New pics spark mystery over ' Bismarck sinking during World War II'

London, May 28 (ANI): A collection of photographs that were taken by a young sailor during World War II has sparked mystery about the events leading to the sinking of the formidable German battleship Bismarck.

The images contradict the official account of the sinking of the German battleship Bismarck.

John Spurr, from Morley, Yorkshire had collected the snaps on HMS Victorious and had passed them to his grandson Jason Spurr before his death.

One picture shows a plane leaving an aircraft carrier, with "First off for Bismarck" written on the back and he said that others recorded a visit from King George VI to the aircraft carrier, Sky News reported.

Other shots include one of the aircrafts lined up to take off, and the Bismarck apparently sighted from the Victorious before its final battle.

Jason, from Stirlingshire, has asserted that his grandfather told him that one of the pictures might show the moment when the Bismarck was destroyed.

Only 115 people from a crew of around 2,200 had survived when the massive ship, also called Germany's greatest battleship, sank in 1941 during one of the most decisive naval actions of the war.

The ship's rudder had gotten damaged in a torpedo attack, which slowed the vessel, allowing Royal Navy warships to intercept and sink her.

Another photograph shows the ship on the horizon with smoke billowing into sky, with "Victorious torpedo hits Bismarck" noted in pencil on the back.

British naval historian Professor Andrew Lambert, from the department of war studies at King's College London, said Spurr had a "great collection" of photographs but questioned whether they showed the final moments of the sinking German ship.

According to him, Bismarck sank on a "thick cloudy day", with no explosion.

"There is some great stuff there, and if the Victorious had sunk the Bismarck it would rewrite the entire history of the Second World War," Lambert said.

"The crew of the Victorious was truly heroic. They took off in the most appalling conditions. They went way beyond the call of duty and carried out a substantial blow, but they weren't there at the end."

However, Jason recalled his grandfather telling him not to believe "what you hear about the Bismarck. We were there and we helped sink it."

"That one photo, 'Victorious torpedo hits Bismarck', was taken at the start of the final battle on the last day, from the Victorious, corresponding with what my grandfather said," he said.

"Why the Victorious has had no mention even being there on the last day, well, people can come to their own conclusion about that," he added. (ANI)