novelbin Chapter 1031 1031: We Are the Ones Being Eliminated
Chapter 1031 1031: We Are the Ones Being Eliminated
The next day, the rising sun illuminated Lerwick, the largest port in the Shetland Islands. The British North Sea Fleet stationed there dispatched another group of patrol ships, their propellers churning the water, causing seagulls to shriek in the air.
The commander of the British North Sea Fleet, Admiral Freddie, hadn't slept all night. He received a telegram from the London War Building the previous night:
"The entire German High Seas Fleet is heading your way, please ensure defensive preparations!"
Admiral Freddie was taken aback upon receiving the telegram.
The German High Seas Fleet?
Despite being in disarray, do they still have the combat ability to challenge the Royal Navy?
It's simply a joke.
Soon after, he received several more telegrams:
"Our Second Fleet is blockaded by the French Army on the western side of the English Channel and cannot provide reinforcements."
"The 'Warspite' has been sunk, and the Second Fleet may not be able to assist the North Sea for three days."
"The German High Seas Fleet is likely stronger than your fleet, please remain vigilant!"
...
It was then that Admiral Freddie began to feel tense.
Admiral Freddie wasn't afraid of the German High Seas Fleet, but of Shire.
He actually managed to sink the 'Warspite,' which was a Queen Elizabeth-class and the only ship of its class in the North Sea Fleet.
And it was evidently Shire's design to divert the North Sea Fleet's strength to the Atlantic, blockading the English Channel so they couldn't return.
Shire would only do this if he believed the German High Seas Fleet could defeat the North Sea Fleet!
In a state of panic, Admiral Freddie spent the night gathering relevant materials on the two recent naval battles, the Mediterranean and the English Channel campaigns.
He hoped to understand what he was up against.
After a night of research, he finally understood.
"The world has changed," Admiral Freddie lamented to his staff, eyes filled with resignation, "and we are the ones being eliminated."
"What?" The staff were startled by Admiral Freddie's words. Was he suggesting the British Fleet would lose?
Admiral Freddie didn't elaborate further; as a commander, he couldn't "disrupt the morale of the troops."
However, he knew the Royal Navy's decline was inevitable.
Even if they won against the German High Seas Fleet today, they would eventually be defeated by the French Navy.
This gap couldn't be bridged by effort alone.
While the French Navy already had bombers and torpedo bombers, Britain was still in full swing building battleships, with scientists and engineers striving to increase gun calibers and defensive armor, things that were utterly ineffective on the battlefield.
Can you believe it?
The Royal Navy had become a pile of scrap metal!
"General," at this moment, the signalman reported, "German main fleet spotted, they are advancing with over 80 warships towards our port!"
Admiral Freddie immediately understood the Germans' intent; they wanted a decisive battle.
The British Fleet had no choice but to engage.
This was Lerwick; the British Fleet had stored a large amount of fuel, supplies, and ammunition here.
If Lerwick fell, even if the Second Fleet arrived to join the battle, the British Fleet would face a predicament of no fuel and no ammunition.
Attacking their vital position forced the British Army to respond.
Admiral Freddie gritted his teeth, "Set sail and engage!"
...
On the German battleship 'Bavaria,' Admiral Scheer watched with satisfaction as the British fleet appeared in his telescope's view.
Wilhelm Port was only 560 kilometers from the Shetland Islands.
If they advanced at full speed, they could have arrived last night and launched a night assault on Lerwick Port, but Admiral Scheer hadn't done so.
"Daytime attacks are more advantageous for us," he analyzed to his staff:
"We have more advanced sighting systems and thicker armor, and most importantly, we have more ships."
"Why should we fight a night battle when we hold the advantage?"
This was one of the rare occasions where Germany held the upper hand in naval warfare, making many uncomfortable.
Some staff disagreed:
"But the British ships are faster, Captain. They can use this to seize the more advantageous 'T' position."
"This situation wouldn't occur in a night battle."
In some respects, the German ships' armor and precision were useless, because if they were caught in the unfavorable 'T' position, they'd be at a disadvantage, facing multiple enemy ships at once, even if they outnumbered the British.
(Note: In naval warfare, ships usually move in a single file line, and once they form a square formation and change direction, the differences in speed between the left and right flanks would cause a slow fleet movement and make communication of orders sluggish, which is very cumbersome. But the tactical weakness is clear: if they are not as fast as the opponent, they risk being outflanked and outmaneuvered.)
"Then let them seize the 'T' position," Admiral Scheer confidently stated.
...
Before the fleets engaged, seaplanes clashed in the sky.
But it was clear that the German seaplanes had the upper hand.
Admiral Scheer, inspired by Shire, emphasized the importance of naval air superiority. He knew that airplanes on the battlefield weren't just about intelligence, but whether "torpedo planes" could be used effectively.
If British seaplanes overwhelmed the German ones, it could mean the German "torpedo planes" couldn't release their torpedoes.
Therefore, Admiral Scheer equipped the most advanced aero engines on the seaplanes, striving to take the initiative.
With British seaplanes being shot down one after another, a satisfied smile appeared on Admiral Scheer's face.
The British fleet seemed indifferent to this; they still believed that "once you can see the enemy ships, seaplanes don't matter."
Using their speed advantage, the British continued to maneuver unpredictably.
The entire fleet navigated like a serpent around the High Seas Fleet, sometimes approaching, sometimes distancing, occasionally sending a few fast battlecruisers to close in on the High Seas Fleet and fire a few salvos, disrupting the Germans' movement.
The British excelled at this.
Their ultimate goal was to throw the German High Seas Fleet into disarray, causing confusion, or for the British Fleet to seize the 'T' position with a single misstep from the Germans.
Admiral Scheer showed great patience, cautiously commanding his fleet to cope.
Only after more than an hour did he reveal a flaw, as the flagship led the fleet straight towards the British fleet.
The British fleet across from him immediately capitalized on this rare opportunity.
"Half-speed ahead!" Admiral Freddie ordered loudly aboard the flagship 'Barham,' "Prepare for battle!"
If the German High Seas Fleet didn't change course, they would charge straight into the British fleet's encirclement.
Even if they changed direction, they couldn't escape, Admiral Freddie thought. The British fleet merely needed to adjust speed and course to remain in a favorable position close to the enemy ships.
"You've already lost!" Admiral Freddie felt a stone drop from his heart in relief.
Even with more ships, the outcome wouldn't change for the German High Seas Fleet.
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