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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060
Online Library of Selected Images:
-- EVENTS -- World War II in the Atlantic --
Battle of the Atlantic, 1939-1941 --
Battle of the Denmark Strait, 24 May 1941
In the early morning hours of 24 May 1941, the German battleship
Bismarck
and cruiser Prinz Eugen steamed southwesterly through the
Denmark Strait, shadowed by the British heavy cruisers Suffolk
and Norfolk. Shortly before 6AM, Prinz Eugen, which
was ahead of Bismarck, sighted ships to the southeast.
These were the Royal Navy's battlecruiser Hood,
long the World's largest warship, and battleship Prince
of Wales, a new ship that was not yet properly "shaken
down".
The British capital ships soon opened fire with their forward
turrets, while rapidly closing the range. Hood initially
fired her fifteen-inch guns at Prinz Eugen. Her consort,
which carried fourteen-inch guns, shot at Bismarck, but
neither made hits. As the British began a turn to bring their
after turrets to bear, the two Germans opened fire at Hood,
whose identity was clearly apparent. Bismarck's fifteen-inch
guns, and the much smaller eight-inchers of Prinz Eugen,
soon found the range and started hitting. Fire broke out amidships
on Hood, and at a minute past Six, immediately after Bismarck's
fourth salvo arrived, the great battlecruiser's after ammunition
magazines exploded in a jet of flame and a large cloud of smoke.
Hood's bow rose as her shattered after hull filled with
water, and she was soon gone, leaving but three survivors of her
crew of over 1400 officers and men.
The Germans shifted fire to Prince of Wales, making
three 15" and four 8" hits that seriously damaged the
British ship. She was troubled throughout the action by gun functioning
problems, but still managed to hit Bismarck with three
shells before her own damage forced her to turn away and break
off the battle. One of the three British 14" projectiles
hit Bismarck's hull forward, flooding some of the German
ship's bow compartments. Another hit low and amidships, bringing
more water into the ship. This damage, though hardly vital, left
Bismarck listing to port, down at the bow and unable to
use all her oil fuel. Her maximum speed, seakeeping ability and
range were all reduced, and she was now leaving an oil slick in
her wake. The third shell, which struck high and amidships, made
it impossible for Bismarck to launch her floatplane.
The brief Battle of the Denmark Strait, which lasted only about
seventeen minutes from opening shot to "cease fire",
caused the Germans to terminate Bismarck's sortie. After
parting ways with Prinz Eugen later in the day, she turned
southeast, toward France. The British, who already had sufficient
cause to want Bismarck eliminated, now had an additional
motive: revenge for the tragic loss of Hood and nearly
all of her crew.
This page features views of the 24 May 1941 Battle of the Denmark
Strait, between the German ships Bismarck and Prinz
Eugen and the British HMS Hood and HMS Prince of
Wales.
For more views of the Battle of the Denmark Strait, see:
Battle of the Denmark Strait--Sinking
of HMS Hood.
For other images of the German battleship Bismarck's
May 1941 Atlantic Sortie, see:
Bismarck's Atlantic Sortie,
May 1941.
Click on the small photograph to prompt
a larger view of the same image.
Photo #: NH 88404-KN (Color)
Battle of the Denmark Strait, 24 May 1941
Painting by Claus Bergen, depicting the German heavy cruiser
Prinz Eugen (center) and battleship Bismarck (left,
distance) firing on British warships Hood and Prince
of Wales.
Courtesy of the U.S. Army Chief of Military History. This painting
was returned to the Federal Republic of Germany's Navy in about
1978.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 65KB; 740 x 395 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 69722
Battle of the Denmark Strait, 24 May 1941
German battleship Bismarck firing on HMS Prince of
Wales and HMS Hood. Photographed from the heavy cruiser
Prinz Eugen, which was in the lead.
Copied from the report of officers of Prinz Eugen, with
identification by her Gunnery Officer, Paul S. Schmalenbach,
1970.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 53KB; 740 x 455 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 69723
Battle of the Denmark Strait, 24 May 1941
Fifteen-inch shells from HMS Hood hit near the German
heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen, early in the action.
Photographed from on board the German cruiser.
Copied from the report of officers of Prinz Eugen, with
identification by her Gunnery Officer, Paul S. Schmalenbach,
1970.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 51KB; 740 x 450 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 69729
Battle of the Denmark Strait, 24 May 1941
German battleship Bismarck firing on HMS Prince of
Wales, as seen from the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen,
which is steaming ahead of Bismarck.
Copied from the report of officers of Prinz Eugen, with
identification by her Gunnery Officer, Paul S. Schmalenbach,
1970.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 63KB; 740 x 440 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 69730
Battle of the Denmark Strait, 24 May 1941
German battleship Bismarck firing on HMS Prince of
Wales. Photographed from the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen.
Copied from the report of officers of Prinz Eugen, with
identification by her Gunnery Officer, Paul S. Schmalenbach,
1970.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 86KB; 740 x 450 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 69726
Battle of the Denmark Strait, 24 May 1941
German battleship Bismarck firing on HMS Prince of
Wales.
Photographed from the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen.
Copied from the report of officers of Prinz Eugen, with
identification by her Gunnery Officer, Paul S. Schmalenbach,
1970.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 103KB; 740 x 460 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 69727
Battle of the Denmark Strait, 24 May 1941
German battleship Bismarck firing on HMS Prince of
Wales.
Photographed from the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen.
Copied from the report of officers of Prinz Eugen, with
identification by her Gunnery Officer, Paul S. Schmalenbach,
1970.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 72KB; 740 x 440 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 69728
Battle of the Denmark Strait, 24 May 1941
German battleship Bismarck engaging HMS Hood and
HMS Prince of Wales. Shells from the latter are falling
short of the Bismarck, which had been hit previously and
is slightly down by the bow.
Photographed from the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen.
Copied from the report of officers of Prinz Eugen, with
identification by her Gunnery Officer, Paul S. Schmalenbach,
1970.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 62KB; 740 x 415 pixels |
 |
For more views of the Battle of the Denmark Strait, see:
Battle of the Denmark Strait--Sinking
of HMS Hood.
For other images of the German battleship Bismarck's
May 1941 Atlantic Sortie, see:
Bismarck's Atlantic Sortie,
May 1941.
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Historical Center home page.
Page made 17 December 2000
Minor text correction made 25 July 2001