The Mighty Hood - A Poem

[Dare 12]

Hello people

I've played this game for a long time now (longer than I'd rather admit) but, aside from playing Tanki I do enjoy other things - such as writing for example.

I've always had a fascination with WW2 naval warfare and the respective navies and ships of that era, and one of my favourite ships from World War 2 was a battlecruiser, named HMS Hood. Built and launched during WW1, she was built in response to a number of issues that became clear after Britain's cruisers spectacularly detonated during the Battle of Jutland in 1916.

The Hood was designed to be a fast battleship - known as a battlecruiser, giving her the speed of a smaller ship but without taking too much away from the guns or the armour.

She remained the largest warship in the world for the 20 years between the Wars, touring much of the globe.  However, in her long period of service her equipment (and armour scheme) became very antiquated and effectively useless in some cases. She was booked in for a modernisation refit, however this never happened due to the outbreak of WW2.

Sadly, the cancelled refit may have actually saved the Hood from her fate, as in May 1941 she was ordered to leave Britain alongside the brand new battleship 'Prince of Wales' to pursue the German warship 'Bismarck', which had slipped undetected into the Atlantic to attack British convoys.

The Hood and Prince of Wales engaged the Bismarck and her escorting cruiser in the Denmark Strait on 24th May 1941, during which a salvo from the Bismarck penetrated the Hood's weak armoured deck and detonated an ammunition magazine, blowing the ship clean in half.

In a matter of seconds, the pride of the Royal Navy had slipped to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, taking with her all but 3 of her 1,431 crew members.

Anyways, historical intro over - basically I'd never written a poem, and I'd been trying to motivate myself to write a short one in remembrance of this tragic event, but also as a reminder of the stupidity and ridiculousness of war.

I should have really posted this on the 24th of May, given it's only a month away - but oh well.

I have written this from the perspective of a son/daughter whose father died aboard the Hood, and this is them recounting the tale to their own child.

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Listen to me son, for the story I will tell you
Is a sad account, a narrative historically true
In this tale I will also tell of you my evaluation
Concerning the end of the Hood, the pride of a nation

 

In 1941, during the Second World War
Came tidings that rocked Britain to the core
A brand new warship had emerged onto the scene
The powerful Bismarck, a battleship of the Kriegsmarine

 

Although the British feared this German machine
A defiant sense of resolve amongst them was seen
For they thought that if there was one ship that could
It would be the Pride of the Navy, The Mighty Hood

 

The Hood was the flagship, a veteran of the fleet
She could have been capable of the required feat
If the battle had taken place perhaps two decades prior
But sadly she belonged in a museum, not in battle fire

 

There were those who harboured feelings of dread
And amonst the crew's loved ones - many an anxious tear was shed
Though of course if they'd known of the voyage's terrible fate
They'd know ten thousand more tears would sadly await

 

In hot pursuit of their dangerous foe
Set sail two battleships, with destroyers in tow
The old Hood, and the new Prince of Wales together
Desperately battled the waves and weather

 

Just when hope of locating their quarry was beginning to fade
A message from the cruiser Norfolk was relayed
Enemies had been spotted in the Denmark Strait
Towards them they then steamed at an incredible rate

 

The Hood first emerged, with the Prince on her heel
They were welcomed with a barrage of enemy steel
The Captain knew that, for their best chance of success
He had to close the distance, onwards they must press

 

As the German shells rained down with little retort
The Hood's Captain ordered a swift turn to port
To bring all guns to bear is what he planned
But alas, for shocking disaster was at hand!

 

The Bismarck levelled her guns with deadly aim
To her crew's joy, victory was theirs to claim
As through the swirling gun smoke was seen
From the Hood - a blinding flash, a roar - the aft magazine!

 

1,428 souls perished on that terrible day
In the freezing Atlantic in 1941, on the 24th of May
The Hood and her crew now rest from their endeavour
Her powerful guns have gone silent forever

 

On cold spring nights in the Strait, it is said
A ghostly ship can be seen sailing the mists ahead
Above the murmuring tide, the sound of the Hood's bell
A mournful toll, crying for those brave sailors who needlessly fell

 

So there you are, my heir and son
This tragic tale is a true life lesson
Never set sail on the seas of conquest and war
Or you will surely find pain, and nothing more

 

Fin

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Edited April 18, 2023 by Dare
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