WWII/Militaria: An extremely rare archive of 22 Royal Naval ...

Hammer

£2,600

WWII/Militaria: An extremely rare archive of 22 Royal Naval telegraph messages that chronicle one of the most famous Naval engagements of WWII, the pursuit and sinking of the pride of the German Navy The Bismarck. Sold via direct descent from Harold Benson Key the Yeoman of Signals onboard HMS Cossack, a Royal Navy Destroyer who participated in the pursuit and destruction of Bismarck, and made several torpedo attacks on her. The messages start on 27th May and finish on the 31st May. They number communications to and from HMS Cossack, HMS Dorsetshire "I torpedoed German battleship Bismarck both sides before she sank" another from D4 4th DF reads 0945 "Dorsetshire from C in C HF torpedo German battleship Bismarck at close range (1022), enemy had abandoned ship cannot get her to sink with gunfire" and one from RAD to the Cossack reads "Heartiest congratulations from Home Fleet Destroyers on the part played by your Flotilla in sinking Bismarck.