HMS HOOD. Chain reaction

Peter Howcroft · #1 (**permalink**) February 27th, 2008, 02:53 AM

I have worked for the Imperial War Museum for the last nine years and for the first three years I worked has a Yeoman on Hms Belfast. While I was on ship I met Ted Briggs who had come aboard for the handshake with a gunnery officer from the Bismark this event took place on Belfasts focastle.

After the event Ted wanted to go up to the Admirals bridge on the Belfast for a while for some reflection and I was the Yeoman on behalf of the Imperial War Museum who was asked by my deputy Director to stay and escort Mr Briggs up aloft and wait for him and when he was finished escort him back to the Quarter deck.

I grew up in school to believe that Hms Hood blew up due to a direct hit on a magazine.

I now believe that Hood was hit Mid ships and the shell penatrated the turps and paraffin store. the vapours of which swept through the ships ventalation system, forward and after of which flash and flame followed.This in due coarse swept to both A+B MAGS. and aft to X and Y mags. Hence causing a chain reaction. I have never confided this thorey before and would like to know what if anything you people on this site think.
Kind Reguards Pete

Erich · #2 (**permalink**) February 27th, 2008, 03:39 AM

well Peter believe it or not but have thought similar for about 15 years, and I still think though noting I always get hammered saying this........it was the Prinz that fired the fatal shot(s). Of course no-one would conceed that a cruiser could hope for putting the Hood out of commission, so it had to be the Bismark

ww2dude · #3 (**permalink**) February 27th, 2008, 04:46 AM

I honestly thought the Hood was hit amidships and the shell crashed through the ship and entered the aft magazine. There it below up, setting of the aft magazine. The fire swept through the ship and shot up through the funnels. The fires then moved forward and either while the ship was sinking or shortly after she sank (I believe the latter) and set off the forward magazine. I saw a documentary where they analized the sinking of the Hood (on this same program the showed how the found her and her remains). Interesting and tragic. Maybe the location of the shell hit will remain one of the many mysteries of the war. On a different note I believe it was the Bismarck that got the lucky shot. BTW is Ted Briggs still alive?

T. A. Gardner · #4 (**permalink**) February 27th, 2008, 01:40 PM

While certainly original, it is extremely unlikely that the Hood was lost in that fashion. The link below is to what is probably the most definitive argument as to the cause of that ship's loss. Note, it is a rather lenghty article, but definitely worth reading.

Loss of HMS Hood

**SouthWestPacificVet** · #5 (**permalink**) February 28th, 2008, 03:11 AM

Thank you T.A.,

Interesting read indeed.

Peter Howcroft · #6 (**permalink**) February 29th, 2008, 02:17 AM

Despite I do not know Hms Hoods layout belowe decks.The parafin and turps store on the Hms Belfast where I worked has a Yeoman are located Midships right down belowe near the piro Mag.
Directly above this were HMS Belfast secondary 4INCH MAGs.

Despite H.M.S. Hood being bigger would not have the parrafin store be located in much the same area ie Midships. directly under her secondary mags? and with her secondary guns being Bigger then Belfasts then a cordite store would have been located there too?

When Hood blew up she broke in two and sank in a V.could not this break midships have been caused by a mass egnition of her seconday mag and cordite store? and then the chain reaction I mentioned in my first posting?

Peter Howcroft · #7 (**permalink**) February 29th, 2008, 02:41 AM

Hi Erich.
Re Prinz Eugan (I think I have spelled that right?) you seem convinced that a shell from Prinz Eugan put H.M.S Hood on the bottom of the Sea.

Did not the Prinz Eugan sustain a hit herself just forward of the stern by which she slipped away into the Artic gloom.( Prinz is my favourite German ship) I know she survived the war and was surrendered to Allied forces
She was used has a target for Neclear testing at Bekini Atoll in 1945/6 Im not sure.

If I can say to you that Hms Belfast fired the torpedos that sent Sharnhorst to the bottom of the sea but she was not credited for it in her battle honours the credit was given to H.M.S Jamacia. Such is war and the heat of battle.

Peter Howcroft · #8 (**permalink**) February 29th, 2008, 02:48 AM

to..T.A.Gardner. Thanks for your reply. I do not find it convincing.But certainly it is interesting.

Peter Howcroft · #9 (**permalink**) February 29th, 2008, 03:22 AM

"Do you hear there"
Yeoman Peter Speaking.

I must add that the opinions I have mentioned above and that of any forth coming posts reguarding HMS Hoods sinking are my own views and not the views of the Imperial War Museum or that of HMS Belfast.Or the views of The HMS Hood Association.Thankyou.

Erich · #10 (**permalink**) February 29th, 2008, 03:46 AM

actually Peter I think from the Prinz Eugen crew interviews that it may have been several shells striking the Hood. Have seen enough video amongst the smoke of the battle which shows incredibly hard just whom gave the devastating blows, and yes the Eugen is also at the top of ship favorites for me as well ......... thus being in the Baltic Sea in late 44 into 1945 had friends witness her destruction of Soviet gun emplacements heeding the German withdrawls.

T. A. Gardner · #11 (**permalink**) February 29th, 2008, 01:14 PM

The link below to the HMS Hood association shows the condition of the wreck today. Note that A and B turret magazines did not detonate. The bow seperated ahead of A turret, but this is likely due to stresses during sinking or on striking the bottom rather than battle damage; the break occuring at the joint between the strength girder of the ship (ie armored box) and the unarmored bow section. Also note how the after section from Y turret to about mid-ships in the engine rooms was thoroughly destroyed. This follows the description of the detonation from Jurgen's article very closely.

H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: H.M.S. Hood Today - The July 2001 Expedition to find the wrecks of Hood and Bismarck

As a note: Peter, I took a tour of the Belfast some years ago. Is the ship still in as good a condition as it was then?

Peter Howcroft · #12 (**permalink**) March 9th, 2008, 09:34 PM

The Belfast looks has good has ever T.A. the tech staff on board along with the ships Wright officer are fighting a endless battle against rust but in gereral she lokks good