All that night (23/24 May) the Norfolk and Suffolk hung on to the enemy, and all through the night their signals were going out. The enemy going 27 to 28 knots would be sighted, then lost in rain or falling snow; picked up with R.D/F, they would be seen looming dimly for a few moments through the gloom only to be lost again. But they were never wholly lost. “With great skill in very difficult conditions” (Commander-in-Chief report), the cruisers shadowed the enemy as they followed him to the south in a momentous and persistent chase. As the Arctic twilight gradually grew into day, the Bismarck could be seen some 12 miles to the southward. She appeared at 0325/24 to be turning to starboard and as the Suffolk turned to maintain her distance, the wind blowing half a gale from the north-west caught the aircraft on her catapult and disabled it. At 0445, a report was intercepted from the Icarus, one of the destroyers with the Hood, giving her position and that of the Achates, some distance astern of the Norfolk. This was the first intimation that Rear-Admiral Wake-Walker had of the Battlecruiser Force being in the vicinity. At 0516/24 smoke was observed on the port bow. The Hood and Prince of Wales were in sight.