SIGHTING THE BISMARCK

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 85, Issue 125, 30 May 1941, Page 5

SIGHTING THE BISMARCK

WORK BY CATALINA FLYING-BOAT PLANE WAS ATTACKED (Recd. 5.5 p.m.) Rugby, May 28. The captain of the Catalina flyingboat, which found the Bismarck on the morning of May 26, during IS hours of continuous reconnaissance flight, broadcast a thrilling description of the successful mission. “We left our base at 3.30 a.m., and got to the area we had to search at 9.45 a.m. About an hour later we saw a dark shape ahead in the mist. There was a 40-knot wind blowing and heavy seas running. At first we were not sure it was an enemy battleship so we altered course and went up to about 1500 feet into cloud and circled. We thought we xvere 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 devil <f a lot of noise, and then we were surrounded by dark, broxvnish-black smoke as she

pepped off at us with everything she had got. She was 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 flyingboat about and we could hear bits of shrapnel hit the hull. Luckily, only a few penetrated. I grabbed a bit of paper ana wrote a message and gave it to the wireless operator. When we got away a oit we cruised round for a. while’and inspected the damage. There were about half a dozen holes. 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 in. Wc landec alter 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.”