Anniversary of sinking of Bismarck: Artist recalls meeting pilot who crippled battleship

Steven Fox, of Esh Winning, met Lieutenant Commander John Moffat after being invited by a member of the Royal Navy Historic Flight to produce two works of art based on the Fairey Swordfish torpedo bomber, which attacked the Bismarck.

He was given the opportunity to make preliminary drawings and photographs of Fairey Swordfish LS 326 at Yeovilton Fleet Air Arm Base and later exhibited his work on board HMS Bulwark ata Battle of the Atlantic Event, Liverpool in May 2013.

There he met First Sea Lord Admiral Sir George Zambelas, who was presented with a special print taken from his painting, which is displayed at his office in London.

Lt Cdr John Moffat with Steven and his oil painting of the Fairey Swordfish Mk11 LS326 in 2013

The Royal Navy Historic Flight – now called Navy Wings – arranged for Steven and his parents to visit Lt Cdr Moffat at his home in Dunkeld, Perthshire, in 2013.

HMS Hood in the Denmark Straits on 24th May 1941 with the loss of 1,416 lives. Orders were given by Churchill that the Bismarck had to be sunk at all costs.

John, who was known as Jock to his close friends, was involved in the successful Swordfish attack on the Bismark on May 26 1941.

Lt Cdr John Moffat during WW2

Steven said: “It was a real honour to meet him. He was thrilled to receive two of my prints of the Swordfish.

“He was fascinated by the technical artistic detail showing the cockpit of the Swordfish and was well able to describe the function of each instrument dial and related controls for the aircraft.”

He added: “Lt Cdr Moffat was telling me how scared he was as he flew in to attack the Bismarck, with with bullets and shells whizzing past him.

“As he approached the Bismarck he was tapping his feet on the rudder pedals to his favourite tune, gritting his teeth at the same time.”

Lt Cdr Moffat flew in at 50 feet, barely skimming the surface of the waves to get the best possible angle of attack on the ship.

Lt Cdr John Moffat signing Steven's drawing "The Office", Swordfish cockpit

His navigator Dusty Miller hung over the side of the aircraft looking for the right moment to launch the torpedo and as a trough appeared in the sea below them Lt Cdr Moffat pressed the button to release the torpedo. He did not see it strike the battleship, as he was so focused on getting the aircraft safely back to the Ark Royal.

The fateful torpedo, jammed the rudder of Hitler’s flagship.

On May 27 1941, unable to steer and with all guns out of action, the Bismarck was destroyed by the combined fire power of the British warships HMS King George V, HMS Rodney, HMS Norfolk and HMS Dorsetshire and deliberately scuttled. Only 115 German sailors survived out of a total of 2,221 crew.

Steven said: “Lt Cdr Moffat said one of his worst memories of the war was of flying over the Bismarck as it sunk the next day and seeing hundreds of German sailors covered in oil waving at him.”

Steven’s father, Denis Fox, who has recently produced a series of paintings about the Battle of Britain, added: “Taking off and flying from an aircraft carrier in rough weather was a tricky business especially in the North Atlantic.

“The Swordfish could only carry three airmen and each one of them knew that there would be no rescue should they be shot down in the ocean. It was a daunting and very brave task.

"Lt Cdr John Moffat died aged 97, he was a remarkable, humorous and well-liked person who deserves credit for the successful attack on the Bismarck."