With the disappearance of the Bismarck at 0306 on 25 May the first phase of the pursuit ended. The Commander-in-Chief in the King George V with the Repulse in company was then about 115 miles to the south-east, bearing about 125° steering 210°. At 0616/25 Rear-Admiral Wake-Walker signalled that the probability appeared to be that the Bismarck and Prinz Eugen had made a 90° turn to the west or turned back, and “cut away” to the eastward astern of the cruisers. The Suffolk was already searching to the south-west on a course 230° at 25 knots. The Norfolk was waiting for daylight. By 0630/25 the visibility was good and she proceeded to follow the Suffolk to the westward, at the same time detaching the Prince of Wales to the southward to join the Commander-in-Chief who was estimated to be then in 54° N., 34° 55’ W.32 Force H was instructed by the Admiralty to steer to intercept Bismarck at 24 knots. The instructions were received at 0330/25. Meanwhile the Rear-Admiral 2nd Cruiser Squadron in the Galatea had altered course at 0558/25 to 180° for the position where the enemy was last seen and the Victorious was preparing eight aircraft ready, to fly off at 0730/25 for a search to the eastward. This plan, however, was altered on orders being received from the Commander-in-Chief to take the cruisers and Victorious and carry out a search to the north-west of the last reported position. (Commander-in-Chief 0600/25.) Five Fulmars had already been up during the night but had not been able to hold on to the enemy and two of them had not returned. The last one had flown off at 0400/25. It was 0716/25 when the Victorious got the Commander-in-Chief’s order from Rear-Admiral 2nd Cruiser Squadron. Her Swordfish, the only planes available, were ranged ready. At 0800 she was in 56° 18’ N., 36° 28’ W. and seven of them flew off at 0810/25 to search between 280° and 40° for 100 miles. (Plans 4 and 5) Their search was supplemented by the Victorious herself and the four cruisers of 2nd Cruiser Squadron (Galatea, Aurora, Hermione and Kenya) who steered to the north-west spread some miles apart (Plan 6). At 0919/25 the Admiralty sent out a report of the situation at 0600/25 giving the estimated position of the British forces at that time. Force H was estimated to be in 39° N., 18° 30’ W., and was steering to intercept the enemy.33
32. This was considerably to the south-west of his actual position.
33. F.O. Force H gives position at 0330/25 as 39° 35’ N., 14° 10’ W., steering 310° at 24 knots.