The Battle of the Denmark Strait: A Critical Analysis of the Bismarck’s Singular Triumph

“…well illustrated…quite readable…enthusiasts of the Bismarck and those interested in naval surface warfare episode will find this book worthwhile…” ― Naval History Magazine

To Great Britain and Germany, the Battle of the Denmark Strait came like a thunderclap in the spring of 1941. The pride of the Royal Navy, HMS Hood, was utterly destroyed, and its newest battleship, Prince of Wales, severely damaged and forced to withdraw. This was at the hands of Germany’s huge battleship Bismarck, on its first foray into North Atlantic waters. The blast of heavy shells between the behemoths resonated both in Whitehall and Berlin.

However, despite the wealth of documentary information and photographic evidence available on the battle, there continues to be controversy as to how the conflict was actually fought. This book attempts to resolve the remaining issues by a detailed technical analysis of the circumstances, while new discoveries, revealed for the first time in this book, shed new light on the battle in which the best of both navies traded salvoes and over 1,500 Royal Navy sailors were obliterated.

By carefully considering the factors affecting naval gunnery, such as flight time of shells to their target, reaction time for correcting the fall of shot, and recycle times of the various gun systems, the battle has been painstakingly reconstructed in this book within all of the established time and distance parameters. Not limited to the battle itself, the book also explores the relevant events leading up to the titanic clash, and those events associated with its aftermath.

Being a graduate mechanical engineer and professional analyst associated with fielded military weapon systems, the author is uniquely qualified to perform the analytic functions involved in the reconstruction of the battle. His last position was as staff analyst where he provided support to the Federal government in the evaluation of the U.S. Strategic Missile Defense System, and he is also author of the highly acclaimed work, Naval Shipbuilders of the World—From the Age of Sail to the Present Day.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
Dedication
Preface

PART ONE: EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE BATTLE
1. Imperial German Naval Challenge to Great Britain
2. International Naval Developments After World War I
3. The German Navy Under the Weimar Republic
4. German Naval Expansion Under the Third Reich
5. The Outbreak of World War II
6. Planning and Preparation for Operation Rhine Exercise
7. Execution of Operation Rhine Exercise
8. Precautionary measures Taken by the British
9. Final Preparations to Intercept the Bismarck

PART TWO: THE BATTLE OF THE DENMARK STRAIT
10. Initial Contact Between the Opposing Forces
11. Interception of the German Squadron
12. The British Open Fire
13. The Loss of HMS Hood
14. HMS Prince of Wales Fights Alone
15. The End of the Battle
16. British Heavy Cruiser Operations During the Battle
17. Exploits of the RAF Coastal Command During the Battle

PART THREE: EVENTS SUBSEQUENT TO THE BATTLE
18. British Forces Regroup to Pursue the Bismarck
19. Contact Lost with Prinz Eugen and the Bismarck
20. The Final Hunt for the Bismarck
21. Bismarck Is Disabled
22. Destroyer Attacks and Night Vigil
23. Bismarck Is Sunk
24. Admiralty Enquiries into the Loss of HMS Hood
25. Aftermath of the Battle
26. Subsequent Loss of Ships Involved in the Operation
27. End of the German Surface Threat to Allied Shipping
28. Postscript

APPENDICES
A. Analysis of Interception Reports
B. Analysis of Prince of Wales Salvo Plot
C. Analysis of Prinz Eugen’s War Documentation
D. Analysis of Cease Fire Times
E. Analysis of the Still Photographs of the Bismarck
F. Analysis of Bismarck Battle Film
G. Analysis of the Fatal Torpedo Hit on the Bismarck

Bibliography
Index

Being a graduate mechanical engineer and professional analyst associated with fielded military weapon systems, the author is uniquely qualified to perform the analytic functions involved in the reconstruction of the battle. His last position was as staff analyst where he provided support to the Federal government in the evaluation of the U.S. Strategic Missile Defense System, and he is also author of the highly acclaimed work, Naval Shipbuilders of the World―From the Age of Sail to the Present Day.