Victorious's air attack on Bismarck

24 May 1941, North Atlantic, south-east of Cape Farewell

One hit, no lasting damage

Tovey sent the new carrier Victorious ahead to slow Bismarck down. Her aircrews had only just joined. Near midnight on 24 May nine Swordfish of 825 Squadron, led by Lieutenant-Commander Eugene Esmonde, flew 120 miles through rain and found Bismarck by radar. One torpedo hit her armour belt amidships and killed a man, the first death aboard; the shock loosened the patches over her earlier damage. All the Swordfish got back to the carrier in the dark, though few of the pilots had landed on a deck at night. A few hours later Bismarck turned away and Suffolk lost her; for more than a day the British did not know where she was.