Sink The Bismarck WW2 Classic

Battle sequence in which the English ship HMS HOOD takes on the German Battleship Bismark and losses big time. True story! Update 6/28/10: typo fix. Thanks for letting us know..

[@shannonmonroe5873]

Fantastic special effects, especially for the time. The water looks great with the models...very hard to pull off and look real. They did a great job.

[@knutritter461]

They did a somewhat great job but the movements of ships, directions of fire and aim was depicted wrong. Bismarck and Prinz Eugen only fired starboard coz Hood and PoW came from that side. And btw: Hood did not recognize she shot at the wrong ship because Bismarck was not leading... against all expectations! Greetings from Germany! 😉

[@shannonmonroe5873]

I was talking purely of the special effects not the historical accuracy. Water is a extremely hard medium to work in regarding miniatures and special effects. Especially the size of the water droplets ect. I understand they use a alcohol solution to make the water disperse better. Anyway for the time fantastic special effects. But I understand what your saying.

[@knutritter461]

@@shannonmonroe5873 I agree!

[@markfryer9880]

@@shannonmonroe5873 They had similar difficulties with the same special effects and water in The Thunderbirds series. I recall watching a doco made at the time of the series and they used a shallow swimming pool in the studio to do the water scenes in.

[@carmium]

@@shannonmonroe5873 That came yesterday for a silly commercial we're working on: a desert isle with a pond(?) in the sand. I pointed out the alcohol trick but apparently the crew said they "have that in hand." I look forward to the results!

[@delavalmilker]

Compton's Encyclopedia entry describes it this way: "The Hood and the Prince of Wales moved in to engage the Bismarck. Scarcely five minutes after the first shot was fired, the Hood (then the largest battleship afloat) was literally blown to bits by a salvo from Bismark's guns. One of the German shells had apparently struck the Hood's magazine. In that tragic instant, the lives of 1415 British seamen were lost. Only three survived. The entire ship vanished from sight in less than 2 minutes."

[@KatyushaLauncher]

Hood was a Battlecruiser

[@ArcaneAzmadi]

Can't believe that, as far as I'm aware, they've only ever made one movie about the _Bismarck._

[@R4Y2k]

"Focus fire on the bismarck!" *Gunners focus on Prinz Eugen instead* "Am I a joke to you?!"

[@GeorgiaBoy1961]

MCP, my late father served in the U.S. Navy during WWII and happened to be in San Francisco harbor shortly after the German heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen was brought there. He (my father) was always impressed by how big it was - what a "monster"it was, is the term he used in his letters home to his parents.

[@venlijaypeeperalta5979]

This is the most powerfull and modern battleship in Nazy German during ww2 advance mechanism and fire power👍👍👏👏❤️

[@dovetonsturdee7033]

The later Tirpitz was slightly more powerful, but both were outmoded designs, with obsolete armour layout, 4 twin rather than three triple main turrets, outdated low angle secondary armament, and largely unprotected internal communications systems.

[@givenfirstnamefamilyfirstn3935]

Good WW1 ships.

[@venlijaypeeperalta5979]

@@dovetonsturdee7033 👍❤️

[@venlijaypeeperalta5979]

@@givenfirstnamefamilyfirstn3935 👍❤️

[@DOLRED]

70 YEARS AGO THIS DAY---THIS SCENE.

[@Peter43John]

Holland was well aware of the danger from plunging shells to his vessel: he was closing on Bismarck as fast as he could before he started to turn to starboard to fire a broadside when one unfortunately got them.😞

[@raiben4437]

Did they use big model ships for this movie?

[@RedBaron-ek4vp]

British captain: ok I’m ready to open fire British commander: ok we will wait when Bismarck fires German: captain hmmmmm I forgot to Measure the guns

[@russellwilliams1071]

This Actor playing Prince of Wales captain saw H.M.S Hood blow up and was nearly blinded.....GOD BLESS EDMUND KNIGHT....

[@Trek001]

Not only can you see the actor reliving the moment of _Hood_ 's loss (you can see him glance down and away as if having a flashback), the shell that takes out _Prince Of Wales_ 's bridge is the actual one that blinded him in real life

[@stephenhunt2806]

If you Google "Death of the Hood" on KZbin you will see a 28 minute Radio 4 documentary. It was broadcast in May 1981 on the 40th anniversary of the Battle of the Denmark Strait and was narrated by Esmond Knight.

[@stephenhunt2806]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/r5mWoaaufKx3g9U Here's something else from KZbin. Esmond appeared on This is your Life in 1957. The senior survivor of the Bismarck Baron Mullenheim Rechberg was meant to appear on it as well, but couldn't because he was ill. A few weeks later, Eamon Andrews met Esmond and his family again to discuss the show and unbeknownst to Esmond, the Baron crept up behind him in this piece and introduced himself. A great little video. While they hadn't met before, they had corresponded.

[@spears2063]

😢😢😢😢😢

[@katyalacrua6793]

ESMOND 😊

[@aydancasey1953]

That scene would have been tough on the actor playing the Captain of HMS Prince of Wales. He'd been the actual Gunnery Officer on the real Prince of Wales in the Battle against Bismarck

[@markmeader5148]

He was Esmonde Knight, and acted in many films and tv shows, like "Elizabeth R" with Glenda Jackson in 1971!

[@Adhjie]

oh so many ships named that I thought that wales sunk in Z force attack by ijn or ij airforce?

[@aydancasey1953]

@@Adhjie it was, about six months after the Battle with Bismarck

[@nitewatchman1576]

Oh my God

[@johnbradshaw7525]

@@aydancasey1953 along with HMS Repulse

[@mpw8883]

Hearing the emotion in the voice of Captain Leach when he instructs the Yeoman to ‘tell the Admiralty the Hood’s blown up,’ is even more powerful when you realise the actor playing the role - Esmond Knight - was onboard Prince of Wales, and ON the bridge as well, when not only Hood was catastrophically hit, but was badly wounded minutes later

[@gregj831]

God keep those brave men of the Hood who died doing their best for their country.

[@louise_rose]

Agree - also, there are genuine photographs taken during this battle showing what the men on deck on either side saw, which is rather amazing, given the circumstances. I remember following the 2001 expedition that finally located the wreck of the Hood off Greenland, through the site of their sponsor (UK Channel 4) and later bought a book about these two iconic ships, the battle and the wrecks.

[@nyk2000m]

In a way, he was lucky, the Prince was sent to Malaya for slaughter. By injuring himself, he didn't went with Prince to Malaya.

[@obvious-troll]

Fun fact: Captain John Leach's son, Admiral Sir Henry Leach, led the Royal Navy during the Falklands War in 1982

[@dannykamsunchungdannykamsu1750]

.

[@abcdef5414]

Notice fantastic footage of HMS Vanguard's turret interior.

[@mrx5840]

Even better playing her in World of warships....those guns are extremely accurate but her citadel above the water line is a big problem

[@mrtencza]

@@mrx5840 Beautiful ship, but not easy to play for me.

[@mrx5840]

@@mrtencza just load HE it's what the brit BB's are good with

[@lafeelabriel]

And the bridge, only partially disguised by them doing some musical chairs to try and disguise the fact the Hood's, Bismarcks, Prince of Wales (and KGV) were all taken on the Vanguard's bridge.

[@maureencora1]

Good Show.

[@larrydrozd2740]

The special effects still hold up pretty well here....I watched this as a kid every year on Frazier Thomas' Family Classics growing up in Chicago.

[@xaenon]

A pleasure to meet a fellow Chicagoan from that era!

[@chrisholland7367]

It was a bitter blow to the Royal Navy as H.M.S Hood was sunk within minutes loosing all but three of her 1,500 marines and saliors. On hearing the news that the pride of the Royal Navy had been sunk Winston Churchill himself issued the order "sink the Bismarck "

[@davidknight2104]

The graphics are more real that today because there is no CGI just miniatures, real water splashes and real explosions 👍🏻

[@welder224]

Frazier Thomas.."and now, if you're quite ready...."

[@benadam7753]

I grew up in Chicago too, every boy in my school talked about the Bismarck on Monday morning after Family Classics. The mystic of the Bismarck captured all of us!

[@frankydman]

In reality, Admiral Lutjens ordered the Bismarck not to fire, since engaging other warships was not her mission. After the British had fired a number of salvos, despite no hits on Bismarck it was Captain Lindemann who ultimately said "I will not have my ship be shot out from under my ass," and he gave the order to engage (Edited to clarify wording)

[@knutritter461]

Actually Bismarck did not take those salvoes...they did not hit. But he thought: "Enough is enough!" Greetings from Germany. 😉

[@frankydman]

Yes, you are correct, and I apologize for the wording of that comment from way back when; in retrospect I should have phrased that better. That said, it is true that Lutjens refused to give the order to fire, and it was Captain Lindemann who ultimately gave said order

[@TimMonbrod]

In the field, German commanders in battle, had the final say so, not Hitler and his Circus 🎪 of Clowns in Berlin...🇺🇲🇩🇪🇮🇪🇺🇳✝️♾️🇺🇸🌎🌍🌏🗺️🌐

[@markmewordz6860]

@@knutritter461 German gunnery ... legendary. Fair play. Brexit or not, best wishes from UK

[@8ALICAT]

Still hard to understand Lutjens's reluctance to open fire. The Hood's relatively thin deck armor meant that the longer the range, the more vulnerable she was to plunging fire. It would seem that Lutjens was momentarily stunned when he saw he was being confronted by two British capital ships, and not just heavy cruisers. As it was, the British probably got away three salvoes before the Germans even opened fire.

[@benedictodunsky2790]

Came back again today when i finally got into the Navy To think that 75 years ago Naval Battle fought with big guns and aircrafts loaded with bombs and torpedoes Nowadays it's fought with long range missile I pay my utmost respect to those brave sailors They had balls of steel fighting inside of those giant Battleships and Cruisers

[@acenavy9274]

Nahh i hate naval battles nowadays

[@benedictodunsky2790]

@@acenavy9274 naval battles today evolved from simple question " how do save our sailor lives on a battle " So that's that

[@TheT-90thatstaresintoyoursoul]

@@benedictodunsky2790 more armor

[@judithdevaney3299]

Yes the Actor was my step grandfather Esmond Knight, he was an officer on the Prince of Wales and he actually lost his left eye and was partially blinded in his right. He had a glass eye which he used to remove much to the horror of us when we were kids.

[@sh1tty167]

So your grandfather is in your mother’s side right?

[@CLASSICALFAN100]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basking_in_reflected_glory

[@miketotton1930]

Terrific actor! Watch him in "Henry V" when he was virtually blind!

[@AnnaLVajda]

My Dad had a false leg he really scared a friend of mine one night who didn't know when he took it off and put it under the coffee table to lay down on the couch she was just staring at horror and poked me in the ribs I just say yeah he does that all the time don't worry about and went back to watching TV

[@johncombs2990]

He was lucky he was injured in that battle and was recovering from his injury. Otherwise, he might have been aboard the ship when it was sunk off Malaysia by the Japanese on Dec.10.1941.

[@Aidankiwi]

BRITISH ship not English!!!!!!!!

[@mjeshaw]

3:26 Actor Esmond Knight, who plays the commander of HMS Prince of Wales, actually served on board at the time and was badly wounded,when the bridge was hit, losing one eye and being blinded in the other, although he regained some sight in it after 2 years. It must have taken courage on his part to relive that battle scene during the making of this film.

[@WornoutRNPARAMEDIC]

Took a man who was ALL MAN to go back and portray that Navy Commander.

[@mikekemp9877]

he is the sailor leaning over the binnacle that knight as the captain helps! the galass hit him in his eyes.

[@martinmcgrath9750]

Very brave man Great service to his country

[@ripsnorter185]

What a legend

[@JevansUK]

@@mikekemp9877 knight wasn't on the compass platform he was that the air defence position to the aft of the CP on the open part of the bridge level

[@borninjordan7448]

Fun fact: The man who plays the Captain of the Prince of Wales witnessed the Hood blowing up in real life. He was a Petty Officer on PoW and partially blinded. Esmond Knight.

[@78jeen]

+Gabriel Cox Photography The fact is not so fun, but interesting, thanks.

[@georgehudgin1733]

Gabriel Cox Photography in

[@mrtencza]

You can actually see the scar to.

[@MrAlias-oc8uk]

From Petty Officer to Captain! Best promotion ever!

[@ridzuannurain_z3811]

And after that prince of wales rest forever in malaya sea..

[@thesparduck117]

To think this happened 75 years ago today.

[@gpan62]

I've watched this movie many times. I'll always remember, "shoot!" and "fire!"

[@josemoreno3334]

Me too. Great war movie.

[@alcatraz0643]

Those old movies had charm, just actors playing great and story as real as possible. Today movie makers should learn from them.

[@JB-yb4wn]

Too stupid to learn. Could you imagine a SJW version of this movie?

[@JosephMuir-ic2nw]

Charm !!

[@simonbmr]

My dad's cousin was killed on the Hood, it devastated the whole family.

[@DukeofWellington677]

Sorry for your loss

[@bhishmaMbt]

So sorry for your loss.

[@ijnyamatoijnmushashi5116]

@@bhishmaMbt ft uss belfast bb95 They will never sunk me I'm the super largest ship

[@bhishmaMbt]

@@ijnyamatoijnmushashi5116 Bro its HMS not USS.

[@ijnyamatoijnmushashi5116]

@@bhishmaMbt uss belfast bb95 is fanmade ship

[@marblox9300]

As an American my life is not that great - but I never had to face a battleship shooting huge shells at me. I guess it's all in perspective. War is hell.

[@Hagen823]

Rest in peace, brave men of Hood and Bismarck. You both were worthy opponents and fough bravely.

[@Xingmey]

oh shut up with this begging for likes...

[@JG-tt4sz]

Brave men dying for another banker's war.

[@gregj831]

Amen!

[@JohnCampbell-rn8rz]

@@JG-tt4sz Tell the survivors of Auschwitz and Dachau and the rest of the 44,000 Nazi concentration camps and ghettos that it was just "another banker's war". My uncle didn't die for bankers. He died for freedom and if you are so cynical that that makes you laugh, you don't deserve the freedom he and millions of others gave their lives to preserve.

[@dinocrest1946]

@@JG-tt4sz WW2 was not a bankers war

[@PointyTailofSatan]

The model work in this movie is excellent, given the time the movie was made.

[@Weesel71]

Totally agree, but ... aren't they fighting the battle in reverse? BISMARCK should be firing to port and HOOD to starboard and the ordered commands for HOOD should be for port turns? Gah! Hollywood, even when it's not Hollywood.

[@hmshood1757]

@@Weesel71 Mirror, maybe?... 🤔 Greetings from the bottom of the Denmark strait! :D

[@MartyInLa]

I swear, I never get tired of watching those amazing 15" guns being loaded. I've probably watched this scene a thousand times,

[@TraceCoburn]

Seeing them in scale with the turret-crew really drives home just how BIG those things were.

[@kevinklingner3098]

I believe the Bismark had 16 inch guns which meant the English ships were under gunned. The Bismark also had heavy armour plating for protection.

[@MartyInLa]

@@kevinklingner3098 no, the Bismarck had 15" guns, same as the Hood, but bigger than the King George V 14" guns. She was also a lot newer than the Hood.

[@MartyInLa]

I was referring to the 15" guns of HMS Vanguard, which was where this scene was actually filmed.

[@z1az285]

@@MartyInLa Yes, exactly. The vanguard was a stunning ship though, certainly superior to the Bismarck in many aspects

[@lordbyron3603]

Bismarck: “... FIRE !...” Prince of Wales: “...Shoot !...”

[@don_5283]

The Royal Navy, with its lengthy tradition of wood and sail, had very strong and persistent notions that the word "fire" should be completely unambiguous.

[@lordbyron3603]

Either way is okay!

[@dallasman9892]

Was that actually an officer aboard the ships who loudly shouted "Fire/Shoot" for each salvo?

[@lordbyron3603]

@@dallasman9892 The shells from the battleships are unguided. Even with a talented gunner the accuracy of the ship's main guns was only about 32 percent at nine miles against a battleship-size target, according to a Naval War College study during World War II. When an officer on the Bridge has determined the range of the enemy ship, the word is given to the gunner crew below deck to “Fire” or “Shoot “!

[@markfryer9880]

You will note that there is a similar problem with the word Fire aboard a U-Boat and for that reason the command to launch a torpedo is Torpedo Los or just Los.

[@dravendfr]

As someone from the United States, the sinking of the Hood would be akin to us losing Enterprise in the war against Japan. It’s hard to watch footage, even re-enactments of this event, as silly as it may sound.

[@givenfirstnamefamilyfirstn3935]

Eh you lost Lexington, Yorktown, Hornet and Wasp big fleet carriers. Some later kamikazeed ships never went to sea again.

[@dallasmars2]

And they came back as newer Essex class carriers

[@matthiasjurisch2221]

My greatest respect to the British Royal Navy...we are brothers at arms...greetings from Berlin

[@thegermanempire489]

A remake of this movie would be awesome, and WG would be the perfect guys to do the animation of the ships

[@akashdutta7261]

Sinking of HMS Hood is the best feeling ever :) (please take it as offence :"3)

[@iansneddon2956]

@Brian Shotts Duty. The traditions of the German navy going back through WW I involve ships like the SMS Scharnhorst and SMS Gneisenau going down fighting, and the scuttling of the High Seas Fleet rather than letting the Allies have it. The scuttling of the Graf Spee without a further battle was an embarrassment for the Navy, and after that the standing order was to fight until the last shot that could be fired. I think it was reasonable for him to head south. The alternative was to run back to Norway or Germany which would defeat the purpose of the mission. Continuing south at best speed gave them a chance of reaching France before the Royal Navy could catch up. If not for the damage to their rudder from the Swordfish attack, they might have made it. With only engine and steering damage (Bismarck's guns were fully operational) it was premature to just surrender. It is likely Lutjens was killed early in the battle as Bismarck's bridge took a hit from a 16 inch shell about 15 minutes into the battle. So it would have been a more junior officer who gave the order to scuttle the wrecked Bismarck to free the remaining crew of their duty to not leave their posts. Most of the crew didn't make it, and many would have suffered slower more horrible deaths than the crew of the Hood. Being on a burning doomed ship with no one giving the order to surrender as their guns were silenced and their ship reduced to a gunnery practice target.

[@akashdutta7261]

@Sakkra101 yes pay 4 trillion dollars and i will

[@larrydrozd2740]

@@akashdutta7261 Wow...you're a real douche bag aren't you?

[@TheSmith1954]

Show us the true star of the film ,Dana Wynters ,She was beautiful .

[@NielsC68]

Interesting trivia: A German born actress.

[@TheSmith1954]

Niels Christiansen Correct Niels, No German blood though,Her father was British, and her Mother Hungarian I think.Even so one of the finest natural beauty's regardless of her nationality.

[@tosius2]

Drop dead gorgeous!!!

[@Brianboru88]

The use of the 15in Guns of the Vanguard added a genuine touch to the film,a pity the Vangaurd was still scrapped in 1960,of all our battleships,she was our last & biggest. This point of the film always bring a lump to my throat,although they didn't know just how Hood sank, the effect was the same, she just blew up. My Dad was a Portsmouth lad, & he vividly remembered the shock of the news around Portsmouth, she was a Pompey ship & many of the crew were local lads.

[@leeandjaq]

Vanguard actually had 14 inch guns like The POW it was The Hood and The Bismarck that had the 15 inchers also Hood was much longer than the Vanguard at 860 feet (she was bigged up the Navy as she was the last and most advanced they built, but I agree she should have been kept as museum ship not just that tiddly little cruiser Belfast.

[@leeandjaq]

Sorry my bad Yes the V did have 15 inch guns and she was heavier at full load than Hood but a good 40 feet shorter.

[@reclusiarchgrimaldus1269]

+ Romans 10:9-10 "That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved." Amen 🙏!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The man in Luke 16:24 cries: ". . .I am tormented in this FLAME." In Matthew 13:42, Jesus says: "And shall cast them into a FURNACE OF FIRE: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth." In Matthew 25:41, Jesus says: "Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting FIRE,. . ." Revelation 20:15 says, " And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the LAKE OF FIRE." And please repent of all of your sins and be baptized by the Holy Spirit before it is too late, you will never know when the time will come 🙏!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Amen 🙏!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@Dilley_G45]

You can see when the turrets are trained pre battle that the ship is in a Harbour 😆

[@rattywoof5259]

@@reclusiarchgrimaldus1269 WTF has this ramble got to do with a WW2 movie?

[@navblue20]

Esmond Knight the actor who played the Captain of the Prince of Wales was an actual officer on her during that battle-he was blinded in that attack and remained so for two years-his sight returned later on. It is funny how fate can happen-the Prince of Wales fought the Bismarck in May of 1941-she was sunk in Dec of the same year by the Japanese. If he had not been wounded in the 1st battle he might not have survived the 2nd one.

[@brit1066]

Strange indeed, I had an uncle who was in the RAF he was a crew member in Hampden bombers very early in WW II. His aircraft crash landed returning from a bombing raid and he was severely injured, he was permanently crippled and was retired from flying at the age of nineteen. The rest of his crew were OK and they resumed flying immediately, however none of them survived, they were all killed in subsequent operations. My uncle was the only one to survive.

[@twinstu50]

Keith Grove Because of its narrow fuselage, the Handley Page Hampden twin engine bomber was known as 'The flying suitcase'.

[@samrobert100]

Keith Grove i would say most and all country have a democracy ..its only 2 to fear to start another one..

[@LordZontar]

Here's another twist of fate: Doctor Who actor Jon Pertwee was a crewman on HMS Hood. He was transferred out of the ship just prior to her being sent to her doom in the Denmark Straits.

[@wkbfutewc]

I had the privilege to meet Lt Cmdr (ret) Bill Dundas during my time in the navy. He was one of the three survivors of the Hood.

[@factnotfictionpeople1313]

+Eric Tull All now gone.,sadly. And so a fresh generation - without the experience of their forefathers, will start the stupidity all over again - and so it goes on........

[@maiwanda]

@@factnotfictionpeople1313 So true

[@hmshood1757]

Wait, why are we fireing reversely? Is this a mirror? Greetings from the bottom of the Denmark Strait! :D

[@TimMonbrod]

Watched SINK THE BISMARCK many times on Family Classic's with Host Frazier Thomas as a kid.

[@bobg6638]

Same here!

[@peterandjunko]

This film and tora tora tora were my most looked forward to movies in the 70s. Family Classics on WGN.

[@WalterDWormack214]

Great days, great times!

[@jamesmaas7244]

Same here.

[@Fa_Qx2]

Me too...Sunday evenings WGN Chicago circa 1960s!

[@snakes3425]

@frantic1971 She was struck by a 15in shell from Bismarck's aft turrets, which ignighted the ammunition in her 4in anti-air magazine, and the fire quickly spread to the aft 15in magazine which exploded ripping the ship in half and causing her to sink very quickly, while she was going under the forward magazines exploded, blowing the bow off (according to the evidence provided by the wreck) all but 3 of her crew were killed by the explosions or were pulled down as she sank

[@BOORAGG]

Actually Hood never exploded. From the testimony of the survivors (3) the cordite actually turned the ship into a giant roman candle that burned the ship in half. Ted Briggs, one the survivors, mentioned that there never was an explosion, just that horrible pillar of flame and superheated gas. The battle footage tends to confirm this also.

[@emilbt7588]

@@BOORAGG ehm.. the roman candle was the gunpowder burning to blighty which led to a explosion. If she never exploded the, candle effect would have ceaced as the gunpowder would have burnt out

[@Uncle65788]

The Initial hit made on HMS Hood came from Prinz Oyegain. It was Prinz Oyegain whose shell made as it were first contact and made a hit on HMS Hood 4Inch Ammunition stores located rearward. There are opinions as to the actual danger of this strike however the reference of the statements coming from one of three survivors, in Ted Briggs is proving to be an interesting and useful statement.

[@alexbenis4726]

The turret scenes were filmed on HMS Vanguard, same 15 guns as HMS Hood. Vanguard was the UKs' last Battleship, all scraped now none saved for future generations.

[@mitzyismad]

Mindless bloody politicians. Just one battleship to honour so many brave young men.

[@Lagib28]

At least HMS Warspite should have been preserved.

[@craigclemens986]

Scraped, or scrapped?

[@nancyjanzen5676]

Unlike the US the third largest navy in the world is America's museum ships.

[@pix046]

Admiral Holland RIP

[@bethevenden4607]

The German saying FIRE! has been my favourite line for years

[@krampus1]

Should sound like "foyer"

[@Aiwendill]

@@krampus1 yes, because he is shouting: "feuer!"

[@BELCAN57]

And only 3 survivors..

[@robertscollick3382]

I was a young Royal Marine Bugler in the Vanguard, when scenes for this film were shot. The scenes inside the 15 inch turret was obviously Y Turret, manned by the Royal Marines. Note how everything was highly polished and gleaming, whereas the others were always covered in grease. The Royal Marines turret was always the one shown to visitors that came onboard.

[@Swlabr61]

What is the turret man saying as the shells and powder bags are rammed into the breech? Hard to understand him.

[@BELCAN57]

@@Swlabr61 Almost sounds like some sort of shorthand or code.

[@TraceCoburn]

@@BELCAN57 He's reporting each stage of loading: "Right gun: shell!" "Right gun: first half-charge!" "Right gun: second half-charge!"

[@georgebuller1914]

I always understood that it was 'X' turret that was manned by 'The Royals' - first turret aft of the superstructure/funnels? Saying that, I see after some research, that 'Y' and indeed 'B' for that matter could also be manned by Royal Marines. You learn something new everyday! :-)

[@georgebuller1914]

@@TraceCoburn Indeed he is. But if you look/listen closely, you'll see that he calls out "Right gun shell!" Twice, before calling out the charges. Didn't know they used grape shot in WWII! LOL

[@braddavis4276]

I saw this movie as very young kid with my older brother , I freaked out when the Hood was blown out of the water !

[@RajBlake7]

What made the whole scene for me, was the young British sailor at the end who said "what's happened", and someone replied "The Hood's gone". The look of shock and fear but not of panic, made the whole clip feel very real. Hood and her crew were as British as Oak, as was his reaction.

[@daniellinehan63]

I think 5000 men perished on The Hood

[@alexrebmann1253]

@@daniellinehan63 Hood had a crew of around 1500. The US Iowa's crew is around 2600.

[@JevansUK]

@@daniellinehan63 1415, out of 1418.

[@lawrencealbrecht7864]

I like when he says blimey.

[@smc1942]

A lot of this movie was filmed aboard HMS VANGUARD. Who's main battery came from WW1 ERA Battlecruisers COURAGEOUS & GLORIOUS. (They were converted to Aircraft Carriers between the Wars. Their guns went into storage for 20 years.) VANGUARD herself was a 1940's version of HOOD with better armor. Both had 8 X 15" (381mm) 42 caliber main guns & 30 knots of speed. VANGUARD had all the advantages of a 1940's built ship. Sadly they scrapped her, & KG5, DoY, etc. Especially the latter two! (Every student of Naval History knows why.) ONE of them should have been saved as a memorial-ship to all Battleships & Battlecruisers of WW1 & 2.

[@MrBrandonXP]

Same for the Bismarck's crew. They were hit by 400 shells and a large amount of torpedos.

[@mrnegatively5125]

Pay back for the hood the Japanese sank the prince if whales and the king George the fifth who took part in the sinking of the Bismarck was the last British battle ship to fire her main guns during WW2.

[@mikearakelian6368]

But you can't tell by looking at Bismarck on the bottom... Hull looks nearly intact; snd can only see a few large caliber hits... Hull is in amazing shape!

[@kairopalmer5109]

@@mrnegatively5125 Bismarck was only defending herself from Hood. And Duke of York used its gun against scharnhorst.

[@daneelolivaw602]

@@mikearakelian6368 The wreck of Bismarc is missing it's stern, it has never been found, (the missing section came away where the Torpedo that damaged the rudder had hit) when it sank.

[@krampus1]

@@mikearakelian6368 She was actually scuttled after main guns became inoperative.

[@nemosis9449]

My dad was in the RN and was at Portsmouth waiting to join a ship, in the queue of sailors the PO went down the line counting them out and stopped at the man in front and said to my dad "sorry son you just missed the Hood its the Warspite for you", talk about lucky.

[@barryguerrero6480]

HMS Warspite was an amazing pit bull of a ship, having performed brilliantly in the Mediterranean. She still holds the record for the longest ship to ship gun strike - a staggering 26,000 yards!

[@Strelnikov403]

I would infinitely rather have been assigned to Warspite than Hood. Hood was one of the most miserable ships in the entire RN, constantly wet, cold, and with an ungodly tendency to pitch and heave in rough seas that would turn the stomaches of even the most seasoned seamen. Warspite on the other hand led a fairly charmed life, the Fritz X in '44 aside, and served in every single naval theatre of the war - North and South Atlantic, Arctic and Indian Oceans, Pacific, and Mediterranean, and even fired the first shots of the D-Day bombardment despite being down a turret and kept afloat by a concrete plug. Imagine the stories you'd have!

[@chrismoss8006]

love this classic movie!!

[@MarsFKA]

5:15 The shell that hit Prince Of Wales on the bridge didn’t explode, but passed right through. It destroyed the compass binnacle and shrapnel from that killed everyone on the bridge except Captain Leach. Leach later reported that he saw large flames venting from Hood’s engine room air intakes, suggesting that X-turret’s cordite magazine had exploded. This was moments before Hood blew up.

[@JevansUK]

Leach wasn't the only survivor of the compass platform, the Chief Yeoman of Signals Gilbert, Navigating Officer Lt Cdr Rowell and Leading Signalman Willey were all injured.

[@MarsFKA]

@@JevansUK Okay. Thanks. Another gap in my knowledge filled in.

[@JevansUK]

@@MarsFKA Rowell remained at post until they disengaged but he was offload to a hospital in Iceland which suggests he was quite badly injured along with Esmond Knight who is playing Leech here. He was also injured by the same shell at his action station at the port air defence position which is just aft of compass platform. Knight lost his left eye and took 2 years to recover some sight in the right.

[@lafeelabriel]

Lets face it, if that shell had exploded then nobody in the superstructure would have survived.

[@dirkzoutendijk546]

@@MarsFKA h

[@trent8002003]

Very commendable for a 1960 film to try achieving the realism of shell splashes, hits and big guns firing with nothing but wooden models and a water tank! Even by modern standard, it ain't too shabby. Just imagine what grandioso of the battle scenes of the battle of Denmark Strait could be achieved if todays' CG were put to use!!!

[@somerandomguyfromthebeyond1821]

will be quite the spectacle as long as they don't overdue it

[@francistorchio]

There are some historical inaccuracies such as when the Bismarck fired it fired from the starboard side. In reality, she fired from the port side. Also, the Bismarck's captain said the Bismarck received one hit. Bismarck received three hits and was listing to port.

[@mrx5840]

As well as the fact that the turrets are from HMS Vanguard the last battleship of the royal navy

[@thesparduck117]

This is one of the few times I am in favor of a remake

[@thearsenalmisfit2414]

@@thesparduck117 They would destroy the story in a remake like they do with every other war film. The ships would charging around like speed boats and their would have to be the inevitable lovd story. Just let the movie stand on its own as is. It does the job just fine.

[@AtheAetheling]

They call Hoods destruction a lucky shot...in a sense it was, as the Hood was a battle cruiser, not a battleship like Bismark and despite their similar size and armament, Hood had thinner armour and was badly, badly in need of a complete overhaul. Its perhaps not lucky that the Bismark sunk the Hood, as I imagine that may have happened in a one on one fight, but the luck is more the Immediate, catastrophic destruction of the ship in the way it happened, when in reality it would have been a decently long fight, especially with PoW and Eugen there. Who knows what might have happened. I suspect Holland knew Hoods weaknesses and that's why he was so aggressive. He gambled. Unfortunately when you gamble, you sometimes lose. Brave men all.

[@PercyPruneMHDOIFandBars]

Admiral Holland knew HMS Hood's weaknesses. THAT'S why he rushed in. Her deck armour was too thin but her belt armour (sides) was much more substantial. So, bizarrely, she would actually have stood a better chance closer up! She was, as proven, vulnerable at longer range to plunging shot. HMS Hood was a very powerful ship, despite being old and in need of refit as you so rightly say. It WAS a lucky shot, in my opinion, because of where it landed. It managed to penetrate to one of the magazines with the inevitable result. Had it hit elsewhere, the battle would have continued. Who knows what the result would have been then? That's not taking away anything from KMS Bismarks' gunnery, which you have to admit was pretty exceptional, getting range and target so quickly. It's interesting to note how luck also played a part in KMS Bismarks' demise too. If it wasn't for the damage caused by a single torpedo dropped by a Fleet Air Arm Swordfish, the Home fleet would never have caught up. After repairs and refueling, Bismark, Scharnhorst, Gniesenau and Prinz Eugen could have all sailed together. Much consternation would ensue!

[@georgelewko3416]

Actually the shot that sank the Hood hit the magazine. Had nothing too do with it’s armor. If Bismarck was hit the same way. You’d had a same result

[@davehodges1193]

An element of luck to a degree was where the salvo hit and entering the magazine. However Bismarck's gunnery was superb, She had found her target within minutes. So had the Prince Eugen with a direct hit on the Prince Of Wales. Prince Of Wales did reply well and was instrumental in Bismarck's fate. In just a few days some three thousand men had lost their lives. A tragedy.

[@dunruden9720]

@@georgelewko3416 it is armor??

[@roscoparker1920]

I would have loved to see a "Making of :"Sink The Bismarck"" to see how they did the battle scenes with practical effects.

[@garryferrington811]

Really, really BIG miniatures. Convincing miniature ships was one of the hardest effects to pull off.

[@billcobbett9259]

"....takes on the German Battleship Bismark and losses big time" (sic). That's your summary of a naval engagement, is it? It's not a bloody video game, only 3 men survived the sinking, and that was sheer fluke.

[@paulmarchant9231]

The object of the battle was to sink the Bismarck..... That was achieved. We get this type of bull from Argies about how they gloriously sank some British ships...... We expected that, in fact we expected to lose even more, and possibly one of our carriers, but we won the war.... And we expected that, too !!!!!

[@visionist7]

@@paulmarchant9231 * Pom ships

[@e-train765]

A great movie, will always be a classic, but if ANY movie deserves a remake it's this one. A LOT of historical inaccuracies (i.e. the positioning of the ships during this battle, and obviously the personalities of Lutjens and Lindemann) also the HMS Vanguard footage was pretty fucking awesome 🤘 But seriously we need a remake of this movie.

[@mikeace5831]

I love this movie but I would love a remake

[@mikeace5831]

I want to see the Greyhound the new one in July

[@PercyPruneMHDOIFandBars]

We most certainly do NOT need a remake of this! Can you imagine the travesty modern Hollywierd would make of it?

[@barryguerrero6480]

@@PercyPruneMHDOIFandBars Agreed. And the acting would be NOWHERE as good.

[@AllenJones-w3p]

A remake would in all likelihood contain nudity, sex scenes, dirty words and graphic violence. I can get along without all that!

[@mercian7]

My Scottish next door neighbours Brother was killed on The Hood.. he was 15 years old. When she told me this she was crying and then so did I.She must be in her 80s.God bless her.

[@gosuc]

Respect, I'm surprised, the film shows the situation close to facts on the Bismarck after sinking the Hood. As I have seen in a documentary with a survivor of the Bismarck, there was no cheering after the sinking.That was also shown in this picture. As a German, I dont feel enthusiastic as well, realizing there were only 3 survivors from the Hood. What a tragedy. I pay my deepesest respect to the British navy-men and the high discipline of the crew on that Battle-cruiser. Sadly, none of the movies or documentaries ever mentioned what actions were (not) taken to rescue the castaways from the Bismarck, and on another theatre - the Scharnhorst. After taking a handfull of sailors aboard, the ships left the rest in the sea. Official reason: U-Boat alert. (An U-Boat not taking action in such a battle?).

[@morriganravenchild6613]

+gosuc I stand by you in your sentiment.

[@antonrudenham3259]

+gosuc If it's any consolation there were numerous occasions during convoy battles when British ships could not pick up British and allied survivors from the water for fear of becoming the next victim.Can you imagine the scorn and approbation that would have been heaped on Admiral Tovey if he had lost a Battleship to U Boats while rescuing German survivors?It was a terrible war.

[@factnotfictionpeople1313]

+gosuc Like all war, the war at sea was brutal and, no doubt many times, barbaric! To leave helpless sailors to drown is against everything that seamen believe in, but with the very real threat of U-Boat attack and without the modern SONAR/Satellite systems to disprove it, I guess it was inevitable that the ships had to come first. RIP to ALL those lost in ALL wars - only the fat-cat politicians and munitions/manufacturers profit from them.......

[@gosuc]

+factnotfictionpeople Yeah, I must admit you are right. Although interested, I must also admit I am no expert of naval warfare, but to me, war-documentaries of BBC are one of the best I know. It was one of their documentaries where a foto of the surviving sailors of the Bismarck in the water was presented, it must have been hundreds of them. Impossible that they would show this in a German documentary. Thanks for your explanation - I have learned something.

[@paladin56]

+gosuc I seem to remember the U-boats weren't too hot on picking up survivors from their victims either. They killed 60,000 British seamen, most of them civilians.

[@stephenclark3774]

I cant begin to imagine the horrors of the war these men endured

[@davidknight2104]

I always think of the men who survived the explosion and couldn't get out, the men in the turrets for example who apparently fired one last shot before going down :(

[@Dilley_G45]

And it was a one off versus the infantry men

[@FluidLoneknight]

Prince of Wales and King George V were the same class of ship but Prince of Wales was newer and still had workers on board when she faced Bismarck and her guns jamed during the battle

[@kenc1161]

@hogalog The Brits have been destoying foes attempting to cross the pond since the begining of time, Id say they are pretty freaking good at it...

[@iansneddon2956]

@Gazzara5 They don't need to win them all. With superior strength and numbers they just compensate for their failures by winning the next fight with overkill. Consider the first British naval defeat in a hundred years at Coronel. Admiral von Spee caught a weaker Royal Navy cruiser force with inexperienced crew and annihilated them. It was a great morale victory for the German navy, but legend has it Admiral von Spee knew he was doomed. 38 days later at the Falkland Islands his cruiser force had to go up against Royal Navy battlecruisers. Only one of his cruisers escaped from that battle, but not for long. Three months later it was cornered in harbour at Robinson Crusoe Island and attacked (in a neutral port) by the Royal Navy.

[@georgebuller1914]

@@milesalpha1 You have a point; but they aren't still here, are they! ;-)

[@Bayan1905]

The battle was different than what was shown here. First, the Hood and HMS Prince of Wales were steaming directly towards Bismarck & Prinz Eugen which means only their forward guns were capable of firing but Bismarck & Prinz Eugen had all their guns to bear. Also, the British mistook Prinz Eugen for Bismarck because it was in the lead (considering how closely their designs were that was understandable), and with that, Bismarck's gun crews were able to take better aim and had the range almost immediately. Hood was a mismatch as well because it suffered the same flaw as British battlecruisers since WWI, their thin deck armor. During the battle of Jutland the British lost one battlecruiser after another, Queen Mary, Invincible, Indefatigable, all in the same way, catastrophic explosions with huge loss of life after shells hit them and found their way into the magazine. With the Hood, she was supposed to have had her deck armor strengthened, and it never happened and a shell hit the Hood on her boat deck, went through the armor and it suffered the same fate as other British battlecruisers. Only three men survived. Prince of Wales was also no match, brand new and suffering from at least one or two of its main guns were not functioning, so once the Hood was gone it was a two on one fight with a clearly superior ship, not to mention the Prinz Eugen getting involved. One last note, Admiral Lutjens on Bismarck did not want to fight at all. It was Captain Ernst Lindemann, once Bismarck had already been fired on who said "I will not have my ship shot out from under my ass." and ordered Bismarck to return fire. Lutjens was far from the fanatic the movie made him out to be, he was a fatalist, almost expecting to die on this voyage according to those who survived and were around him.

[@dovetonsturdee7033]

Lutjens did not wish to fight because his orders were to seek and destroy Atlantic convoys. Even a success against the British Fleet would not seriously affect the balance of naval power in the Atlantic. As, indeed, proved to be the case.

[@masterscubaman]

good response - also evidence on sea bed that the RN had got sloppy in their desire to fire quicker and magazine doors were left open below armour plating. Admiral Holland did have another 2 ships - modern cruisers - on Bismarck's other side - and they could have played a part, at the very least taking on PE. As you say Hood was a 1920s design, and POW was brand new with faults. Also the Germans ignored the W.treaty and built bigger / heavier ships.

[@Dilley_G45]

Movie shows British ships firing to port and German ships to starboard...in reality it was reversed. Prince of Wales had gun turret issues...Prinz Eugen was not really present in the movie. Only had 8 inch guns and weaker armor so clearly disadvantaged. Now Holland on Hood believed Bismarck to be lead ship so he ordered fire on lead ship. But Prinze Eugen was leading. PoW realized the mistake and fired on Bismarck. German ships both fired on Hood first. Both sides scored more hits then shown. And finally shooting scenes inside Vanguard was best they could do. Only other battleships left at that time were US Navy Iowa class ships. While Vanguard had WW1 leftover guns and turrets this is actually good cause Hood also was built during that time and had similar or identical 15" guns as main battery. For the time of the movie the special effects were good. Not a bad war movie all in all. Not too much propaganda and almost balanced. The torpedo attack on Sheffield and the issues with magnetic fuses....good attention to detail. Of course missing the fact that Bismarck was scuttled. But as we saw with Sydney/Kormoran the German sources turned out to be correct

[@Duke_of_Petchington]

drachinifel has made a video on the loss of hood, the plunging fire theory has been put to bed, as the engagement range was within 10,000km (so too close for the shell to arc downwards). kzbin.info/www/bejne/eX2zlnZtgbekf7s

[@zetectic7968]

@AdirondackBuzzard You info is out of date. The loss of the ships at Jutland was due to the RN obsession with rate of fire as charges were stacked in turrets and gangways and the anti-flash doors left open that is was allowed the fire into the magazines not "lucky" shots. As for the Hood yes she was due to have her deck armour upgrade but was kept too busy "Flying the flag" to get time in dock. It was not a hit through her deck armour but a shot that hit the side below the main armour that was exposed, when it was normally underwater, due to her speed. See an excellent video on Drachinifel's channel that draws on new research after the wreck was found and studied

[@wild399]

Admiral Lutjens turned the Bismarck away from the engagement initially. As the British ships were finding their range; finally Captain Lindeman muttered, "I will not allow my ship to be shot out from under my ass. Open fire!" The rest is history.

[@WvhKerkhof]

not real man.

[@brianle1382]

Well Wolf Blitzer,most of it’s real,and when Captain Lindeman says,”I will not allow my ship to be shot out from under my ass” .It makes me laugh a bit.

[@johnberger2851]

Yes, and because the Bismarck's radar wasn't working Prinz Eugen was ahead of Bismarck and the English at first mistook Eugen for Bismarck. And, yes, Bismarck survivors testified that Captain Lindemann finally said to Lutjens "I will not allow my ship to be shot out from under my ass." The real Lutjens was not at all as portrayed in this movie.

[@benadam7753]

John Berger, Yes the portrayal of Admiral Lutjens in this movie was a total insult to his life and memory! Portraying him as a wild eyed fanatically Nazi completely devoid of reality. I could understand this portrayal if this movie was released in 1944 instead of 1960!

[@raynus1160]

@@benadam7753 Indeed - Lutjens was a sailor. He reportedly refused to use the Nazi salute, even to Hitler, preferring the conventional salute of the Reichsmarine.

[@Bruce-1956]

My grandmother and mother knew a boy sailor on Hood called Kenneth.......my mother still talks about him. #wewillrememberthem 💮

[@hmshood1757]

2:55 They made it very well! 😰 It was like almost entire ship was blown up, and the effect of that work in this film is AMAZING 😉 Greetings from the bottom of the Denmark Strait! :D

[@HarryFlashmanVC]

Very intetesting and rare footage of the loading sequence of the great guns on a battleship. The film was released in 1960 and the guns look like 15" so i am guessing that the sequence was filmed on HMS Vanguard, the last british battleship, decomissioned in 1960. It gives you a very good idea abput what it must have been like in a turret on one of these ships. Given what had happened at Jutland in 1916 it must have been a pretty nerve wracking ordeal going into a battle between great capital ships in the knowledge that one lucky shot could destroy a 1500 crew ship instantly. The Hood, of course was a battle cruiser. Battle cruisers were a british concept which other countries copied. Their role was to hunt down enemy cruisers and sink them. They were never designed as ships of the line.. ie to stand toe to toe with armoured battleships and slug it out. Bismark, of course was a battleship and significantly better armoured. However, because battlecuisers looked like battle ships and were armed like them there was a tendency for desk bound bureaucrats to see them as battleships. Battle cruisers were especially vulnerable on the deck where their armour was half as thin as battleship. After 3 british battlecruisers blew up at Jutland in 1916 construction of the Hood at tbe time was stopped and her plandls changed to armour the front deck. However the stern deck was never armoured despite an intention to do so but ww2 came along before this was possible. Bismarks shell penetrated just behind X turret. It hit the 15" magazine setting fire to the cordite which caused a sheet of flame to shoot down the length of the interior of the ship incinerating everything in its path. The magazine then detonated ripping the ship in two. There were 3 survivors

[@cliveburt2638]

Hi Richard HMS Hood was denied a refit, that would have mitigated a lot of the issues, due to the war breaking out, as she would have been in dry Dock for approx 2 years.... This is not to say that RodNel, 5 QE'S, 4 Revenge class plus Renown, Repulse, KGV & POW could not have concentrated to destroy Bismarck, Tirpitz, Scharnhorst & Gnisenau... The issue was that only Hood, POW & KGV would have the speed to intercept such a sortie. The others woukd have been very much reliant on a concentration of Aircraft Carriers, to slow them down... Actually as happened with Bismarck.

[@someguyontheinternet7628]

Bismark's entire operational life was the most exciting week for any warship in history.

[@TimMonbrod]

I don't care how you do it--You must sink THE BISMARCK ‼️WINSTON CHURCHILL QUOTES.

[@loydevan1311]

The Bismark on its maiden voyage and first combat shake down took its crew on an adventure that stunned the Royal Navy and ended in their deaths. Reminds one of the verse in the Navy hymn, "For those imperil on the sea."

[@kmsbismarck137]

Heh.

[@eromacque]

Right gun shell! Right gun first half charge! Right gun second half charge!

[@waynesimpson2074]

I know it's a late response but you'll never know how grateful I am for your clarification. Able Seaman, Gun loader A turret was my Granddad's designation in the RN.

[@stephensmith4480]

@@waynesimpson2074 There is a documentary style post here on YT about the workings of the main turrets on Naval ships during the war. It shows you how it was all done and explains it all and what each mans job was. I can`t remember what it was called, but it might be worth doing a search if you are interested.

[@waynesimpson2074]

Thank you.

[@ginskimpivot753]

@@waynesimpson2074 The gunhouse loading sequence is edited slightly out of kilter; we actually see 2 shells go in one gun before the half-charges. The traverser sequence - with the suspended shell, then the traverser moving the shell into the cage, is extremely rare. It is known that film was taken of Vanguard's last live firing, but this has failed to materialise and while footage at the IWM is not fully catalogued, I did ask them if they had any large calibre internal footage, but they said that such footage tends to be very short edits on reels of mixed other material shot on the relevant ship. Some footage exists of turret operations on a PoW-class and RODNEY, and there is some footage of 6-inch turret material. I put together some footage for the EXPLOSION museum at Gosport in exchange for some copies of drill books, but even they had no significant films of 15-inch internals. This type of engineering is extremely clever and impressive to watch working, but the RN had little interest in preserving it. There was an opportunity to save HMS ROBERTS, as it sat at the trot above Whale Island, but it never amounted to anything. West Battery at the island had multiple large calibre training breaches and scale models, but they all went for scrap. The EXPLOSION museum has the last 15-inch Mark I breach left...and some pretty amazing wooden models of various large calibre turrets, shells, Clarkson Cases, and barrel/breach cutaways. Whale Island had its own museum and a Quarters Armourer's school with an impressive library of drill books and schematics. I have no idea where that lot went, but I'm sure it is now scattered - and wherever it is, probably poorly catalogued.

[@ijnfleetadmiral]

Thank you! Always wondered what he was saying!

[@redcardinalist]

At the start of this clip, the internal turret scenes were, I suspect filmed in HMS Vanguard, the Royal Navy's final battleship (and one which I don't think ever saw any combat). Someone more knowledgeable than I can correct me? Many thanks to apollomovieguy for creating and uploading this video.

[@walterkronkitesleftshoe6684]

Not claiming to be more knowledgable than yourself, but the turret scenes and some of the exterior shots of crew running to man AA guns etc were indeed filmed onboard HMS Vanguard, as she had the very same 15" BL Mk I guns and slightly modified turrets as did HMS Hood.

[@idlewild1964]

If you ever get the chance read about the three British sailors who survived the hood sinking! Can you imagine how these three guys felt after all that! You could see it on teddy briggs face the rest of his life!

[@GeorgeVreelandHill]

From an American to Great Britain … Thank you!

[@reconn9056]

Thanks brother

[@christopherdenniston9798]

What for? We took an almighty licking here bro

[@sidhanthmishra8488]

The German gunnery was incredibly accurate. Considering how late they started firing at the British ships and started straddling/scoring hits almost immediately from their very first salvoes. Their stereoscopic rangefinders were not really suited for a prolonged conflict but deadly for initial targeting. I mean 4 hits on the prince of wales by Bismarck after sinking hood was no joke (3 by Prinz Eugen) The underwater hit on the POW was quite serious apart from her guns jamming.

[@roberthudson1959]

Yes, it was. HMS Hood blew up 11 minutes after beginning to fire, and only eight minutes after KMS Bismarck responded.

[@daneelolivaw602]

Prince of Wales hit Bismarck three times, with two his causing major damage, one hit went under the armoured belt, putting number 2 boiler room out of action, another hit went through the bow of the enemy ship, through fuel tanks, cutting off tons of fuel from the engines, and letting seawater into the tanks and leaking fuel out, if that shell had exploded it might well have been Bye Bye Bismarck. Well done Prince of Wales.

[@tommatt2ski]

@@daneelolivaw602 The same could be said for the shell from Bismarck that hit Prince of Wales from underwater and ending up in the engine room without detonating. If that shell had detonated, the Prince of Wales probably been sunk, and Bismarck would have sunk two British capital ships in under 15 minutes !

[@daneelolivaw602]

@@tommatt2ski that maybe so, but fanboys of the enemy ship are forever reminding us of that fact, i suspect very few people know about the damage Prince of Wales did to their wonderful ship, and what the outcome may have been if her gun turrets had not jammed. Not bad going for a ship so widely sneered at, is it.

[@craigclemens986]

Exactly

[@vandpubsell]

Exactly right. All films, documentaries and even books about historical events are approximations. The dialogue between Lutjens and Lindemann for example must be an estimate, because neither of them survived the sinking of Bismark. What the film sets out to do is show the general flow of events, and in that it succeeds brilliantly. The proof is all the people whove been inspired to find out more on the basis of watching the film and can therefore criticise its accuracy!

[@donlove3741]

Admirals don't fight ships. Of what use is it's Captain?

[@miketotton1930]

Lutjens was certainly not a nazi!

[@bawad01]

My grandfather always talked about this movie. May he rest in peace.

[@Xingmey]

my grandfather always tied his own shoes... and wiped clean after he took a dump in the toilet... may he rest in peace.

[@KiwiKugai]

And a film that featured the last British Battleship in service at the time, HMS Vanguard. She was used to shoot the internal gunnery sequences for both the Hood and the Bismarck.

[@xj900uk]

Scrapped prematurely in 1960 before her time.

[@challenger2031]

That scene where the British are in the war rooms and have heard that the hood has blown up, shivers and total silence in the room. What a truly awful way to go. They were brave men and always be remembered

[@erskinepatton3247]

This is some brilliant film making. Every shot filled with tension. The exterior shots of the warships make me feel like I'm in the middle of a North Atlantic naval battle.

[@antigonish63]

Yeah it's brilliant all right. At 1:03-06 you can see the shore installations in the background, real authentic.

[@EllieMaes-Grandad]

@@antigonish63 Alas for Bismarck's captain, 'looking out to sea' through binoculars whose lenses were covered in condensation. That, and other faux pas . . .

[@nevertrustbob1]

@@antigonish63 Lol where? I only see sky and the turret housing.

[@superomegamkiii2313]

@@antigonish63 travel back to the 1960s and remake the film yourself if you think you can do better

[@johnferrari3821]

All the bame culture now should watch all war films as educational background. Maybe they would appreciate what our four fathers went through to give them an entitled world with everything ordered by computer.

[@loisdonovan1716]

The British know how to make war movies. Hand salute

[@michaelbenitez539]

The person who played Captain Leach of Prince Of Whales was actually on Prince Of Whales during the actual Battle Of The Denmark Strait and was blinded by the shell from Bismarck that hit Prince Of Wale's bridge killing everyone but the actor himself and Captain Leach sadly Leach went down with his beloved Battleship when she was sunk by Japanese Aircraft along with HMS Repulse

[@PCVMoldova]

Prince of Wales. Big difference.

[@davidnewland2461]

It's wales not the Mammal.

[@vandpubsell]

On the contrary its generally regarded as being very historically accurate. Of course there are a few errors - most inexcusably in the potrayal of Admiral Gunter Lutgens. In the battle, apart from the opposing ships engaging on the wrong side, that's pretty much what happened. As for "crap ships" - wars are fought with what youve got, not with what you would like to have. Hood and POW were all that was available and frankly, with a bit of luck, they might have pulled it off even then.

[@smc1942]

Hood was a good ship. Bismarck scored a one in a million hit, and the rest is history. Likewise with Arizona at Pearl Harbor. Or the Japanese Carriers at Midway... A hit in the magazine will finish any ship.

[@U2QuoZepplin]

I love the way they used to film and create the shots of the ships back then. Those scale models were so cool and awesome. It must have been great fun recreating those scenes of ships in a water tank somewhere, maybe Pinewood or one of the other old great studios or movie lots where so many great films were made.

[@ficklefingeroffate]

British Battlecruisers had a very definite problem with detonating.

[@givenfirstnamefamilyfirstn3935]

The Jutland imperfection fix definitely left room for improvement.

[@manifestlyenglish]

The Prince of Wales was fresh out of the shipbuilders and its guns were untried and faulty. HMS Hood was supposed to have had additional armour fitted to its flimsy deck protection but never did... And the sailors on board knew about these huge disadvantages and yet didn't flinch from attacking. Brave men. Holland was trying to get Hood as close as possible so the shells from Bismark wouldn't be coming vertically into the deck - when she was hit. True bravery.

[@micheal6898]

Hood would have survived a deck hit at that range , More recent analysis shows that the shell most likely went under the belt armour under x turret Due to the Rough seas and wash exposing it , this then allowed a shell to tumble under the armour protection to the main magazine , A lottery Ticket Hit That Saved the bismark From Fighting 2 better designed ships at once.

[@markmcdermott8307]

It is amazing what chance encounters will produce. Rest in peace to all sailors in Davy Jones' Locker.

[@marcodenetto3850]

The cherry on top would have been if Lütjens, Lindemann and the other Germans were actually talking in German but still a very good movie.

[@jessejohnson6435]

A powerful recount of a serious encounter, War is an ugly Beast this video captures perfectly the brutality of Naval combat from this Era.. I take a moment to remember the brave Sailors involved in this conflict God Bless you and your Family. Rest in Peace.

[@Sang1957]

Gee, it's not like the Bismark was sailing with another ship.....like the Heavy Cruiser Prinz Eugen...

[@andreaslockher5901]

The Film shows the wrong direction HOOD and Prince of Wales where at the Port side of the German ships and fired to Starboard

[@WalterDWormack214]

As great a naval war movie dramatization as this was. I must confess that, my principal motivating reason for buying it was, the *ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS Miss Dana Wynter!* Many a young man, (and quite a few 'old' ones, I'm sure), would just look at her, and go, *"RULE! BRTIANNIA!"*

[@knutritter461]

This movie is so bad.... Bismarck and Prince Eugeen were NOT eager to attack the enemy ships. As the commanding officer of the German Ships did NOT want to fight a battle. Only a frustrated captain of the Bismarck gave the order to fire. Really not precise depiction of that battle! The German officers in charge were NOT at all happy about sinking the Hood!

[@thegermanempire489]

It is the 1960s before any real discovery of the Bismarck and it’s crew

[@louisr-c2764]

Well I mean you can’t say that the film is “so bad” just because of some inaccuracies

[@knutritter461]

@@louisr-c2764 All those movies are inaccurate from my perspective. Think of Fury! The tank duel was a hoax and the final battle was just..... moronic. I like war movies in which the Germans are shown as more than just moronic enemies.

[@loydevan1311]

After the war, historian Sir Basil Liddle Hart interviewed Adm Donitz. When questioned about when did he know when did Nazi Germany lost the 2nd WW, he replied, "On the 3rd of September, 1939. When Great Britian declared war against Hitler's invasion of Poland, I knew that the Kreigsmarine would have lost to the might, valor, experience and training of the RoyalNavy." Cool 😎!

[@givenfirstnamefamilyfirstn3935]

Was Basil paying for the meal?

[@hanifsafwan9410]

Wait, the Bismarck should fire at Hood by port, not the starboard.

[@steveluke2395]

YES, thank you! The British were SOUTH of Bismarck and both were heading generally West-ish, so the Germans should be firing to port, and the British to starboard.

[@modelcars9493]

Ohne die defekte Ruderanlage, wäre die Bismark nicht gesunken trotz Übermacht.

[@davidabney7700]

The movie version of Lindeman and Lutgens interaction at the start of the battle was twisted around somewhat. The Captain got antsy because of the Admirals foot-dragging as Hood's and Prince of Wales big guns roared without a return from Bismark.or Prince Eugen in the opening stages. Had Hood stayed head-on with Bismark & Eugen a little longer, closing the distance even more, before turning for a full broad salvo. Hood needed desperately to get close with the two German warships to prevent plunging fire going through her weak deck armor (battlecruiser, not battleship). For tactical reasons Prince of Wales should have been the lead ship, not Hood. The Prince of Wales was a thick steel well armored battleship, with no deck weakness. Great movie nonetheless.

[@davecrawford296]

To the men of both ships,Rest easy on your quest for truth. RIP one and all.Rest easy men

[@lawrencewestby9229]

Prince of Wales registered three 14" gun hits on Bismarck causing enough damage to cause the decision to have Bismarck head to Brest for repairs, thus ending her primary mission of commerce raiding.

[@dovetonsturdee7033]

Actually, the Normandie dry dock at St. Nazaire, but correct otherwise.

[@demonprinces17]

Hit an oil bunker, Bismarck didn't top off in Norway and couldn't afford the lost oil

[@givenfirstnamefamilyfirstn3935]

Ze master race actually couldn’t afford the fuel.

[@vandpubsell]

As to gunnery, I think the Brit shooting was ok - it only seemed bad in comparison to the excellence of the Germans. One other innacuracy is that in real life Hood was only firing her forward guns because she was trying to close. She was sunk as she turned to bring her full broadside to bear. She didnt turn right at the start of the battle as the film shows, and that meant her firepower was effectively halved.

[@danielbass2895]

And was turning to port

[@DOLRED]

True= The movie actor playing the Captain of the damaged HMS Prince of Wales was injured on that ship during the actual WWII Naval Battle. His name is Esmond Knight. He utters "Make Smoke" as the Prince of Wales leaves the battle.

[@yasintasurya4525]

Cool,Thanks for the info

[@brettlloyd4446]

British movie director lewis gilbert who later did three James bond films directed this movie

[@freddyli5356]

In the year 2019, Royal Navy Battleships still unable to make smoke in World of Warships.

[@geordischmidt]

Not surprising. Laying smoke screens was part of the battle strategies of destroyers, destroyer escorts (frigates) and even cruisers to obscure enemy gunners and also to let ships get close enough for torpedo runs. Battleships, however, were supposed to stand their ground. Prince of Wales must have had some engineers with destroyer experience to have been able to put out a smoke screen so fast. It was not an ability that battleships regularly practiced.

[@dspates51]

@@geordischmidt you're right but all ships of that particular era had the ability to make smoke screens. The Prince of Wales made a good tactical decision considering the situation she was facing.