'During the night the British appeared once more, coming in close to deliver their torpedoes again and again, but the Bismarck's gunnery was so effective that none of them was able to deliver a hit. But around 08.45 hours a strongly united attack opened, and the last fight of the Bismarck began. Two minutes later, Bismarck replied, and her third volley straddled the Rodney, but this accuracy could not be maintained because of the continual battle against the sea, and, attacked now from three sides, Bismarck's fire was soon to deteriorate. Shortly after the battle commenced a shell hit the combat mast and the fire control post in the foremast broke Gerhard Junack, Lt Cdr (Eng), away. At 09.02 hours, both forward heavy gun turrets were put out of action. Bismarck, writing in Purnell's ' A further hit wrecked the forward control post: the rear control post was History of the Second World War' wrecked soon afterwards... and that was the end of the fighting instruments. For some time the rear turrets fired singly, but by about 10.00 hours all the guns of the Bismarck were silent' SINK the Bismarck' 1 Desperately fighting the U-boat war and was on fire — but she continued to steam to the picture of the Duchess of Kent in a fearful lest the Scharnhorst and the south west. number of places. That picture was left Gneisenau might attempt to break out in its battered condition for the re- from Brest, the had cause for It was imperative that the BISMARCK be mainder of 'S war service. concern in late May, 1941. Air sunk before reaching harbour. The air- reconnaissance had detected the new craft carrier Victorious; the Facing the enemy was dangerous enough, German BISMARCK and the Rodney and Ramilles; the battle but when aircraft from the Ark Royal cruiser Prinze Eugen in an unfrequented Renown and the cruiser SHEFFIELD, made a further sortie, poor visibility Norwegian fjiord near Bergen. There was were all ordered into the Atlantic. The resulted in a attack being made little doubt that, sooner or later, they Ark Royal; the on the SHEFFIELD by mistake. Luckily would make a dash for the Atlantic. The Edinburgh, Norfolk and Suffolk, and a for her the newly-adopted magnetic stage was being set for the most dramatic force... all these were moving pistols failed to explode. A further attack sea chase of World War II. in remorselessly to block the with better torpedoes was made on the BISMARCK'S route to France. BISMARCK later and she was hit. BIS- Early information of the sailing of the MARCK was then seen to turn two German ships was of vital importance to Hanging on relentlessly, Suffolk and Nor- circles and when she resumed her course Admiral Sir John Tovey, Commander-in- folk reported that the enemy had slightly it was clear that she was partially crip- Chief of the Fleet based at . reduced speed. A Coastal Command air- pled and that her speed had been much He could not keep his patrol cruisers con- craft reported oil showing in the reduced. stantly at sea; he did need his ships to be BISMARCK'S wake and, on the evening ready to intercept once the break-out had of 24th May, HMS Prince of Wales made That night it was the turn of Captain PL been made. contact. After a short exchange of broad- Vian and his Tribal Class destroyers By 22nd May the weather was deterior- sides the BISMARCK turned away and Cossack, Maori, Sikh and Zulu to attack. ating fast. The Commanding Officer of a altered course. That night, torpedo Cossack, by coincidence, had been build- naval air station in the Orkneys, aware of carrying aircraft launched by the Vic- ing at Walker Naval Yard when the urgency of the situation, called for torious made a long distance attack and SHEFFIELD was launched, and SHEF- volunteers to man an aircraft to fly over scored one hit. FIELD was there shadowing the enemy Bergen. Four men volunteered at once when Cossack and Maori each obtained a and, despite the 'impossible' meteor- At 3 a.m. on 25th May the shadowing hit with torpedoes. An hour later HMS ological forecasts, flew close to the sur- cruisers lost contact for the first time. The SHEFFIELD reported that BISMARCK face all the way to , only to find BISMARCK was then 350 miles SSE of was stopped, 400 miles west of Brest and the fjiord empty. The hunt was on. Greenland. An extensive air search was 1750 miles from the position in which the organised, but it was not until 10.30 a.m. first sea contact had been made. HM ships Suffolk and Norfolk were on 26th May that the German was found ordered to patrol the Denmark Strait; the heading east and about 550 miles west of The ship was still fighting. The shadowing battleship Prince of Wales — so new that Lands End. The Prince Eugen had parted destroyers and the cruiser Norfolk were she had not really completed her accep- company with her and was not sighted fired on at daylight on 27th May. About 9 tance trials — and the Hood again. At 11.15 a.m. aircraft from the Ark a.m. that day, the King George V and the were ordered to take up a strategical Royal sighted BISMARCK, and HMS Rodney, who had awaited full daylight, position west of the Strait. Admiral Tovey SHEFFIELD was ordered by Admiral opened fire. BISMARCK was hit and himself put to sea with the battleship King Somerville to make contact and shadow. silenced and the cruiser Dorsetshire was George V. On the evening of 23rd May, The same afternoon, aircraft from the ordered in to sink her. At 11 a.m. on 27th Suffolk and Norfolk sighted the enemy carrier made an unsuccessful sortie. May, the BISMARCK action was over. ships and, despite bad visibility, shadowed Shortly after 5.30 p.m. SHEFFIELD More than 100 officers and men were them throughout the night. As a result the contacted the BISMARCK and proceeded picked up from the sunken ship. Prince of Wales and Hood made contact to shadow her, under fire. It was in this early on 24th May and at once attacked. action that the ship received her most The whole epic story — the story of a The Hood was blown up when a broadside treasured battle scar. Straddled by a salvo strategical and tactical triumph — is now hit her magazine; the Prince of Wales was from the BISMARCK, the cruiser was hit written in one word among the battle slightly damaged and the BISMARCK was by splinters. Some passed through the side honours of HMS SHEFFIELD... BIS- hit — and at one time of the wardroom piercing MARCK, 1941. Sheffield was the first warship to carry 6" guns mounted in triple turrets, two forward and two aft. She was capable of maintaining a succession of 23- gun broadsides with a total out- put of 96 rounds per minute. The ship with a charmed life

here can be no doubt that the first SHEFFIELD bore a charmed life. Certainly her crew swore by her as a lucky ship. TShe had, for instance,captured the German merchant ship Gloria in October 1939; had landed her Marines at Namsos to secure the harbour and road bridges and permit a large British force to land; she had taken part in a bombardment of Genoa and shadowed the Bismarck. By the end of 1941, six of her battle honours had been hard earned with no serious damage.

Rejoining the Home Fleet, HMS more. Driving spray brought visibility 1942, SHEFFIELD suffered a head-on SHEFFIELD found herself on that most down to less than 200 yards and so great collision with another ship at a com- onerous of wartime naval duties was the pressure of the wind on the ship bined speed of 30 knots. The fatal escorting convoys to Russia. Making a that she was compelled to heave to, her casualties were few and those aboard the turn in darkness, and in a rising gale engines running at a minimum speed to ship that day had cause to be thankful to North East of , she struck a give steerage way. The seas stove in the the Royal Corps of Naval Constructors floating mine which blew a hole in her starboard whaler, submerged the forward who had designed her, and Vickers- port quarter, 40 feet long and 20 feet and swept part of the turret Armstrong who had built her. deep. She was 1 000 miles from the roof overboard. HMS SHEFFIELD rode nearest repair base and the story of her out that storm for three days before For three months between September and successful return was an epic in itself. being able to set course for port. In December 1942, there were no convoys to another gale there was further damage by Russia. The landings in North Africa had On two other occasions the ship was heavy seas and the ship was hove to for drained the Home Fleet of ships and there damaged by heavy weather in the Arctic. 17 hours. At the end of that time she had been a certain anxiety as to the safety During terrific storms in February 1943, found herself 40 miles further of Arctic convoys after the mauling given the wind reached hurricane force and the downwind than when the gale first to PQ-17 in June 1942. German anxiety waves reached a height of 50 feet and started. about British activity in Arctic During the North Africa landings in waters might well be explained by Hitler's miles away from the convoy's reported Sherbrooke was severely wounded, but obsession, in the early months of 1942, position, caused the Admiralty to send a his tactics worried the Hipper and kept that he was to be attacked via Norway. warning to Captain R Sherbrooke, Captain her from the convoy. (D) of the 17th Destroyer Flotilla. Later The Russian convoys began again in that day, the Lutzow and Hipper and their Around 10 a.m. that day, Sherbrooke December 1942 with plans to sail 30 ships screening destroyers put to sea. The two received a radio message indicating that in two operations — 15 in convoy on the ships were to attack JW-51B from north Force 'R' — Jamaica and SHEFFIELD - 18th and a further 15 in convoy on the and south. The Hipper group was to drive heading towards the noise of battle, were 22nd. The plans were that Northbound the convoy towards the Lutzow. approaching him on a course of 170 de- convoy JW-51A would arrive at Murmansk Subsequent evidence suggested that the grees. This put Force 'R' to the north,

so that escorts could return with home- Germans were afraid of meeting big whereas it should have been to the south. ward-bound convoy RA-51 on the 30th ships. As things turned out, much Fearing a German ruse, he ordered two December. depended upon the character of destroyers back to the convoy. He fought individual commanding officers. On the on with Onslow and Orwell, his ship Admiral J C Tovey, C-in-C Home Fleet, morning of the 31st December 1942, the suffering severe damage before falling decided that he would not only sail the Hipper sighted two ships at 7.25 a.m; back to the convoy and homing Force `R' convoys with their fighting escorts of then several more. The stage was set for by radio. Hipper had broken off the destroyers, but he would also have a the Battle of the Barents Sea. action and, as things later proved, drawn separate force of two cruisers — Force ` off the convoy escort such that, R' — covering the movements. JW-51A The Germans knew that there was a unwittingly, the convoy had run straight sailed on 18th December and arrived convoy on the move because U-354 had towards the Lutzow; yet a little later, the safely as planned, covered by Force 'R' — sighted the ships on the 30th December Hipper was attacking the destroyers the 6-inch gun cruisers SHEFFIELD and and had reported their position. The again. She finally turned away for fear of Jamaica commanded by R L British anticipated some sort of attack a torpedo attack. Burnett. by surface ships and at 8.30 a.m. on the 31st December, one of the look-outs The Hipper had just signalled the Lutzow Convoy JW-51A was not attacked, but aboard HMS Hyderabad reported two that she was in action and that there was the German Naval Staff had plans. They destroyers due south and, on the con- no cruiser with the convoy when 24 six- had drawn up Operation Regenbogen ( voy's starboard beam, HMS Obdurate inch shells burst around her. SHEFFIELD Rainbow) which provided for the pocket reported them as they passed astern. and Jamaica had arrived and caught the battleship Lutzow, the That was fortunate, because the Hydera- Germans by surprise. So complete was Hipper and an escort of six destroyers to bad had thought they were Russian that surprise that the Hipper's guns were sail from Altenfjiord to attack some ships. The Obdurate was ordered to unspecified Arctic convoy. Convoy JW- investigate. At 9.15 a.m. she sighted still trained in the opposite direction. 51B, which sailed from Scotland on the three destroyers and challenged. There 22nd December, gave the Germans the was no reply, and then one of the Force 'R' had been steaming north-west chance they wanted. Hit by a gale, the 22 German ships revealed her identity by when Obdurate first sighted the three ships and their escorts, well to the north opening fire. The battle had begun. German destroyers. Rear Admiral Burnett of North Cape, were driven well south of throught he was in a good position to their intended route. Ships lost contact; Captain Sherbrooke saw the gun flashes; intercept raiders, but found himself 60 some made Murmansk alone and some ordered his five ships to the position de- miles to the north of JW-51B. At 8.58 a. even steamed past the convoy without termined before the convoy sailed, and m, SHEFFIELD'S radar picked up two sighting it. On the 29th December the transmitted an 'enemy' report. Then, as echoes — one larger than the other. They he left the port side of the convoy, he Bramble was sent to make a were 7½ miles ahead, to the northwest radar search for missing ships. She was sighted a large black shape among the and steering eastwards. Were they raiders never seen again by British eyes. snow squalls. The shape was the Hipper, approaching from the north, and what or stragglers? SHEFFIELD tracked them Next day the intensity of German radio followed from that sighting developed by radar and found them to be the trawler activity with Altenfjiord less than 200 into a classic destroyer action. Captain Vizalma and a merchantman. Both had lost the convoy. At 9.32 a.m. Burnett result virtually ended the German Navy as ship Duke of York informed of her move- saw the reflection of the gun flashes from a big ship force. The only ships of any ments. The Duke of York was coming up the German destroyers firing at HMS size that it was allowed to keep were the from the south-west at high speed to Obdurate to the South. battleship Tirpitz and the battlecruiser intercept and, at 4.15 p.m, made contact. Scharnhorst. The Duke of York soon obtained a hit on the fast-moving German, and the With 40 or 50 miles to go, SHEFFIELD Scharnhorst turned to an easterly course and Jamaica steamed south for nearly an In early September of 1943, HMS with the British fleet in chase. Another hour. The men on their bridges were almost SHEFFIELD was back in the Medi- destroyer attack, this time by HM Ships frozen stiff by the biting wind until at 10.30 terranean. It was there that she took part in the allied landing in the Gulf of Savage, Saumarez and Scorpion and the a.m, SHEFFIELD'S radar picked up a Norwegian Stord, scored three torpedo large ship 10 miles ahead — the Hipper. A Salerno, an operation which met stiff opposition and which required strong hits whilst under heavy fire. The Scharn- few minutes later and 15 miles away, there naval support for the eight convoys carry- horst's speed was reduced; the Duke of was another — the Lutzow. Rear Admiral ing the armies to the beaches. The action York closed in and the battle was re- Burnett decided to attack the nearest and in and around the Gulf earned the ' newed. On fire and almost stopped, the both SHEFFIELD and Jamaica fired Salerno 1943' honour. Scharnhorst was sunk by a torpedo fired broadsides at a range of eight miles. A shell by HMS Jamaica, 60 miles NE of North from SHEFFIELD'S fifth and one each On Christmas Day 1943 the Scharnhorst Cape. That explains 'North Cape, 1943' from Jamaica's fourth and fifth salvoes hit sailed to attack convoy JW-55B. In the the last of SHEFFIELD'S battle honours. the German ship. Damaged and on fire, convoy's escort were the Onslow and the Hipper turned into a smoke screen laid by Orwell. Covering the convoy were the In 1944 the ship was earmarked to form her attendant destroyers. Two of them — SHEFFIELD, Jamaica, Belfast and Norfolk part of the British Pacific Fleet and sent the Friedrich Eckholdt and the Richard and the battleship Duke of York. On the to the US Navy Yard at Boston for major Beitzen — mistook the SHEFFIELD for 26th December, in the half light of an overhaul. The work took much longer 1 the Hipper and steered straight for her. Arctic dawn, Rear Admiral Burnett's than was anticipated and VJ-Day came SHEFFIELD hit the Friedrich Eckholdt cruisers sighted the Scharnhorst steaming before she was ready for further oper- with seven salvoes and left her smothered at high speed towards the convoy. The ational service. in smoke and flame. The Jamaica engaged cruisers opened fire and the Scharnhorst the destroyer Richard Bietzen, which turned away. A few hours later she After the war had ended, the ship served in managed to escape. attempted to close the convoy again and home waters; in the Mediterranean; on the was headed off once more. West Indies station and East of Suez, until At 11.37 a.m. the battle was over. time caught up with her — despite two Admiral Kummetz aboard Hipper broke Giving up the attempt, the Scharnhorst modernisation periods in dockyards—and off the action and ran for Altenfjiord. turned to a southerly course. Throughout she was relegated to the Reserve. Her long For the Germans, Operation Rainbow the afternoon SHEFFIELD, Jamaica, career came to an end in 1967 when she had been a complete failure. Hitler's Belfast and Norfolk shadowed her, keeping was towed to Faslane, on the Gareloch, to fury when he heard of the battle and its Admiral Sir Bruce Fraser aboard the battle- be broken up.

In July 1967, the British Government This is very important news indeed for introduced its plans for the Navy of the Barrow, and it must be a matter of great 1970's. One of the three new ships then pride to Vickers that, in this highly com- A petitive field, they have won an order to announced was a new class of destroyer designed to carry the SeaDart missile and build the first ship of this very important incorporate propulsion. class. This will be the first custom-built ship of gas turbine propulsion for the new When Mr John Morris, Labour MP for Royal Navy," said Mr Morris. Aberavon and the then Minister of Defence (Equipment) visited the Barrow- To the Royal Navy the order meant the in-Furness works of Vickers Shipbuilding first of a very sophisticated new class of Group on Tuesday, 14th November 1968, ships, powered completely by gas Sheffield history was made. He had travelled North turbines. To Vickers it meant guaranteed especially to announce the order for the jobs for 1200 men over a period of years, first of these new guided missile des- and a design and technical involvement in troyers, and, with this announcement, the the first ship of the type and the vessels Royal Navy entered the new era of 'jet which were to follow her. a new age' ships. So far as jet power was concerned, the "In close competition with other ship- Royal Navy had built a gas turbine pro- yards, Vickers has won an order to build pulsion system on an experimental basis age the first ship of this class; also to provide and installed it in HMS Exmouth. "The lead yard services for the new design... Royal Navy takes great pride in the fact not long before the planned launch day. Contractors' sea trials took the new ship Two men lost their lives in an explosion to the Firth of Clyde and the South Wales and part of the ship was extensively area early in 1974, and, on one occasion damaged. Vickers had already won an in the Firth, SHEFFIELD steamed in order for two Type 42 Destroyers for the company with the first Type 21 frigate, Argentine Navy and the first of these was HMS Amazon. The sea trials, designed to already being built in the Yard. With the prove most things worth proving, were ready agreement of the Argentine Navy, run in three stages up to August 1974 Vickers — rather than delay the launch - and were a marked success. On complet- repaired the RN vessel by direct replace- ing them the ship returned to Barrow-in- ment with the equivalent section from the Furness to undergo final docking and Argentine ship. Valuable time was thus tests before completing for commission- saved by a 'round-the-clock' effort, ing. While her building took longer than reminiscent of the 1939-45 war years. was ever imagined when the work began, Ship No.1084 was able to be launched as the Royal Navy now has a vessel built in planned on 10th June 1971 and her the best Vickers' tradition of quality and sponsor, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in Barrow's best traditions of skill and was heard to express her sympathy to the craftsmanship. families of the men who had lost their lives. To the waiting crowds, however, it was a joyous day as HMS SHEFFIELD took to her element without a hitch.