An interesting archive detailing the life of a World War Two seamen who helped sink the Bismarck, has been revealed. It reveals a surprising friendship between the seaman and one of few German survivors.
Lieutenant Aubrey Hollick was a member of HMS Dorsetshire’s heavy cruiser, and took part in the famous destruction of the German battleship May 27, 1941.
Four days later, he wrote his mother a letter. It contained his drawing of the final moments of the enormous ship and the caption “Bismarck on Fire before We Torpedoed Her”.
Drawing shows smoke from the ship, and in the distance the Royal Navy ships HMS Rodney (Royal Navy) and HMS King George V.
They fired more than 3,000 shots at the German vessel, and the British heavy-cruisers combined. 2200 people died when the ship sank. The bodies of all 115 survivors were found.
Lieutenant Hollick found the jacket that saved one of the survivors, and kept it in his possession for over a decade as a keepsake.
He decided that he would return the memento, thirty years later. For help, he contacted London’s German Embassy.
He was connected to Herr Burkard von Müller-Rechburg who is the highest ranking survivor after Lieutenant Hollick saved him.
The fascinating archives of a World War Two seaman who helped sink the Bismarck have been discovered. They reveal a unlikely friendship they formed. Lieutenant Aubrey Hollick (pictured below) served aboard HMS Dorsetshire which participated in the famous sinking of the German battleship, May 27, 1941.
They became pen pals after exchanging emails and made arrangements for Herr Mullenheimer-Rechburg, Lieutenant Hollick to visit his Hertfordshire home.
But Lieutenant Hollick’s declining health prevented this meeting from taking place, and he passed away in 1986.
A 1971 letter from Lieutenant Hollick states that he would have loved to meet you, as he was then serving aboard the cruiser Dorsetshire.
We found around 100 survivors and I believe you are one of them.
“I was 19, and at the time I was a seaman. To remind me of that event, I had one of the Bismarck Lifejackets.”
His German counterpart replied: “I was thrilled to receive your very generous letter.
“Unfortunately, unfortunately I didn’t get around to responding to you instantly or coming to visit you at home. Which I would love.”
Bismarck (pictured), had destroyed HMS Hood the British battlecruiser and killed 1 415 members. Winston Churchill, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom issued his famous command to “sink Bismarck”
Four days following the sinking of Bismarck, Lieutenant Hollick sent a letter to his mother. It included the sketch of his final moments and the caption: “Bismarck on Fire before We Torpedoed Her”
“I wish to meet you when I return to England next time.”
Lieutenant Hollick became a pen pal of Herr Burkard von Mullenheim-Rechburg (pictured), the most highest-ranking survivor of the sinking of the Bismarck
Lieutenant Hollick was able return the lifejacket back to Germany, where it is now on permanent display at a museum.
Lieutenant Hollick’s archive, which also contains photos of his time commanding Motor Launch 837 against the Japanese in the Far East, has emerged for sale for £600 with C&T Auctions, of Ashford, Kent.
The item was found in a clearing-out of a estate belonging to a military collector.
Tim Harper, specialist at C&T Auctions, said: ‘It seems to generally be the case that they were all doing their job rather than anything personal so once the guns fell silent they were all in the same boat.
“There was mutual respect, because they had fought on opposing sides.
Lieutenant Horlick realized that the “lifebelt” was a special memento. He decided to return it in Germany to the seaman who had it.
He contacted the German Embassy and was put in touch with Rechburg who is a Bismarck survivor. They exchanged warm notes.
“They had hoped to get together, but they were unable to due to Lt Horlick’s declining health.
“It’s an extraordinary and fascinating archive. The sketch of Bismarck’s ‘on fire” is amazing.
Bismarck, the proud of the British fleet’s battlecruiser HMS Hood was destroyed by Bismarck on May 24, 1941. It killed 1,415 crew members.
Winston Churchill was inspired by the devastating attack to give his famous instruction to sink “the Bismarck”.
Hood’s attack on Hood caused damage to the Bismarck. It was trying to get into the Nazi-occupied port at Brest in France when the Royal Navy saw it.
15 Swordfish biplanes swooped onto the ship on May 26, 2015. Her two rudders were jammed and she was left paralysed.
Lieutenant Aubrey Hollick, left (above) was a member of HMS Daedulus’ Pembroke and Mauritious. Above, he is pictured with his crew holding artillery guns.
The archive of Lieutenant Hollick captured tension-filled moments at sea. Above: Three Royal Navy sailors are seen with their crew.
Photographs from life at sea are captured in the archive’s photo gallery. After serving aboard ships such as HMS Dorsetshire, Lieutenant Hollick was killed in 1986.
Lieutenant Hollick took the lifejacket from one survivor and kept it in his possession for over a decade as a keepsake. Threety-years later, he wanted to return the memento. He contacted London’s German Embassy for assistance. Above: A thank you letter to him for the life jacket
The archive of Lieutenant Hollick also includes details about some places he went on his military tours. These places included Tunisia, Suakin and Sudan.
Lieutenant was also in Sri Lanka at the time, when it was Ceylon. It was part of British Empire.
Lieutenant Hollick captured images of other aircraft and ships. Lieutenant Hollick’s archive, which also contains photos of his time commanding Motor Launch 837 against the Japanese in the Far East, has emerged for sale for £600 with C&T Auctions, of Ashford, Kent
Crew members can be seen smiling and enjoying the ship’s deck during World War II. Another British submarine can be seen.
Lieutenant Hollic also captured images of gunfire on one Royal Navy vessel while another image showed a craft covered in camouflage paint.
The ship was battered with nearly 3,000 bullets from HMS Rodney (HMS King George V), HMS Norfolk (HMS Dorsetshire), and HMS Rodney throughout the night.
The crew may have tried to surrender just before the ship crashed.
If the Bismarck were captured, it would have saved the lives of hundreds more Germans.
The British would have also been proud to catch it as a valuable fish. This allowed navy engineers to identify weaknesses in German ships, including Bismarck’s sister ship Tirpitz.
It would have been extremely dangerous because of the large number U-boats or Luftwaffe planes in the vicinity.
Famously, the sinking of the ship was depicted in the 1959 movie Sink the Bismarck!
Lieutenant Hollick, a gifted artist, was also a member of HMS Daedulus and Pembroke.
Herr Mullenheimer-Rechburg was rescued and remained in Canada as a prisoner until the end of the conflict.
In the 1960s, he was a German diplomat. He also served as West Germany’s Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. At 92 years old, he was killed in Bavaria.
Tomorrow’s sale will take place.