Bismarck Into Battle
by Mark Postlethwaite
| As Bismarck leaves Grimstadfjord in Norway, she is escorted by Messerschmitt Bf-110’s of II/ZG 76 based at nearby Herdla. The time is 19.45 hours on 21 May 1941 and the scene is one of tranquility before the battle commences. During the next seven days the Bismarck will take on the combined might of British air and naval forces, sinking HMS Hood and finally coming to rest in the waters of the North Atlantic with the loss of almost 2000 lives and only 115 survivors. |
| Overall size: 15" x 27" | Available in the following editions |
| 850 | Limited edition | Signed by one Me110 pilot, four Bismarck crew and two Swordfish pilots who attacked Bismarck. | $195 |
| The Signatories |
| Hans-Joachim Jabs A Knight’s Cross with Oak leaves holder, Jabs began his military career in 1936 serving with JG344 which later became ZG76. An accomplished pilot who spent most of his career flying the Messerschmitt 110, he became Kommodore of NJG1 in March 1944 and ended the war with 50 victories. |
| Hans Hellwig
Hellwig enlisted in 1940 as a machinist/fitter and served on the Bismarck in Division III maintaining the Caesar Gun Turret as well as the port side 15 and 10 cm guns. After the Bismarck was sunk, he was rescued from the water by HMS Dorsetshire. |
| Herbert Jahn Jahn Joined up in 1939 as an engineer. Served on the Bismarck in Division XII maintaining turbines. He was wounded during the sinking of Bismarck and was rescued from the water by HMS Dorsetshire. |
| Fritz Mathes
Mathes enlisted in 1935 and served on the Admiral Scheer, winning the German Spanish Cross in Bronze with Swords during a Spanish engagement in May 1937. He was transferred to the Bismarck as Corporal in charge of Optical rangefinding. After the sinking of Bismarck he was rescued by HMS Maori. |
| Josef Statz Joined the Kriegsmarine in 1940 as a technician. He served on the Bismarck in Division XII in the ship’s Control Room reporting to the First Officer. He was rescued after the sinking by HMS Dorsetshire and went on to write the book ‘Schlachtschiff Bismarck’. |
| Sean Dixon-Child Lieutenant Commander Dixon-Child was a pilot with the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm, he flew Swordfish 5B on 26th May 1941 off Ark Royal in a strike against the Bismarck. The 15 Swordfish in this particular strike were credited with 2 confirmed hits and one probable. These hits were directly responsible for the sequence of events which ultimately led to the sinking of the Bismarck. |
| John Moffat
Lieutenant Commander Moffat was a pilot with the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm, he joined the RNVR at the outbreak of WW2. After flying with various squadrons, he flew Swordfish 5C on 26th May 1941 off Ark Royal in the same strike as Lt. Cdr. Dixon-Child, also contributing to the sinking of the Bismarck. |
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