"Meanwhile other units of the Royal Navy. wore taking up di positions at high speed with a view to intercepting the enemy and bringing him to action with our heavy forces, Early on the morning of May 24. IMS. Hood (Capt. Kerr, M) flying the flag of Vice Admiral L. B. Holland, with INS. Prince of Wales (Capt' J. C. Leach. RIN) in company made contact with the enemy. Action was immediately joined. During the engagement the Bismarck received damage and was at one time seen to be on fire, HATS. Hood (42.100 tons), as already nounced, received ait in a magazine fud blew up. JEM. Prince of Wales 85,000 tons) sustained slight damage.
Phe chase was continued on a south-westerly course with H.MS. Norfolk and HM. Suffolk shadowing the enemy and maintaining contact depute ait his efforts to shake "IL appeared at this time that who enemy's speed had been slightly ced and reconnaissance alreratt of the Coastal: Command reported she was Teaving a wake of all. fed by the Coastal Command and-by the "Royal Canadian Air Force stationed in Newfoundland. Tt was for unlit about 1030 am. on May 26 that the enemy was again located.
"WAL thay Ume the Bismareke was sighted by Catalina aircraft of the Eoastat Command in a position about, '560 miles West of Lands End. These ireraft were attacked, and, as a sult, Tost touch with the enemy atileship. half an hour later. But by 1146 am, the Bismarck was' sighted by. naval alreratt operating from HMS. Ark Royal (Capt. LEH. Maund, M. Only the Bismarck was seen and she was then fleeing on an easterly course.
At this time TOMS. King George Vand HIMS, Rodney were approaching the area, but were not yet sueiently close 10 bring. the enemy {o solon. As soon os the, Biamarek Getached the cruiser HAMS. Shefeld (Capt. CAA.A. Lareom) (0 make con-act with and shadow the Bismarck.
"During the afternoon, a. striking force of naval areraft was despatched from the Ark Royal to at-{ack with torpedoes, but this proved Torpedo Attacks "Shortly after 530 pin. the SheMleld" made contact with the Bismarck and proceeded to shadow her. Within 20 minufeg another striking force of Royal Naval. aircraft was flown off the Ark Royal. This force attacked successfully and tone torpedo was seen to hit the Bis-marek amidships. A second hit was obtained by a torpedo on the star board quarter.. 1¢ was subsequently reported that on being hit during this attack the Bismark made two complete circles and that her speed was again reduced. During the even-Ing some of our destroyers of the Tribal lass under the command of Capt. PI. Vian, M. In HAMS. Cossack made contact soon after 11 pin, Between 120 a.m. and 1.50 a.m. May 27 the Bismarck was attacked with" torpedoes by HIM. Zulu (Comm, H.R, Graham. R. NI, HAMS, Maori, (Comm. H. T. Armstrong, M, and HAMS. Cossack. The Cossick and Maori each hit with one torpedo. After the Maori's attack St was reported that there was 1 fire on the forecastle of the Ger man battleship, "One hour ster these attacks by our destroyers, it-was reported that the Bismarck appeared to be stopped. She was then about 400 miles due west of Brest and had been pursued by our forces for more than 1.780 miles. wag subsequently reported that the "Bismarck was again under way and had made good about eight miles and that she was capable of heavy and accurate gunfire.
Action Again Joined Final Engagement the evening of May 24, H.M.S. Prince of Wales again made contact with the enemy and action was Joined for a shory time. The German ships Monee turned away to the westward. then swung round on toa souther course with our forces still in pursuit, Other of our naval forces were now approaching the enemy and dut~ ing the. night, "naval torpedo and bombing aircraft from INS. Vie~ torious (Capt. H.C. Bovell, RAN.) de-Aivered a torpedo attack on the enemy from a considerable distance and one torpedo was seen to hit the Bismarck, WINS. Norfolk, "Suffolk andthe! Pringe of Wales continued to shadow the enemy. successfully until shortly after 3 a.m, on May 25, Touch with the enemy was now lost in the low: visibility, The enemy was then ap-South-east of the southern point of Greenland, "At daylight on May 27 another striking force of naval aircraft was dispatched from the Ark Royal. but his attack had to be cancelled owing to low visibility. Shortly after day= light." the Bismarck engaged our destroyers by gunfire. "The Norfolk. was in' action. with the Bismarck almost immediately afterwards and Nery soon the Biomarck. was being engaged by our heavy Details of this phase of the action have not yet been received. "It is known however that IMS. Dorset shire (Capt. B, C.'S. Martin. TEND was ordered to sink the "Bismarck With "torpedoes: "The Bismarck sank at 14.01 this morning.
"As far as is known at present, the only" damage sustained" by" His Majesty's ships. other than TALS. Hood, is the slight damage (o HAS. Prince of Wales already referred 10."
"Searching dispositions were at once taken up by other units of the Royal Navy. The main body of the Home Fleet under the command 'Admiral J. C. Tovey. with his. flag fying In' HAES. "King George (Capt. W. R. Paiters) was steaming at high speed in a south-westerly Girection from Northern waters. One other force under the command of Vice-Admiral "Sir James F. Somerville with is' flag flying in TINS. Renown (Capt. R. R. MeGregor. M.) was steaming north-westwards at high speed from Gibraltar.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.