“SICKENING SIGHT"

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20570, 2 June 1941, Page 5

“SICKENING SIGHT"

BLOWING UP OF HOOD NIGHTMARE SCENE (Reed. June 2, 10 a.m.) LONDON, June 1. The end of H.M.S. Hood was an almost unbelievable nightmare, says an eye-witness aboard another warship. She went down with her guns still blazing. Shells began hitting her soon after, the engagement opened. A few minutes later there was a bright sheet of flame and the ship blew up. “Early on May 24, in the sombre light of dawn, the Bismarck and an escorting cruiser appeared,” he said. “Our ships sped on to shorten range and the Germans turned in towards their pursuers. The world’s greatest battleships were thundering towards one another at top speed. Then ‘open fire’ was ordered, and the Hood’s forward guns belched flame. Puffs of smoke came from the Bismarck within three seconds. The Prince of Wales then began firing. Guns Roar To Last “The Hood continued to race forward until she was hit. A shell or shells appeared to strike just ahead of me of her after 15in. gun turrets. A 1 Vrge fire broke out, but the Hood raced on. What happened next was a sickening sight. There was a terrific explosion. The whole ship was enveloped in a flash of flame, smoke rising high in the air. Sections of the funnels, masts and other parts hurtled hundreds of feet. The Hood’s bows tilted vertically and all that remained three or four minutes later was a flicker of smoke on the surface. A destroyer managed to pick up one midshipman and two seamen. “The Prince of Wales did not cease pouring shells at the Bismarck. The Prince of Wales was hit earlier, but the damage was slight. Then the Bismarck turned away, and the final chase ending in her destruction began.”