Tankerace
Posts: 6400
Joined: 3/21/2003 From: Stillwater, OK, United States Status: offline
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I just found this out, and thought I'd pas it along. It's really quite interesting. The name of the actor who portrays Captain John Leach of the HMS Prince of Wales in the movie Sink the Bismarck! was named Edmond Knight. It turns out on May 25, 1941, he was actually aboard the Prince of Wales, and was partially blinded when a 38.1cm shell struck the bridge. This was the same shell that passed throught without exploding, killing all on the bridge but Leach and 1 other man. According to a source online, Mr. Knight said he was below the bridge, but still in the forward superstructure when it hit. The shell left him without one eye, and partially blind in the other. He returned to the stage and movies in the late 1940's, and in 1960 was cast as the Captain of the Prince of Wales. All in all, a very interesting and ironic story. Force Z survivors, obituary for Mr. Knight
< Message edited by Tankerace -- 8/25/2004 8:53:44 PM >
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Designer of War Plan Orange Allied Naval OOBer of Admiral's Edition Naval Team Lead for War in the Med Author of Million-Dollar Barrage: American Field Artillery in the Great War coming soon from OU Press.
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