MAY 24th: Just after midnight, Suffolk temporarily losts contact with Bismarck, but regained it by 2h45 am. By then Hood and Richelieu have altered course back to due North.
British destroyers which have been sent to search for contact at 2h10 were not immediately recalled and would arrive late on the action place. Both German ships are detected by Richelieu at 5h42.
Admiral Holland orders to close the range as soon as possible and both Allied ships approach the enemy 30° to port. This closes fire arcs for Hood but is perfect for Richelieu. Algerie trails behind the French battleship as the third ship of the squadron, with the four French DDs by her side.
At 5h49 Admiral Holland orders fire to be concentrated on the enemy lead ship - actually the Prinz Eugen. The Richelieu Gunnery officer however is not mistaken and the French captain signals to both Hood and Algérie that Bismarck is the second ship in the German line. Allied ships open fire at 5h53 at a 24,500m range. Richelieu concentrates at once against Bismarck as Hood fires first against Prinz Eugen before shifting fire. Algérie fires on Prinz Eugen.
At 5h55 a Prinz-Eugen salvo hits the Hood setting-off ammunition in the ready-use lockers and causing a huge fire.
At 5h59 the Prinz Eugen gunnery officer divides his fire against Richelieu and Hood. At the same time the Bismarck fifth salvo lands around HMS Hood. One or may be two shells penetrate the old Battlecruiser belt and detonate in the 4in magazine,whose explosion set-off the after two 15in magazines. Hood blows-up second later at 6h01.
In the meantime however Bismarck is hit twice, on the bow and in the front boiler room, by Richelieu. The German battleship is slowed down to 25kts.
Prinz-Eugen is also hit twice in quick succession by Algérie at 6h00 and 6h02. Seing the dramatic fate of Hood, the Richelieu commanding officer decides to slightly open range, stabilizing at 22,000m. This range enables Algérie to fight against Prinz-Eugen from her immune zone (Prinz-Eugen has nearly no IZ against Algérie).
Bismarck is now free to concentrate on Richelieu, but RN cruisers Suffolk and Norfolk began to close in, opening fire on the slowed down battleship by 6h15.
Richelieu is hit 3 times by Bismarck between 6h03 and 6h10, the last hit damaging "A" turret wich is temporarily out of action. However Bismarck suffers two major hits, one destroying the "Bruno" turret and damaging the "Anton", and the second near the bridge. Fire control has to be moved to the secondary position.
Prinz-Eugen is able to hit 4 times Algérie but twice her shells don't explode (faulty fuzes) and the two others are dished out by the French cruiser belt. Algérie on the other hand scores thre hits destroying PE aft fire-control position and "X" and "Y" turrets.
By 6h12 the Richelieu commander, who has signaled Admiral Tovey the loss of Hood, orders the two British cruisers present to be ready for a torpedo attack, combined with French destroyers. The gun duel between the two battleships goes on without significant results till 6h28 as the French battleship fires with just one turret and Bismarck Gunnery control is shaky following hits on her superstructure by British 8in shells.
At 6h28 however, Richelieu "A" turret is repaired despite two more Bismarck hits, one slightly under the belt (underwater hit) causing some flooding and another aft setting the seaplane hangar on fire. Soon after Richelieu scores three hits in succession on Bismarck, two amidship of which one penetrates a turbine room, and one in the aft superstructure setting up a massive fire. Bismarck speed is again slowed down to 17kts. By then, the German battleship is heavily under fire of the two British cruisers which are scoring multiple hits against her superstructure.
Prinz-Eugen is unable to support her flagship as Algérie has clearly gained the upper hand. French shells have penetrated the German cruiser belt and her delicate high-pressure machinery has been severely damaged. With speed reduced to 14kts, PE begins to fall back but gets a temporary respite as Suffolk and Norfolk are focusing on Bismarck and Algérie too switches fire on the German battleships.
At 6h34 the Richelieu commander orders British destroyers which are racing toward the battle to attack the Prinz-Eugen as French destroyers are to focus on Bismarck, with support of now three heavy cruisers.
By 6h39 the four French destroyers, Le Hardi, L'Adroit, Foudroyant and Casque deliver a coordinated torpedo salvo (20 torpedoes) against Bismarck, which has been hit again by Richelieu and whose Gunnery Control positions are now disabled by the 8in shell rain she is suffering.
At 6h44, despite brutal Bismarck movements to avoid incoming torpedoes, three hits are scored, two forward (under "Anton" turret and under the bridge) and one aft (at the aft AA directors level). The battleship is again slowed down at now less than 10kts, and her fire becomes erratic. Richelieu closes in down to 10,000m and open fire at litterally close range (for 15in guns). Bismarck is now burning, and only her aft turret answers fire every 2 minutes.
At least six 15in hits are obtained by Richelieu between 6h49 and 6h53, two of them opening huge holes in the Bismarck hull and another forcing the Bismarck captain to flood aft magazines. Soon after however the French battleship "A" turret breaks down again. By 6h54, Norfolk delivers a torpedo attack, putting two fishes in Bismarck by 6h58. The German battleship is now nearly stopped, burning from stem to stern.
At 7h01, Suffolk on one side and the four French destroyers on the other, deliver a last torpedo attack at point blank range (2,000m). Multiple hits (may be up to 5) are obtained.
At 7h13 Bismarck rolls over and sinks. French destroyers will save 118 men and officers of her crew.
At 7h46 British destroyers close on the Prinz-Eugen sailing North at 12kts.
By 7h56 the German cruiser is hit by two topedoes, and stopped. By 8h42 Algérie, followed by Norfolk, close on the stopped cruiser. After trying to raise the German captain by radio to ask him to surrender his ship, both Allied cruisers open fire. They stop at 8h49 as it is obvious that her crew is scuttling the Prinz-Eugen. The ship sinks by the bow at 8h58. British destroyers save 131 men and officers including her Second Gunnery Officer, Kpt.Lt Paul Schmalenbach whose tales of Bismarck and Prinz-Eugen ends have become famous after war.
