US vs. German subs - which was better?

Phaedrus · 07-21-08, 09:21 PM

According to Roskill's 'The War at Sea' - the official history of the Royal Navy during the second world war; Rodney, King George V, Dorsetshire, and Norfolk all continued to fire at Bismarck after her guns were silent, and the Royal Navy Staff History "Battle Summary Number 5: Chase and Sinking of German Battleship Bismarck, 23-27 May 1941" also confirms this.

The engagement began with the first British shots at 0847, with Bismarck's last salvo fired around 0920.
Hits to the port turbine room and boiler room from Rodney (which had closed distance to 9000m - shells most likely from Rodney because King George V's "a" turret was out of action) led to the scuttling.

"These two hits and those which silenced the forward turrets and the main battery director led the Executive Officer, CDR Hans Oels, to order the scuttling of the ship (Measure V, where V = "Versenken" = Scuttling) between 0920-0930."

By 0930 Rodney had closed on Bismarck's starboard quarter to 5000m, and at 1000 had closed further to 3700 m.
King George V resumed fire with all turrets at 0954.
Rodney's last salvo was at 1014, King George V's at 1021.

She then took torpedo hits from Dorsetshire and sank at 1040.

As far as sources to suggest a combination of extensive battle damage and scuttling, see the two above, as well as Baron Burkard von Mullenheim-Reichburg's "Battleship Bismarck: A Survivor's story" (the author was the senior surviving officer on Bismarck), and Kennedy's "Pursuit: The Sinking of the Bismarck".

Also see the International Naval Research Organization's Warship International - Bismarck's Final Battle" by William Garzke Jr., and Robert Dulin Jr..
(These author's were the historical counsel for Robert Ballard's expedition)

07-21-08, 09:21 PM	#11
Phaedrus A-ganger Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 79 Downloads: 45 Uploads: 0	According to Roskill's 'The War at Sea' - the official history of the Royal Navy during the second world war; Rodney, King George V, Dorsetshire, and Norfolk all continued to fire at Bismarck after her guns were silent, and the Royal Navy Staff History "Battle Summary Number 5: Chase and Sinking of German Battleship Bismarck, 23-27 May 1941" also confirms this. The engagement began with the first British shots at 0847, with Bismarck's last salvo fired around 0920. Hits to the port turbine room and boiler room from Rodney (which had closed distance to 9000m - shells most likely from Rodney because King George V's "a" turret was out of action) led to the scuttling. "These two hits and those which silenced the forward turrets and the main battery director led the Executive Officer, CDR Hans Oels, to order the scuttling of the ship (Measure V, where V = "Versenken" = Scuttling) between 0920-0930." By 0930 Rodney had closed on Bismarck's starboard quarter to 5000m, and at 1000 had closed further to 3700 m. King George V resumed fire with all turrets at 0954. Rodney's last salvo was at 1014, King George V's at 1021. She then took torpedo hits from Dorsetshire and sank at 1040. As far as sources to suggest a combination of extensive battle damage and scuttling, see the two above, as well as Baron Burkard von Mullenheim-Reichburg's "Battleship Bismarck: A Survivor's story" (the author was the senior surviving officer on Bismarck), and Kennedy's "Pursuit: The Sinking of the Bismarck". Also see the International Naval Research Organization's Warship International - Bismarck's Final Battle" by William Garzke Jr., and Robert Dulin Jr.. (These author's were the historical counsel for Robert Ballard's expedition)