Need Info about a picture of Bismarck survivors.

[M.A.Soto]

Saludos

I am reading your interesting and high level forum from time ago. Now I have decided to be a member and post.

Need info and references about this picture:



Who took it?
Where it was taken and from where?
Why the faces are blotted and who made it? (I am very interested about the censorship in all pictures relative to Bismarck)
Is it cutted or is the original size?

And very important:

Is possible to get a high resolution copy of it?

If you help me I promise to post an amazing find I have on this item.

Thank you and sorry if my english is not so good, I am from Spain.

[Antonio Bonomi]

Ciao Soto and all,

The photo was taken from HMS Dorsetshire.

It was taken few minutes after the Bismarck sunk of course some like 1500-2000 meters away from the position the Bismarck went down, as the survivors had to swim to get to the British cruiser if I remember well.

I only know of 2 photos of the Bismarck survivors on water, this one you showed and the more famous one taken from very close when they were close to the Dorsetshire side.

I do not know more than this, as I have never seen the full printed photo nor the negatives, what I can think about it is that they must be property of IWM ( Imperial War Museum ) or PRO ( Public Record Office ) so you can write them and ask, usually they are very helpful and you can purchase the original full size photo.

Hope this will help you.

Ciao Antonio

[M.A.Soto]

Thank you for fast reply, Antonio.

I know the same as you, but never try on the IWM. Perhaps it is the time. But it is very funny nobody knows exactly about the original negative of this picture.
Sure no book has a caption saying were it was or where it appears the first time in history about Bismarck?
Perhaps is so clear that it shows men swimming that we assumed that it is after the Bismarck sinking from the Dosertshire. It is unquestionable.



It is time too for warm up a little the thing:

Some time ago when I saw this picture the first time I had a feeling of "see it before". It was time after when i found where. I show you.



Obviously the picture where i see it was this:

http://www.dorsetshire.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/bismarck%20from%20prince%20eugen.jpg

As you see is amazing coincidence that the place were i found this last photo in full size and figures as the only one picture there is in the site of the HMS Dorsetshire on the page dedicate to the Bismarck.

[Antonio Bonomi]

Ciao Soto and all,

OK, lets see if I can help you and drive you on the right way, at least I will try.

The first photo with Bismarck survivors shows 2 guns barrell ends of the HMS Dorsetshire ( the way I see it ).
The photo not only shows the barrells, but also some other parts of the gun mounting on the side of the British cruiser.

The second photo you showed surely shows the Prinz Eugen 105 mm heavy flak guns barrells on Grimstad Fjord with Bismarck on the background anchored.

Now it can be that the 2 guns mounting do have similar barrell ends, but you need to find more detailed photos of both ships and compare the different guns barrells you are looking at.

Hope my explanation is good enough for you to follow it thru.

Surely the Prinz Eugen guns were not there on May 27th, so the guns are different.

Ciao Antonio

[José M. Rico]

Hello fellow countryman and be welcomed,

That photo was most likely taken from the cruiser Dorsetshire. I have a larger version and it is credited Keystone. So you may try contact Keystone Press for more information.

Best regards,

José

[M.A.Soto]

Thank you for your welcome Rico.

Keystone Press. Ok thas a good data, thanks.

Antonio, I made what you say, that was why I ask for a more high resolution copy of this picture.

The mouth of the guns in the Dorsetshire is very diferent from those of PG. Even the I have figured out where it could be take and I can no see concordance. Beside English 45 FQ MK 16 HA (I think it could be that barrels) would have a longer protection and conic in form at the mouth as I see in others pictures. Main battery (8") had that design too perhaps more exagerated. HMS Maorí descarted by similar reasons in his twin barrels mounts. There are pictures in the web you could examine.

But the main question is where in the HMS Dorsetshire could it be taken from? Its difficult to see. And there is another question that the esperts in Royal Navy could answer. If the cruiser was in battle aginst Bismarck and just torpedoed her and confirm her sinking. Why are the guns covered? Is that possible inmediatly after combat?

This is only the beginning. I found a lot of things more in the picture that could drive us too far. But to be serious i need first the exact reference of the questioned photo. I will continue if you are interested in my exposition and discovery.

Saludos everybody

[Antonio Bonomi]

Ciao Soto and all,

I see what you mean and of course it is a lot interesting.

To discover further more details you need to obtain better photos.

Make all comparisons and as said look for the original source of the photo and maybe obtain a copy of it and know who owns it ( with the negative ), .. probably there are other ones too.

I always knew this was a very intriguing photo, .... go ahead as it is interesting .

Ciao Antonio

[M.A.Soto]

Now i am waiting reply from Keystone Press.

Tomorrow I will post more. Interest will increase, promissed.

[Matthias]

Interesting indeed, I'll wait for your conclusions, as long as I am unable to obtain informations about it...

[M.A.Soto]

Just arriving home... I have the answer from Keystone Press. Say it or no?

I’ve looked into our archives and couldn’t find the picture. Since it is a German ship, I would suggest that you contact Keystone in Switzerland.

I send them a copy of the picture, but perhaps they misunderstanding that as I am researching on Bismarck, it was taken from the german ship. I wrote them again clearing that and saying that it was from an English ship: HMS Dorsetshire. After all, I just contact Switzerland office. Who knows, perhaps is really a german ship

Thing is getting hot quickly, I think. Please, Rico, Could you confirm in wich place and year you have the photo as from Keystone.

[M.A.Soto]

And finally it was in Switzerland!. I have answer from Keystone office at Zurich this morning.

Indeed we have this photo in our archives. The caption information is like this: The final Drama as the Bismarck, pride of hitlers Fleet met her end. The photo is dated with 31.5. 41.
The copy I have is not of a very good quality.


As you see the wrong date give more mistery to this picture.

[M.A.Soto]

Actually 31.5.41 is when HMS Dorsetshire dissembark the survivors in North Shiels. Obviusly not the 27.5, date of the sinking. A funny mistake.