Berlin, Royal Palace.
"No, this plan is too dangerous!" The Kaiser shook his head while pacing back and forth in front of the Minister of the Navy. Since the attack on the Helgoland Bay naval base, he has always told the British navy and ordered the German navy not to take risks, so as not to cause more warships to be lost.
"Your Majesty, this plan was planned by the minister and the Prince of East Prussia half a year ago. When necessary, it can not only greatly boost the morale of the people and the army, but also weaken the enemy's strength to a certain extent!" Tirpitz bitterly Di persuaded the emperor, Chen Tian's "Destiny Action" was discussed with him a long time ago. Although the plan is very bold, it can indeed be surprisingly successful. Tirpitz told the emperor that this plan required the German main fleet to make a feint to attract the attention of the British, hoping that he would approve the high seas fleet to go to sea.
"Even if the plan fails, there will be no loss to the High Seas Fleet! Even if the Baltic Squadron is annihilated, the Russians' weak Baltic Fleet will not threaten us! Once this plan succeeds, the power gap between us and the British Navy will be lost. Shrink!" Tirpitz knew that the Baltic Sea Squadron had set sail, and if his High Seas Fleet did not move, this plan would be completely aborted.
"This way..." The Kaiser finally got a little moved. He didn't want to take revenge on the British navy.
"I heard that Lord Ling was captured by the British in Helgoland Bay, this time we will take good care of him!" William II nodded in agreement, but he repeatedly urged Tirpitz's High Seas Fleet not to cooperate with the British. The fleet exchanged fire.
Tirpitz finally breathed a sigh of relief. As long as the emperor approves him to lead the high seas fleet, it is not the emperor's decision to exchange fire.
"The Baltic Squadron, it's up to you now!"
The Baltic Squadron, led by Prince Heydrich, traversed most of the Baltic Sea and arrived at the German military port of Kiel, more than 300 nautical miles west of Königsberg, on the evening of August 31.
The aircraft on the aircraft carrier have all been stored in the hangar below the deck. The deck is piled up with canvas into small stompings, so what people see is a strange transport fleet escorted by many destroyers.
An hour later, 22 submarines also filed in, quietly docking on the other side of the Kiel military port.
At 8 o'clock in the evening, Prince Heydrich summoned all the captains and staff officers of the fleet to a conference room in Kiel Harbour.
"Everyone, I think everyone is wondering now, where are we going, and what are we going to do! You will know this answer tomorrow morning. I will first arrange the formation of the fleet tomorrow!"
"Colonel Morle, your'Super Duck Mama' follows my flagship closely, and will never leave!"
"Colonel Marshall, your destroyer formation deployed in a circle 5 nautical miles around the flagship after my flagship issued the order to disperse!"
"Lieutenant Colonel Muller, your submarine formation is scattered 20 nautical miles in front of the flagship, and the boats are separated by 4 nautical miles, forming several rectangular submarine battle positions. Once enemy ships enter your range, you must sink them. !"
"Madoni, Major Maur, after the fleet sets sail from here, your pilots will get a detailed map and route map of the target area, let them memorize it for me!"
"Major Metzelder, your transport fleet will refuel the submarine force one last time after the fleet reaches the target location, and then evacuate first!"
"The fleet will set sail from here at 12 o'clock this evening. From 12 o'clock, all ships will maintain radio silence and light control. We will cross the Belt Strait in the dark. Do you understand?"
Everyone stood up shhly, "Understood!"
"Fate is here for a battle, good luck to everyone!" Prince Heydrich, who had passed the year of knowing his fate, solemnly paid a military salute to everyone, and then took the lead to leave the conference room.
a year ago.
Heydrich and Chentian were sitting at a small table under the big tree, Lisa and Mrs. Heydrich were playing with little Sasha on the grass not far away.
"Father, you have been in the Navy for 30 years, why did you retire like this? You are still very young!"
In the past, Heydrich always sailed at sea and rarely took care of his family. Since retiring from the Navy a few years ago, he has gradually spent more time communicating with his family. Although Chentian is always busy, he will talk to him about navy-related topics whenever he has the opportunity.
"I'm old, my body is dead! Haha!" Heydrich shook his head. In fact, the long-term life of a seaman made him look strong and strong, and his eyes were filled with another kind of helplessness.
"Remember, when I was a child, you brought a lot of weird things to me every time you came home. Those are your trophies!" The conversation between these two heavyweight princes is always full of strong affection. .
"Oh! Really? Hahaha, I am old and have a bad memory!" Prince Heydrich laughed mockingly.
"Father, don't always say that you are old, I think you are tired of the internal naval battles, and the depression that has been oppressed by the British for a long time!" Chen Tian suddenly changed a very serious tone with a little bit Feeling sad.
Heydrich turned his head and glanced at him, and after a long time he said solemnly:
"Indeed, I don't like the life of fighting for power. It is precisely because of this'non-motivated' character that I have been honestly my prince, a prince with no power and no power, a prince who is content with an ordinary life. I don't want this character to be passed on to you!" Heydrich lifted up his vicissitudes of face and looked at the sky.
"Do you believe in fate?"
"Destiny? How should I put it? Some things are destined, but some can be changed through their own efforts!" Chen Tian also raised his head, he saw tree trunks, leaves, sky and birds.
"The person I admire most is the British navy god, General Nelson. He led the British navy to win the 1805 Battle of Trafalgar. Just as the naval battle was about to win, Nelson was unfortunately shot in the chest. Before he died. , He sighed relaxedly and left a famous saying that inspired generations of naval officers: Thank God, I did my duty." Heydrich retracted his gaze at the sky and looked back at Chentian.
"His is worthy of admiration, but does it have anything to do with your retirement?" Chen Tian asked suspiciously.
"In the 100 years since the end of the Battle of Cape Trafalgar, no navy of any country has been able or dared to challenge the Royal Navy. The oceans of the world have become British bath basins. Our esteemed Emperor, however, is out of control. The yearning for sea power, or his personal will, is determined to challenge the British maritime hegemony, but every time our naval power increases by one point, the British will reciprocate us at double the speed. If one day we truly and The British are at war, and I think Nelson's Spirit of Heaven will bless the British to win!" Heydrich's voice gradually became low, and the last sentence seemed to be what he said to himself, and his eyes dimmed.
"I believe that if Nelson is alive in the sky, he will also bless the bravest and the most prepared!"
Heydrich looked at his son in surprise, his eyes jumping.
"Father, I have a bold plan. I hope you can join in. We just need an experienced fleet commander!" Chentian has never been able to find a suitable commander because there is no admiral. Both "daring" and calm and calm, he was prepared to go into battle by himself as a last resort, but in fact he was not very proficient in the actual command of the fleet and lacked practical combat experience.
After seeing Chentian's "Destiny Action", Heydrich kept his mouth shut for a long time. This is a new weapon and new tactic he has never heard of. After several days of hard thinking, he decided to join, and he decided to challenge his destiny. .
The Secretary of the Navy Tirpitz was also pulled in by them. The three of them worked together for a long time, and finally revised a perfect "Destiny Action" half a year ago.
At 0:00 on September 1, 1914, Prince Heydrich took his fleet from the port of Kiel and crossed the Belt Strait in Denmark at night. All ships try to pass along the center line of the strait. The surroundings are pitch black. The stars and moon in the sky are also blocked by a large number of clouds. These new warships use oil-fired boilers, and the noise is lower than that of coal-fired boilers. Apart from the sound of turbines and propellers, there is only the sound of waves hitting the hull.
At dawn, Heydrich's fleet appeared in the center of the wide Skagerrak Strait between Denmark and Norway.
At this time, Wilhelmshaven in the North Sea, the three dreadnoughts and three battlecruisers of the German High Seas Fleet's First Reconnaissance Fleet, swaggered out of the port under the command of Lieutenant Admiral Hipper.
The attention of the British Navy quickly focused on this unclear German reconnaissance fleet.
In the port of Scarpaflo where the British main fleet is anchored, through the morning fog from the North Sea, hundreds of huge hill-like ships are faintly visible. Some of the battleships have begun to light fire, and thick smoke has begun to rise from the forested chimneys. Up.
When the first rays of sunlight shone on the high-flying German navy flag of the "Lisa", Prince Heydrich ordered the ships to send a bloody signal to everyone: the fleet is moving forward at full speed and aiming at the port of Scarpaflo. !
All the naval officers and soldiers on the aircraft carrier, destroyer, submarine, and transport ship began to cheer, as if they had returned from victory. The pilots on the aircraft carrier have also obtained their flight route map and the map of Scarpaflo. They suppressed the excitement in their hearts, carefully studied and memorized the pictures in their hands, and the battle will be started by them.
Scarpaflo Harbour is located in northern Scotland and occupies the northwest corner of the North Sea. When the war broke out, it was chosen as the wartime base of the British main fleet. From this position, the British fleet can defend the country's maritime trade routes to the North Sea and block Germany's trade routes through the North Sea. It can also rely on its position to trap opposing warships in the port, and it can still be used when the enemy ships leave the port to go to sea. Insert between the opponent's fleet and the base to force the opponent to challenge. Admiral Jericho, commander of the British Grand Fleet, considered that the submarines and mines of the German High Seas Fleet were so powerful that the traditional approaching blockade tactics could not be implemented, so he adopted a long-range blockade tactic against the German High Seas Fleet. This long-range blockade tactic is mainly based on the cruiser squadron, which constitutes a fixed blockade patrol system, comprehensively searching the North Sea waters, and the battleship squadron stands by in the port for support. By the end of August 1914, the British navy had actually obtained control of the Atlantic Ocean and successfully implemented a naval blockade of Germany. The German Navy did not fight. It was locked by the Kaiser's theory of "existing fleets" and the army's belief that the army would soon triumph and did not allow it to risk performing the duties of the navy-keeping the country's maritime trade routes open.
Hipper's reconnaissance fleet did not go deep into the North Sea, only cruising around Helgeland Island, 50 nautical miles north of Wilhelmshaven. However, they succeeded in attracting several cruisers patrolled by the British Navy in the North Sea, and the entire North Sea. The north is almost in a vacuum.
After sailing out of the Skagerrak Strait, Heydrich's fleet sailed quickly to the northwest. They were still about 500 nautical miles from the port of Scarpaflo. The Norwegian coast was dozens of nautical miles northeast of their route. Others The boundless North Sea is on three sides.
At 8 am on September 1, six reconnaissance planes took off from the deck of the Super Duck Mother. Four searched forward and two took the side. No ships were found on their route throughout the morning.
At 12:00 noon, the No. 3 reconnaissance aircraft reported that two merchant ships were found approaching the fleet 50 nautical miles ahead of the fleet. Heydrich ordered the fleet to turn due north and avoid the merchant fleet.
At 14:00, the No. 2 reconnaissance plane reported that two fishing boats were found near the Norwegian waters. Heydrich sent three destroyers to intercept them and temporarily detained the Norwegian fishermen above.
At 17 o'clock in the afternoon, Hipper's reconnaissance fleet began to return.
At 19:00 in the evening, all reconnaissance planes returned, and the Heydrich fleet began to sail with the lights off.
At 23:00, the submarine force spotted a British patrol boat in front of the route.
At 23:45 in the evening, the British patrol boat entered the submarine ambush circle, and U-033 launched two torpedoes to sink it.
At 1:25 am on September 2, U-018 spotted another British patrol boat and sunk it.
At 3 o'clock in the morning, the Heydrich fleet was only 150 nautical miles away from the destination. The fleet slowed down and the submarines returned to the fleet to refuel.
At 4:3 in the morning, all the submarines were refueled, and the transport ship began to return.
At 5 a.m., Tirpitz led the main force of the high seas fleet to quietly sail out of Wilhelmshaven. The huge fleet consisting of 16 dreadnoughts, 12 old battleships, 3 battlecruisers, 10 cruisers, and 30 destroyers quickly disappeared into the middle of nowhere. In the North Sea.
At a quarter past five in the morning, all the ships of the Heydrich raid fleet entered the scheduled combat positions.
At 5:30 in the morning, Major Madoni and Major Maur began to lead their squadrons to take off from the aircraft carrier deck.
At 5:55 in the morning, the first wave of 68 aircraft took off and started to fly to their destinations, including 20 "Seahawk II" fighter-bombers, 24 "ostrich I" bombers and 24 "Swordfish" torpedo planes.
At 7:12 in the morning, the first "Sea Eagle II" flew over Scarpaflo Port. The harbor was full of secret British warships. The boilers of some warships were on fire. There was only a thin layer over the entire port. Thin mist.
At 7:15 in the morning, Major Madoni dropped the first bomb...