The Wreck of DKM Bismarck − A Marine Forensics Analysis 1 The ...

The Wreck of DKM Bismarck − A Marine Forensics Analysis
DAMAGE HIGHLIGHTS
○ About 0859, one of Rodney’s 406-mm shells damaged Turret Bruno and blew off
pieces of armor from the turret back plate, killing almost all men in exposed portions on
the bridge. Another 406-mm projectile holed the fore bulkhead of the lower bridge.
○ At 0859, a 203-mm shell fired by Norfolk hit and disabled the forward fire-control
director. This certainly resulted in a disruption of the fire-control function and the deaths
of personnel there, including LCDR Adalbert Schneider, the gunnery officer.
○ Around 0900, several 406-mm shells struck in the vicinity of Turret Bruno. One
of these shells hit the upper course of 220-mm armor on the port side of this turret’s
barbette, creating a significant hole that can be seen on the wreck. The turret was trained
to port at the time, engaging Rodney. A chunk of 220-mm armor was thrust into the
barbette structure as the shell tore its way through the armor. There was a splinter screen
inside the barbette, which appears designed to absorb the fragments from just such
impacts. However, heavy shells which penetrated the barbette armor more-or-less intact
probably would easily pass through the fragment screen, exploding within the barbette
structure. There is every indication that this is what occurred in this instance. Pieces of
the shell or debris created a chip about 0.5 meters in length in the upper course of 220mm
armor on the far (starboard) side of the barbette. Other fragments probably found
their way to the powder magazine, where they caused powder canisters to ignite, along
with some charges within the hoists to the turret above. Since both turrets Anton and
Bruno were in action with Rodney at the time of this shell hit, the crew in the gun house
was busy loading shells and powder and canisters into the breeches of both guns. Pieces
from that shell’s detonation could have found their way into the turret’s inner spaces and
caused a fire or an explosion to occur there.
○ There is also the possibility that another 406-mm shell penetrated the turret
structure itself at the same time. That situation cannot be confirmed until a thorough
examination of Turret Bruno is made from its location on the side of the seamount, a
challenging task which may never be possible. It is known that the turret’s back plate was
blown off with pieces of that wreckage projected aft, killing all personnel in exposed
positions on the bridge. The pressure of burning powder and cartridges devastated Turret
Bruno, as the rear of the turret was uplifted and thrust forward. That massive pivoting
motion created a divot some one-meter in circumference in the inner forward portion of
the 220-mm armor plate. The turret magazines were flooded shortly thereafter to prevent
a catastrophic explosion. Turret Anton was also silenced around this time. The turret’s
guns ran down to maximum depression, probably due to the loss of hydraulic power.
○ Sometime during 0900-0915, a 203-mm shell from Norfolk struck the S61 turret
(forward starboard secondary turret) jamming its access hatch. The turret crew was
trapped and doomed.
○ About the same time, another 406-mm shell from Rodney hit the forward conning
tower. A series of 356-mm and 406-mm hits occurred in rapid sequence, killing many of
the men inside and chipping or holing the 350-mm armor 25 . The port door to the conning
tower is open on the seabed, with some apparent damage to its hinges.
25 Frequently, even non-penetrating hits can cause damage and casualties on the interior due to spalling,
with fragments of armor ricocheting around the interior. Another devastating phenomenon is the noise
caused as supersonic projectiles impact on the armor, much like being inside a huge bell as it is rung.
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