[Kapitän]

Originally Posted by Kapitän

Started new career in August 2019 to commemorate the beginning of WWII, 80 years before ...

+++++

Wednesday, 28 May 1941: - U.A.K. and 2nd Training Division (U.L.D.), Gotenhafen -

Work-up's and Trials with the U.A.K. (Kpt.z.S.R. BRÄUTIGAM), the 2nd Training Division, Gotenhafen (Freg.Kpt. HARTMANN).

Operation "Rheinübung":
The German weather observation ship Sachsenwald (Leutnant zur See Wilhelm Schütte) finds two more survivors of the Bismarck, Otto Maus and Walter Lorenzen.

Operation "Merkur":
The Germans push the British, Commonwealth and Greek forces steadily southward, using aerial and artillery bombardment, followed by waves of motorcycle and mountain troops (the rocky terrain making it difficult to employ tanks). The garrisons at Souda and Beritania gradually fall back along the road to Vitsilokoumos, north of Sfakia.

From 28 May – 1 June, Allied troops will be embarked for Egypt, most being lifted from Sfakia on the south coast, where about 6,000 troops will be rescued on the night of 29/30 May. However, the force will attacked by Luftwaffe dive bombers on the voyage back and will suffer many losses. About 4,000 men will be withdrawn from Heraklion during the night of 28/29 May. During the next night 1,500 soldiers will be taken away by four destroyers and during the night of 31 May /1 June another 4,000 men will be evacuated. In all, about 18,600 men of the 32,000 British troops on the island will be evacuated; 12,000 British and Dominion troops and thousands of Greeks will still be on Crete when the island will come under German control on 1 June.

Started new career in August 2019 to commemorate the beginning of WWII, 80 years before ...

+++++

Friday, 30 May 1941: - U.A.K. and 2nd Training Division (U.L.D.), Gotenhafen -

Work-up's and Trials with the U.A.K. (Kpt.z.S.R. BRÄUTIGAM), the 2nd Training Division, Gotenhafen (Freg.Kpt. HARTMANN).

Operation "Rheinübung":
After a brief meeting with the German weather observation ship Sachsenwald (Leutnant zur See Wilhelm Schütte), the Spanish heavy cruiser Canarias (Captain Benigno González-Aller) finds two dead bodies floating in the sea which were pulled up aboard. These were Walter Gaszczak and Heinrich Neuschwander.

At 1000h on the next day, Saturday, 31st May, they will be given a naval burial service and their bodies will be committed to the deep.

In the end, out of a crew of more than 2,200 officers, non-commissioned officers and men of the Bismarck, only 115 will have survived.

Cmdr: The Bismarck is gone! Why did Lütjens not pursue the already damaged HMS Prince of Wales and head back to Norway?