The sharp bow of the ship cut through the icy and calm Atlantic seas, breaking the tranquility.
Helmut stood wrapped in a cotton jacket on the bow deck, smoking a cigarette and letting the biting cold wind blow in his face.
"The Leiberocht Maji calls the Georg Thiele, it's over." Inside the bridge, a radio station was relaying sound for another warship not far away.
"Captain! The Leiberacht is calling us! A sailor pushed open the hatch of the bridge and shouted to Helmut, who was standing in the sea breeze.
Helmuth nodded, threw away the half-cut cigarette in his hand, and strode back to the bridge.
"The Leiberocht Maji calls the Georg Thiele, hear please call back, it's over." There was another call from the radio station.
"George Tiller received, please speak." Helmut grabbed the microphone hanging next to the radio station and said.
"Man, how does it feel to fly our new destroyer?"
"Oh, Carl, you bastard." Helmut scolded with a smile.
As soon as he heard this mocking tone, he knew that it was his friend and the captain of the destroyer Leibercht, Carl von Ekert, who spoke on the other side.
"I thought you called me in a hurry, so I threw away half of my cigarette and ran back to the bridge.
"Haha, say quickly, how is our new destroyer?"
"The new destroyer, of course it's great." Helmut laughed and said, "It's better than any destroyer we've ever had before!" "
They came from the First Destroyer Detachment of the German High Seas Fleet, a fleet of five destroyers, all of which were Germany's newest Z1-class destroyers.
German Z1-class destroyer with a standard displacement of 1700 tons, a full load displacement of 3156 tons, and a maximum speed of 38 knots.
IN TERMS OF ARMAMENT, IT IS EQUIPPED WITH FIVE SINGLE 128 MM HIGH-LEVEL DUAL-PURPOSE GUNS PRODUCED BY RHEINMETALL, SIX TWIN 40 MM ANTI-AIRCRAFT GUNS AND THREE TRIPLE 610 MM TORPEDO LAUNCHERS, FIRING A G/7A TORPEDO WITH A RANGE OF 8 KM AND A SPEED OF 63 KNOTS (MODIFIED FROM THE EIGHT-YEAR TYPE II TORPEDO SUPPLIED BY JAPAN).
This class of destroyers can be said to be the most powerful German destroyer of the first class to date.
"Hey, have you been to the Deutsche Shipyard? Our first aircraft carrier is being built there. Carl said.
"I haven't been to the Deutsche Shipyard, but when I went to the Königsberg Shipyard to pick up the cruiser Königsberg, I saw the battleship Admiral Scheer under construction, my God, that ship is really big. I heard that it was a big circle larger than our previous largest battleship Bavaria. "
"Guys, can any of you tell me why I should keep the radio silent now, but you can talk so hard without anyone else?" A voice interrupted the conversation between the two.
"Mr. Major General, our mission is very smooth, you see, the cruisers Königsberg and Cologne are sailing steadily, without even a single big bump." Carl grinned.
"Okay guys, I won't hold you responsible, but from now on, keep absolute radio silence, my intelligence shows that there were once Frenchman warships nearby." The major general ordered.
"Understood, Mr. Major General." Helmut replied, then hung up the microphone in his hand back into its original seat.
Destroyer Detachment No. 1 is at the moment performing an important task - to protect two of the latest German Königsberg-class cruisers from sea trials.
Königsberg-class cruiser with a standard displacement of 7000 tons, a full load displacement of 8500 tons, a maximum speed of 34 knots.
In terms of armament, it was equipped with four triple mounted 128mm high-level dual-purpose guns of the same type as the Z1-class destroyers, four twin-mounted 88-mm anti-aircraft guns (the first guns Gustav gave to Lyon were loaded onto naval ships by Lyon), 10 twin 40mm anti-aircraft guns and four triple mounted 610mm torpedo launchers.
"This kind of task is the most boring, and nothing happens, and we have to keep the radio silent." Helmut complained to his first mate, "I'll go take a break, you come on duty, something woke me up."
"Okay captain." The first mate nodded and said.
But just as Helmut was about to enter the captain's lounge, located behind the bridge, the radio station sounded again.
"Oh, all ships pay attention, an unknown fleet appears in the direction of 9 o'clock. All the warships slowed down to 17 knots, and the Leibercht and Georg left the fleet to interrogate who it was. The serious voice of the major general appeared on the radio.
"Leiberacht received."
"The George Tiller received." Helmut grabbed the microphone and agreed, and then said to the driver, "Flag soldier ready, turn left half of the rudder, full speed ahead!" "
"Understood, turn left half the rudder and go full speed!" The driver repeats the command loudly to prevent mistakes.
The two destroyers quickly broke away from formation and headed towards the target sea area.
"We're in trouble." Carr held up a telescope and reported to the fleet, "They are the French fleet, consisting of 3 light cruisers and 6 destroyers. "
"This is the German High Seas Fleet, your fleet is violating our territorial waters, please leave quickly!" The George, which was driving next to the Leibercht, signaled to the French fleet a few kilometers away.
"This is the high seas, we have the right to freedom of navigation, and you have no right to let us go." The French fleet quickly responded.
"What robber logic?! This sea has been Germany's territorial sea since ancient times, when did it become the high sea? Helmut in the bridge slapped the table angrily, and then said to the flag soldiers, "Tell them that if they don't leave our waters again, we will take military measures." "
The standard-bearer immediately translated this passage, and what he waited for was not the withdrawal of the French fleet, but a shell.
"Boom!" A shell landed next to the destroyer George, startling Helmut.
"I'm under attack! The French fleet fired a shell at me! Helmut grabbed the microphone and shouted, "We ask for a return fire!" "
"George, Leiber Hit, don't return fire, quickly get out of the battle and come back." The voice of the major general came.
"Understood, get out of the battle and return to formation!" Carl and Helmut repeated.
"Boom! Rumble! "The French formation fired two more shells at the Georges.
One shot landed in the distance, and the other landed on the side of the George, almost hitting the George directly.
"The George is under attack again! Request to fight back! Helmut grabbed the microphone and shouted anxiously.
"The request goes through." The rear admiral nodded and agreed, "All warships pay attention, approach the Leiberocht and George, and let the arrogant Frenchmen see our strength!"