should have the prinz eugen stayed with the bismarck ?

[sineatimorar]

Then the improving weather can not be considered in tactical sense as while in contact with the enemy no refueling would possible an I believe the PG's fuel situation would have been in a critical state by the 27 th.?

[Paul L]

But PG would have escaped with BS and be lost to the British for at least a day . Subsequently it should be able to meet up with the Artic based Tanker to refuel. Historically this didn't take long [26th May] and then head back to Norway or try another attempt to break through the GIUK gap.

[sineatimorar]

I would expect a turn to the north, unless the cruisers had taken up a postion to the south of the first battle to the battle area, that there would have been no change in the british shadowing abilities. Maybe if they were positioned to the north there may have been a another chapter to the battle of the Denmark strait and a chance of damaging one of them may have been a possibility. I can not recall exactlly their position in the battle zone. I think it took a while to get the timing of the zig zag of the British cruisers before timing the orginal brake away move.

[Paul L]

The escape maneuver was indeed triggered by the zigzagging of Wake Walkers group after the battle of Denmark Straits, but it was because he believed they were being lured into a U-boat trap. The same logic could kick in no matter if he was going north or south.

In fact it might be more likely to happen if BS & PG do something unexpected ....like reverse course suddenly. Remember people to this day are still baffled by German continual refusal to close to do battle, which is misinterpreted as weakness.

[DaveDecadent]

Paul L: In fact it might be more likely to happen if BS & PG do something unexpected ....like reverse course suddenly. Remember people to this day are still baffled by German continual refusal to close to do battle, which is misinterpreted as weakness.

Surely no one is baffled about their express orders to carry out 'commerce raiding' and avoid the risk of battle damage occuring with its obvious consequences?

[sineatimorar]

I think you will find the answer to this thorny question inside the ' fleet directive one' issued in August 39 approximately. In this order Raeder expressly issues the order to the surface fleet to commence all future endeavours to ' the support of commerce operations of the u boat fleet.' In my interuption of this order there is the answer to the misconception that the surface fleet, other than the armoured cruisers, was not initially intended for ' commerce raiders' therefore were not designed for that express purpose. Hence the possible desire of BS captain to pursue the p of w as he could be add odds with the directive and of the opinion that they were faced with a opportunity to do what the BS was designed to do, sink other battleships.

[Stefan7litre]

Prinz Eugen should have until air support could research the area. The Bismarck was a new ship and the crew were new as well. Admiral Lutjens's questioned faith in that support would be provided by Germany had become obvious over the course of time in his speeches to the crew. This reflected in the crew's low moral and made the situation worse. Admiral Lutjens felt that he was forgotten for his military accomplishments for his previous victories by Germany, so he wanted to prove that this journey would be a major accomplishment. This and the mis-guided belief that the ship's enormous size and fire power, that it was unstoppable.