ADMIRALTY TRIBUTES

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 208, 30 May 1941, Page 8

ADMIRALTY TRIBUTES

Pursuit And Sinking Of The Bismarck

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL CONCERNED (British Official Wireless.) (Received May 29, 7.5 p.m.) RUGBY, May 28. .

The Board of the Admiralty, in a message to the Commander-in-Chief, the Home Fleet, congratulates all concerned in the unrelenting pursuit and successful destruction of the enemy s most powerful warship. •‘The loss of 11.M.5. Hood and her company, which is so deeply regretted,’’ the message states, “has been avenged, and the Atlantic- has been made more secure for our trade and that of our Allies.” The message pays a tribute • to the work- done in the action by the Fleet Air Arm.

The Admiralty also sent congratula lions to the air officer commanding-in chief, Coastal Command, in a message which stated: “The Admiralty wisii gratefully to acknowledge the part played by the reconnaissance of forces under your command which contributed in a large measure to the successful outcome of the recent operation.” The air officer commanding-in-chief. Coastal Command, replied: “Your message is very much appreciated and has been repeated to all concerned. If was a great hunt and we are eager ami ready for more.’’ The following message has been re ceived by the Admiralty from the A<l miral commanding the Free French naval forces: “In the name of the Free French I offer my heartiest congratulations for the splendid achieve nient of the Royal Navy in sinking the Bismarck.” Lord Nuffield sent a cheque for £25,000 to the British Admiralty for the use of the naval benevolent institutions immediately he heard of the end of the Bismarck. Flying-boat’s Experience. The captain of the Catalina flying; boat which found the Bismarck on the morning of May 26 during an 18-hour continuous reconnaissance flight, broadcast a thrilling description of his successful mission.

“We left our base at 3.30 a.m. and got to the area we had to search at 9.45. About an hour later we saw a darkshape ahead in the mist. There was a 40-knot wind blowing and a heavy sea running. At first we were not sure that .it was an enemy battleship, so we altered cours. and went up to about 1500 feet into the cloud and circled. We thought we were near the stern when the cloud ended, and we were right above her. “The first we knew was a couple of puffs of smoke just outside the cockpit. window and a devii of a lot of noise, and then we were surrounded by dark brownish-black smoke as she popped off at us with everything she had got. She is supposed to have had only eight anti-aircraft guns, but the fire was coming from more than eight places—in fact, she looked just one big flash. “The explosions threw the flying-boat about, and we could heat bits.of shrapnel hit the hull. Luckily only a few penetrated. I grabbed a bit of paper and wrote a message and gave it to the wireless operator. When we got away a bit, we cruised round while wo inspected the damage. There were about half a dozen holes, ami the rigger stopped them with rubber plugs, and we went back to shadow the Bismarck. “There we met another Catalina. She had been searching the area north of us when she intercepted our signals and closed. We landed after 9.30 p.m., after flying just over 18 hours. _ “One of our Catalinas during this operation set up a new record for the Coastal Command of 27 hours on continuous reconnaissance.”' HOOD SURVIVOR First News Received (Received May 29, 11.30 p.m.) LONDON, May 29. Six hours after receiving the Admiralty’s telegram announcing that her 20-year-old son, Able Seaman Tobert Tilburn, Leeds, had been lost in H.M.S. Hood, his mother received her son’s telegram from Reykjavik, saying: "I am safe. ’Writing.” This is Hie first news of any Hood survivor. The Berlin correspondent ot the Swedish paper. “Tidningens,” says the Bismarck’s complement was about 2000.