Survivors from Bismarck are pulled alongside HMS Dorsetshire
At least 1,415 men died when Hood sank in the Denmark Strait on 24 May 1941. This was the Royal Navy's greatest loss on a single ship of the Second World War. When the Bismarck was sunk 9 days later over 2000 sailors perished. In total, this great sea battle cost the lives of almost 3,500 men.
Support For the Expedition
The expedition to find out just what happened on 24 May 1941 was supported by the Royal British Legion , Commonwealth War Graves Commission , Royal Naval Association , Ministry of Defence , HMS Hood Association and the Kameradschaft Schlachtschiff Bismarck .
"Look but don't touch"
The plaque that will be left at the wreck
The explorers had one rule: "Look, but don't touch". By filming what they found on the seabed, they solved the mystery of why Hood sank so fast. They did not move or touch anything except to leave a plaque at the site of the wreck. This included a CD-Rom bearing the names of all the men who died that day, in honour of the sacrifice they made.
Once the expedition was over, Hood's location was not revealed. Only one person will know where the wreck is - David Mearns who led the trip. The site will be protected and those who sacrificed their lives in the fight against fascism will be left in peace.
Related Links
For more information on the ship, it’s history and crew visit www.hmshood.com
