I think I first heard of the Bismarck from the Johnny Horton song "Sink The Bismarck." I didn't realize that there was a controversy over her sinking involving the allegation that she was scuttled by her crew after being damaged by the British shelling. When a Bismarck survivor the late Baron von Müllenheim-Rechberg was asked for his opinion on the controversy in a British TV interview he said, "Both sides sank the Bismarck."
Have you seen - "The Battle of Hood & Bismarck" ? on Discovery Channel Sunday Night just gone. They sent a deep sea underwater camera sub down to the wreck. It would seem that British Torpedoes did more damage than first thought. I believe it was the cruiser HMS Dorsetshire that had the final job of sending Torpedoes in to the crippled Battleship before it sank.
I never knew about the controversy either. Did he happen to state in the interview as to why? I would have loved to have seen the show on Discovery. I am actually surprised that I missed it. I tend to watch the Discovery channel quite a bit. Maybe they will reshow it?
I wonder if that documentary is available (legally) online? It seems like more and more shows are putting episodes in online archives now.
It was the song that I knew first, as well, and when I was about 14 or 15, I bought the plastic model and spent quite some time working on that. It's long since disappeared in a move, but it was quite the ship. I wouldn't mind seeing that documentary myself one of these days.
I have seen the documentary but never heard the song ! So, for any others in the same boat as me [groan], here it is ! [YOUTUBE]KecIdlEAKhU[/YOUTUBE] Great song, but us Brits will smile at the opening words: "In May of 1941 the War had just begun" :smirk:
A few very rare color photos of Hitler inspecting the Bismarck-from my collection. Here are a few rare color photos of Hitler inspecting the Bismarck-and from the collection ;-)) Be back in a few with the photos
Hitler giving a speech during the Bismarcks commissioning: Baron Mullenheim-Rechberg is 4th from the left in this photo who is not giving the Hitler salute but a normal Military Salute.
Bismarcks 4th Gunnery Officer Baron Burkhard Frhr. von Mullenheim-Rechburg: This is a photo he signed for me back in 1999. I was priviledged to have had him as a friend for all too short of a time. Rest in Peace Baron-I miss our friendship greatly and Merry Christmas Sir.
Great picture, Hitler and Bismarck both had similar disdain for socialism, and good friends, so seeing Hitler at the front of this display is no surprise.
Thank you Stalin---and Hitler was nothing more of a showman --or-- showoff. I have others with Hitler doing similar pompous stuff. :-0)
A little late but why should it be a controversy? Clearly the British reduced the Bismarck to a mass of sinking wreckage. What import does it have if the Germans speeded the process along at the end?
More fascinated with might-have-beens. What if the Bismarck decided to chase the POW and sink her? What if it was able to hit the Rodney before its FCS was shot out of action?
What's the point in what-ifs? The fact of the matter is that it didn't chase the POW and, thanks in no little part to an old friend of mine who was Gunnery Officer on HMS Rodney at the time and actually gave the order to shoot (you never yell 'fire' on a ship.....unless there's a fire!) a broadside into the Bismarck at only three miles range - which, for a Battleship is basically point blank range -, it sank. It was also finished anyway because it's rudder was jammed.
If Bismarck had decided to "chase" the POW it is unlikely that it would have sunk her. It is likely that she and Eugen would have been sunk sooner than the historical case. Note that POW did reengage Bismarck and may have straddled her at over 30,000 yards before she was ordered to break off.
Was Royal Navy about to disengage due to fuel ending and the U-boat danger? And Bismarck was still floating even if it could not fire back. It would have been shameful if they had left the Bismarck floating even if it was done.