How the Bismarck Sank HMS Hood - Documentary

The Bismarck scored a hit that detonated one of the Hood’s magazines. There, I just saved you 47 minutes.

My dad was forward range finder on heavy cruiser KMS Prinz Eugen main guns. I am incredibly proud about him. He passed away in May in 2005. I would like to honor both nations sailors, who gave their lives to serve their nation. Their bravery and sacrifice is unforgotten. They may all RIP.

My Grandfather was Chief Petty Officer on the Hood during it's world tour. My Grandmother said the only time she saw her husband cry was when he heard of the loss of the Hood.

The Bismarck and it’s crew will be remembered as well as the HMS Hood

Easy: Hood: "Detonation" Bismarck: "Devastating Strike"

the hood was a battlecruiser from 1918. the bismarck was a battleship from 1939. mystery solved...

Love it when a documentary tells me they have proven something, without proving it to me. Quality work.

Just as the Hood was destroyed with 1 lucky shot, so was the Bismarck with 1 lucky torpedo that damaged the steering rudder so badly that it could not be repaired at sea. Sad story for two great ships and her crews!

Sort of ironic that the Octopus was also built in Germany.

The KMS Bismarck's strike on the HMS Hood was the golden BB. Combination of lucky gunnery, German Long Range Cannon works, and the inherent weaknesses of Heavy Captial Ship Design. War knows no nation. May both their crews rest in peace.

I knew a fellow who served aboard the Dorsetshire. He told me they got so close to the Bismark before she went down that he could hear the public address system giving orders to abandon ship. He actually recited the German phrases for me as he heard them broadcast that day. Later he served aboard the Hermes, the world's first purpose built aircraft carrier, and was aboard her when she was sunk by a Japanese air raid in the Indian Ocean. He tread water for six hours and could feel her implosions in his chest as she sank far below him. Later, he was part of the invasion force on D-Day, serving aboard a supply ship. He told me he had taken photos even though it was prohibited and asked if I would like to see them. I, of course, jumped at the chance to see these photos that had lain in a desk for nearly seventy years. He allowed me to digitally scan them and then return them. I should make a short YouTube video on them.

I went to school with a lad whos grandfather on his mothers side was one of the 3 who survived. His account was a gripping tale of deafening sound and cold, cold, cold. What a terrible loss of life!

Putting a WW1 Battlecruiser up against a WW2 Battleship was never going to be clever

Give a little credit to the German gunnery.

My Grandad Edward "Eddie" Plimbley, was on board HMS Hood, when it went down.

My Grandfather was on HMS Rodney that was launched in 1925 that was the battleship that really did sink the Bismarck. The other ships including King George V stood back while the HMS Rodney went in on what was effectively a suicide charge. Given its age, the HMS Rodney was expendable but quite formidable. Unusually, all its its main guns facing forward and had radar fire control as well as the heaviest main 16 inch guns in the Royal Navy. My Grandfather said the two massive ships were eventually only a mile part with HMS Rodney pouring fire from all its main guns and half its secondary guns (my Grandfather controlled one of those turrets). They eventually fired torpedos at Bismark from HMS Rodney which is the only instance of a battleship firing torpedos in WWII. HMS Rodney crew didn't get the credit for avenging The Hood. After limping back to the UK heavily damaged they were sent to Boston only 3 days later still heavily damaged with the crew living in terrible conditions. There was almost a mutiny. Little known fact was that the Elgin Marbles were actually in HMS Rodney's hold during the battle and were being taken to Boston for safe keeping.

RIP to the men of the Hood and the Bismarck

The Hood came to Wellington NZ around 1923 on its world tour. There is a photo of it in our harbour with St. Gerard's Monastery in the background. Awesome history.

Thanks for uploading! Such documentaries are humbling especially when people sacrifice everything to shape a better future, I Salute Them - RIP.

They didn't need proof that Hood had started the turn, Ted Briggs repeatedly stated his whole life that Holland gave the order and Briggs was right there maybe 6 feet behind him, you couldn't possibly ask for a better witness. In my mind there was never any doubt. Admiral Holland gave the correct order at the correct time and it didn't matter one little bit. RIP 1418 hero's.