Bismarck by Zetterling Niklas & Tamelander Michael

Author:Zetterling, Niklas & Tamelander, Michael [Zetterling, Niklas & Tamelander, Michael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: History
ISBN: 9781935149828
Goodreads: 11357720
Publisher: Casemate Publishers
Published: 2009-05-26T17:03:02+00:00

CHAPTER 17

Battle in the Denmark Strait

Lütjens had absolutely no knowledge about Holland’s presence until the British squadron was so close that battle was imminent. The first indication of the enemy was received at 05.25 hours, only five minutes before the British lookouts sighted the German ships, when the hydrophones on the Prinz Eugen picked up propeller noise on the port side. Twelve minutes later a masthead was sighted, believed to be part of a British cruiser, and a few minutes later another masthead was seen, close to the first. The two ships seemed to travel at about the same speed as the Bismarck and Prinz Eugen and while Lütjens’ ships held a 220 degrees course, the enemy ships were estimated to travel at 240 degrees. Were these newcomers cruisers or perhaps heavier ships?

On board the Hood the lookouts strained their eyes to make out details of the German ships. More and more of their masts and superstructures became visible as the range gradually decreased. However, unlike Lütjens, the British commanders did not have any doubts about the identity of the ships they approached. Holland had originally intended to advance towards the German ships on their port bow, where he might remain unobserved until the last moment, but the confusion of the previous night meant that he closed on her port aft.

Furthermore, instead of being able to fire with all 18 of his heavy guns against only the four heavy guns on Bismarck’s bow, he could now only use the ten bow guns of the Hood and Prince of Wales, while the Bismarck would be able to fire with all her eight guns. He had to adjust to the altered situation and his first priority was to close the range as quickly as possible, to reduce the German advantages of better deck armour and accuracy at longer range.

As soon as the German squadron was sighted, Holland had ordered a change of course, from 240 degrees to 280 degrees and his ships now steamed directly towards the enemy ships. The British ships presented as small a silhouette as possible, so that they were a difficult target. When the range had been reduced sufficiently, Holland would turn his ships to allow all heavy guns to fire. At that point, the British ships would present larger targets, but on the other hand, the disadvantage of the Hood’s weak deck armour would be greatly reduced at the shorter range. Lütjens initially tried to avoid battle and changed course from 220 to 265 degrees.

At this stage, mistakes were made on both sides. As Bismarck and Prinz Eugen had changed positions, after the breakdown of the flagship’s radar, Holland believed that the first ship in the German squadron was the most dangerous enemy. On board the Prince of Wales, a correct identification of the German ships had been made, but Holland continued into the battle aiming at the Prinz Eugen.

For their part, the Germans were struggling to identify the enemy ships, whose steep angle of approach made their silhouettes difficult to recognise.

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