Tovey was first informed at about 06.00 hours that the Bismarck had eluded her pursuers. Of course it was a major reversal and all his planning was overthrown. Unfortunately, Lütjens had several options to choose from, either sailing towards a port or going for a tanker somewhere on the Atlantic. In the latter case, Tovey believed it was most likely that the Bismarck would rendezvous with a tanker west of Greenland. If Lütjens had chosen to set course for a port, he might well encounter a convoy en route. In the east, the OB323 headed west. Somewhat further to the south, the important troop convoy WS8B sailed and from southwest, the large convoy HX127 approached, consisting of 56 ships from Newfoundland heading towards Britain. Tovey decided to concentrate his search efforts west of the latest known position of the German battleship.³⁴⁹ It is not difficult to imagine how much Tovey would have given for the information that the Bismarck in fact was almost due north of the King George V and that Lütjens was about to sail through an area recently passed by Tovey. The distance between them was less than 100 nautical miles and if Tovey had made a 180 degree turn he would have intercepted the Bismarck within a few hours.

However, the British admiral lacked this vital information and neither could he direct considerable reconnaissance to the area where he believed the Bismarck might be found. The only ships near enough were Wake-Walker’s. But Tovey still had a strong card to play – the aircraft on board the Victorious. Before noon they were sent to search in a semicircle, north and east of the latest known position of the enemy. The cruisers that had lost contact were also directed to the same area, but all efforts were in vain. Tovey himself set a southwesterly course and ordered the Prince of Wales to join him. The Repulse had to break off the operation and proceed to Newfoundland, as she was running out of fuel oil.³⁵⁰

As the Bismarck had made a 300 degree turn, she had in fact assumed a southeasterly course during the morning of 25 May. Thus she passed astern of Tovey’s ships, which had continued on a southwesterly course. The distance was great enough to preclude any lookouts from seeing the enemy ships. Tovey’s prospects of finding the enemy were very gloomy. The searching was conducted in the wrong area, his ships sailed on a completely inappropriate course, which brought them further and further away from the Bismarck and allowed her to gain a healthy lead in the direction of the French ports. To make matters worse, Tovey’s force was reduced as the the ships were forced to refuel. Repulse had already set course for Newfoundland. Soon the Prince of Wales would also have to break off the operation as she had very little fuel oil left. Tovey wanted to keep her as long as possible, but eventually he had to detach her. She set course for Iceland, and made her way slowly to Hvalfjord, which she reached at noon on 27 May with only 50 tons of fuel oil remaining in her tanks.³⁵¹ It was not much for a ship whose fuel oil capacity amounted to thousands of tons.

Thus, within a few hours, Tovey first faced the loss of contact with the Bismarck, then he had to detach two of his capital ships. Even if the Bismarck was found, he could not engage her with the King George V alone and have any hope of success. Admittedly he could place some reliance on the Ramillies, but this old battleship would not have bothered the brand new German battleship much. The Revenge had left Halifax in the afternoon on 24 May, but she was too far away, unless the Bismarck really had turned west. Few other ships remained. The Rodney was at a position suitable if the German battleship sailed towards Brest, but she hardly had the necessary speed to force the Bismarck to battle. Perhaps slightly greater hopes could be placed on Force H. Admiral Somerville had at his disposal the battlecruiser Renown, which was hardly equal to the Bismarck, and the carrier Ark Royal. Also a few smaller ships were available to Somerville. Mainly it was on the carrier that hopes rested. She might search successfully and perhaps slow the Bismarck down if she could achieve torpedo hits. Nevertheless, all circumstances suggested that Tovey had lost the first round.