 On 22 May 1941 , Prince of Wales , the battlecruiser Hood and six destroyers were ordered to take station south of Iceland and intercept the German battleship Bismarck if she attempted to break out into the Atlantic . Captain John Leach knew that main @-@ battery breakdowns were likely to occur , since Vickers Armstrongs technicians had already corrected some that took place during training exercises in Scapa Flow . These technicians were personally requested by the captain to remain aboard . They did so and played an important role in the resulting action . 
