Sunderland Report

Discussions about the history of the ship, technical details, etc.

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Robert J. Winklareth
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Sunderland Report

Post by Robert J. Winklareth »

Hi all,

I want to thank Antonio for providing us the link to the H.M.S. Hood website containing the excerpt from AIR14/415, Report on the Sinking of the Bismarck, on the observations of Flight Lieutenant R.J. Vaughn of Sunderland flying boat "Z" of RAF Squadron 201 during the Battle of the Denmark Strait on 24 May 1941. Antonio has often referred to this report, but now we all have the chance to read it for ourselves.

In the report, Lieutenant Vaughn wrote: "The (Prince of Wales) fired a salvo which fell short and slightly ahead of the (Bismarck) and immediately afterwards reversed course after having laid a light smoke screen. The (Bismarck) then fired a salvo at the (Prince of Wales) and this was a very near miss with perhaps one hit near the stern." The ships were not identified by name at the time, but were later positively identified by their relative position, hence the parentheses.

Vaughn went on to say: "This was the most accurate I had observed during the action, the previous bursts from the enemy appearing to be well ahead, but with range correct, and those from our side under or over, although in most cases, line appeared to be good." Actually, the Bismarck scored four hits from 0600-1/2 to 0602-1/2, but took no further hits from the Prince of Wales since switching targets from the Hood to the Prince of Wales at 0600-1/2.

The Sunderland came under A.A. fire from the German ships and had to take cloud cover. It then flew over the wreckage of the Hood, which sank at about 0603, but that is where the report ends. Surely the Sunderland would have remained in the area to continue providing aerial reconnaissance for the surface units of the Royal Navy as long as its fuel supply allowed. Perhaps Frank Allen can find additional information on the observations of Lieutenant Vaughn during the Battle of the Denmark Strait.

Vaughn would be the only credible eyewitness from the British side to attest to any turns made by the Bismarck after the Prince of Wales reversed course and retreated from the scene of battle. It would have been extremely difficult for anyone on the Prince of Wales to observe any turns made by the Bismarck while the Prince of Wales herself was turning and laying a smoke screen in the process.

As the report now stands, we can assume that the Bismarck remained on course after the Prince of Wales reversed course and laid a light smoke screen. From a practical point of view, it would be absolutely ludicrous to even imagine that Admiral Lutjens would actually turn away from the Prince of Wales when the Bismarck had the range on the enemy, was inflicting grievous damage on the British battleship, and was receiving no further damage to herself.

Bob