fired. This was a necessary precaution against hostile submarines. Worst of all, the oil tanks on the two British battleships were so low by ten o’clock that Tovey was not sure he would have enough fuel to get them home.
Impatiently the Admiral sent orders to Captain Patterson on the bridge of the King George V .
“Get closer! Get in there closer! I can’t see enough hits!”
The two battleships plowed in closer, the Rodney turning so she could fire with all her nine 16-inch guns. She also dispatched her last two torpedoes at a range of only 3,000 yards. One of them hit—the first occasion in naval history that a battleship had ever torpedoed another. The Norfolk also launched her last four torpedoes at 4,000 yards. One of them hit, but still the Bismarck did not go down.
Vice-Admiral Somerville asked for another try at it with his Swordfish from the Ark Royal . They had disabled the Bismarck in the first place. Perhaps they could finish the job!
The planes took off from the carrier at 9:25 A.M. , but as soon as they arrived over the German battleship they saw that it would be impossible to get down to launch their torpedoes. The shell fire from their own ships was too intense. The squadron leader signaled Admiral Tovey asking that he cease fire while the planes made their run to the target.
There was no reply—except from the King George V ’s anti-aircraft guns, which started to fire at the Swordfish in the belief they were German planes. Captain Patterson noticed the mistake atonce and told the officer commanding the flak guns to desist.
“Can’t you see our airmen waving at you?” he asked.
“I thought they were Huns shaking their fists at us,” the officer replied.
It was now 10:15 A.M. , and Admiral Tovey had to make a hard decision. It was absolutely imperative for him to turn his big ships home. On their dwindling oil reserves, they could make only a slow speed as it was. This would add to their peril if the German bombers and submarines attacked.
He looked over a last time at the burning wreck of the ship he had been firing at with all the guns and torpedo tubes of the fleet. She still floated. But he knew she was finished. She would never make port. Satisfied that he had destroyed her but disappointed at not having sunk her, he ordered the Rodney to form behind him as he set course northeast for Britain.
As he steered for home he sent back one last signal. If any of the cruisers or destroyers had any more torpedoes they might launch thempoint-blank in a final effort to send the battered Bismarck to the bottom.
The Dorsetshire Sinks the Bismarck
The situation at 10:30 A.M., May 27.
The cruiser Dorsetshire , which had arrived just in time to see some action, had three torpedoes left. Her skipper, Captain Martin, had not waited for the Admiral’s last order. When he saw the two big battleships turn for home he acted on his own. He closed in to within 3,500 yards. Two of his torpedoes were sent skimming toward the Bismarck ’s starboard side. One of them hit just under the remains of her bridge, toppling overwhat was left of it. The time was 10:20 A.M.
Then he circled to the port side and at 10:36 fired his last torpedo at 2,500 yards. It tore a big hole at the water line. Slowly the Bismarck , her flag still flying, heeled over to the port side and turned upside-down. Then she sank beneath the waves. The clock on the Dorsetshire bridge read 10:40 A.M.
At that moment Captain Martin took in the Admiral’s signal to try to sink the Bismarck with his remaining torpedoes. He replied that he had just done so and that the Bismarck had gone down.
The great British fleet quickly dispersed. The Ark Royal ’s Swordfish, still in the air, jettisoned their torpedoes. It was too dangerous to land with them on the carrier’s deck. When they returned they found the Ark Royal under attack by German bombers which had finally reached the scene. Vice-Admiral Somerville, as soon as the Swordfish had safely
Impatiently the Admiral sent orders to Captain Patterson on the bridge of the King George V .
“Get closer! Get in there closer! I can’t see enough hits!”
The two battleships plowed in closer, the Rodney turning so she could fire with all her nine 16-inch guns. She also dispatched her last two torpedoes at a range of only 3,000 yards. One of them hit—the first occasion in naval history that a battleship had ever torpedoed another. The Norfolk also launched her last four torpedoes at 4,000 yards. One of them hit, but still the Bismarck did not go down.
Vice-Admiral Somerville asked for another try at it with his Swordfish from the Ark Royal . They had disabled the Bismarck in the first place. Perhaps they could finish the job!
The planes took off from the carrier at 9:25 A.M. , but as soon as they arrived over the German battleship they saw that it would be impossible to get down to launch their torpedoes. The shell fire from their own ships was too intense. The squadron leader signaled Admiral Tovey asking that he cease fire while the planes made their run to the target.
There was no reply—except from the King George V ’s anti-aircraft guns, which started to fire at the Swordfish in the belief they were German planes. Captain Patterson noticed the mistake atonce and told the officer commanding the flak guns to desist.
“Can’t you see our airmen waving at you?” he asked.
“I thought they were Huns shaking their fists at us,” the officer replied.
It was now 10:15 A.M. , and Admiral Tovey had to make a hard decision. It was absolutely imperative for him to turn his big ships home. On their dwindling oil reserves, they could make only a slow speed as it was. This would add to their peril if the German bombers and submarines attacked.
He looked over a last time at the burning wreck of the ship he had been firing at with all the guns and torpedo tubes of the fleet. She still floated. But he knew she was finished. She would never make port. Satisfied that he had destroyed her but disappointed at not having sunk her, he ordered the Rodney to form behind him as he set course northeast for Britain.
As he steered for home he sent back one last signal. If any of the cruisers or destroyers had any more torpedoes they might launch thempoint-blank in a final effort to send the battered Bismarck to the bottom.
The Dorsetshire Sinks the Bismarck
The situation at 10:30 A.M., May 27.
The cruiser Dorsetshire , which had arrived just in time to see some action, had three torpedoes left. Her skipper, Captain Martin, had not waited for the Admiral’s last order. When he saw the two big battleships turn for home he acted on his own. He closed in to within 3,500 yards. Two of his torpedoes were sent skimming toward the Bismarck ’s starboard side. One of them hit just under the remains of her bridge, toppling overwhat was left of it. The time was 10:20 A.M.
Then he circled to the port side and at 10:36 fired his last torpedo at 2,500 yards. It tore a big hole at the water line. Slowly the Bismarck , her flag still flying, heeled over to the port side and turned upside-down. Then she sank beneath the waves. The clock on the Dorsetshire bridge read 10:40 A.M.
At that moment Captain Martin took in the Admiral’s signal to try to sink the Bismarck with his remaining torpedoes. He replied that he had just done so and that the Bismarck had gone down.
The great British fleet quickly dispersed. The Ark Royal ’s Swordfish, still in the air, jettisoned their torpedoes. It was too dangerous to land with them on the carrier’s deck. When they returned they found the Ark Royal under attack by German bombers which had finally reached the scene. Vice-Admiral Somerville, as soon as the Swordfish had safely
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