On the afternoon of August 5th, approximately 200 kilometers west of the Orkney Islands, a British cargo ship was sailing southeast. This vessel, carrying grain, had set off from Canada bound for the United Kingdom. Though Britain's industrial prowess was formidable, it relied heavily on its overseas colonies for essential agricultural products, as domestic production was far from sufficient to feed its millions of citizens.
With the outbreak of war, Britain's food supply became even more strained, prompting the government to issue urgent orders to transport grain from colonies in North America and Australia to sustain the war effort.
Meanwhile, just ten kilometers away, the U-039 submarine was gliding through the water, and soon, they spotted the British cargo ship approaching.
"Captain, British cargo ship sighted! Northwest, about ten kilometers away."
"Dive immediately; we can't let the British spot us," Donitz ordered swiftly.
Water flooded into the ballast tanks, releasing a flurry of bubbles. Within half a minute, the submarine had fully submerged beneath the waves. The surface, though initially disturbed by bubbles, quickly became calm once more, leaving no trace of their presence.
"Change course and maneuver to the ship's port side. Prepare the forward torpedoes," Donitz commanded with cool precision.
This was the first potential target they had encountered since entering the Atlantic, and Donitz was determined not to let it escape.
Beneath the surface, the submarine slowly closed in on the British cargo ship. The unsuspecting British sailors onboard were oblivious to the impending threat. Despite the sinking of several merchant vessels the previous day, the British government had failed to issue timely warnings to those still navigating the perilous waters of the Atlantic.
As the minutes ticked by, U-039 had successfully maneuvered to the port side of the cargo ship, now less than two kilometers away. The periscope was raised.
"Ready torpedoes… Fire!" came Donitz's decisive order.
With a thundering release, a 533mm heavy torpedo shot out from the tube, speeding towards the British ship. Given the vessel's slow speed of ten knots, only a single torpedo was deemed necessary. Under these conditions, even one torpedo had a high chance of hitting its mark.
For the torpedo, traveling at over thirty knots, the two-kilometer distance would be covered in just two minutes. Confident that the unarmed cargo ship posed no threat, U-039 did not immediately dive after the torpedo was launched.
Onboard the British vessel, the sailors remained blissfully unaware of the danger until a young deckhand suddenly spotted something cutting swiftly through the water toward them.
"What is that?" the startled sailor called out, pointing at the trail left by the torpedo.
"Dear God! It's a torpedo! We're under attack!" shouted an older sailor, once a member of the Royal Navy, his voice trembling with fear.
Panic ensued as chaos erupted on the ship.
A deafening explosion shattered the stillness as the torpedo struck the port side of the cargo ship.
Although this was a large vessel displacing over ten thousand tons, its hull was no match for the destructive power of the torpedo. A massive hole was torn open below the waterline, and seawater began flooding in with alarming speed.
Instead of attempting damage control or sealing the breach, the sailors scrambled to board the lifeboats, fighting one another for the limited spaces available.
As more water rushed in, the ship began to list heavily before capsizing and sinking beneath the waves.
"Turn south and continue sailing," Donitz ordered, paying no heed to the sinking ship or the desperate cries of the British sailors floating in the water. His focus remained on his mission—heading south would increase their chances of encountering more British merchant ships, offering more opportunities to rack up victories.
Though the submarine's speed was much slower than that of surface ships, its stealth capabilities allowed it to strike without warning.
As U-039 and the rest of the German submarine fleet swept into the Atlantic, their attacks on British merchant vessels intensified, causing British losses to skyrocket. By the end of August 5th, the tally of sunken British merchant ships had risen to sixty-two, with a combined tonnage exceeding half a million tons.
Although the German submarines encountered British naval vessels during their operations, their superior design and capabilities allowed them to evade capture. The presence of QinTian, with his near-prophetic insights, had also led to significant advancements in German submarine tactics, greatly reducing the risk of losses during combat.
After nearly a hundred British merchant ships were lost, even the sluggish British government could no longer ignore the severity of the situation. Ships expected to arrive in port never showed up, causing considerable confusion among those awaiting the shipments.
When the alarming reports finally reached the government, they understood the grim reality that had befallen them.
At the Admiralty, First Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill's face turned ashen.
Before the war, Churchill had been serving as Home Secretary. However, Prime Minister Asquith, impressed by Churchill's expertise in naval matters, had appointed him to replace McKenna as First Lord of the Admiralty, while McKenna took over Churchill's previous role.
In this new position, Churchill thrived. As war loomed ever closer, the status of the Royal Navy, the Empire's most powerful force, grew more crucial. This in turn elevated Churchill's own standing as First Lord of the Admiralty.
Though Churchill knew that heading the Admiralty during wartime would not be an easy task, he believed that the Royal Navy's deep reserves of strength would see them through any challenge the German Navy might pose. If he could successfully lead the Royal Navy through the impending crisis, he would secure his place in history as a hero.
But what Churchill hadn't anticipated was that the war had barely begun, and already he was facing such an overwhelming problem.