270: War at Sea '41 Pt. 8 - The Operation Begins
History of the Second World War

270: War at Sea '41 Pt. 8 - The Operation Begins

B2Upper-intermediateAugust 14, 202627 min
  • Documentary
  • History

As Bismarck and Prinz Eugen departed for the Atlantic, British reconnaissance exposed their presence in Norway and set the Royal Navy’s response in motion. This episode follows the German ships through their final preparations and dash toward the Denmark Strait while examining the severe endurance constraints, aging warships, and untested crews that shaped Britain’s pursuit. Credit Logo Image: ⁠⁠https://www.flickr.com/photos/state_library_south_australia/3331881750/in/album-72157623232407924 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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for its first wartime operation, which was scheduled to begin at midnight on May 18th.

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1:10

After months of discussion and planning, on May 16th, the Bismarck was fully prepared for its first wartime operation, which was scheduled to begin at midnight on May 18th. During the last 48 hours, there were hurried actions taken to complete the final steps that were essential to making the ship as ready to fight as possible.

1:29

This included a good cleaning of the fuel oil bunkers, which would be done on May 17. This was one of those operations that was important for the overall range and performance of the ship, because over time fuel oil would leave a sludge at the bottom of the bunkers. This reduced the overall capacity of the bunkers and reduced the effective range of

1:48

the ship, making a bit of cleaning an important part of giving the ship optimal performance. This cleaning was done by bringing in barges that would take on all the fuel oil and then the sludge. With that important work done, the Luftwaffe would also play its role in final preparations

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