Editing German battleship Bismarck (section)

==== Chase ====
[[File:Map Rheinuebung.svg|thumb|Course of ''Bismarck'' and the ships that pursued her]]
After the engagement, Lütjens reported, "Battlecruiser, probably ''Hood'', sunk. Another battleship, ''King George V'' or ''Renown'', turned away damaged. Two heavy cruisers maintain contact."{{sfn|Bercuson | Herwig |2003|p=167}} At 08:01, he transmitted a damage report and his intentions to OKM, which were to detach ''Prinz Eugen'' for commerce raiding and to make for [[Saint-Nazaire]] for repairs.{{sfn|Bercuson | Herwig |2003|p=168}} Shortly after 10:00, Lütjens ordered ''Prinz Eugen'' to fall behind ''Bismarck'' to determine the severity of the oil leakage from the bow hit. After confirming "broad streams of oil on both sides of [''Bismarck''{{'}}s] wake",{{sfn|Bercuson | Herwig |2003|p=173}} ''Prinz Eugen'' returned to the forward position.{{sfn|Bercuson | Herwig |2003|p=173}} About an hour later, the shadowing Sunderland reported the oil slick to ''Suffolk'' and ''Norfolk'', which had been joined by the damaged ''Prince of Wales''. Rear Admiral [[Frederic Wake-Walker]], the commander of the two cruisers, ordered ''Prince of Wales'' to remain behind his ships.{{sfn|Bercuson | Herwig |2003|pp=173–174}}

When [[Karl Dönitz|Dönitz]] offered the assistance of all Atlantic U-boats, Lütjens requested to set up a patrol line on the extrapolated route of ''Bismarck'' into the open Atlantic.{{Sfn|Busch|1980|p=75}} Five U-boats—{{GS|U-43|1939|2}}, {{GS|U-46|1938|2}}, {{GS|U-66|1940|2}}, {{GS|U-94|1940|2}}, and {{GS|U-557|3=2}} were ordered to take up positions south of Greenland where they were expected to make contact in the morning of 25 May. Since Lütjens had intentions to make for a French port, a second group of U-boats consisting of {{GS|U-48|1939|2}}, {{GS|U-74|1940|2}}, {{GS|U-97|1940|2}}, {{GS|U-98|1940|2}}, and {{GS|U-556|3=2}} was stationed in the [[Bay of Biscay]]. Three other U-boats—{{GS|U-73|1940|2}}, {{GS|U-93|1940|2}}, and {{GS|U-111|1940|2}}—were rushing to reinforce the trap. {{GS|U-108|1940|2}} and {{GS|U-552|3=2}} were ordered to sail from port to reinforce the Biscay group.{{Sfn|Blair|1998|pp=288–289}}{{Sfn|Rohwer|2005|p=74}}

Prime Minister [[Winston Churchill]] ordered all warships in the area to join the pursuit of ''Bismarck'' and ''Prinz Eugen''. Tovey's Home Fleet was steaming to intercept the German raiders, but on the morning of 24 May was still over {{convert|350|nmi|abbr=on}} away. The Admiralty ordered the light cruisers {{HMS|Manchester|15|2}}, {{HMS|Birmingham|C19|2}}, and {{HMS|Arethusa|26|2}} to patrol the Denmark Strait in case Lütjens attempted to retrace his route. The battleship {{HMS|Rodney|29|2}}, which had been escorting {{RMS|Britannic|1929|6}} and was due for a refit in the [[Boston Navy Yard]], joined Tovey. Two old {{sclass|Revenge|battleship|1}}s were ordered into the hunt: {{HMS|Revenge|06|2}}, from Halifax, and {{HMS|Ramillies|07|2}}, which was escorting Convoy HX 127.{{sfn|Bercuson | Herwig |2003|pp=174–175}} In all, six battleships and battlecruisers, two aircraft carriers, thirteen cruisers, and twenty-one destroyers were committed to the chase.{{sfn|Williamson|p=33}} By around 17:00, the crew aboard ''Prince of Wales'' restored nine of her ten main guns to working order, which permitted Wake-Walker to place her in the front of his formation to attack ''Bismarck'' if the opportunity arose.{{sfn|Bercuson | Herwig |2003|p=175}}

With the weather worsening, Lütjens attempted to detach ''Prinz Eugen'' at 16:40. The squall was not heavy enough to cover her withdrawal from Wake-Walker's cruisers, which continued to maintain radar contact. ''Prinz Eugen'' was therefore recalled temporarily.{{sfn|Zetterling | Tamelander |2009|pp=192–193}} The cruiser was successfully detached at 18:14. ''Bismarck'' turned around to face Wake-Walker's formation, forcing ''Suffolk'' to turn away at high speed. ''Prince of Wales'' fired twelve salvos at ''Bismarck'', which responded with nine salvos, none of which hit. The action diverted British attention and permitted ''Prinz Eugen'' to slip away. After ''Bismarck'' resumed her previous heading, Wake-Walker's three ships took up station on ''Bismarck''{{'}}s port side.{{sfn|Garzke | Dulin |1985|p=227}}

[[File:Swordfish on HMS Victorious before strike on Bismarck.jpg|thumb|The Swordfish torpedo bombers of the strike force being prepared on the deck of HMS ''Victorious'']]

Although ''Bismarck'' had been damaged in the engagement with ''Hood'' and forced to reduce speed, she was still capable of reaching {{convert|27|to|28|kn}}, the maximum speed of Tovey's {{HMS|King George V|41|2}}. Unless ''Bismarck'' could be slowed, the British would be unable to prevent her from reaching Saint-Nazaire. Shortly before 16:00 on 25 May, Tovey detached the aircraft carrier {{HMS|Victorious|R38|2}} and four light cruisers to shape a course that would position her to launch her [[torpedo bomber]]s.{{sfn|Zetterling | Tamelander |2009|pp=194–195}} At 22:00, ''Victorious'' launched the strike, which comprised nine [[Fairey Swordfish]] torpedo bombers of [[825 Naval Air Squadron]], led by Lt Cdr [[Eugene Esmonde]]. The inexperienced aviators nearly attacked ''Norfolk'' and the U.S. Coast Guard cutter {{USCGC|Modoc|WPG-46|6}} on their approach; the confusion alerted ''Bismarck''{{'}}s anti-aircraft gunners.{{sfn|Garzke | Dulin |1985|p=229}}

''Bismarck'' also used her main and secondary batteries to fire at maximum depression to create giant splashes in the paths of the incoming torpedo bombers.{{sfn|Bercuson | Herwig |2003|p=189}} None of the attacking aircraft were shot down. One of the Swordfish lost its way in the cloud and failed to attack. ''Bismarck'' evaded seven of the torpedoes launched at her, but the eighth{{Sfn|Stephen|1988|p=84}}{{Sfn|Tovey|1947|p=4853}}{{sfn|Garzke | Dulin |1985|p=229}} struck amidships on the main armoured belt, throwing one man into a bulkhead and killing him and injuring five others.{{sfn|Garzke | Dulin |1985|pp=229–230}} The explosion also caused minor damage to electrical equipment. The ship suffered more serious damage from manoeuvres to evade the torpedoes: rapid shifts in speed and course loosened [[collision mat]]s, which increased the flooding from the forward shell hole and eventually forced abandonment of the port number 2 boiler room. This loss of a second boiler, combined with fuel losses and increasing bow trim, forced the ship to slow to {{convert|16|kn}}. Divers repaired the collision mats in the bow, after which speed increased to {{convert|20|kn}}, the speed that the command staff determined was the most economical for the voyage to occupied France.{{sfn|Garzke | Dulin |1985|p=230}}

Shortly after the Swordfish departed from the scene, ''Bismarck'' and ''Prince of Wales'' engaged in a brief artillery duel. Neither scored a hit.{{sfn|Bercuson | Herwig |2003|pp=192–193}} ''Bismarck''{{'}}s damage control teams resumed work after the short engagement. The sea water that had flooded the number 2 port side boiler threatened to enter the number 4 turbo-generator feedwater system, which would have permitted saltwater to reach the turbines. The saltwater would have damaged the turbine blades and thus greatly reduced the ship's speed. By morning on 25 May, the danger had passed. The ship slowed to {{convert|12|kn}} to allow divers to pump fuel from the forward compartments to the rear tanks; two hoses were successfully connected and a few hundred tons of fuel were transferred.{{sfn|Bercuson | Herwig |2003|p=226}}

As the chase entered open waters, Wake-Walker's ships were compelled to zig-zag to avoid German U-boats that might be in the area. This required the ships to steam for ten minutes to port, then ten minutes to starboard, to keep the ships on the same base course. For the last few minutes of the turn to port, ''Bismarck'' was out of range of ''Suffolk''{{'}}s radar.{{sfn|Bercuson | Herwig |2003|pp=229–230}} At 03:00 on 25 May, Lütjens decided to abandon the plan to lure the pursuers to the U-boat trap and to head directly for France.{{Sfn|Blair|1998|p=289}} He ordered an increase to maximum speed, which at this point was {{convert|28|kn}}. He then ordered the ship to circle away to the west and then north. This manoeuvre coincided with the period during which his ship was out of radar range; ''Bismarck'' successfully broke radar contact and circled back behind her pursuers. ''Suffolk''{{'}}s captain assumed that ''Bismarck'' had broken off to the west and attempted to find her by also steaming west. After half an hour, he informed Wake-Walker, who ordered the three ships to disperse at daylight to search visually.{{sfn|Bercuson | Herwig |2003|pp=230–231}}

The Royal Navy search widened, despite the fact that many of the British ships were low on fuel. ''Victorious'' and her escorting cruisers were sent west, Wake-Walker's ships continued to the south and west, and Tovey continued to steam toward the mid-Atlantic. [[Force H]], with the aircraft carrier {{HMS|Ark Royal|91|2}} and steaming up from [[Gibraltar]], was still at least a day away.{{sfn|Bercuson | Herwig |2003|pp=232–233}} Unaware that he had shaken off Wake-Walker, Lütjens sent long radio messages to Naval Group West headquarters in Paris. The signals were intercepted by the British, from which bearings were determined. They were wrongly plotted on board ''King George V'', leading Tovey to believe that ''Bismarck'' was heading back to Germany through the Iceland-Faeroe gap, which kept his fleet on the wrong course for seven hours. By the time the mistake had been discovered, ''Bismarck'' had put a sizeable gap between herself and the British ships.{{sfn|Garzke | Dulin |1985|p=231}}

[[File:HMS Ark Royal h85716.jpg|thumb|left|The aircraft carrier {{HMS|Ark Royal|91|6}} with a flight of Swordfish overhead]]

British code-breakers were able to decrypt some of the German signals, including an order to the Luftwaffe to provide support for ''Bismarck'' making for Brest, decrypted by [[Jane Fawcett]] on 25 May 1941.{{sfn|Schudel}} The [[French Resistance]] provided the British with confirmation that Luftwaffe units were relocating there. Tovey could now turn his forces toward France to converge in areas through which ''Bismarck'' would have to pass.{{sfn|Garzke | Dulin |1985|p=232}} Two [[Consolidated Catalina]] flying boats from [[No. 209 Squadron RAF]] and [[No. 240 Squadron RAF]] based out of [[RAF Castle Archdale]] in [[Northern Ireland]] joined the search, covering areas where ''Bismarck'' might head in the attempt to reach occupied France.{{Sfn|Tovey|1947|p=4866}} At 10:30 on 26 May, a Catalina piloted by British Flying Officer Dennis Briggs and co-piloted by Ensign [[Leonard B. Smith]] of the US Navy located her, some {{convert|690|nmi|abbr=on}} northwest of Brest.{{efn|Smith was one of nine American officers assigned to the [[Royal Air Force|RAF]] as special observers.{{sfn|Miller|p=162}}}} At her current speed, she would have been close enough to reach the protection of U-boats and the Luftwaffe in less than a day. Most British forces were not close enough to stop her.{{sfn|Garzke | Dulin |1985|p=233}}

The only possibility for the Royal Navy was ''Ark Royal'' with Force H, under the command of Admiral [[James Somerville]].{{sfn|Zetterling | Tamelander |2009|p=234}} ''Victorious'', ''Prince of Wales'', ''Suffolk'' and {{HMS|Repulse|1916|2}} were forced to break off the search due to fuel shortage; the only heavy ships remaining apart from Force H were ''King George V'' and ''Rodney'', but they were too distant.{{sfn|Zetterling | Tamelander |2009|p=233}} ''Ark Royal''{{'}}s Swordfish were already searching nearby when the Catalina found her. Several torpedo bombers also located the battleship, about {{convert|60|nmi|abbr=on}} away from ''Ark Royal''. Somerville ordered an attack as soon as the Swordfish returned and were rearmed with torpedoes. He detached the cruiser {{HMS|Sheffield|C24|2}} to shadow ''Bismarck'', though ''Ark Royal''{{'}}s aviators were not informed of this.{{sfn|Zetterling | Tamelander |2009|p=235}} As a result, the Swordfish, which were armed with torpedoes equipped with magnetic [[detonator]]s, accidentally attacked ''Sheffield''. The magnetic detonators failed to work properly and ''Sheffield'' emerged unscathed.{{sfn|Zetterling | Tamelander |2009|pp=236–237}}{{Efn|The Duplex pistol could be triggered either by impact or magnetic influence. It was used in the highly successful attack on the Italian fleet at the harbour of Taranto. The pistol worked well in calm waters only.{{sfn|Stephen|1988|p=38}}}}

[[File:HMS Ark Royal Swordfish.jpg|thumb|A Swordfish returns to ''Ark Royal'' after making the torpedo attack against ''Bismarck'']]

Upon returning to ''Ark Royal'', the Swordfish loaded torpedoes equipped with contact detonators. The second attack comprised fifteen aircraft and was launched at 19:10. At 19:50, ''Ark Royal'' and ''Renown'' passed the position of ''U-556''. The U-boat was in an ideal shooting position, but had expended all torpedoes on previous operations and could not launch an attack.{{sfn|Müllenheim-Rechberg|1980b|p=149}}{{Sfn|Busch|1980|p=146}} Before attacking, the Swordfish made first contact at 20:00 with ''Sheffield'', which gave them a direction to ''Bismarck.'' They could not however find the German ship and at 20:30 asked again for direction from ''Sheffield.''{{sfn|Müllenheim-Rechberg|1980b|p=125}}{{Sfn|Busch|1980|p=107}} Finally at 20:47, the torpedo bombers began their attack descent through the clouds.{{sfn|Bercuson | Herwig |2003|pp=258–259}} As the Swordfish approached, ''Bismarck'' again fired her main battery at the aircraft, trying to catch planes in splash columns. The Swordfish then attacked; ''Bismarck'' began to turn violently as her anti-aircraft batteries engaged the bombers.{{sfn|Bercuson | Herwig |2003|pp=259–261}} One torpedo hit amidships on the port side, just below the bottom edge of the main armour belt. The force of the explosion was largely contained by the underwater protection system and the belt armour but some structural damage caused minor flooding.{{sfn|Garzke | Dulin |1985|p=234}}

The second torpedo struck ''Bismarck'' in her stern on the port side, near the port rudder shaft. The coupling on the port rudder assembly was badly damaged and the rudder became locked in a 12° turn to port. The explosion also caused much shock damage. The crew eventually managed to repair the starboard rudder but the port rudder remained jammed. A suggestion to sever the port rudder with explosives was dismissed by Lütjens, as damage to the screws would have left the battleship helpless.{{sfn|Garzke | Dulin |1985|pp=234–236}}{{sfn|Kennedy|p=211}} At 21:15, Lütjens reported that the ship was unmanoeuvrable.{{sfn|Garzke | Dulin |1985|p=237}}