20th May 2011

WEYMOUTH: Remembering the day the Bismark was sunk

By Harry Walton

SEVENTY years ago the cruiser HMS Dorsetshire fired its torpedoes to finish off the pride of the German navy, the mighty battleship Bismarck.

The action on May 27th, 1941, was the final chapter in a series of engagements which began three days before.

Bismarck had attempted to break out into the Atlantic to attack Allied convoys, but she met the battlecruiser HMS Hood and the brand new battleship HMS Prince of Wales.

Bismarck sunk HMS Hood and only three of her 1,400 crew survived, the Prince of Wales succeeding in putting two shells through Bismarck’s fuel tanks before being forced to break off the action because of battle damage.

Bismarck then gave shadowing cruisers the slip before a flying boat found her again the next day.

Swordfish torpedo biplanes then attacked the German giant and damaged her steering gear, Bismarck’s attempts to limp home to France for repairs being prevented by rudder damage.

She then ran straight in to two British battleships, HMS King George V and HMS Rodney who severely damaged the Bismarck and set her on fire.

Speaking to the View at Dorset County Museum, Weymouth naval historian Alvin Hopper said: “It was then left to HMS Dorsetshire to finish her off with torpedoes which she did.

“HMS Dorsetshire was later sent to the Indian Ocean based at Colombo in Ceylon in 1942.

“A Japanese attack was imminent and HMS Dorsetshire and fellow cruiser HMS Cornwall were ordered to Adu Atoll but without air cover.

“Japanese dive bombers spotted them and attacked and sunk both ships on April 5th, 1942.

“Only half the crew survived and they had to spend 24 hours in open boats before being spotted by an aircraft which led to them being rescued by British destroyers.

“A graphite pencil drawing of the sinking of HMS Dorsetshire and HMS Cornwall was presented by myself and artist Douglas Milne to Dorset County Museum, Dorchester in 1992 on the 50th anniversary of the sinkings.

“Dorsetshire will always be remembered as the ship which finished off the Bismarck.

“She was named after Dorset at a time when several other counties gave their names to new ships including Kent, Sussex, Devonshire and Cornwall.

“It is all part of Dorset’s rich naval history but May 27th will always be remembered as the day the Bismarck was sunk.

“An attempt was made to raise funds for a new HMS Dorsetshire.

Nothing came of it, but it is possible one of the new Type 26 global combat ships may be given her name.”

PICTURE: PENCIL DRAWING - The sinking of HMS Dorsetshire and HMS Cornwall - the drawing was presented to Dorset County Museum to mark the 50thy anniversary of their sinking

WEYMOUTH: Remembering the day the Bismark was sunk

Comments

Add new comment