The Last Days of the Bismarck
On 24-25 May the Bismarck was attacked by Swordfishes from the aircraft carrier HMS Victorious. This picture of the Bismarck was taken by one of the Swordfishes during the attack.
During the attack on 24-25 May 1941, 18 torpedoes were dropped against the Bismarck. The eighteenth and last torpedo dropped, at about 1138, hitting the belt armor in the area of the foremast on the starboard side to score the only hit. This picture probably shows the clouds of smoke from this torpedo hit. For the Bismarck the hit was of no significance.	The erratic wake left by the Bismarck after she was crippled by the Swordfish's torpedo (the attack by "Swordfishes" from the aircraft carrier Ark Royal on 26 May 1941.
Rodney (to the right) after her 180° turn to keep clear of King George V's field of fire. Bimarck is to the left of the photograph.	This photograph show the turret-high columns of water thrown up by heavy British shells behind the stern of the Bismarck.
The Bismarck continues to be pounded by the British ships.	This photograph, taken from Dorsetshire, shows the burning wreck of Bismarck near the conclusion of the battle.
One of the last photographs of the Bismarck, taken from the Dorsetshire.
This photograph shows a sea of heads floating in the oily water just after the Bismarck sank. For some reason the British censor has blotted out most of the faces.	Survivors from the Bismarck struggled to reach the safety of the Dorsetshire. Most of the survivors didn't make it as the Dorsetshire suddenly left the area because of a possible U-boat sighting.
This photograph shows the huge Normandy dry dock at the French port of St. Nazaire (which had been built for the great French liner Normandie) which Bismarck headed for, after the battle of the Denmark Strait. But the Bismarck failed in her attempt to reach St. Nazaire.

© John Asmussen, 2000 - 2014. All rights reserved.