In accordance with the plan to May 18, 1841, at 21:00 heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen 'raised anchor, and May 19 at 02:00 am, went to sea' Bismarck '. Also entered into sea and ships supplies. At noon the nineteenth ships met at Rugen, where they were joined by destroyers accompanying Z-23 and Z-16 from the 6th Fleet Kriegsmarine (and only then explained Lyutens sailors aim out to sea). Z-10 (in It was the commander of 6th Flotilla Kriegsmarine Alfred Schulze-Hinrich) joined at 22:30. On the night of 19 on May 20 ships have been the Great Belt, which ball is closed for the civil courts.
On the morning of May 20, 1941 the squadron went to the entrance of the Strait Kattegat. Since the passage through the Kattegat was carried out during the day in a beautiful sight, we detect a squadron of 'Bismarck' was easy. It happened May 20, 1941 at 1:00 pm: Swedish ships found cruiser Gotland ', who immediately reported them to Stockholm. The Germans intercepted the message, immediately realized that the location of the 'Bismarck' soon cease to be a secret for the British. On the message with the 'Gotland' Lyutens notified radiogram command post in Wilhelmshaven. In turn, the Swedes are taking the message to the 'Gotland', gave the news about an event Denhemu Henry, a British officer on naval affairs. At 20:58 from Stockholm to London was sent a message saying that on this day, at 15:00, in the Kattegat Strait ball found the German fleet, the next course to the northeast, including two large warships, three destroyers, transports, supplies and patrol aircraft.