Q&A ยท 1:23:57-1:26:26

Could Holland have won at Denmark Strait?

The British force at Denmark Strait had enough heavy guns to win, but mechanical trouble and a catastrophic lucky hit decided the historical result.

Question

Could Admiral Holland have won at Denmark Strait, or was mutual withdrawal the best possible outcome?

Short answer

He could have won; British heavy-gun firepower was sufficient, and different luck or more reliable Prince of Wales turrets could have changed the battle.

Notes

The British force had eight 15-inch guns in Hood and ten 14-inch guns in Prince of Wales, a weight of fire comparable in broad terms to the force that later destroyed Bismarck. Reliable turrets or a few fortunate heavy-shell hits could have changed the result. Holland also had the option of letting Hood and Prince of Wales maneuver independently. Separate action would complicate fall-of-shot spotting, but each ship could then use its own speed and avoid the constraints of division tactics. The historical defeat was possible, but it was not the only plausible outcome.