Reviewed by Charles C. Kolb, Ph.D.
The battleship Bismarck is one of the most-written about World War II Nazi German capital ships (Admiral Graf Spee and Tirpitz are close seconds). Eliminating USNS City of Bismarck (JHSV-9), often cited as Bismarck (and named after Bismarck, North Dakota, USA) and other specious references in WorldCat, there are nearly 450 citations to published books or monographs documenting the history of the German Battleship Bismarck www.worldcat.org/search?q=Bismarck+ship&qt=results_page.
Construction began 16 November 1935 at theBlohm & Voss Shipyard, Hamburg, with the keel laid down 1 July 1936, launching14 February 1929, commissioning 24 August 1940, and scuttling (or sinking) 27May 1941; “Who sank the Bismarck, the British or the Germans?” is a questionthat has perplexed naval and military historians. The authors provide the definitiveanswer in “Appendix D.” Bismarck had a brief eight-month career under CaptainErnst Lindemann with only a single eight-day offensive operation to her credit(18-27 May 1941). Four officers and 111 enlisted men survived; 2,092 officersand crew perished.
Bismarck’s design,construction, and operational history are recounted in the massive, 6.7 lb.,621-page encyclopedic volume under review here. In 26 chapters augmented by 191illustrations (images, plans, and maps — some in color), 267 tables, 607scholarly endnotes, and five appendices, the four contributors have collaboratedprofessionally over 56 years in order to document the battleship’s history. Inaddition, there is a valuable “Selected Bibliography” with 95 Primary Sources (American,British, and German documents) and 38 interviews and correspondence – mostlydrawing upon survivors’ accounts; and 121 Secondary Sources (98 books, 12articles, and six journals) accompanied by an extensively detailed 20-page“Index.”
The four contributors share onefundamental characteristic – all are long-time members of the Marine ForensicsCommittee of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers. William H.Garzke Jr. is a 1960 graduate of the University of Michigan with a degree innaval architecture and marine engineering and earned his MS degree in appliedmathematics from Adelphi University. Robert O. Dulin Jr. is a 1961 graduate ofthe U.S. Naval Academy who earned his MS in naval architecture and marineengineering from MIT. Garzke and Dulin co-authored the classic “Battleshipstrilogy” (Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 1976-95), dedicated to thebattleships of World War II. William J. Jurens spent his working careerteaching engineering graphics at the university level, and currently serves asan associate editor for WarshipInternational. James Cameron is a well-known Canadian filmmaker and adeep-sea explorer with a long-time scientific interest in Bismarck. After the wreck of Bismarckwas discovered in June 1989, the authors served as technical consultants to Dr.Robert Ballard, who led three trips to the site. James Cameron contributed achapter which provides a comprehensive overview of his deep-sea explorations onBismarck. This and other chapters areillustrated with his teams’ remarkable color photographs of the wreck annotatedthe reader with compelling, informative captions.
Thechapters are chronological arranged. For summarization, I have organized theminto four groups. Chapters 1-5 provide essential political and militarybackground. “1: The Origins of the Battleship Bismarck” summarizes the Versailles Treaty of 1919, warreparations, the Washington Naval Conference of 1921, and Anglo-German NavalTreaty of 1935. In addition, designs for battleships, armaments, and propulsionwere developed and finalized by the early 1930s, mostly with covert funding. In“2: BismarckJoins the Kriegsmarine” the construction of Bismarckand sister ship Tirpitz aredocumented and specific details as to armament, armor, propulsion plant, hullcharacteristics, radar and gun control, habitability (crew and officers’quarters) are detailed, as well as hertrials, final outfitting, and combat training. The run-up to war, navalstrengths and weaknesses, Plan Z, U-boat warfare, British codebreaking, thebeginning of the Battle of the Atlantic, and American Lend-Lease destroyerstransferred to the Royal Navy, are reviewed in “3: German Naval Developments.”Included is a brief description of the Battle of the River Plate and the lossof Admiral Graf Spee by scuttlingafter major engagements with British warships off Montevideo in December 1939 (pp.88-92). “4: Prelude to Operation Rheinübung”provides a synopsis of several German plans: Operation Sea Lion (the invasionof Britain), Operation Berlin (the Scharnhorstand Gneisenau sorties), and shifts instrategic emphasis with the deployment of U-boats and German raiders Admiral Scheer and Admiral Hipper to attack Atlantic convoys. With this background, GrandAdmiral Raeder and his staff, including Admiral Lütjens, planned Operation Rheinübung.
In chapter 5, “The Royal Navy in 1941,” the authors reviewthe strengths and weakness of Germany’s adversary which included sevenbattleships, three battle cruisers, four aircraft carriers (including Ark Royal and Victorious), and 35 cruisers. Brief biographies of three keyBritish naval officers are also recorded: Admiral Sir John Torres (commander ofthe Home Fleet at Scapa Flow), Captain John Leach (captain of Prince of Wales), and Admiral Sir JamesSomerville (commander of Force H in Gibraltar). Chapters 6-13 recount theexploits of Bismarck and initial combat engagements. “6: Operation RheinübungCommences” recounts the orders and depositions of German capital ships (damageto Gneisenau and Prince Eugen), training and systems testing,training problems, and pre-deployment operations, led to the final assembly ofthe German force at Cape Arkona on the island of Rütgen on 19 May and breakoutfrom the Baltic the next day. Swedishsurveillance of the force was passed along to the British. “7: Bismarck’sNorwegian Interlude and the British Reaction” focuses on Bismarck, Prince Eugen,and their destroyer escort that reached Bergen Norway on 21 May; their arrival wasnoted by British RAF Spitfire aerial reconnaissance. Immediately, Prince of Wales and Hood were dispatched from the Home Fleet along with Victorious (carrying Fairey Swordfishtorpedo bombers) and Force H and the First Cruiser Division deployed from Gibraltar.President Roosevelt had promised assistance so that US Navy battleships New York and Texas, already on patrol in the North Atlantic, were alerted.
“8: Prelude to Battle” documents the German breakout intothe North Atlantic. At this point in time, Hitler was notified of OperationRheinübung but was also contending with the revelation that Rudolf Hess hadjust unexpectedly flown to flown to Scotland and that the planned Germaninvasion of Crete had begun. Hitler apparently had reservations about Bismarck’s breakout and the knowledgethat the British had mined areas of the Denmark straits north of Iceland.
“9: Contact!” traces the movements of battleships Hood, Prince of Wales and cruisers Norfolkand Suffolk to intercept Bismarck. The Germans were havingdifficulty with their radar, radio, and steering rudder, while the Americansprovided 12 PBY Catalina aircraft to the British as scout planes. An “Enemy insight” message was broadcast by Prince ofWales and the Germans would soon learn of their intelligence failureregarding the location of British capital ships as both Hood and Prince of Walesunexpectedly appeared on 24 May. The authors describe the situation in theGerman ships prior to the engagement and battle plans as well as the attack thatlead to Chapter 10 “The Destruction of HMS Hood.”There is a summary of the 18 salvoes fired at Bismarck by Prince of Walesand the fateful moment when Hood was“blown up” when cordite ignited in three aft magazines. Only three men survivedfrom Hood’s 1,418 officers and men; eyewitness accounts of the ship’s “quickdemise” are reported. In addition, Prince of Wales was temporarily disabledas the Battle of the Denmark Strait broke off. In “11: Aftermath” recounts theBritish decision not to pursue, due to seven hits on Prince of Wales by Bismarckand Prince Eugen, so that the Britishship retired to dry dock for repairs in Iceland. Bismarcksuffered two serious shell hits; PrinceEugen was undamaged. The authors offer summaries of their maritime forensicanalyses and images of the damage to Hoodfrom the 2001 and 2002 underwater expeditions (the latter by James Cameron whoprovides magnificent color images. In “12: Decisions,” a detailed damageassessment of Bismarck records theloss of 1,000 of fuel and an oil trail, plus destruction to 50% of herelectrical system. Lütjens was forced to develop a new plan of action followinga damage control estimate, observing that British radar was “unexpectedlyefficient”; the German Naval Command reaction is also documented. Likewise,British Admiralty deployments of Force H, and other craft – some pulled from troopconvoy duty – were dispatched to hunt Bismarck.The force now included five battleships, two battle cruisers, two aircraftcarriers, and 11 cruisers (Cruiser Divisions One and Two). Fuel losses by Bismarck, the sinking of German supplyships and tankers, and the initiation of Operation Barbarosa (the Germaninvasion of Russia), and issues of coordinating with U-boats limited the Kriegsmarineoptions. “13: Torpedo Attack by VictoriousAircraft” by nine Swordfish torpedo bombers on 24-25 May resulted in one hitthat damaged the area of Bismarck’sstarboard boilers, but she was able to evade her pursuers and detached Prince Eugen. American naval (New York and Texas) and air assistance played a role, while the USCG Cutter Modoc was an “uninvited spectator” tothe battle.
Chapters 14-23 detailthe rediscovery and fate of Bismarck.In Chapter 14 “Bismarck Strives to Escape,” the reader learns of the plan tosail to St. Nazaire on the French coast for repairs, the deployment of 11U-boats, British intelligence intercepts from U-110, and a fateful radiotransmission from Bismarck. “15: Discovery” documents Force H and the FourthDestroyer Flotilla’s role and that of a Coastal Command PBY Catalina (commanded by US Ensign Tuck Smith) inlocating Bismarck. There is adetailed account of the British maneuvers for attack and the inadvertent andunsuccessful attack on Sheffield bySwordfish from Ark Royal – 11 duds ormisses. Chapter 12, “The Fateful Torpedo Attack,” undertaken by 15 Swordfishfrom Ark Royal is presented in greatdetail. Both German and British maneuvering, shelling, and damage control reviewsof this phase of the battles are presented. Notably, Bismarck was hampered by problems with her 105-mm antiaircraft guns.Three torpedo hits were recorded, one on Bismarck’s starboard rudder; fouraircraft were damaged. In “17: Crippled,”the 1989 Ballard and 2002 Cameron Expeditions to the Bismarck are documented by color images and line drawings. Thefigures illustrate shell and torpedo damage, resulting flooding, and details ofdamage to the steering gear, rudder, and propeller blades. German attempts torepair the steering controls were unsuccessful due to rudder damage, sealingher fate; armament, propulsion, and fire-control systems remained intact. “18:The British Destroyers Attack” recounts the events of the evening of 26 andearly morning of 27 May. Bismarck’s radar had failed and the weather worsened withheavy rain, squalls, and cloud cover. Action assessments indicate thatsubmarines U-74 and U-556 were ineffectual and Sheffield and the shipscomprising British Fourth Destroyer Flotilla were very low on fuel but that thelatter suffered only splinter damage.
Chapters 19-23 providenearly 70 detailed pages of almost minute-by-minute accounts on German repairattempts, the arrival of the cruiser Norfolk,Force H, and the British positioning forthe final battle: “19: The Final Battle: Prelude,” “20: The Final Battle:0847-0930,” “21: The Final Battle: 0930-1021.” German and British perspectives(the latter from King George V, Rodney, Norfolk, and Dorsetshire),augmented by Cameron Expedition images and descriptions from 2002, document theencounter. “Much of the battle took place at a devastating close range,”notably the Bismarck suffered fromten underwater hits by Swordfish from Victoriousand Ark Royal, and shells from Prince of Wales. The authors provide acomparative forensic account of the damages to the USS South Dakota similarly struck 22-23 November 1942. “22: The FinalBattle: Commentary” provides a forensic assessment of damage to Bismarck and heavy damage to Britishbattleship Rodney. In “23: Survivaland Aftermath,” the authors report that fires and heavy seas swept many Bismarck survivors overboard before shecapsized to port; heavy oil impeded swimming, and all wooden cutters andwhaleboats had been destroyed by shelling. Hence, 2,092 officers and men died;only 115 of Bismarck’s crew survived;defying orders, cruiser Dorsetshire pickedup 85 and destroyer Maori 24 (onedied from his wounds), three men escaped and were picked up by U-74, and two were rescued by a Germanweather ship. Bismarck’s spottedblack-and-white cat was rescued by destroyer Cossack. Prince Eugen hadescaped and remained in the Atlantic before returning unscathed to Brest,France. Remarkably, the builders model of Bismarckwas boxed and buried by her builders, Blohm & Voss, and survived the warintact — the images of this model are spectacular.
Three final chapters complete the narrative. “24: TheWreck” recounts Robert Ballard’s initial search for the wreck in 1988 and his discoveryin 1989 as well as James Cameron’s 2001 and 2002 expeditions. The detaileddescriptions and color images provide forensic evidence on the condition of thewreck, the debris field, the four detached gun turrets, impact on the seabed,downwash, trough, slide scar, and avalanche, as well as “rusticles” (first seenon Titanic, these are bioconcretionsfound on deep ocean wrecks resulting from microorganisms that consume iron). “25:Reflections” is a summary of Hitler’s reactions, an evaluation of actions byAdmiral Lütjens, technical conclusions, and comments on the loss of Hood, Swordfish aircraft, and Prince Eugen’s performance. An“Epilogue” notes that among the vessels involved in the British pursuit, fivewould be lost during World War II: Ark Royal, Prince of Wales, Repulse,cruiser Dorsetshire, and destroyer Cossack.Chapter “26: Research” documents the authors’ research before and after1985, the importance of the Titanic discovery,German and British naval perspectives, and marine forensic studies.
There are five “Appendices”: “A: Operation Order for Operation Rheinübung” – a five page English translation; two technical studies “B: HMS Rodney Gunnery Action with Bismarck” and “C: King George V 356-mm Turret Problems.” Appendix “D: The Scuttling Debate” (pp. 522-525) provides a review of the evidence on the placement of scuttling charges versus torpedo hits. The conclusion: “scuttling merely hastened an inevitable demise.” Of particular note, Captain Paul Ascher who placed the scuttling charges was also aboard the Admiral Graf Spee and was involved in setting her scuttling charges in December 1939. Lastly, “E: Bismarck’s Last Moments: Survivor Reports,” includes 31 German survivors’ oral histories – well worth reading.
This unique, comprehensive, and definitive account of Bismarck is both an encyclopedic and engrossing account of the events surrounding one of the most epic naval battles of World War II. The authors’ combined decades of experience in naval architecture and command at sea and meticulous research are unmatched in offering a forensic marine analysis of the design, operation, and loss of this ship. The sobering oral histories of the survivors add a great deal to the documentary research. The photographs in color and monochrome are distributed generously throughout the book, and James Cameron’s contributions make this an unsurpassed account.
William H. Garzke Jr., Robert O. Dulin Jr., and William J. Jurens; with James Cameron. Battleship Bismarck: A Design and Operational History. Annapolis, Naval Institute Press: 2019.
Reiviewed by Charles C. Kolb, Ph.D.
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