Killing the Bismarck: Destroying the Pride on Hitler's Fleet

(Paperback)

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In May 1941, the German battleship Bismarck, accompanied by heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen, broke out into the Atlantic, to attack Allied shipping. The Royal Navy's pursuit and subsequent destruction of Bismarck was an epic of naval warfare. In this new account of those dramatic events at the height of the Second World War, Iain Ballantyne draws extensively on the graphic eye-witness testimony of veterans, to construct a thrilling story, mainly from the point of view of the British battleships, cruisers and destroyers involved. He describes the tense atmosphere as cruisers play a lethal cat and mouse game as they shadow Bismarck in the icy Denmark Strait. We witness the shocking destruction of the British battlecruiser Hood, in which all but three of her ship's complement were killed; an event that filled pursuing Royal Navy warships, including the battered battleship Prince of Wales, with a thirst for revenge. While Swordfish torpedo-bombers try desperately to cripple the Bismarck, we sail in destroyers on their own daring torpedo attacks, battling mountainous seas. Finally, the author takes us into the final showdown, as battleships Rodney and King George V, supported by cruisers Norfolk and Dorsetshire, destroy the pride of Hitler's fleet. This vivid, superbly researched account portrays this epic saga through the eyes of so-called 'ordinary sailors' caught up in extraordinary events. 'Killing the Bismarck' is an outstanding read, conveying the horror and majesty of war at sea in all its cold brutality and awesome power AUTHOR: Iain Ballantyne is a much published naval author. His books for Pen and Sword include Warspite, London and Victory in the Famous Ships of the British Navy series as well as 'Strike from the Sea'. He is editor of Warships International. SELLING POINTS: The pursuit and sinking of the Bismarck is one of the classic tales of naval warfare Written by a leading naval historian and authority Draws on hitherto unquoted first-hand accounts and throws spectacular new light on the legendary story 16 pages of b/w plates

Reviews

"...an excellent account of the short lived operations of the Bismarck...Despite knowing the outcome of the events of May 27, 1941, he has managed to pen a suspenseful narrative that will keep readers on the edge of their seats"-- "WWII History"

Author Bio

Iain Ballantyne has written extensively about navies past and present. He has visited warships and commando units to report on their operational activities in the Middle East, Mediterranean, Adriatic, Asia-Pacific and the Arctic, including covering the fall of the Soviet Union - plus its impact in Russia, Latvia and the Czech Republic - along with the 1990/91 Gulf War. A former newspaper defence reporter and current Editor of the global naval affairs magazine WARSHIPS International Fleet Review, Iain has also contributed to television news and documentary programmes, and radio shows. He is host of the Warships Pod podcast. Among his other naval history books are Warspite, HMS Rodney and the award-winning Killing the Bismarck (all published by Pen & Sword). In 2017, Iain was presented with a prestigious Fellowship Award by the UKs Maritime Foundation for making a truly outstanding contribution to stimulating public engagement in maritime issues.