Q&A · 3:48:18-3:48:37

Axis vendettas against famous Allied warships

Repeated attacks and sinking claims against Warspite and Ark Royal challenge the idea that only the Allies pursued particular enemy warships.

Question

Did Axis forces have vendettas against famous Allied warships comparable to the Allied hunt for Bismarck?

Short answer

Warspite and Ark Royal are suggested as examples of Axis vendettas, with their lower profile attributed to postwar film coverage.

Notes

Warspite and Ark Royal are offered as examples of Allied ships that attracted repeated Axis attacks and sinking claims. That suggests the pursuit of famous enemy warships was not confined to Allied forces. One proposed explanation for the difference in popular memory is that these Axis pursuits received less attention in postwar films.