Dunmunro wrote: "A 1700lb shell that punches through multiple bulkheads will be felt as it involves a considerable transfer of energy. It seems very likely that this was the hit felt in the transmitting station and recorded on the AFCT plot. I suspect that the bridge would resonate in sympathy with the hull after an UW hit."
Paul Cadogan wrote: "This makes sense. After all, according to the Baron, Bismarck's crew felt the impact of PoW's hull hits too".
Hi Duncan, hi Paul,
the Baron was absolutely unable to feel any hit on the Bismarck from his position (see his book), despite at least one of the shells did explode in the ship..... Only people down the hull, well inside the ship, were able to feel the PoW shells.
I don't think that anybody in the PoW Compass Platform could be able to feel a shell not exploding and hitting (after being relented by the water) so low in the hull, while PoW own full armament was firing rapidly, covering any other sound/feeling. It is however possible that such a hit could affect the transmitting station.
In my poor view the only hit that could be felt in CP before the No.1 is the No.2 bouncing on the roof of the chart room behind the CP.....
Please also keep in mind that there is no time for Bismarck to have switched fire after sinking Hood, to have hit aft the PoW, and to have hit the CP with two different semi-salvo. PoW started her turn away to port at 6:01:30 under full rudder (according to her turning performances and all PoW maps), thus the order was given at around 6:01, with the CP hit landing at 6:00:50 (see the PG film showing PoW salvo 16), thus fired from BS at 6:00:30..... IMHO, it's almost impossible to insert another 15" salvo before the CP one, if we don't accept the fact that the hit corresponding to salvo 16 was the UW one, and that Capt.Leach ordered the disengagement even before the hit in CP, just after Hood explosion, as per his report comments.
"......Prior to the disaster to the Hood, I felt confident that together we could deal adequately with the Bismarck and her consort. The sinking of the Hood obviously changed the immediate situation and there were three further considerations......In all the circumstances I did not consider it sound tactics to continue single-handed the engagement..... Accordingly I turned away and broke off the action......
Bye, Alberto