Ohmigosh, I don't want to turn this into a naval history lesson, but please if you are going to comment on historical occurances per se rather than the songs about them, do enough research to get it right even if not complete! Jerry, I agree about the song, I found it a very strange mixture, but no, the length of time taken to sink the Bismarck in the final engagement was not an embarrasment, Battleships were built to absorb a tremendous amount of punishment, and the closing range meant that a flat trajectory of the shells were less likely to hole the ship below the waterline.A very brief timeline of the entire sortie follows for anyone interested.
18.5.1941 Bismarck with Prinz Eugen in company sails from Gydinia (Admiral Lutyens commanding the squadron.
21.5.41 Coastal command aircraft report ships in fiord south of Bergen. Prince of Wales (KGV class battleship), Hood (Battlecruiser) and six destroyers (Admiral Holland flying flag in Hood) despatched from Scapa Flow for Keflavic. (it should be noted that PoW was a new ship, had not been worked up and sailed with civilian workmen still on board completing the commissioning of the main armament) 22.5.41 Coastal command recon confirmed that ships had left Norweigen waters. 23.5.41 1922 Suffolk (heavy cruiser) sighted Bismarck in Denmark Straits. Norfolk (sister ship) made contact shortly after. (Admiral Wake-Walker commanding cruiser squadron) 24.5.41 around 0030 Wake-Walkers cruisers lost touch and as a result Holland altered course and detached his destroyers to extend the sweep. 0247 Suffolk regained contact. 0535 enemy sighted from Hood fine on starboard bow (this position meant that althogh Bismarck and Prinz Eugen could use their full broadsides, Hood and PoW could only use their forward turrets. 0552 - 0553 All ships open fire at a range of 25,000 yards. 0600 Hood destroyed by explosion in a magazine. 0613 PoW breaks of action Although the action was a clear tactical success for ther German squadron, a hit from PoW 14" guns had ruptured Bismarck's after fuel tanks and at 0800 Lutyens abandoned his sortie and signalled the Kreigsmarine of his intention to make for Brest. For the rest of the day, Wake-Walkers cruisers with PoW in company shadowed the Germans by radar to remain out of range. Admiralty orders Force H (Ark Royal, Renown and Sheffield, Admiral Somerville commanding) North from Gibralter, and detaches Rodney from convoy escort. The Home Fleet (King George V, Victorious, Repulse and four cruisers - Admiral Tovey) steam to intercept. 1800 Prinz Eugen detached. (this was unobserved by the shadowing forces as they were operating at extreme range for the radar fitted.) 2200 strike of 9 Swordfish flown off from Victorious in "atrocious" weather. 2400 One torpedo hit obtained on Bismarck's main armour belt. 25.5.41 0306 contact lost by shadowing forces. 1100 Admiralty instruct Force H to place himself athwart the course for Brest from Lutyens last known position. 26.5.41 1030 Bismarck sighted by Coastal Command Catalina 690 miles West of Brest. About 1100 recon aircarft from Ark Royal make contact and Sheffield detached to shadow. 1450 Strike of 14 Swordfish flown off from Ark Royal. (Visibility was now very bad and sea state nearly too rough to fly off aircraft) 1550 Swordfish attack on radar plot only to find they had attacked Sheffield! 1800 Rodney and five destroyers join company with Home Fleet. 1910 Strike of 15 Swordfish flown off from Ark Royal. Two hits achieved one of which jammed the Bismarck's rudder and reduced her to a few knots speed.
The home fleet made contact during the night, but held off until daylight apart from harrassing attacks by the destroyers. Repulse and Renown were ordered to stand clear because of their thin armour.
27.5.41 0845 Home Fleet (KGV and Rodney) open fire at 16,000 yards. 1036 Bismarck sinks at 48 10 North 16 12 West, a flaming shambles with all guns silent and her ensign still flying. 110 survivors were picked up.
As Joe says, the crews of the Hood and Bismarck were all seamen and all left grieving families.
Pete M