Battle of the Atlantic

• British reconnaisance aircraft find the German ships Bismarck and Prinz Eugen near Bergen on the west coast of Norway. Their position is immediately reported to the Admiral commanding the Home Fleet at Scapa Flow. Later in the day, the Home Fleet mobilizes powerful forces; namely the 2 battleships King George V and the brand new Prince of Wales, the battlecruiser Hood, armed with 16-in guns, carrying the flag of Vice-Adm L. E. Holland, and Repulse, the aircraft carrier Victorious, the cruisers Norfolk and Suffolk, already patrolling the Denmark Strait, and 6 destroyers.
• U-93 sinks the Dutch tanker Elusa (6235t) from Convoy HX-126 southeast of Greenland with the loss of 5 crewmen. 49 survivors make it to Reykjavik in lifeboats.
• U-69 sinks the American steamer Robin Moor (4999t) and the British steamer Tewkesbury (4601t) about 700 miles off the west coast of Africa. The entire crew of 46 of the American ship are rescued a few days later in their lifeboats. The 42 survivors from the Tewkesbury are picked by the American steamers Exhibitor and Antinous.

The Robin Moor, on May 21, 1941, was the first American ship sunk by a German U-boat, U-69, during World War II. The German reason for the sinking was because the ship was carrying supplies to their enemies, as dictated by the Lend Lease Act. No one was killed, though the ship was lost.

The Robin Moor

Crete

During the previous night ships of the Royal Navy are sighted off the north coast of Crete. At dawn aircraft of VIII Fliegerkorps go into the attack, sinking the British destroyer Juno and damaging the cruiser Ajax. 128 men are lost on the destroyer, 21 wounded and 15 others are picked up by the British destroyers Kandahar, Kingston and Nubian.

The Germans consolidate their hold on Maleme. Airborne troops storm Hill 107 overlooking the Maleme airfield. The first troops of the 5th Mtn Div are flown in. During the night the nearby New Zealand forces counterattack and although they have some success they do not penetrate to the airfield.

Mediterranean

• The carriers Ark Royal and Furious fly off a cargo of 48 Hurricanes to Malta. In the air fighting since January the Germans have lost 62 aircraft and the Italians 15. The British losses in the air have been 32 machines, as well as an equal number destroyed on the ground.
• British 'Force D' consisting of 3 cruisers, and 4 destroyers, scatters the seaborne invasion fleet north of Crete. During the night they destroy 10 converted fishing boats.

North Africa

There is an exchange of artillery fire on the Tobruk front, while German and Italian aircraft bomb gun positions and supply depots.

The Bismarck in the Grimstadfjord (Norway) photographed from the Prinz Eugen on the morning of 21 May 1941.

The Bismarck in Norway

Occupied Norway

Reichsführer-SS Himmler attends the oath-taking ceremony of the Norwegian SS in Norway, where he addresses the assembled volunteers: 'The formation of the Norges SS is a new and important step forward for the Germanic community. The honor of its foundation will fall upon Norway.'