WINSTON CHURCHILL BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC CONVOY DUTY SINKING OF THE BISMARCK & HMS HOOD 17174
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This black & white film is an episode of "The Valiant Years". This was an outstanding documentary series based on the memoirs of Winston Churchill, directed by Anthony Bushell and John Schlesinger, narrated by Gary Merrill and with extracts from Winston Churchill's memoirs voiced by actor Richard Burton. The series ran in the United States from 1960 to 1961, in 27 30-minute episodes. This one "Struggle at Sea" is about the sinking of the supposedly unsinkable German ship, the Bismarck, by the Royal Navy during WWII. The Bismarck was Germany's most feared ship and on May 27, 1941, the Bismarck was sunk by the combined effects of shellfire, torpedo hits and deliberate scuttling. Copyright 1961.
Opening titles THE VALIANT YEARS - STRUGGLE AT SEA (:07-1:03). Adolf Hitler is seen as the Bismarck is christened and slides down the ways of Blohm & Voss shipyard in Hamburg in July 1936. Next, the year is 1940. A ship explodes as it is hit by a torpedo in the Battle of the Atlantic. Cargo continues to move in convoys (1:04-2:40). A U-boat disappears under water. Ocean waves crash as English / Royal Navy history is recounted: the Spanish Armada destroyed. Napoleonic Wars. Jutland in World War I. Discussion of the battle against the U-boats and the sinking of numerous merchant ships in July 1940-July 1941. (2:41-5:04). At 4:47 U-boats are seen in port, at 4:58 stacks of torpedoes are shown ready for use. 5:14 - British command center. At 5:31, a naval officer salutes Prime Minister Winston Churchill. American destroyers are show being turned over to the Royal Navy as part of the Lend-Lease plan. Joint British and American meeting to draw up plans for convoy protection (5:05-7:09). Battle worn ships shown in convoys. Sailors search the seas for the enemy using binoculars. German submarine wolf packs close in. German sailors ready to fire. A torpedo is fired and blows up a ship. (7:10-9:04). U-boat shown submerged. 9:57, Admiral Karl Dönitz, architect of the wolfpack strategy, is shown. Now the Bismarck, the most powerful ship in the world, enters the picture. Bismarck out at sea. Men and women wave at a ship. Resting sailors. Bismarck at sea (10:49-12:25). Commercials from the broadcast - Standard Oil Division (12:26-13:26). Bismarck at sea, racing towards English Channel. The HMS Hood, Britain's largest and fastest warship. Ships signal each other with lights. Warships sail at dusk (13:27-15:13). May 23, 1941, fogbound waters near the Denmark Straits. The Captain, of one of the ships who discovered the Bismarck, speaks on finding it. On May 24, 1941, the British battle cruiser Hood and battleship Prince of Wales intercepted it near Iceland. Ships guns are ready. A sea battle. Hood opens fire. Bismarck fires back. In a ferocious battle, the Hood exploded and sank, and all but three of the 1,421 crewmen were killed (15:14-17:44). A survivor of the Hood speaks. Churchill estate at Blenheim Palace. The Bismarck gets away but has been badly damaged and heads for the safety of Occupied France. British ships shadow the Bismarck night and day. Suddenly in the early morning they lose the ship. An officer speaks about re-discovering the Bismarck (17:45-20:14). Map shows how the British ships and Swordfish biplanes from HMS Ark Royal closed in on the Bismarck. The planes attack with torpedoes. Direct hits, the Bismarck is crippled. Kriegsmarine flag flies on the damaged ship. Daybreak in England (20:15-21:58). British ships fire at the Bismarck in a coup d'grace. Churchill reports to the House of Commons. Torpedoes launched at the ship. Bismarck capsizes, Germans swim for their lives. Two British sailors speak. British Navy Officer speaks to a large group of men (21:59-24:14). Sept 11, 1941. U.S. President understands that getting supplies to England is important. Cargo and bombs are shipped. Winston Churchill gives a thumbs up as he smokes a cigar.British flag flies. Winston Churchill walks amongst the sailors on a ship. Sailors cheer. Churchill waves his hat at them (24:15-26:02). End credits (26:03-27:04).
The Bismarck's attack run lasted 8 days in May 1941 and was codenamed Rheinübung. The plan called for the ship, along with Prinz Eugen, to break into the Atlantic Ocean and raid Allied shipping. At the Battle of the Denmark Strait, the HMS Hood was destroyed by the combined fire of Bismarck and Prinz Eugen. Prince of Wales was forced to retreat. Bismarck suffered damage from three hits to force her to head for occupied France, Bismarck was attacked by 16 Fairey Swordfish biplane torpedo bombers from HMS Ark Royal; one scored a hit that rendered the steering gear inoperable. In her final battle the following morning, the already-crippled Bismarck was engaged by two British battleships and two heavy cruisers, and sustained severe damage. The ship was scuttled to prevent her being boarded by the British.
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