A RARE & HISTORICALLY IMPORTANT WW2 ROYAL NAVY L.S.G.C.
GROUP OF SIX
1939-45 Star, Atlantic Star, (France & Germany Clasp) Africa Star, Burma Star (Pacific Clasp). War Medal & L.S.G.C. (GVI) 
"HMS DORSETSHIRE"
SINKING OF THE BISMARCK 
To:
D/J 106021, Petty Officer, Eric Colston Robbins. R.N.
Who was serving in HMS DORSETSHIRE at
THE SINKING OF THE BISMARCK
and
WHO WAS THE FIRST N.C.O. TO SPEAK WITH SENIOR GERMAN STAFF OFFICER, 
Kapitan Leutnant Baron Burkhard Von Mullenheim-Rechburg
After his rescue from the sea.
The following statement was volunteered on 27th May 1941 to Petty Officer E.C.Robbins by Kapitan Leutnant Baron Burkhard Von Mullenheim-Rechburg after his rescue from the sea.
1) The survivor's action station was in the Centre Control, of which BISMARCK was fitted with three, in addition to local control in each of the turrets.
2) The survivors seemed to be under the impression that BISMARCK was holding her own against HMS King George V and HMS Rodney, and would have continued to do so had the Main Control Position not been hit by what he thought was a shell from HMS DORSETSHIRE.
The main armament was then into local control, and he moved into 'B' (?) Turret. Evidently 'B' ( ?) turret was ordered to engage DORSETSHIRE, but only fired one salvo at the ship. It appeared that by this time the personnel in the turret were becoming demoralised and began vacating the turret, remarking, "Why should we stay here for target practice" He left the turret also.
3) Asked by P.O. Robbins what secondary armament was fitted, he said three turrets of 5.9 inch guns each side. He remarked that two were out of action, not by gunfire but by the sea.
4) He spoke about the action with HMS HOOD and said that HOOD had scored hit/hits with her third salvo. The first salvo was over, the second short. HOOD was sighted at
4:42 and blew up at 4:58. HOOD cost Germany 40 shells and blew up on BISMARCK's 5th salvo. HOOD rushed in, fired three salvoes , made smoke and was hit as she turned to port, the smoke possibly assisting the ranging.
He was not impressed by Rodney's shooting at first as she took 20 minutes to hit the BISMARCK. He timed this himself.
He saw DORSETSHIRE firing and had been under the impression that 8-inch shells would be ineffective until they began to hit Bismarck.
They caused damage considerably greater than was expected, including penetration of her armour.
This survivor was identified as Kapitan Leutnant Baron Burkhard Von Mullenheim-Rechburg who was later interviewed by Dorsetshire's Commanding Officer, 
Captain B.C.S. Martin.
His attitude then was much more guarded and although his account was substantially the same, there were certain details which he did not mention or he avoided, such as the personnel's collapse of moral.
He was in command of a destroyer at the Battle of Narvik and had been in Bismarck since she commissioned last august. Before the war he was Assistant Naval Attaché to the German Embassy in London.
SURVIVORS FROM BISMARCK.
After the war Von Mullenheim-Rechburg wrote a book about the sinking.
Captain Martin was greatly critised for abandoning many hundreds of German survivors to their fate at sea after leaving the site of the sinking due to reported U-Boat activity in the area. It is suggested that he was still very bitter at the loss of life at the sinking by the BISMARCK of HMS HOOD. In any event he was relieved of his command when he reached shore.
P.O. ROBBINS ORIGINAL SLEEVE & CAP BADGES
A highly historically important grouping to a man directly and intimately involved in one of the most famous actions of World War II
SOLD
(P.O. Robbins father's QSA (5 bars) 1914 Star & Bar Trio to
5639, Sgt Drummer. E.C. ROBBINS. 2/Wilts Regt is also available at extra cost)