After dawn, the winds and waves in the English Channel showed no sign of relenting. The sailors of the German Navy, accustomed to the tumultuous North Sea, found such conditions routine. However, for the German volunteers recruited from ports along the Baltic Sea coast, the task was daunting. Maneuvering unfamiliar French vessels while battling the surging waves and remaining vigilant against potential attacks from the British fleet made their journey as arduous as a transoceanic voyage.
Fortunately, the constant presence of German fighter and bomber aircraft circling near the convoy provided a sense of security, albeit accompanied by the incessant drone of engines. In this perilous expanse, their presence was the greatest reassurance for the German sailors.
Leading the fleet of more than 60 vessels was a destroyer flying the ensign of the German Navy. After the Battle of Narvik, where the German Navy lost half of its destroyers, only three relatively intact ships were mustered for Operation "Fortress Warfare." Utilizing a moonless and windy night, they navigated through the Dover Strait to reach the port of Cherbourg in France. The mainstay of the German Navy remained deployed in the waters around their homeland and the Baltic Sea, safeguarding the German landing convoys. On the day of the offensive, all three Z-class destroyers were deployed, boldly maneuvering under the noses of the Royal Navy, which boasted the title of "world's finest." With the coordination of minesweepers, torpedo boats, and armed freighters, they completed their mission, thanks in part to the full support of the German Air Force. Yet, it was the remarkable courage of the German naval personnel that earned the respect of their allies.
As the saying goes, "Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me." Would the British Navy allow their German adversaries to outmaneuver them again?
The answer was unequivocal: No.
Around 8 a.m., the fleet that had set sail before dawn had reached waters about 30 kilometers from the Isle of Wight. At that moment, a Do-17 aircraft, on patrol duty near the convoy, issued a warning via radio: "Fleet spotted in the direction of the British coast, with over 50 vessels!"
Moments later, the combat alert spread throughout the entire fleet via the lead ship. The transport ships, originally sailing in four columns, quickly converged. Twenty-one armed freighters equipped with small-caliber naval guns or army artillery, along with seven small minesweepers, formed a thin but intact defensive line on the outer perimeter. A squadron of elite high-speed torpedo boats lurked behind the convoy, intending to strike when the British fleet drew closer. Just a day prior, they had utilized this tactic to drive off a British light cruiser attempting to shell the fleet near the waters of the Isle of Wight—a testament to the era where a ship sunk by torpedo was considered far more significant than one sunk by naval gunfire. While submarines were the German Navy's sharpest weapon, the strength and achievements of the torpedo boat squadron were equally formidable.
The British fleet had yet to appear, but the German bomber squadrons circling nearby airspace, like bloodthirsty piranhas scenting blood, converged, their wings adorned prominently with the Iron Cross!
Among them were the Ju-88s of Kunkel, the He-111s of Henkel, and the Do-17s of Doniell. While these twin-engine horizontal bombers lacked the precision of the "Stuka" in maritime attacks, their superior endurance allowed them to operate alongside the fleet for extended periods. According to the Fortress Plan's division of labor for joint maritime and aerial operations, the primary task of these bombers was not to sink British warships but to disrupt and delay the British fleet's attack as much as possible before dive bombers and torpedo bombers arrived!
As the German fleet neared completion of its formation adjustment, distant thunder rumbled intermittently. Despite the distance of over ten kilometers, experienced sailors could easily discern between aerial bombs and anti-aircraft fire. The varied sounds of explosions greatly eased the tension that had enveloped the fleet just moments ago.
"I reckon the Air Force will successfully repel the British fleet's attack this time! Hmm, I just can't fathom why they'd come up with such a strange tactic. After all, these ships are carrying only a third of their usual cargo. That means we're taking twice the risk under the same conditions, isn't that a bad deal?" said the Vice Captain of the Z-class destroyer "Paul Jacoby" (Z-5), Felix, a burly and straightforward middle-aged officer. When he was promoted to Navy Captain in 1935, his superiors commented, "Skilled in gunnery, loyal in duty, beloved by subordinates, but lacking in creativity," perhaps influenced by the last sentence of the comment, he had changed several ships in the past five years but had always remained in subordinate positions. Although Germany was still accelerating the construction of new destroyers, several former commanders of destroyers who were forced to abandon their ships during the Battle of Narvik and eventually return to Germany, along with other reserve officers, faced fierce competition not unlike peacetime!
"Hey, word has it that this idea came from the action commander, Colonel Hans Rogen!" Captain Hans Zimmer spoke calmly, showing neither approval nor disapproval of the matter—aside from sharing the same name as that remarkable rising star in the Air Force, the 36-year-old Zimmer's promotion speed was much faster than that of the average naval officer: he graduated from the Kiel Naval School in 1925 and served successively on the old battleship "Schlesien" and the new light cruiser "Emden"; promoted to Navy Captain in 1935. He then became the Deputy Captain of the first destroyer, Z-1 "Leberecht Maass," built by Germany since the end of World War I; by 1937, he had been promoted to Navy Commander and transferred to the Mine Sweeping Fleet as Chief of Staff; a year later, Rudolf Petz, the first captain of Z-5, retired, giving Zimmer his first opportunity to command a single active vessel, and until the outbreak of war, he had performed excellently in various exercises and participated in the invasion of Poland's "White Plan" and the invasion of Norway's "Weser Exercise." After the end of the French campaign, he was promoted to Navy Lieutenant Colonel.
"Ha, the Air Force Colonel advising the Navy operation?" Felix exclaimed loudly, as if no one else was present, "That young officer, not even 30 years old, probably doesn't even know how many blades a ship's propeller has!"
Zimmer remained calm: "Who knows? Since they've adopted his suggestion, there must be considerations on their part! We're still about two hours away from the Isle of Wight, and I reckon the British attacks will only get stronger!"
"Maybe it's just because of some bigwig's appreciation!" Felix bluntly remarked, "Anyway, I just can't see the point of this tactic. Exhausting the ammunition of the British fleet? If the British fleet really comes close, all the ships here combined probably won't even consume the ammunition on one cruiser!"
"Don't speak out of turn!" Zimmer kindly reminded the Vice Captain, who was older than himself in terms of seniority, "It's fine to talk like this on the ship, but be careful on land, the secret police are everywhere!"
Felix snorted, turned around, tilted his head back, and looked at the rear of the fleet. In just a quarter of an hour, the black Stuka formation appeared in sight. From afar, they resembled a sharp arrow, fiercely piercing towards the direction where the British fleet appeared!
"Look, here comes the Stukas, I bet the British fleet will be running with their tails between their legs again! The Air Force, they should just do their job, timely support like this isn't it great?" remarked Felix.
"Perhaps!" Zimmer shrugged, curious, like many others, about the 27-year-old Air Force Colonel, who was said to have no background whatsoever and had risen solely on the basis of his remarkable achievements—what kind of mind does the person who came up with the "Fortress Plan" have!
The fleet of over fifty Stukas flew majestically from about 2,000 meters high on the right side of the convoy, in an orderly formation, as if heading to a parade. If one were to look further into the distance, they would spot a group of Messerschmitt fighters hovering above the battlefield from even higher altitude clouds. If British fighters were dispatched to intercept, they would provide advance protection for the clumsy Stuka formations.
Without the bulky "lead sheep," the deployment of the German Air Force appeared more organized and sharper!
Amidst the gaze of numerous naval officers and sailors, the Stuka formation flew calmly northeastward, until they were reduced to mere specks in the sky. Shortly after, some of these specks began to ascend, then swiftly descend, followed by the distant but intense sound of explosions echoing from the open sea. The British would surely feel the impact this time!
"Captain! Reconnaissance report from the Air Force!" A blond communications officer came running, panting, "The British fleet is still closing in on us!"
"Hmm?" Zimmer glanced at Felix in surprise. "The Stukas couldn't drive them off?"
"I don't know, but the Air Force reconnaissance aircraft reported that there are many small boats rapidly approaching us on the sea!"
"Small boats?" Zimmer pondered for a moment, then suddenly realized that he had been worrying about the strong assault of British cruisers or destroyer fleets all along, but had overlooked the fact that the British Navy also possessed an elite... high-speed torpedo boat fleet!
In less than two minutes, the lookout on board sounded the alarm: "Enemy fleet spotted approximately 6 nautical miles northeast! One destroyer, small fast boats... about 40 of them!"
Although Zimmer had never commanded such a large fleet before, he now displayed the calmness and strategic vision expected of a naval commander. He instructed the communications officer to send a signal:
"All ships maintain position. Free fire, beware of torpedoes!"
Everyone knew about the formidable firepower of the British battleship fleet, the advanced technology of their carrier formations, the exceptional quality of their cruiser fleet, and the astonishing quantity of their destroyer fleet, but often overlooked was the fact that the British also possessed advanced high-speed torpedo boats like MTBs. When they sprinted across the sea surface, their top speed of 40 knots was comparable to that of torpedoes themselves, and their highly agile hulls made it difficult for conventional interception firepower to be effective!
At a distance of 6 nautical miles, which was merely a matter of minutes for vessels traveling at close to 40 knots, the German escort ships opened fire with all their guns. The water columns stirred up by shells and bombs formed tight walls of water for a short period, and the following Stukas periodically dive-bombed, while the German torpedo boats ambushed from the rear of the convoy. Even some BF-109 fighters joined in this arduous battle. However, whether it was the Stukas' consistently high dive-bombing accuracy, the experienced German naval gunners, or the Messerschmitts that had slaughtered numerous Allied infantry on the Western Front, they all found themselves insufficient against these extremely agile small boats.
Since torpedoes were ineffective against British torpedo boats with displacement of only a few tens of tons, the accompanying German torpedo boats could only continue to strafe with onboard machine guns. In ship-to-ship combat, their absolute numerical disadvantage was impossible to overcome!
The water wall, mixed with gun smoke, stood abruptly on the sea surface, presenting a spectacular sight. British torpedo boats emerged from the mist like swallows, at 4,000 meters, 3,000 meters, 2,000 meters. Although some of them were occasionally targeted by the ruthless German firepower, these British torpedo boats had clearly set their sights on a single target—this convoy attempting to transport troops and supplies to the Isle of Wight, and thus breaking through the English Channel!
Racing to within 500 meters of the outer perimeter of the German convoy's escort ships, the British torpedo boat fleet finally unleashed their most deadly weapons: MTBs could launch four torpedoes at once, while older torpedo boats and those originally built for other countries could launch at least two. In an instant, the sea surface was divided into countless blocks by hundreds of white water trails. The warning bells on the German ships rang out, and the deck firepower turned toward the nearby sea.
Predictably, the British torpedoes relentlessly struck one target after another. German ships exploded and caught fire one after another. Faced with the astonishing power of the torpedoes, even cargo ships of four or five thousand tons could not withstand a single hit! The leading destroyer Z-5, with its elegant silhouette, attracted nearly twenty torpedoes' attacks, and despite evasive maneuvers at full speed, it could not escape the fate of being hit by a torpedo. Fortunately, the torpedoes did not immediately cause a ship-wide explosion, allowing more than half of the crew to abandon ship and escape.
After this thrilling attack, the massive British torpedo boat formation decisively withdrew from the scene—having depleted their torpedoes, they would struggle to confront the surviving German escort ships armed only with 40/20mm machine guns, and once they lost their speed advantage, they would be ruthlessly hunted down by the German Air Force!
Struggling in the chilly seawater for nearly half an hour, Lieutenant Colonel Zimmer and his deputy Felix were finally rescued by a German cargo ship sailing alongside. They looked around the sea in dismay, where broken fragments and horrifying oil spills were everywhere, occasionally accompanied by the sight of a lifeless body. The two soaked men exchanged a helpless glance.
"This is unbelievable!" Felix muttered quietly.
"Yes, we've lost two-thirds of the ships. Even our precious destroyer!" Zimmer sighed.
"Fortunately, each ship was only loaded with one-third of the cargo, whether it's trucks, food, fuel, or military tents, reinforcements can easily come from the rear! Just imagine, if half of these ships were full of soldiers, this sea would have turned into a hell on earth!" spoke the ship's owner and captain, a dashing blond man who looked no more than thirty-five years old, one of many civilians who joined the war with nothing but fervor.
"Yes, a hell on earth!" Zimmer accepted the warm coffee handed to him by the captain, pondering. Over an hour later, the unfamiliar coastline of the Isle of Wight finally appeared on the horizon, and it was at this moment that the high-speed convoy, which had departed from a French port after daybreak, caught up—these so-called high-speed vessels were selected based on their ability to reach speeds of 16 knots or more, and in order to maintain the highest possible speed, their cargo load was only half or two-thirds of full capacity. Nevertheless, they still carried urgently needed infantry,
tanks, armored vehicles, ammunition, fuel, and artillery to the Isle of Wight.
During the four-hour voyage, this high-speed convoy surprisingly encountered no attacks. Finally, they arrived at Portsmouth Harbor together with the slow-speed convoy that had suffered a devastating attack from the British torpedo boat formation!
As the leading ships slowly entered Portsmouth Harbor, Zimmer still puzzled: how could an Air Force colonel, who had never served a day at sea, contribute such an astonishing tactic to the Navy? Was it his innate talent, or was there someone guiding him behind the scenes, or was it just a stroke of luck?
Perhaps only Colonel Hans Rogen himself knew the answer to this question.
Amidst the gaze of numerous naval officers and sailors, the Stuka formation flew calmly northeastward, until they were reduced to mere specks in the sky. Shortly after, some of these specks began to ascend, then swiftly descend, followed by the distant but intense sound of explosions echoing from the open sea. The British would surely feel the impact this time!
"Captain! Reconnaissance report from the Air Force!" A blond communications officer came running, panting, "The British fleet is still closing in on us!"
"Hmm?" Zimmer glanced at Felix in surprise. "The Stukas couldn't drive them off?"
"I don't know, but the Air Force reconnaissance aircraft reported that there are many small boats rapidly approaching us on the sea!"
"Small boats?" Zimmer pondered for a moment, then suddenly realized that he had been worrying about the strong assault of British cruisers or destroyer fleets all along, but had overlooked the fact that the British Navy also possessed an elite... high-speed torpedo boat fleet!
In less than two minutes, the lookout on board sounded the alarm: "Enemy fleet spotted approximately 6 nautical miles northeast! One destroyer, small fast boats... about 40 of them!"
Although Zimmer had never commanded such a large fleet before, he now displayed the calmness and strategic vision expected of a naval commander. He instructed the communications officer to send a signal:
"All ships maintain position. Free fire, beware of torpedoes!"
Everyone knew about the formidable firepower of the British battleship fleet, the advanced technology of their carrier formations, the exceptional quality of their cruiser fleet, and the astonishing quantity of their destroyer fleet, but often overlooked was the fact that the British also possessed advanced high-speed torpedo boats like MTBs. When they sprinted across the sea surface, their top speed of 40 knots was comparable to that of torpedoes themselves, and their highly agile hulls made it difficult for conventional interception firepower to be effective!
At a distance of 6 nautical miles, which was merely a matter of minutes for vessels traveling at close to 40 knots, the German escort ships opened fire with all their guns. The water columns stirred up by shells and bombs formed tight walls of water for a short period, and the following Stukas periodically dive-bombed, while the German torpedo boats ambushed from the rear of the convoy. Even some BF-109 fighters joined in this arduous battle. However, whether it was the Stukas' consistently high dive-bombing accuracy, the experienced German naval gunners, or the Messerschmitts that had slaughtered numerous Allied infantry on the Western Front, they all found themselves insufficient against these extremely agile small boats.
Since torpedoes were ineffective against British torpedo boats with displacement of only a few tens of tons, the accompanying German torpedo boats could only continue to strafe with onboard machine guns. In ship-to-ship combat, their absolute numerical disadvantage was impossible to overcome!
The water wall, mixed with gun smoke, stood abruptly on the sea surface, presenting a spectacular sight. British torpedo boats emerged from the mist like swallows, at 4,000 meters, 3,000 meters, 2,000 meters. Although some of them were occasionally targeted by the ruthless German firepower, these British torpedo boats had clearly set their sights on a single target—this convoy attempting to transport troops and supplies to the Isle of Wight, and thus breaking through the English Channel!
Racing to within 500 meters of the outer perimeter of the German convoy's escort ships, the British torpedo boat fleet finally unleashed their most deadly weapons: MTBs could launch four torpedoes at once, while older torpedo boats and those originally built for other countries could launch at least two. In an instant, the sea surface was divided into countless blocks by hundreds of white water trails. The warning bells on the German ships rang out, and the deck firepower turned toward the nearby sea.
Predictably, the British torpedoes relentlessly struck one target after another. German ships exploded and caught fire one after another. Faced with the astonishing power of the torpedoes, even cargo ships of four or five thousand tons could not withstand a single hit! The leading destroyer Z-5, with its elegant silhouette, attracted nearly twenty torpedoes' attacks, and despite evasive maneuvers at full speed, it could not escape the fate of being hit by a torpedo. Fortunately, the torpedoes did not immediately cause a ship-wide explosion, allowing more than half of the crew to abandon ship and escape.
After this thrilling attack, the massive British torpedo boat formation decisively withdrew from the scene—having depleted their torpedoes, they would struggle to confront the surviving German escort ships armed only with 40/20mm machine guns, and once they lost their speed advantage, they would be ruthlessly hunted down by the German Air Force!
Struggling in the chilly seawater for nearly half an hour, Lieutenant Colonel Zimmer and his deputy Felix were finally rescued by a German cargo ship sailing alongside. They looked around the sea in dismay, where broken fragments and horrifying oil spills were everywhere, occasionally accompanied by the sight of a lifeless body. The two soaked men exchanged a helpless glance.
"This is unbelievable!" Felix muttered quietly.
"Yes, we've lost two-thirds of the ships. Even our precious destroyer!" Zimmer sighed.
"Fortunately, each ship was only loaded with one-third of the cargo, whether it's trucks, food, fuel, or military tents, reinforcements can easily come from the rear! Just imagine, if half of these ships were full of soldiers, this sea would have turned into a hell on earth!" spoke the ship's owner and captain, a dashing blond man who looked no more than thirty-five years old, one of many civilians who joined the war with nothing but fervor.
"Yes, a hell on earth!" Zimmer accepted the warm coffee handed to him by the captain, pondering. Over an hour later, the unfamiliar coastline of the Isle of Wight finally appeared on the horizon, and it was at this moment that the high-speed convoy, which had departed from a French port after daybreak, caught up—these so-called high-speed vessels were selected based on their ability to reach speeds of 16 knots or more, and in order to maintain the highest possible speed, their cargo load was only half or two-thirds of full capacity. Nevertheless, they still carried urgently needed infantry,
tanks, armored vehicles, ammunition, fuel, and artillery to the Isle of Wight.
During the four-hour voyage, this high-speed convoy surprisingly encountered no attacks. Finally, they arrived at Portsmouth Harbor together with the slow-speed convoy that had suffered a devastating attack from the British torpedo boat formation!
As the leading ships slowly entered Portsmouth Harbor, Zimmer still puzzled: how could an Air Force colonel, who had never served a day at sea, contribute such an astonishing tactic to the Navy? Was it his innate talent, or was there someone guiding him behind the scenes, or was it just a stroke of luck?
Perhaps only Colonel Hans Rogen himself knew the answer to this question.