24 May 1941: A German force consisting of battleship Bismarck (Kapitän zur See Ernst Lindemann) and heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen (Kapitän zur See Helmuth Brinkmann), commanded by Admiral Günther Lütjens, met up with a British force consisting of battleship HMS Prince of Wales (Captain John C Leach), battlecruiser HMS Hood (Captain Ralph Kerr CBE) and four destroyers*, under Vice-Admiral Lancelot E Holland CB, in the Denmark Strait between Greenland and Iceland.
Action began at 0552, when Hood opened fire at a range of approximately 25,000 yards. At about 0559 Hood was struck by Bismarck's fifth salvo; there was a great explosion, and within minutes Hood was gone.
There were only three survivors** out of the 1418-man crew.
HMS Hood (all pictures above) and HMS Prince of Wales (below)
Bismarck (above) and Prinz Eugen (below)
For more details, ZUI the HMS Hood Association's website. The wreck was located in the summer of 2001; photos can be seen here.
* HM Ships Electra, Echo, Icarus and Achates.
** Midshipman William Dundas (1925-1965), Able Seaman Robert Tilburn (1921-1995) and Signalman Ted Briggs (1923-TBD).
1 comment:
RIP, HMS Hood and all who sailed in her.
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