Did the Tribal destroyers torpedo Bismarck, and how close did they get?
Short answerA hit is possible but uncertain; the destroyers appear to have closed to about 2,000 yards or less, an exceptionally close night-torpedo range.
NotesAn apparent hit may have struck Bismarck's armoured belt without producing a decisive result. Vian's account places the destroyers within 2,000 yards, perhaps nearer, during their night attack. At that range a torpedo shot was close to point-blank, although darkness still made a miss possible. If the destroyers had sunk Bismarck before daylight, the battleships arriving the following morning would have had no target.