Replies

http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1941/may41/f05may41.htm

Emperor returns to Addis Ababa

Monday, May 5, 1941 www.onwar.com

In East Africa... Emperor Haile Selassie triumphantly returns to his capital, Addis Ababa. In the battles at Amba Alagi the Italian Middle Hill position is taken.

In North Africa... During the night of May 5-6th, supplies are brought to the besieged garrison in Tobruk by destroyer for the first time. From now until the end of the siege two destroyers will be used on such missions on most nights and at about weekly intervals reinforcements will be brought in and the wounded evacuated.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.etherington/month/thismonth/05.htm

May 5th, 1941

UNITED KINGDOM: Corvette HMS Mayflower commissioned Tyne and departed for workups. (Dave Shirlaw)
FRANCE: VICHY FRANCE: In response to appeals by Petain’s government, the US delivers 14,000 tons of flour.

GERMANY: Hitler inspects the interior of U-57, a U-boat which had been raised after sinking near Brünbuttel, as part of an inspection visit to the Kriegsmarine base at Gotenhafen.

NORTH AFRICA: A destroyer supply run to besieged Tobruk tonight is successful. These runs will continue weekly for reinforcement and the evacuation of wounded.

ETHIOPIA: Addis Ababa: Haile Selassie, the Emperor of Ethiopia, has returned to his capital in triumph. The streets of the city were lined with black and white African troops. After being welcomed with a 21-gun salute he spoke of his gratitude “to Almighty God that I stand in my palace from which the Fascist forces have fled.”

CANADA:

Corvettes HMCS Kamsack and Morden launched Port Arthur, Ontario.
Corvette HMCS Sherbrooke commissioned Sorel, Province of Quebec. (Dave Shirlaw)

U.S.A.: Washington: The White House announced: We can offer no official confirmation that 26 American merchant ships loaded with tanks, anti-aircraft guns, and other war material landed in the Suez Canal. We can only say that we do not rule out the possibility.

MEXICO: The Mexican news agency OFJ reported:
A report from Tampico [Mexico] says that the National Bureau of Petroleum has brought up the entire oil production of the independent American and Mexican oil fields, and then sold it all to Britain. The oil will soon be loaded onto tankers for transport.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: U-69 (Jost Metzler) departed Lorient for the first long range mission by a Type VIIC U-boat. She headed into the Central Atlantic to operate off the West Coast of Africa and to lay mines. Metzler received a Knight’s Cross for this voyage on return to base. (Dave Shirlaw)

The day of Hitler's visit dawned clear but windy. The short trip from the wharf out to where the Bismarck lay at anchor did not agree with the Fuhrer. He looked pale as he stepped on board accompanied by members of his staff. On deck the whole ship's company stood proudly at attention as the supreme leader of the Reich inspected the ranks.

Alois stood stiffly as Hitler passed. Trying to stare straight ahead, he caught a glimpse of the Fuhrer's gaze. Alois would remember that moment for the rest of his life. Hitler's eyes were cold; they looked right through him.

After the troop inspection, Hitler toured the ship. He seemed interested but said almost nothing. When he entered the rear computer room, Heinz, Franz and Adi were sitting at their posts. Their commanding officer described to Hitler how information such as the Bismarck's speed, course, wind-direction and the relative position of the enemy ship was relayed to them from the gunnery control station high above. They fed this information into their machines and sent the calculations swiftly back to the gunnery officers in their control towers. These calculations helped the gunnery officers to correct their aim while firing the big guns in the heat of battle.

At one point Hitler leaned forward to peer more closely at the direction-finding computer. He placed his left hand on Heinz's shoulder and his right hand on Adi's. Neither of them breathed. When the official party had left, the three friends joked about the experience, but they were also proud that their section had been singled out for such attention

After four hours on board, Hitler and his party returned to shore. The thoughts of the ship's company now turned fully toward the mission they all knew was about to begin, although the exact date was still a secret.

That night after supper, Heinz, Adi and Franz met Alois in the canteen where they talked of the day's events "I didn't like the look of the admiral. He looks mean," said Alois. Admiral Gunther Lutjens, who had accompanied Hitler during the inspection. would be in charge of their first foray into the Atlantic Ocean. His reputation as a cold commander was already making the rounds. "I hear he and Captain Lindemann don't get along," added Heinz. "But Lutjens was the one who sank all those British ships in the spring;' replied Adi. "I heard that the men who served under Lutjens all hated him;' persisted Heinz. "Some of them are here on the Bismarck." "I don't care if his mother hates him," Alois said, "as long as he knows what he's doing. The British have more ships than we do. They'd like nothing better than to sink the Bismarck."

The three sailors referenced were among the survivors of Bismarck

Exploring The Bismarck by Robert D Ballard

05 May 1941: Adolf Hitler visits the Bismarck together with Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel, the Chief of Fleet Admiral Günther Lütjens, and other personalities. The Führer stays aboard for four hours.