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• After being reinforced through Maleme airfield on Crete, Greece, German Stuka dive bombers attacked Allied lines at 1600 hours, softening defenses for a ground assault toward Galatas on the northern coast. Elsewhere on the island, German aircraft bombed Heraklion. ww2dbase [Balkans Campaign | TH]
• Battleship Bismarck sailed for Saint-Nazaire, closely monitored by Allied aircraft and warships. ww2dbase [Bismarck | CPC]
• British cruisers HMS Suffolk and HMS Norfolk lost radar contact with German battleship Bismarck at 0306 hours as the German ship unexpectedly turned west. Several hours later, the British learned of Bismarck's general area after intercepting a radio message sent by Admiral Lütjens. All British attempts to locate Bismarck on this date, however, failed. ww2dbase [Battle of Denmark Strait | CPC]
• German submarine U-103 sank Egyptian ship Radames off Monrovia, Liberia at 1631 hours, killing 1. At 2213 hours, U-103 struck again, sinking Dutch ship Wangi Wangi, killing 1. ww2dbase [CPC]
• Luftwaffe Lieutenant-General Kurt Student arrived at Maleme in Crete, Greece. ww2dbase [Kurt Student | AC]
• HMS Eagle arrived at Freetown, Sierra Leone, British West Africa and refueled. ww2dbase [Eagle | CPC]

• Pierre Laval criticized the Vichy French government during an interview with American journalist Ralph Heinzen in Paris, France. ww2dbase [Pierre Laval | Paris | CPC]
• Giulio Chialamberto was named the commanding officer of Alpino Bagnolini at Bordeaux, France. ww2dbase [Alpino Bagnolini | Bordeaux, Aquitaine | CPC]

• German Type IXC U-Boat U-505 was launched down at Deutsche Werft in Hamburg, Germany. ww2dbase [Deutsche Werft Hamburg | U-505 | Hamburg | DS]

25 May 1941 Interactive Map