Ingot Bar - German WW2 Battleship Bismarck

Ingot Bar commemorating the German WW2 Battleship Bismarck, one of the largest Battleships built by Germany for World War 2. It was launched on Valentines day 1939. Bismarck conducted only one offensive operation, in May 1941. At the Battle of the Denmark Strait, Bismarck engaged and destroyed the battlecruiser HMS Hood, the pride of the Royal Navy, and forced the battleship HMS Prince of Wales to retreat; Bismarck was hit three times and suffered an oil leak from a ruptured tank. The destruction of Hood spurred a relentless pursuit by the Royal Navy involving dozens of warships. Two days later, while heading for the relative safety of occupied France, Bismarck was attacked by Swordfish biplane torpedo bombers from the aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal; one scored a hit that rendered the battleship's steering gear inoperable. In her final battle the following morning, Bismarck was neutralised by a sustained bombardment from a British fleet, was scuttled by her crew, and sank with heavy loss of life. The wreck was located in June 1989 by Robert Ballard, and has since been further surveyed by several other expeditions. This ingot / bar is approx 45mm long, 28mm wide, 3mm thick Silver plated and comes protected in a plastic capsule.