zag in case of a possible U-boat attack. At 0306, taking advantage of the enemy's disposition and the darkness, Lütjens saw his opportunity to break the contact with his pursuers. The BISMARCK increased her speed to 27 knots and turned to starboard, in a manoeuvre very similar to the one executed the previous afternoon when the PRINZ EUGEN was detached. The BISMARCK succeeded in breaking contact and established a new course of 130º, to Saint-Nazaire. The British ships tried in vain to re-establish contact with the BISMARCK, and at 0401 the SUFFOLK reported: "Enemy contact lost."

Vice-Admiral Wake Walker's order to change the position of SUFFOLK in the previous afternoon (24 May) now had its consequences. It gave the BISMARCK room to manoeuvre, and Lütjens pounced on the opportunity. With the SUFFOLK stationed on BISMARCK's starboard quarter, it would have been much more difficult for the DKM BB to break contact.

Nevertheless, on board the BISMARCK they did not realize that the contact had been broken. Lutjens was able to see the radar impulses of the shadowing British cruisers, and automatically assumed those impulses were returning images to those cruisers of the BISMARCK. In fact the radar aboard the RN cruisers was not returning signals strong enough for them to see the German ship. This miscalculation by Lutjens led him to make a couple of serious blunders. At 0700 Admiral Lütjens sent the following message to the Group West: "One BB, two CAs keeping contact." At 0900, Lütjens sent another long message to the Group West. Neither message reached Group West until well after 0900, and gave valuable clues as to BISMARCK's whereabouts to the British. . Ironically, Group West had previously sent (at 0846) a message confirming that the British had lost contact. After this, BISMARCK kept strict radio silence, but the British had already intercepted her signals allowing them to calculate her approximate position.

At 1152, Lütjens received a personal message from Admiral Raeder: "Heartiest Birthday Wishes! In view of your recent great armed feat, may you be granted many more such successes [as you enter] a new year of your life!" Minutes later, at noon, Lütjens delivered the following speech to the crew by the loudspeakers:

"Soldiers of the BISMARCK! You have achieved great fame! The sinking of the HOOD does not only have a military, but also a morale value, because HOOD was England's pride. The enemy will now attempt to gather its forces and deploy them toward us. Therefore, I released PRINZ EUGEN yesterday noon so that he can conduct his own war on merchant vessels. He has accomplished to evade the enemy. By contrast, because of the hits we have sustained, we have received the order to head for a French harbour. The enemy will gather on the way and will engage us in battle. The German Nation is with you [in spirit] and we will fire until the barrels glow and until the last projectile has exited the barrel. For us the battle cry as of now is: "Victory or death!"

This speech has been criticised post war as some survivors say it instilled fear and doubt amongst the crew.

At 1625, Lütjens received yet another message of congratulations, this time from Hitler: "I send to you today my very best congratulation for your Birthday!" That same afternoon, BISMARCK's crew began to construct a dummy funnel. This would give the battleship two funnels and hopefully confuse the enemy, should BISMARCK be detected again. During the night of 25/26 May, the BISMARCK maintained her course and there were no incidents on board.

Central Atlantic
RN oiler CAIRNDALE and store ship CITY OF DIEPPE departed Gibraltar, escorted by submarine SEVERN. The storeship was detached in 43-00N, 35-00W for St Johns, Newfoundland. The oiler and submarine patrolled in the vicinity of that position to refuel British ships as necessary. On the 25th, submarine SEVERN was recalled to patrol in the Straits of Gibraltar against a possible passage by the DKM BB BISMARCK. Submarines SEVERN and CLYDE departed Gibraltar on the 27th for this patrol. When word of the sinking of the BISMARCK was received, SEVERN was ordered to overtake storeship CITY OF DIEPPE and escort her. This was later cancelled and submarine was ordered to return to Gibraltar. Oiler CAIRNDALE was also ordered to return to Gibraltar. DD WISHART arrived at Gibraltar from Bathurst. CL DUNEDIN departed Gibraltar for Freetown. Her defective boiler had been blanked off. DDs FEARLESS, FORESIGHT, and FOXHOUND departed Gibraltar to meet arriving CVE ARGUS and escort her to Gibraltar

Malta
AMMUNITION USAGE FOR WEEK ENDING 25 MAY
4.5" HE 191 rounds
3.7" HE 1260 rounds
3" HE 134 rounds
40mm 40 rounds

AIR RAIDS DAWN 25 MAY TO DAWN 26 MAY 1941
Weather Very hot.

1150-1214 hrs Air raid alert for 30 to 40 enemy aircraft which approach the Island from the north and withdraw before reaching the coast.

1327-1430 hrs Observers report the approach of three formations of enemy aircraft which have not been reported by fighter control and raise the alarm. While one plot of four ME 109s circles the Island, apparently screening aircraft in transit between Tripoli and Sicily, a second formation turns inland and is over Ta Qali moments after the alert sounds. The ME 109s machine-gun a searchlight station on the airfield, wounding one gunner. Two Hurricanes are burned out and three others seriously damaged on the ground (but repairable). A Lister engine is damaged and 90 gallons of oil are lost. One pilot and one airman are injured by shrapnel and admitted to hospital; two other airmen are slightly wounded. Bofors, heavy and light anti-aircraft guns engage; the Bofors claims hits on two ME 109s. One ME 109 is believed probably shot down into the sea. No Hurricanes are scrambled owing to the apparent error in fighter control which is immediately under investigation.

1755-1820 hrs Air raid alert for a large fighter patrol which scouts round the Island. Seven Hurricanes are scrambled but the raiders do not cross the coast; no engagement.

OPERATIONS REPORTS SUNDAY 25 MAY 1941

ROYAL NAVY 830 Squadron Fleet Air Arm Since it is now apparent that Lampedusa is used as a refuge for small merchant vessels on the Sicily to Tripoli route, 4 Swordfish were despatched to lay 'cucumber' magnetic mines. A fifth Swordfish carried flares but owing to electrical failure none were dropped. Illuminating cartridges lit the harbour for short periods enabling two cucumbers to to be laid near the harbour entrance. Moderate light anti-aircraft fire was encountered. Two Swordfish returned with their cucumber mines, one with engine trouble. All aircraft returned safely.

AIR HQ Arrivals 1 Sunderland; transatlantic flying boat Golden Horn from Gibraltar carrying Air Vice Marshal Lloyd, MC, DFC. Departures 1 Sunderland; transatlantic flying boat. 69 Squadron Maryland southern part of eastern Tunisian coast. Maryland reconnaissance northern part eastern Tunisian coast. Maryland patrol east of Malta up to Cape Stilo for a convoy reported yesterday by a submarine. Maryland photoreconnaissance Tripoli reports convoy. Maryland reconnaissance eastern Sicilian coast reports enemy vessels.

LUQA Six Blenheims 139 and 82 Squadrons searched for troopships without success

May 28 Wednesday
ATLANTIC OCEAN: Throughout the day the Luftwaffe sends bombers over the British fleet returning from the sinking of the 'Bismarck'. With 218 sorties flown over the past several days, the Luftwaffe manages only to sink a single destroyer. Low on fuel after the hunt for "Bismarck", British destroyers HMS "Tartar" and HMS "Mashona" return slowly to Scapa Flow, Scotland. German bombers attacked HMS "Tartar" and HMS "Mashona" 100 miles west of Ireland in the morning, killing 36 men as a bomb hit "Mashona". HMS "Tartar" rescued 184 survivors and destroyers HMS "Sherwood" and HMCS "St. Clair" scuttled "Mashona" with gunfire.

German submarine U-107 sank Greek ship "Papalemos" off Sierra Leone, British West Africa at 1600 hours; 2 were killed and 27 survived.

GERMANY: RAF Bomber Command sends 14 aircraft to attack Kriegsmarine battleship "Tirpitz" at Kiel overnight without success.

MEDITERRANEAN Unternehmen Merkur: The British decide that Crete is lost and begin evacuating its forces from the island. Allied troops retreat south from Canae and Suda Bay to evacuate from Sphakia on the South side of the island, while Colonel Laycock's commandos fight a rearguard action. At dawn near Stylos on the route to Sphakia, ANZAC troops ambush German 85th Mountain Regiment, ending a week of bravery - once silencing a mortar and three snipers - that wins the VC for Sergeant Clive Hulme, New Zealand 2nd Division. British cruisers HMS "Ajax", HMS "Orion", and HMS "Dido" and destroyers HMS "Decoy", HMS "Jackal", HMS "Imperial", HMS "Hotspur", HMS "Kimberly", and HMS "Hereward" departed Alexandria, Egypt for Heraklion, Crete to help with the evacuation. German aircraft damaged HMS "Ajax" (killing 6, wounding 18, and forcing her to turn back) and HMS "Imperial" (wounding 1). The force, less "Ajax", arrived at Heraklion at 2330 hours. Italian SM.84 bombers damaged the destroyer HMS "Imperial" (later scuttled).

MIDDLE EAST: Indian 20th Brigade, en route to Baghdad in Iraq, reached the city of Ur. The Vichy French won their first air victory when Lt. Vuillemin of 7 Squadron 1st Fighter Group (GCI/7), shot down an RAF Blenheim reconnaissance plane, while he was flying a Morane 406. Reinforcements also arrive for the French in the form of twenty-eight Dewoitine D.520s, France's most modern fighter. 6 Squadron, 3rd Fighter Group (GCIII/6) lands at Rayak after a journey from Algeria which began on May 24 and skirted the northern coast of the Mediterranean; 2 of the planes were lost over Turkey.

NORTH AFRICA: British General Archibald Wavell ordered Operation Battleaxe against Axis positions in Libya. It was to be launched on 7 June.

UNITED KINGDOM: British Lord Woolton announced experimental egg rationing and further restrictions on fish and milk. Successful prosecutions under Food Control Orders now totaled 17,319.

South African Prime Minister Jan Smuts was appointed as a Field Marshal in the British Army. He was the first South African to hold the rank.

British government concludes formal agreement with Norwegian government-in-exile for establishing Norwegian armed forces under Allied command.

WESTERN FRONT: Fighter Command sends a sweep along the French coast.

.

May 29 Thursday
ATLANTIC OCEAN: German submarine U-557 sank British ship "Empire Storm" in the North Atlantic at 2043 hours; 3 were killed, 40 survived and were rescued by Norwegian ship "Marita".

German submarine U-38 sank British ship "Tabaristan" 250 miles off Sierra Leone, British West Africa at 2350 hours; 21 were killed, 39 survived and were rescued by British armed trawlers HMS "Bengali" and HMS "Turcoman".

GERMANY: 13 British and Polish prisoners of war of Oflag IV-C at Colditz Castle, Germany attempted to escape via a tunnel, but the attempt was a failure.

The German Navy began to execute its plans for the invasion of the Soviet Union.

MEDITERRANEAN Unternehmen Merkur: With evacuation of British 14th Infantry Brigade, German 1st Fallschirmjaeger Regiment moves into Heraklion. German forces pushing eastward reach Retimo. A British force of cruiser and destroyers embarked 3,486 men at Heraklion, Crete and departed for Egypt at 0245 hours. At 0400 hours, HMS "Imperial's" steering failed. She transferred her crew and passengers, and then was scuttled by HMS "Hotspur". After dawn, HMS "Hereward" was bombed by Italian aircraft, 76 were killed and 89 survivors were captured. Cruisers HMS "Orion" and HMS "Dido" were also attacked, killing 105 crew and 260 passengers on the former and 27 crew and 100 passengers on the latter. The force would finally arrive at Alexandria, Egypt at 2000 hours.

MIDDLE EAST: The last three remaining He-111s of the Junck Special Unit fly their last mission. British forces push to within five miles of Baghdad. RAF aircraft attack Italian airfield at Kirkuk. One Italian Fiat CR-42 fighter shot down by an RAF Gladiator. 2/4th Gurkha Battalion of Indian 20th Infantry Brigade airlifted from Basra to Habbaniya.

NORTH AMERICA: US Navy extended its boundaries of Neutrality Patrol to North and South Atlantic.

In Washington, an Army-Navy planning board draws up a plan for the occupation of the Portuguese Azores Islands in the event that Germany invades Spain and/or Portugal. The joint Army-Marine occupation force of 14,000 Marines and 14,000 troops will be commanded by Major General Holland M. Smith, USMC, Commanding General 1st Marine Division.

U.S. Navy Patrol Squadron Fifty Two (VP-52), based at Naval Air Station (NAS) Argentia, Newfoundland with PBY-5 Catalinas, deploys four aircraft to Reykjavik, Iceland, based on the seaplane tender (destroyer) USS "Belknap" (AVD-8). The aircraft survey the east coast of Greenland where Danish weather stations are suspected of being in use by the Germans for relaying weather forecasts to the submarine wolfpacks. Inspections of the facilities shows that they are abandoned and the detachment returns to NAS Argentia on 8 June 1941.

The US agrees to train RAF pilots to fly American planes supplied under Lend-Lease.The U.S. Army Air Corps (superseded by the US Army Air Forces effective 20 June 1941) activates the Air Corps Ferrying Command to assist the British in the movement by air of American-built planes from factories in the United States to Britain and the Middle East. Initially, the aircraft were flown to Canada or to bases in the U.S. where British pilots would pick them up. But the command was shortly tasked with delivering aircraft across the Atlantic to the UK and Africa.

The U.S. Navy's Task Group Three (TG 3) consisting of the aircraft carrier USS "Ranger" (CV-4), heavy cruiser USS "Tuscaloosa" (CA-37) and three destroyers, gets underway from Bermuda for a 4,000+ mile (6,437+ km) neutrality patrol in the Atlantic that will end in Bermuda on 8 June.

WESTERN FRONT: "Prinz Eugen" arrived at Brest, France effectively ending Unternehmen Rheinübung.

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26 MAY 1941 (PART I)
Known Reinforcements
Allied
Bangor Class MSW HMS EASTBOURNE (J-127)


Flower Class Corvette HMS STARWORT (K-20)


Fairmile B ML 243
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Vosper 70' MTB 38
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

UBOATS
At Sea 26 May 1941
U-38, U-43, U-46, U-48 U-66, U-69, U-73, U-74, U-93, U-94, U-97, U-98, U-103, U-105, U-106, U-107, U-108, U-109, U-111, U-138, U 147, U-204, U-552, U-556, U-557, U-561, UA

27 boats at sea

OPERATIONS
North Sea
British steamer GROS PIERRE was damaged by the LW off Sunderland (just sth of Newcastle on Tyne). The steamer was beached. She was refloated and repaired.

Northern Waters
DD HAMBLEDON arrived at Loch Ewe for refueling. HAMBLEDON and sloops SUTLEJ and STORK returned to Scapa Flow after this duty on 1 June.

Sub P.32 departed Holy Loch for the Med. On the 31st, the sub was damaged by near misses by the the LW off Cape Finisterre. Sub P.32 arrived at Gibraltar on 3 June and was under repair 4 June to 4 July.

British trawler H. E. STROUD was damaged by the LW ten miles 135° from Lamb Head, Stronsay (Orkneys). One crewman was killed. The trawler was towed by another trawler to Kirkwall and later repaired.

West Coast
Sub H.31 ran aground at Lagan. The sube was repaired at Belfast from 28 May to 9 June

Western Approaches
BB RAMILLIES rejoined HX.127 after an uneventful part in the BISMARCK chase. DDs FARNDALE and HAMBLEDON and sloops SUTLEJ and STORK departed Scapa Flow to also join the convoy

SW Approaches
The BISMARCK is Located.

On the morning of 26 May, as the BISMARCKwas approaching the French coast, the crew was ordered to repaint the top of the main and secondary turrets yellow. Hard job considering the state of the seas, nevertheless it was carried out although the yellow paint washed off at least once.

A few hours earlier, at 0300, two Coastal Command Catalina flying boats had taken off from Lough Erne in Northern Ireland on a recon mission in search for the BISMARCK. At about 1010, Catalina Z of 209 Sqn commanded by Dennis Briggs sighted BISMARCK which responded with accurate AA fire. The Catalina jettisoned her four depth charges and took evasive action after her hull was holed by shrapnel. Then reported: "One BB, bearing 240º, distance 5 miles, course 150º. My position 49º 33' North, 21º 47' West. Time of transmission 1030/26." After more than 31 hours since the contact was broken, the Bismarck had been located again. Unfortunately for the British, however, Admiral Tovey's ships were too far away from the BISMARCK. The KGV was 135 miles to the north, and the RODNEY (with a top speed of 23 knots) was 125 miles to the NE. They would never catch up with the BISMARCKunless her speed could be seriously reduced.

Only the Force H, under the command of Vice-Admiral Sir James F. Somerville, which had sailed from Gibraltar, had a chance to intercept BISMARCK. ARK ROYAL, RENOWN, and SHEFFIELD accompanied by DDs FAULKNOR FORESIGHT, FORESTER, FORTUNE FOXHOUND and FURY were dispatched to the Atlantic on 23 May to search for the BB. On 26 May, a Swordfish from ARK ROYAL located BISMARCKand began to shadow her, while the Home Fleet continued their pursuit.

A Swordfish from ARK ROYAL returns after the first attempted airstrike on the BISMARCK

The ARK ROYAL had despatched 10 Swordfish at 0835 to carry out searches. Once the report of the Catalina sighting arrived, the two closest Swordfish altered course to intercept. At 1114, Swordfish 2H located the BISMARCK, followed seven minutes later by the 2F. Shortly afterwards two more Swordfish, fitted with long-range tanks, were launched to relieve 2H and 2F and keep touch with BISMARCK. BISMARCK's attempts to remain undetected had failed.

At 1450, 15 Swordfish commanded by LCDR J. A. Stewart-Moore completed launch and formed up for a strike to attack the BISMARCK. At 1550, they obtained radar contact with a ship and dived to attack. The attack, however, turned out to be a failure since the ship sighted was actually the CL SHEFFIELD which had been detached from Fce H to make contact and shadow the BISMARCK. In the friendly fire incident that followed, no hits, no a/c losses and no casualties were suffered. SHEFFIELD was not hit by any of the 11 torpedoes launched because they had faulty magnetic pistols. This information was transmitted back to the ARK ROYAL and adjustments made to the torpedo settings to compensate for follow up strikes. Two torpedoes exploded upon hitting the water, three on crossing the cruiser wake, and the other six were successfully avoided. The Swordfish returned to the ARK ROYAL where they landed after 1700 with difficulty, but here the superior rough weather characteristics of the Swordfish were a standout feature of the operation. The rise and fall of the stern was measured to be 56 feet, and three a/c smashed their undercarriages against the flight deck (they were repaired and returned to service within hours). Shortly afterwards, at 1740, the SHEFFIELD obtained visual and radar contact with the BISMARCK.

The ARK ROYAL launched a second strike for a night time attack, an extremely difficult undertaking. The RN knew this was their last real chance to stop or at least slow down the BISMARCK. If they failed again, the BISMARCKwould be within range of LW lr fighter cover and probably reach the French coast on the next day, since another air strike late at night was unlikely to succeed. Therefore, at 1915, another group comprised of fifteen Swordfish, mostly the same used in the previous attack, took off from the ARK ROYAL, and this time their torpedoes were armed with contact pistols.

At 1910, ARK ROYAL launched 4 Swordfish of 810 Sqn, 4 of 818 Sqn, and 7 of 820 Sqn. At 2230on the 26th, the Swordfish attacked battleship BISMARCK. A hit wrecked the battleship's steering gear. In 1 Swordfish of 820 Sqn, sub Lt (A) F. A. Swanton and Leading Airman J. R. Seager of 820 Sqn were wounded and Sub Lt (A) G. A. Woods RNVR, was unhurt when the a/c was badly shot up.

Meanwhile, the pursuing British forces had run across U-556 which sighted BC RENOWN and the ARK ROYALat 1948. The U-Boat was in a good firing position, but could do nothing as it had no torpedoes left after its attacks on HX 126.

The Swordfish striking force, this time under the command of Lcdr T.P. Coode, first approached the SHEFFIELD to get the range and bearing to the BISMARCK, and at 2047, began the attack. BISMARCK's AA battery opened fire immediately. During the course of the attack, the BISMARCKreceived at least two torpedo hits (RN sources claim 3, German sources admit only 2). One torpedo (or two) hit the port side amidships, and another struck the stern in the starboard side. The first hit(s) did not cause important damage, but the stern hit jammed both rudders at 12º to port. The hit in the rudder machinery robbed BISMARCK of steering capability, so that the ship circled and speed slowly dropped from 24 kn to 13 kn. An attempt was made to seal the leak in compartment II with a furthering sail; however, these efforts failed due to the high seas. After some time, divers were able to rig a manual rudder to reestablish makeshift steering capability of BISMARCK. At the same time, the ship was brought up head-to-wind against the sea by reverse steering with the screws. A speed of 19-24kn was apparently resumed after reestablishment of some steering capability. Bismarck had a list of almost 5 degrees. The re-establishment of limited control was not enough to enable her to escape…..The ship was doomed.

"Air Attack on the BISMARCK" a post war painting of the great event

At 2140, an encrypted radio telegram time-segment 2140 to Supreme Command of the Navy and Group West from Chief of Fleet [Admiral Lütjens]:"Ship unmanouverable [ship's rudder unresponsive]. We will fight until the last shell. Long live the Führer!" Chief of Fleet.

Thus, from this radio that, according to the testimony of the survivors, the utilization of the manual rudder control was just an was just an emergency measure without lasting effectiveness. Instead, attempts were made to hold the ship head-to-sea by steering with the screws, without success.

Most of the accounts that have survived suggest continued iron discipline aboard the ship, but a perceptible loss of morale as a realization of their fate became general knowledge.

Where all the might and power of the RNs battlefleet could not make a difference on the BISMARCK, a fabric covered obsolete a/c flying in the worst imaginable conditions could ensure BISMARK' destruction.

The impact in the stern area caused the flooding of the steering and other adjacent compartments. This meant that all repair attempts would have to be done under water. Divers were ordered to enter the steering compartment in order to free the rudders, but the violent movement of the water inside made this an impossible task. It was not possible to lower divers over the side due to the high seas. As an alternative, it was considered to blow the rudders away with explosives and try to steer the ship using the propellers alone, but the idea was rejected fearing that the explosion could damage the propellers.

DDs Attack BISMARCK.
At 0200 on the 26th, DDs COSSACK, SIKH, and ZULU were detached from WS.8B to join the main body of the Home Flt. DDs MAORI and ORP PIORUN were detached from the same convoy to join BB RODNEY. DDs ICARUS, WINDSOR, RCN SAGUENAY, ACTIVE, and RCN ASSINIBOINE departed Reykjavik at 0800 on the 26th to join CV VICTORIOUS. DD ANTELOPE remained at Reykjavik with defects that made her unfit for sea. DDs INGLEFIELD, RAN NESTOR, PUNJABI, LEGION, and LANCE departed Iceland for Londonderry. The DDs refuelled on the 28th. DD SOMALI was detached on the 26th from battleship RODNEY to refuel. DDs TARTAR and MASHONA were detached from BB RODNEY during the night of 26/27 May to refuel.

At 2310/26th, DDs COSSACK and ZULU sighted the DKM BB. At 0100/27th, DDs COSSACK, MAORI, SIKH, and ZULU carried out torpedo attacks. DDs COSSACK, MAORI, and ZULU were damaged by splinters from the BB's fire. Three crew on ZULU were wounded. Several crew on DD MAORI, including Cdr H. T. Armstrong were wounded. CL SHEFFIELD exchanged shots with the BISMARCK. The CL was damaged by splinters and sustained 12 men wounded; 3 of these ratings died of wounds.

After the aerial torpedo attack, the new erratic course of the BISMARCKcaused her to close the range with the SHEFFIELD. At about 2145, BISMARCKopened fire on the SHEFFIELD at a range of about nine miles. BISMARCKfired a total of six salvoes and the British cruiser turned away to the north under the cover of a smoke screen. The SHEFFIELD was not hit, but some splinters disabled her radar and injured twelve men of whom three died later.3 The turn caused SHEFFIELD to lose contact with BISMARCK, but at 2200, she made contact with the DD of Capt Vian's DesFlot 4the (COSSACK, MAORI, ZULU, SIKH and ORP PIORUN), and provided them with the approximate bearing and distance to the BISMARCK.

At 2238, the ORP DD PIORUN sighted the BISMARCK, which responded with three salvoes. The DDs proceeded to attack, but BISMARCKdefended herself vigorously in the dark. At 2342, splinters knocked down COSSACK's antennas. Shortly after midnight, on the 27th, star shells from the DDs began to illuminate the area. About an hour later, a star shell fell on BISMARCK's bows starting a fire there that had to be extinguished by some crew members. Throughout the night the DDs attacked the BISMARCK. These attacks were carried out in heavy seas, rain squalls and low visibility, and no torpedo hits were obtained, that time after time repelled every attack with heavy and accurate fire from her main and secondary batteries. By 0700, a total of 16 torpedoes had been fired by DesFlot 4.

Med/Biscay
British commando ship GLENROY departed Alexandria on the 25th escorted by CLA COVENTRY and DDs STUART (RAN) and JAGUAR. The movement was covered by Force A. The mission was abandoned later in the day after damage to the commando ship suffered bomb damage from the LW attacks. The GLENROY force returned to Alexandria.

Convoy AN.31 of three Greek ships departed Alexandria for Crete escorted by and sloop AUCKLAND. AN.31 was joined by CLA CALCUTTA and DD DEFENDER. Greek steamer ALFIOS returned to Alexandria after an engine failure. The convoy was ordered back to Alexandria on the 27th

Steamer EMMANUEL PTERIS (Gk 145 grt) was sunk by the LW in Candia Harbour.
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Steamer ROKOS (Gk 6426 grt) was sunk by the LW in Suda Bay.

RM TBs CIRCE, CALLIOPE, CLIO, and PERSEO laid mines east of Malta.

An Italian supply convoy of steamers ANDREA GRITTI, SEBASTIANO VENIER, MARCO FOSCARINI, RIALTO, ANKARA, and BARBARIGO, escort DDs VIVALDI and DA NOLI and TBs CIGNO, PEGASO, PROCIONE, departed Naples for Tripoli. Distant cover was given by CL CARDONA and DDs MAESTRALE and GRECALE.
An air attack on the convoy from aircraft from Malta damaged steamers SEBASTIANO VENIER and MARCO FOSCARINI. The convoy arrived at Tripoli on the 28th.

ML ABDIEL and DDs HERO and RAN NIZAM departed Alexandria on the 26th landed the troops, originally embarked on troopship GLENROY, then DDs ISIS, NIZAM, DECOY, and HERO, at Suda Bay during the night of 26/27 May. 750 troops were landed., whilst 930 unnecessary personnel were evacuated. The movement was covered by BBs QUEEN ELIZABETH and BARHAM with DDs HASTY, JANUS, NAPIER, JERVIS, and KELVIN.

A planned sweep off Milos by DDs NUBIAN, KANDAHAR, and JANUS in the night of 26/27 May with a feint staged by CL AJAX and CLA DIDO and DDs NAPIER (RAN), KELVIN, and JACKAL was cancelled after air attacks which damaged FORMIDABLE and NUBIAN.

26 MAY 1941 (PART II)
OPERATIONS [CONT'D]
Med/Biscay (Cont'd)
Operation MAQ 3
Operation MAQ 3 was put into motion. BBs QUEEN ELIZABETH and BARHAM, CV FORMIDABLE (with 27 a/c), and DDs JERVIS, NUBIAN, HEREWARD, KANDAHAR, HASTY, JANUS, and RAN VOYAGER, and VENDETTA departed Alexandria.

It was a move hinting at desperation and bowing to the intense political pressure being applied to the navy at that time. The Navy was suffering acute shortages of a/c due to the priority given to Hurricane and Spitfire production several months earlier.

British Intelligence had assessed that most of the damaging Stuka attacks were being launched from Scarpanto, some 50 miles east of Crete. HMS FORMIDABLE's aircraft were to attack the airfield.
In a marathon effort, FORMIDABLE had been able to restore 803 and 806 Sqns to a total of 27 aircraft. A narrative dated 24 May, 1948, by Admiral Cunningham reports the carrier had a total of 12 operational Fulmars (though some were rated as "suspect").

Captian A.W. Bisset's Proceedings Report adds that Formidable sailed with a reduced complement of seven Albacores and eight Swordfish. There were 13 Fulmars aboard, though one was already unserviceable after a deck-landing accident.

Nevertheless, the number was considered adequate to protect the carrier, the fleet, and conduct a strike.
At noon on May 25, Force A departed Alexandria for Scarpanto Island for operation M.A.Q.3.
By 0300 on May 26 the fleet had made its way to about 100 miles SSW of Scarpanto. A force of 12 aircraft was ranged on deck for the strike.

Things did not go well. Seven Albacores were prepared for the dawn attack. Each carried a load of 4x 250lb GP bombs and 12x 40lb bomblets. Six Fulmars were to join the strike as escort and to strafe the airfield. Admiral Cunningham's report states:

"Of four other aircraft intended to take, part in the attack, two could not be flown off and two returned to the carrier owing to unserviceability."


Readying a/c for the strike on Scarpanto

One of the Albacores failed to start after it had been hauled up to the deck. But the remaining six flew off at 0330.
One returned 30 minutes later to make an emergency landing with engine trouble. Its wingman subsequently lost touch with the main formation and, after a fruitless effort trying to find it, also returned to the carrier at 0509. The Albacore strike was reduced to just four machines.

Six Fulmars had been ranged for take-off at 0430 after the Albacores had departed. Their mission was to make strafing runs as the Albacores attacked. But their launch was delayed by the Albacore's emergency landing. Once the deck had been cleared and reorganised by 0500, only four Fulmars departed - 30 minutes late. Two had developed faulty engines while warming-up and had been struck below.

The 4 remaining Albacores attacked Scarpanto between 0505 and 0515, dropping their bombs in the dark. A few RAF Wellingtons had timed their arrival to participate in the attack. The Fulmars made their strafing runs at 0545 and reported seeing at least two destroyed aircraft on the ground. Observers counted 15 Ju87s and 15 CR42s arrayed in lines on the field.

The 4 Albacores and 4 Fulmars that participated in the attack all returned safely to FORMIDABLE – the TSRs at 0625 and the fighters at 0655. Force A then immediately began its withdrawal to the sth. Admiral Cunningham's narrative states that FORMIDABLE had only 8 remaining serviceable a/c at this point. These would sortie 24 times during the forenoon, engaging in 20 combats, he wrote. Such was the dire condition of the FAA as all available resources were being diverted to the RAF.

While the strike Albacores and Fulmars were over Scarpanto, HMS FORMIDABLE's radar had been tracking a considerable number of air movements in the area. Some were believed to have been the Wellingtons that had attacked Scarpanto. But others were unidentified. As the radar contacts continued to appear after dawn, a fighter section from 806 sqn was launched at 0535 as a precautionary air patrol. At this time Force A was about 100 miles SW of Scarpanto..

Grey Section was ordered to attempt an interception at 0640 when an unidentified echo was detected at 45 miles. This could have proven difficult: the Fulmars from the Scarpanto raid were beginning to land on the carrier. Grey Section was recalled when the contact was lost.

A second detection was made at 0700, with an echo coming from the north at 55 miles. The fighters encountered a Ju88, but the bomber's speed was too great for an effective engagement. Captain Bisset's "Report of Proceedings" says Grey Leader's a/c was received slight bullet damage in this encounter.
Also at 0700, Force A's defences were augmented by the arrival of CL AJAX and CLA DIDO, along with the fleet DDs NAPIER, KELVIN and JACKAL.


HMS FORMIDABLE suffers a direct hit

A relief patrol, White Section, was launched at 0733 and almost immediately directed towards a new contact. This Ju88 was engaged and shot down about 30 miles nth of the fleet at 0750.
A third fighter patrol was launched at 0810. Designated Black Section, it was later ordered to intercept a contact 10 miles nth of the fleet. They engaged at 0840. Black 2 (piloted by Jackie Sewell of 806 Sqn) claimed to have shot the He111K down. It was Sewell's 13th victory.

As Black Section was returning it was redirected towards a new echo. At 0855 they engaged and drove off a Ju88. It was seen flying low and slow with its starboard engine stopped before it ditched. Most accounts agree that it failed to return.
The engagement came at a price: Black Leader, flown by 806's Sqn Leader Garnett, was hit in the engine cooling system and was forced to ditch near the fleet. DD HEREWARD came to the rescue of both crew members at 0940. Black 2 landed on FORMIDABLE 5 mins later.

Brown Section had been launched as replacement air patrol at 0903. They were directed to a contact 40 miles from the fleet which they engaged at 0944. Piloted by Lt Bob MacDonald-Hall and Sub Lt Graham Hogg, the pair of Fulmars intercepted a two Ju88s. Attacking in unison, one Ju88 was set on fire. Following it down, the Fulmars observed the bomber striking the sea. This action made Sub Lt Hogg an ace.

Yellow Section was launched on air patrol at 0948. For a time, the flt had four Fulmars in the air. At 1008 Yellow and Brown Sections were sent to a contact to the SE. Both flights failed to intercept and the enemy a/ct sighted the fleet about 1015 before passing out of range to the NW at 1030. Another failed interception occurred after an echo was located 70 miles from the fleet at 1050. Yellow Section was directed to intercept, but failed to gain visual contact with the enemy. The a/c circled the flt from 1110 at a distance of 15 miles. Attack on the flt appeared inevitable.

Grey Section had taken of at 1100. The FCs directed the Fulmars into a favourable position by 1120. The Ju88 sighted the approaching fighters and turned to flee. The chase lasted some 10 minutes, but the Fulmars were not able to get any closer than 600 yards.

Grey Section aborted the chase at 1135, and the Ju88 turned back shortly afterwards.

Grey 2, which had become detached during the initial interception, was sent after the bomber at 1200. Once again, the Ju88 proved too fast for an effective attack.

Force A altered course once again. This time it turned west to provide distant cover for a convoy – a convoy the Germans determined to attack.

Red Section's Fulmars took to the air at 1212. By 1220 the fighters had gained enough height to join in the patrol. They were directed towards the same elusive Ju88, which was sighted at 1225.

This time the Fulmars were in a favourable position and were able to make a good attack run. The Ju88, apparently not significantly damaged, retired to the NW. It survived the attack. All 4 of these Fulmars landed on HMS FORMIDABLE at 1310.

The German attack came after sweeping along the coast towards Alexandria in a hunt for convoys or fast supply ships, the Stukas of II/StG 2 were at the edge of their range and preparing to turn back.

This is when Oberleutnant Bernhard Hamester spotted Force A and the ultimate target in the war for the Mediterranean: a British carrier. He did not hesitate. He immediately led his staffel in for the attack, whilst sending a message for other formations to follow suit.

The last remaining available Fulmars, Brown Section, were flown off at the same time the Grey and Red Sections came in to land. It was directed towards a contact that the radar office had been tracking since 1240 at a distance of 87 miles. By 1253 the signal was shown to be closing with the fleet, and by all indications it was a large gp of bogies.

Force A was logged at 1300 as being some 90 miles NE of Bardia. At 1310, the Battle Sqn was recorded as being 150 miles from Kaso Strait. By the time HMS FORMIDABLE launched Brown Section at 1310, the FCs had reported the raid appeared to be several formations ranging from 30 to 39 miles in distance. Another set of contacts had been made to the west: these were 47 miles, 58 miles and 61 miles away respectively.

Brown Section, which had not had enough time to gain effective operational height, was directed towards the enemy's position at 1318. The hostile a/c were quickly sighted some 5000ft above the Fulmars. Brown Section's Observers reported seeing 17 Ju87s, 11 Ju88s and a number of supporting Me110, Me109 and He114s. German records reveal the attacking force was made up of 17 Ju87Bs from II/StG2 which had flown out of North Africa. They had been joined by 11 Ju88s of LG1. It was common for British pilots to believe Stukas firing at them with their fixed forward machine-guns were in fact fighters, and misidentify them as such. There appear to be no records of German fighters taking part in the action..
The fleet's HAA opened fire at 1321. But the large number of different strike groups approaching from different directions soon threw the defence into confusion.

The Germans believed HMS FORMIDABLE had been caught flat-footed. They thought she was in the process of recovering aircraft and therefore not in a position to launch fresh fighters to defend herself. According to German accounts, the first Stuka formation was from II/StG2 led by Major Walter Enneccerus. This gp had previously taken part in the attack on HMS ILLUSTRIOUS. Oberleutnant Bernhard Hamester leading 5 Staffel spotted FORMIDABLE and took advantage of the opportunity by attacking at once.

Staffel 4, led by Oberleutnant Eberhard Jakob, and Staffel 6, led by Oberleutnant Fritz Eyer, immediately followed suit. Brown Section had been unable to attack the higher German aircraft before they commenced their bombing runs. But the Ju87s were low enough after their strikes for the Fulmars to engage. The dive-bombers plunged through the flak to strike HMS FORMIDABLE. There are conflicting reports as to whether they were carrying 500kg (1100lb) or 1000kg (2200lb) bombs. But the War Damage Report compiled by the DNO after the carrier had been repaired in Norfolk, United States, reports them to have likely been 1000kg (2200lb) weapons. And therefore had ample capacity to penetrate the armoured flight deck.

FORMIDABLE 's two Fulmars gave chase to the departing Stukas. Each claimed a Stuka destroyed. Brown Section was then forced to break away after being attacked by four Me110s. The Fulmars sought refuge within the fleet's DD screen. Brown 2's Observer had been wounded four times in the leg. In the confused swarm of attacking Ju87 and Ju88s, HMS FORMIDABLE's command staff identified at least eight aircraft making attack runs on the carrier. She was hit twice in a short space of time. Neither struck the armoured-box hangar. At that point the carrier was still operational
The Fulmars, low on ammunition and damaged, landed on the carrier at 1340 – shortly after the smoke and flames had been doused. Whether through fatigue, damage to the machine or to the ship, Brown Leader's Fulmar went into the crash barrier.

About 1352 another group closed to within gun range. This formation also turned away without dropping bombs. At 1400 a fresh group of enemy a/c were detected at 55 miles distance. It was estimated to contain 12 a/c. At 1425 the formation carried out a high-level bombing attack. Their weapons fell around DD NUBIAN and JERVIS, at that time positioned in the outer screen some 5 miles from the main body of the fleet. NUBIAN
had been hit aft and had her stern blown off. But the damage was mostly above the waterline, and she was able to continue at 20 knots.


NUBIAN in Alexandria Harbour after losing her stern to a bomb hit.

By 1542 HMS FORMIDABLE had recovered enough from her damage to fly off Fulmars. Green Section, made up of two Fulmars from 803 Sqn, took off to provide air cover. A single Fulmar of Yellow Section, also 803 Sqn, flew off as relief at 1805.

A variety of RAF a/c had appeared over the fleet from 1532 onward, but communications and identification proved difficult. CL AJAX opened fire on two Blenheim heavy fighters before the error was realised. Several flights of Hurricanes also made appearances over the fleet. The final Fulmar was landed on HMS FORMIDABLE at 2015. It had been a long day for the Med Flt.

Shortly after, the carrier was detached with HMAS, VOYAGER, VENDETTA and HMS HEREWARD for the refuge of Alexandria. HMS DECOY, which had just rendezvoused with Force A, was also assigned to the carrier's escort. The night passage was uneventful.

Shortly before dawn, at 0500, the TSRs were flown off to the FAA support base at Dekheila. What Fulmars remained airworthy were flown off to Aboukir at 0545. FORMIDABLE entered Alexandria harbour at 0715. In all, nine ratings were killed and eight wounded in the attacks. Two of the wounded later died. It would take six months to repair the FORMIDABLE.

After emergency repairs, CV FORMIDABLE departed Alexandria on 23 July and passed through the Suez Canal on 24 July. She arrived at Norfolk, Virginia for repairs on 26 August. Repairs were completed on 12 December 1941.
DD NUBIAN after emergency repairs proceeded to Port Tewfik (near Suez) arriving on 13 June. She was drydocked at Port Ibrahim from 23 July to 10 August. The DD was accompanied by damaged DD ISIS to Aden where she waited a month for the monsson season to pass. The DD arrived at Bombay on 27 September in company of DD ISIS for repairs completed in September 1942.

Red Sea/Indian Ocean
RHN gunboat VAN KINSBERGEN captured Steamer WINNIPEG (Vichy 8379 grt) east of Madagascar.


Convoy BA.2 departed Bombay, escorted by AMC KANIMBLA (RAN)_, which was detached on the 31st. The convoy arrived at Aden on 8 June.

Malta
AIR RAIDS DAWN 26 MAY TO DAWN 27 MAY 1941
Weather Fine.
1629-1644 hrs Air raid alert for nine enemy aircraft which approach to within 12 miles of the north coast. 12 Hurricanes are scrambled but the enemy turns away northwards before any encounter.
1743-1812 hrs Air raid alert for a single enemy aircraft which approaches to within sight of the east coast of Malta and then circles for some time apparently unable to sight land. One stick of bombs is dropped on the coast of Gozo. Eight Hurricanes are scrambled; no interception.
2146-2303 hrs Air raid alert for three unidentified aircraft; two approach from the north and one from the east. One from the north crosses the coast at St Paul's Bay but is driven off by a heavy anti-aircraft barrage. The other two retreat without launching any attack.
0305-0435 hrs Air raid alert for three unidentified aircraft approaching from the north east. One crosses over Gozo and passes down the Malta coast to Dingli. Flares and one bomb or mine are reported in the Mellieha Bay area.

OPERATIONS REPORTS MONDAY 26 MAY 1941

ROYAL NAVY 830 Squadron Fleet Air Arm Swordfish offensive operations.

AIR HQ Arrivals 2 Beaufighters. Departures Aircraft casualties 139 Squadron Two Blenheims 139 Squadron dropped 8 x 250lb bombs on a merchant ship at anchor, scoring three direct hits which bounce off; no damage observed. Two more Blenheims 139 Squadron attacked the same ship which was abandoned. It was hit below the water line. Three Blenheims despatched to attack two ships reported due to leave Sfax; ships seen stationary outside harbour but the Blenheims did not attack. On the return they dropped 8 x 250lb bombs on an abandoned merchant vessel, scoring near misses. All aircraft returned safely. 69 Squadron 2 Marylands patrol eastern Tunisian coast, one AM the other PM. 2 Marylands patrol eastern Sicilian coast, one AM the other PM.

LUQA Two Beaufighters arrived from Gibraltar.

27 MAY 1941
Known Reinforcements
Allied
Fairmile B ML 235
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UBOATS
Arrivals
Lorient: U-138

At Sea 27 May 1941
U-38, U-43, U-46, U-48 U-66, U-69, U-73, U-74, U-93, U-94, U-97, U-98, U-103, U-105, U-106, U-107, U-108, U-109, U-111, U 147, U-204, U-552, U-556, U-557, U-561, UA

26 boats at sea

OPERATIONS
North Sea
ML TEVIOTBANK, escort DD COTSWOLD, laid minefield BS.62 off the east coast of England.

MSW trawler EVESHAM (RN 239grt) was sunk by near misses by the LW off Yarmouth. No crew were killed in the loss.
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Northern Patrol
CLs GALATEA and AURORA arrived at Hvalfjord. On the 28th, CS.2 transferred to AURORA from CL GALATEA. GALATEA then departed Hvalfjord on the 28th for the Clyde to store and embark passengers for the Med. She arrived in the Clyde on the 30th. GALATEA continued on and arrived at Plymouth on the 31st.

Northern Waters
AA ship ALYNBANK departed Scapa Flow at 2100 and met convoy WN.32 in the Pentland Firth. Off Buchan Ness on the 28th, the ship transferred to convoy EC.25. In the early part of the morning of 29 May, the ship transferred to convoy WN.33. The convoy was taken to Methil arriving at noon on the 30th.

West Coast
CA DEVONSHIRE departed Liverpool to rejoin the Home Flt after refitting which began on 14 February. The heavy cruiser arrived at Scapa Flow on the 28th.

OB.326 departed Liverpool, escort DD SKATE and ALISMA. The corvette was detached the next day. DDs ASSINIBOINE and SALISBURY, corvettes ABELIA and ANEMONE, ASW yacht PHILANTE, and ASW trawler joined on the 23rd. The escort was detached when the convoy was dispersed on the 26th.

DD MATABELE completed repairs at Barrow. Leaving Barrow on 4 June, the destroyer ran aground on 5 June and returned for further repair. The DD was under repair until August.

CAM ship, MICHAEL E, sailed as escort to convoy OB.327. However, before she catapulted her Hurricane aircraft, she was sunk on 2 June by U.108.

Western Approaches
Steamer ROYKSUND (Nor 695 grt) was sunk by the LW in 50-46N, 5-18W.
Three crew and three gunners were lost on the steamer. Ten survivors were rescued by DD CLEVELAND.
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SW Approaches
The Final Battle


Bismarck's Final Battle Map

The sea ran high with the wind from the NW at force 8 (34-40 knots). On board the BISMARCK, the atmosphere was tense. The crew knew it was only a matter of time before the British engaged them with heavy ships. The BISMARCK was steering against the wind at seven knots. The flooding in the stern compartments had reduced the bow trim although the ship had a slight list to port. At 0833, KGV and RODNEY altered their course to 110º, and ten minutes later at 0843, they sighted the BISMARCKat 23,000 25,150 yds.

KGV and RODNEY drew closer to BISMARCKin line abreast, their enemy well illuminated by the morning sun in the background. RODNEY steered to the east so that her gunfire would work the length of BISMARCK, while KGV took the side. They opened fire at 0847. BISMARCKreturned fire, but her inability to steer and her list to port severely affected her shooting accuracy. She had slightly increased speed to 11 kts but this was still far too slow to be of much help to her and also made her an easy target. She was soon hit several times by the main batteries of the two RN BBs, with the CAs NORFOLK and DORSETSHIRE adding their firepower later. The first hits were made 0903, and the BISMARCK weas firing under local Fc by 0920. her main guns were silenced by 0935, and all effective resistence was over by 1000 hrs.


British shells rain down on the crippled BISMARCK just after the order to commence firing had been give

After BISMARCK's heavy guns had all been put out of action. One 16-inch (406 mm) salvo from RODNEY destroyed the forward control post, killing most of the senior officers, while other salvoes destroyed all four gun turrets. Within 40 minutes, all of BISMARCK'sguns had all been silenced, and the ship was sitting lower in the water. RODNEYnow closed to under 3000 yds to fire into the superstructure while KGV poured fire from further out; to achieve a plunging effect from a more vertical angle and be more likely to penetrate the decks.

RODNEY moving to point blank range

BISMARCKrefused to strike her colours. The BB's upper works were almost completely destroyed and although her engines were still functioning, BISMARCK was slowly settling by the stern from uncontrolled flooding with a 20 degree list to port. She no longer had any functioning guns, therefore First Officer Hans Oels ordered the men below decks to abandon ship; he instructed the engine room crews to open the ship's watertight doors and prepare scuttling charges. Gerhard Junack, the chief engineering officer, primed the charges and ordered the crew to abandon the ship. Junack and his comrades heard the demolition charges detonate as they made their way up through the various levels. It is estimated that about 800 of the 2200 man crew made it into the water. Few sailors from the lower engine spaces got out alive.

With no sign of surrender, despite the unequal struggle, the British were loath to leave BISMARCK. Their fuel and shell supplies were low.. However, when it became obvious that their enemy could not reach port, RODNEY, KING GEORGE V and the DDs were sent home. It was left to cruiser NORFOLK to fire the last torpedoes into the wrecked ship Three additional 21" torpedoes hit the BISMARCK. BISMARCKwent under the waves at 10:39 that morning.
+
BISMARCK just before sinking
BB BISMARCK (KM 50900 grt) finally rolled over and sank at 1039. It is thought that about 800 men made it alive into the water, but only 115 here rescued, rescue operations curtailed by fear of U-Boat attacks
Around 800 sailors managed to abandon the BISMARCK before she sank. The rest of the crew, many of them still alive sank with the BB. An hour later, the NORFOLK picked up 86 sailors and the DD MAORI another 25. The temperature of the water was 13º C. The British did not recover more men because there were U-boats in the area. Hours later, the U-74 rescued three more sailors.. The next day (28th), the German weather observation ship SACHSENWALD found two more.. Meanwhile, the Spanish CA CANARIAS had left the port of Ferrol at 1140 on 27 May in an attempt to rescue some survivors.. On 30 May, after a brief meeting with the SACHSENWALD the CANARIAS found two dead bodies floating in the sea which were pulled up aboard. At 1000 on the next day (31st), they were given a naval burial service and their bodies were committed to the deep. In the end, out of a crew of more than 2,200 officers, non-commissioned officers and men only 115 survived.

Following the sinking of the BISMARCK, the LW had been sent to look for Admiral Tovey's force that had run low on fuel and was on its way back home. On 28 May, the DDs TARTAR and MASHONA were attacked by LW bombers. Tribal Class DD MASHONA (RN 1854 grt) was hit by a bomb on her port side and sank with the loss of 46 men. The TARTARrescued about 170 men, including MASHONA's commander. The rest of the British fleet arrived safely in port.

Channel
Ocean boarding vessel REGISTAN, en route to Southampton for refitting, was damaged off Cape Cornwall by the LW. DDs WIVERN, VANSITTART, and WILD SWAN departed Plymouth to assist the vessel. DD WILD SWAN picked up a party of twenty in charge of T/Paymaster Sub Lt J. S. Learmond RNR. Four survivors died of wounds. DD WIVERN picked up thirty six survivors and eight dead. The St Ives lifeboat, two motor launches, and a tug was sent to assist. Cdr Divers and five men reboarded the vessel which was taken in tow. The vessel was taken to Falmouth and beached

Med/Biscay
BB BARHAM was bombed on Y turret off Kaso while covering the withdrawal of the ML ABDIEL force, with 7 men killed and six crew wounded. BARHAM departed Alexandria, after emergency repairs, on the 31st escort DDs JANUS and KANDAHAR and sloop FLAMINGO, with the 3 escorts returning to Alexandria on 1 June. The BB repaired at Durban, completed 30 July.

DDs IMPERIAL, KIMBERLEY, and HOTSPUR embarked troops for Suda Bay at Alexandria, but the sailing was cancelled.

Submarine UNBEATEN was repairing grounding damage at Malta until 4 June.

RM DD CRISPI, TBs LIRA and LINCE, and two MAS boats departed Rhodes to land troops at Sitia Bay, Crete during the night of 28/29 May.

Armed trawler THORBRYN (RN 305 grt) was sunk by the LW off Tobruk.
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Naval whaler SYVERN (RN 307 grt), on passage from Crete, was sunk by the LW. Two men were wounded .
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Steamers ANTONIOS (Gk 1187 grt) and Steamer JULIA (Gk 4352 grt) were sunk by the LW at Suda Bay. The crews were landed safely in Crete.
[NO IMAGES FOUND]

Submarine TRUANT sighted as suspicious tanker in 40-13N, 38-19W, but lost contact. The submarine was unable to regain contact.

Nth Atlantic
HX.129 departed Halifax, escort AMC CHITRAL and RCN DDs BUXTON and ST CROIX; both of which detached the next day. BHX.129 departed Bermuda on the 27th escorted by AMC RANPURA. The convoy rendezvoused with convoy HX.129 on the 31st and the RANPURA was detached. BC REPULSE joined on the 31st. On 3 June, corvettes COLINGWOOD and ORILLIA joined the convoy and were detached on 7 June. CA SUFFOLK joined the escorted on 4 June and the BC was detached. On 6 June, DDs VERITY, VETERAN, and WOLVERINE and corvettes BEGONIA and CONVOLVULUS joined and the CA was detached. DDs CHELSEA, LINCOLN, MANSFIELD, and VENOMOUS, CAM ship SPRINGBANK, corvettes ALISMA, KINGCUP and SUNFLOWER, and ASW trawler WALLARD joined. Corvette ALISMA was detached on 10 June and DDs CHELSEA, LINOLN, MANSFIELD, VETERAN, and WOLVERINE and corvette SUNFLOWER were detached on 11 June. The convoy arrived at Liverpool on 12 June.

Malta
AIR RAIDS DAWN 27 MAY TO DAWN 28 MAY 1941
Weather Fine.

0719-0745 hrs Air raid alert for two Italian SM79 bombers which approach the Island possibly on their way south for reconnaissance. Anti-aircraft guns open fire; no claims. Hurricane fighters are scrambled; no engagement.

0923-0957 hrs Air raid alert for two SM 79 bombers escorted by 12 ME 109 fighters which cross over the Island from the north at high altitude, apparently on reconnaissance, then split formation, reform to the east of the Island and recede northwards. Heavy anti-aircraft guns engage; no claims. Hurricane fighters are scrambled; no engagement.

2250-0010 hrs Air raid alert for enemy aircraft which cross over Grand Harbour singly, laying mines. Anti-aircraft guns fire one short barrage; no claims.

0025-0050 hrs Air raid alert for enemy aircraft approaching from the north. One stick of bombs is dropped on Gozo.

0335-0402 hrs Air raid alert for a single enemy bomber which crosses the Island, dropping bombs near Qormi.

OPERATIONS REPORTS TUESDAY 27 MAY 1941

AIR HQ Departures 1 Beaufighter. 69 Squadron Maryland reconnaissance east of Malta to Cape Stilo. Maryland reconnaissance southern part of eastern Tunisian coast reports convoy. Maryland sent to locate ships reported by RAF finds convoy 80 miles east of Malta, escorted by 4 SM 79s and one Cant Z501. 139 SquadronSix Blenheims (five of 82 Squadron, one of 139 Squadron) attacked a large convoy escorted by destroyers. F/Lt Fairbairn and Sgt Inman were shot down.

LUQA One Beaufighter 252 Squadron left for Middle East.

28 MAY 1941
Known Reinforcements
Allied
L Class DD HMS LIGHTNING (G-55)


Type II Hunt Class DD ORP KRAKIOWIAK (L-115)


Fairmile B MLs 216, 242, 258
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

HDMLs 1069, 1070
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Losses
U-107 sank MV PAPALEMOS (GK 3748 grt) off the coast of West Africa. The ship was on passage from Rosario to Liverpool via Freetown, with a full cargo of Argentinean grain. A crew of 29 was aboard, of whom 2 would lose their lives. At 1452 hrs the unescorted PAPALEMOS was hit on the port side by one torpedo fired by U-107. The explosion destroyed large parts of the superstructure and a lifeboat. After the crew had abandoned ship in two lifeboats the sinking was accelerated with shots from the AA guns into the waterline at 1600 hrs. The U-boat went to the lifeboats for questioning, took care of three wounded survivors and provided them cigarettes, chocolate and provisions before leaving the area on a deception course.


UBOATS
Departures
Lorient: U-101

At Sea 28 May 1941
U-38, U-43, U-46, U-48 U-66, U-69, U-73, U-74, U-93, U-94, U-97, U-98, U-101, U-103, U-105, U-106, U-107, U-108, U-109, U-111, U 147, U-204, U-552, U-556, U-557, U-561, UA

27 boats at sea

OPERATIONS
Northern Waters
DD BRIGHTON departed Scapa Flow on completion of repairs for Loch Alsh.

West Coast
OB.327 departed Liverpool, escort DDs RAMSEY and RIPLEY. RIPLEY was detached the next day. On the 29th, DD WALKER and MSWs HEBE, SEAGULL, and SHARPSHOOTER joined. The escort was detached when the convoy dispersed on 1 June.

Med/Biscay
During the night of 28/29 May, the evacuation of Crete began.

Heraklion, Force B - CLA DIDO, CLs AJAX and ORION with DDs HOTSPUR, KIMBERLEY, HEREWARD, JACKAL, DECOY, and IMPERIAL departed Alexandria on the 28th. En route on the 28th, both AJAX and IMPERIAL were near missed by the LW. Damage to AJAX also included an aerial torpedo hit which caused AJAX to return to base. DD IMPERIAL was able to continue. In this action, AJAX sustained five ratings killed and Commissioned Gunner C. N. Lewis and eighteen ratings, one dying of wounds, were wounded. Destroyer IMPERIAL had one man wounded. The force arrived at Heraklion at 2330 and set off at 0300/29th.

After lifting troops, the steering gear on GHI Class DD HMS IMPERIAL (RN 1335 grt) failed. The DD was abandoned and scuttled by DD HOTSPUR.

Bombing attacks while the force was returning badly damaged GHI Class DD HMS HEREWARD (RN 1345 grt) which was later sunk after being left. 85 ratings were taken prisoner; one dying whilst in captivity.


CL ORION was hit by LW attacks on A turret at 0900 and on the bridge at 1045. The cruiser was also near missed at 0930, causing damage. 107 of the crew were killed and 84 wounded. Of the 1100 troops on the cruiser, 155 were killed and 216 were wounded. ORION arrived at Alexandria later on the 28th. The cruiser was later taken to Simonstown for temporary repair. She departed Aden en route on 29 June. ORION was under repair at Simonstown from 14 July to 5 August. The cruiser then proceeded to Mare Island, California, where she was under repair from 5 September to 15 February 1942.

CLA DIDO was hit on B turret by a bomb. 27 ratings were killed and 10 crew were wounded and 19 soldiers were killed and 28 soldiers were wounded. DIDO arrived at Alexandria later on the 28th. DIDO departed Alexandria on the 31st. On 1 June, she arrived at Port Said. On 2 July, the cruiser arrived at Durban. She proceeded on to New York and was repaired in the Brooklyn Navy Yard completing on 31 October.

DD DECOY was damaged by a near miss. She sustained 1 crewman killed 8 were wounded. The balance of Fce B reached Alexandria on the 29th. 3408 troops were evacuated from Heraklion.

Sphakia, Force C – RAN DDs NAPIER, NIZAM, RN DDs KELVIN, and KANDAHAR departed Alexandria at the same time as Force D The group lifted 1000 men without loss.
Force C returned to Alexandria on the 29th.

Cdr G. H. Beale and Warrant Observer E. S. Wicks, from GREBE operating from Maleme, were made prisoners of war on the 29th.

Submarine PERSEUS unsuccessfully attacked a steamer in the Gulf of Nauplia.

Steamer GEORGOS (Gk 667 grt) was sunk by the LW at Candia.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Steamer AGHIA KYRIAKI (Gk 298 grt) was sunk by the LW near Cape Kephola, Crete.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

ML.1030 (RN 50 grt) was lost on passage from Suda Bay.
[NO IMAGE FOUND]

Submarine OLYMPUS arrived at Gibraltar from Malta. Submarine CLYDE departed Gibraltar for patrol in the Tyrrhenian Sea.

Central Atlantic
CL EDINBURGH intercepted steamer LECH (Ger 3290 grt), which had left Rio de Janiero on 28 April, four hundred miles north of the Azores. The steamer scuttled herself.

DDs FAULKNOR, FORESTER, FURY, and WISHART departed Gibraltar to escort Force H.into port. BC RENOWN, CV ARK ROYAL, CL SHEFFIELD, and DDs FAULKNOR, FORESTER, FURY, and WISHART arrived at Gibraltar on the 29th amid a hero's welcome home.

Submarine SEVERN sighted a submarine on the surface in 36-58N, 10-48W.

Pacific/Australia
CL LIVERPOOL departed Manila for San Francisco for repair of October 1940 bomb damage.

Malta
AIR RAIDS DAWN 28 MAY TO DAWN 29 MAY 1941
Weather Fine.

No air raids.

OPERATIONS REPORTS WEDNESDAY 28 MAY 1941

AIR HQ Departures 3 Beaufighters. 69 Squadron Maryland patrol eastern Sicilian coast including Augusta and Syracuse harbours. 2 Marylands patrol of eastern Tunisian coast AM and PM. Maryland reconnaissance Messina Harbour and approaches. 139 Squadron Two Blenheims 139 Squadron attacked a ship in Sfax harbour and blew it up.

LUQA Three Beaufighters left for the Middle East.

May 30 Friday
ATLANTIC OCEAN: German submarine U-106 sank British ship "Silveryew" near Cape Verde Islands at 0036 hours, killing 1.

German submarine U-38 sank British ship "Empire Protector" off Sierra Leone, British West Africa at 1407 hours, killing 5.

GERMANY: Grand Admiral Erich Raeder recommended to Adolf Hitler an attack on the Suez Canal in Egypt. He renewed his proposal to Hitler that there should be a 'decisive Egypt-Suez offensive for the autumn of 1941which would be more deadly to the British Empire than the capture of London.' Hitler decides that this can wait until the collapse of the Soviet Union which should happen no later than October.

MEDITERRANEAN: Unternehmen Merkur: Before dawn, British cruisers HMS "Phoebe", "Perth", "Calcutta" and "Coventry", destroyers "Janus", "Hasty" and "Jervis" and assault ship "Glengyle" (with landing craft) embark 6029 troops at Sphakia. RAF fighters protect the convoy returning to Alexandria, Egypt, keeping most German and Italian bombers at bay but enroute, they were attacked by Axis aircraft. A bomb hit on cruiser HMS "Perth" (4 crew, 2 Marines, 7 troops killed), but RAF fighter escorts prevented Axis aircraft from dealing the kind of damage they did on the previous day against a different evacuation convoy. Destroyer HMS "Kelvin", sailing north from Egypt, was damaged by a bomb enroute, killing 1. Continued Allied evacuation from Sfakia on the southern coast. Brigadier Vasey's Australian 19th Infantry Brigade covers the final evacuations at Sfakia as rearguard. Luftwaffe aircraft strafe and bomb thousands of Allied troops waiting to evacuate in the cliffs above Sphakia. Remnants of Australian 2/1 and 2/11 battalions, cut off from retreating to evacuation, surrender near Retimo. German forces advancing from the west reach 1st Fallschirmjäger Regiment at Heraklion. German forces advancing from the west link up with Italian troops on the eastern end of the island.

MIDDLE EAST: British troops of the 4th Cavalry Brigade of 1st British Cavalry Division stood at the gates of Baghdad after travelling 500 miles across the desert from Palestine. Rashid Ali, the German and Italian diplomats in Iraq, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, and members of the National Defence Government flee to Persia and then on to Germany. A cease-fire agreement was signed. The main British forces are at Ur, the force from Habbaniyah has advanced slightly.

NORTH AMERICA: HMCS "Restigouche" and "Ottawa" arrived in St John's, Newfoundland, and became the first destroyers to join the newly formed Newfoundland Escort Force.

NORTH AFRICA: East African 22nd Infantry Brigade, advancing west from Soddu, reaches Sciola in Galla-Sidamo. Italian defenders withdraw from Sciola overnight.

WESTERN FRONT: RAF Bomber Command sends 12 aircraft on coastal sweep.

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May 31 Saturday
ATLANTIC OCEAN: U-Boats were successful all across the Atlantic this day. German submarine U-69 sank British ship "Sangara" at Accra harbor, Gold Coast at 0025 hours. German submarine U-107 sank British ship "Sire" off Sierra Leone, British West Africa at 0739 hours; 3 were killed, 46 survived and were rescued by British corvette HMS "Marguerite". German submarine U-38 sank Norwegian ship "Rinda" off Liberia at 0024 hours; 13 were killed, 18 survived and were rescued by British anti-submarine trawler HMS "Pict". German submarine U-106 sank British ship "Clan MacDougall" near Cape Verde Islands at 0334 hours; 2 were killed, 85 survived. German submarine U-147 sank British ship "Gravelines" 100 miles northwest of Ireland; 11 were killed, 25 survived and were rescued by British sloop HMS "Deptford". German submarine U-204 sank small Icelandic fishing boat "Holmsteinn" northwest of Iceland at 0515 hours, killing the entire crew of 4.

US 22nd and 23rd Fighter Squadrons, both operating P-40 Warhawk fighters, was assigned to St. Croix Airfield, US Virgin Islands.

The U.S. Navy's Task Group 1 consisting of the aircraft carrier USS "Yorktown" (CV-5), the heavy cruiser USS "Vincennes" (CA-44) and the destroyers USS "Sampson" (DD-394) and USS "Gwin" (DD-433) begin a 4,500+ mile (7,424+ km) neutrality patrol voyage which concludes at Hampton Roads, Virginia on 12 June. The Yorktown Air Group consists of Fighting Squadron Forty One (VF-41), Scouting Squadrons Forty One and Forty Two (VS-41 and VS-42) and Torpedo Squadron Five (VT-5).

EASTERN EUROPE: A Soviet decree stated that children of traitors could be criminally charged after they reached the age of 15.

GERMANY: After successfully escaping the Oflag IV-C prisoner of war camp at Colditz Castle, Germany earlier in the month, British Lieutenant Anthony "Peter" Allan failed to secure assistance from the US Consulate at Vienna in occupied Austria. Giving up, he turned himself in at a local police station and was eventually returned to Colditz.

Himmler has approved Sigmund Rascher's request to submit prisoners at Dachau to pressure-chamber experiments.

The German government has urged parents in areas most affected by the war to send their children to country camps where they will be cared for by specially-trained teachers. But the church is unhappy about this evacuation and says that the camps are being used to separate children from their parents and institute "education by the state." Artur Axmann, the Reich youth leader, recently visited camps in Slovakia in an attempt to reassure parents.

MEDITERRANEAN: Unternehmen Merkur: British destroyers HMS "Napier" and HMS "Nizam" embarked 1,510 troops at Sphakia, Crete, Greece and departed before dawn for Egypt; they were attacked by Axis aircraft en route, causing minor damage. At 0600 hours, British cruiser HMS "Phoebe", minelayer HMS "Abdiel", and destroyers HMS "Jackal", HMS "Kimberley", and HMS "Hotspur" departed Alexandria, Egypt for Sphakia to evacuate more troops. On the same day, 54 senior level Allied officers, including General Freyberg, were evacuated from Crete in 2 Sunderland flying boats.

MIDDLE EAST: A British-Iraqi armistice is signed at Baghdad. The mayor of Baghdad, Iraq surrendered to British Ambassador Sir Kinahan Cornwallis at the Washash Bridge. As a sign of good faith, the British allowed the Iraqi Army to return to their barracks, and all captured equipment were returned. Both sides released captured prisoners of war with the exception of German and Italian troops captured by the British. Rashid Ali flees Baghdad. The Regent is restored. Rioting and looting in Baghdad.

Having lost all fourteen Bf-110 fighters and five He-111 bombers, Luftwaffe pilots and groundcrew escape to Syria. Remaining CR-42 fighters of Italian 155th Squadriglia depart Kirkuk for Syria enroute to Rhodes.

Grand Mufti and Rashid Ali arrives Tehran from Iraq and takes refuge in Japanese legation.

NORTH AMERICA: US Naval uniform regulations are changed today. The eagle is to face to the left in the rates comprising the Seaman Branch, Boatswain Mate, Turret Captain, Signalman, Gunners Mate, Fire Controlman, Quartermaster, Mineman and Torpedoman's Mate. All other rating badges are to have an eagle facing right.

UNITED KINGDOM: Before dawn, German bombers attacked Merseyside, England. Luftwaffe conducted the night attack against Liverpool with 130 aircraft. On their way to attack Liverpool, four German bombers from a group of some 90, lost their way and by mistake dropped their bombs on the City of Dublin in neutral Ireland. 28 were killed and 87 were wounded, while about 25 homes were destroyed and about 300 homes were seriously damaged. Germany would later offer compensation.

The voyage of the SS "Dunera", a troopship which sailed to Australia last July with 2,700 internees aboard, has led to the court martial of their British Army escort, including the commanding officer, after repeated questions in parliament. After the ship reached Australia in September, it was reported that the internees, most of them Jews who had fled from Hitler, were brutally searched. They were confined below deck during the two-month journey in squalid conditions. Some were physically assaulted. One jumped overboard. The voyage was the worst incident of several which followed a series of decisions between 12 May and 26 June 1940 to intern anyone from Germany, Austria and Italy who was in Britain, although the great majority were eager to help the war against Hitler. The court martial found three men guilty, including Major William Patrick Scott, the CO, who was severely reprimanded. His regimental sergeant major was jailed for 12 months.

Long after a bomb had exploded, the crater that remained was capable of dealing out death. A little seven year old girl, who had been playing among debris in Back Tarset Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, disappeared into a 10' deep bomb crater. An 11 year old Boy Scout tied a rope around his body and went to her rescue. He also succumbed to the fumes and some adults who had witnessed the incident called for help. Two firemen who were passing by at the time promptly entered the crater in search of the children were also overcome by the gas, so the Fire Brigade were sent for. Completely without protection against the fumes and fully aware that the previous attempts had proved fatal, Fireman Larry Young assisted by Leading Fireman Bruce descended into the crater in search of the victims. Leading Fireman Bruce collapsed in the poisonous atmosphere, but was rescued by Young, who then recovered the bodies of the other four victims. Fireman Young was invested with the George Medal on 2nd December 1941 at Buckingham Palace. Leading Fireman Bruce was commended for his part in the rescue attempt and one of the victims, Auxiliary Fireman Wanless, was awarded a posthumous commendation.

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