"It was more than just a dark plume of smoke on the horizon - for this was the moment that marked the turning point of World War Two, and the end of a great German battleship's reign of terror. Just days earlier, in 1941, the Bismarck had sunk HMS Hood during the Battle of the Denmark Strait. The attack, that killed 1,415 men, prompted the Prime Minister to give the famous order 'sink the Bismarck'. Now, an archive of photos that document the race to destroy the dreaded vessel - as seen from the crew of a British ship - has been unearthed after 71 years. The snaps were taken from on board the aircraft carrier HMS Victorious, one of 42 ships sent by Winston Churchill to find the battleship in May 1941. The 20 black and white photos show Royal Navy ships steaming through the North Atlantic at great speed during the chase for the pride of Hitler's fleet. There are numerous pictures showing Swordfish bi-planes and their crew on standby and ready for action on the deck of Victorious." 'Bismarck receiving first torpedo': Rare photos chronicle race to sink the pride of Hitler's fleet | Mail Online
