Comments by "doveton sturdee" (@dovetonsturdee7033) on "HMS Ark Royal (91) - Guide 100 (Extended)" video.

  1.  @jugganaut33  Nothing remotely like the Grand Slam existed in May, 1941. Development only began in July, 1943. Furthermore, the two German capital ships already in a French port had already been attacked by Bomber Command, but had only sustained slight damage. Nor, indeed, did the British need even to consider so absurd a possibility, as they caught Bismarck with one new and one middle-aged battleship, and destroyed her, within three days of the sinking of the Hood. Your use of the term 'raped' is rather peculiar, by the way. Bismarck had embarked on a raiding sortie intended to intercept and destroy Atlantic convoys. The Admiralty was intent upon preventing this. What do you think the Royal Navy was going to do when Bismarck was 'intercepted?' Give Lutjens a stern talking to and send him on his way? The British intention was always to ensure that Bismarck never saw a French or German port again. In view of events currently unfolding around Crete, half measures were never considered, and nor would they have been desirable. As to vessels capable of catching Bismarck, actually, King George V, Prince of Wales, Repulse, Renown, and every cruiser and destroyer in the Royal Navy could, as well as the two modern carriers Victorious & Ark Royal. The successful Swordfish strike was not launched 'in desperation' by the way. The British already knew Bismarck's position, and launched the strike as soon as she was in range. The weather was indeed poor, but not poor enough to prevent the attack, and no aircraft were lost either taking off or landing. There was never any suggestion that they might not find the Ark after making their attack, and, of course, they all did. Certainly, losing Hood was a serious setback, but hardly a 'global catastrophe' largely because the British have always understood what the Price of Admiralty means. In practical terms, the impact on British control of the Atlantic was barely affected, and the events of 27 May proved this in full. As to the casualties from Bismarck's crew, this is what happens when countries get involved in war. Do you think that, when Rodney & King George V closed the range sufficiently, their captains should have declined to open fire because some Germans might have been injured? As to 'surrender' tell me any occasion when a warship surrendered at sea in WW2. The Germans did have a habit of scuttling their ships, but not one of surrendering them intact.
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  2. Incorrect. On the morning of 27 May, Somerville was unsure whether Tovey's force was actually in contact with Bismarck. Weather on the morning of 27 May was very poor, but by 0926 had moderated sufficiently to enable a force of 12 Swordfish to take off from Ark Royal, should a further strike be needed. By then, however, Rodney & KGV had already been in action for over half an hour, the sound of their gunnery could clearly be heard by the approaching aircraft, and Bismarck had been reduced to nothing more than a helpless target. A further torpedo strike would have served no useful purpose, but would have required that Tovey's ships cease fire to enable it to take place. Accordingly, therefore, the Swordfish were, sensibly, recalled. Ark Royal was already within range of land based German aircraft (one, indeed, attacked her as her Swordfish were landing back aboard), so her presence in the area was not only unnecessary, but put her to avoidable risk. The suggestion that Tovey's captains would have behaved in such a manner is not only absurd, but also insulting.
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  3. The Royal Navy didn't develop any of the aircraft with which they entered the Second World War. Between the wars, in fact until May, 1939, naval aviation was actually under the control of the navy's bitterest enemy, the Air Ministry, who saddled the navy with a number of absolute dogs. Today, guess what? British naval aviation is once again under the control of the RAF!
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  4.  @jugganaut33  Nonsense. 'Bismarck would have been allowed to retreat to port and Disembark her crew to undergo repairs before Being sunk by Bombs or torpedo in port a far better fate then the middle of the Atlantic drenched in oil'. Why would the Admiralty have done this? They had an opportunity to sink one of the very few significant German heavy warships, and they were determined to take it. Nothing changed after the loss of Hood, the Admiralty simply carried out the necessary force concentration in order to bring about the desired result. They were not motivated by 'revenge' but by strategic necessity.
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  5.  @derekrwatson346  Actually, there are four on each side, and they are for wireless communications. They would be folded down from vertical to horizontal when aircraft were operating.
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  6. Justice was imposed on Bismarck on the morning of 27 May, 1941.
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  7. Alternatively, of course, the name might just possibly have been chosen because there had been an Ark Royal in the English Navy at the time of the Armada in 1588, and there had been a second Ark Royal, a seaplane carrier, during the Great War. There have been five Ark Royals in all, four of which have been connected with naval aviation.
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