"Order all ships to unleash their full assault! We have reached the brink of life and death. If we cannot vanquish the enemy before us, we are left with no escape but certain doom. Thus, for the Royal Navy, for the British Empire, and for ourselves, let us triumph over the Germans! May God bless us!" Admiral David Beatty addressed the officers and sailors of the Royal Navy.
"Long live the Royal Navy! Long live the British Empire!"
The morale of the Royal Navy personnel, initially dampened by their disadvantaged position, was rekindled as they steeled themselves for battle.
However, with the *Indomitable* severely damaged and out of the fight, and the *Inflexible* sunk, only seven battlecruisers remained to face the German fleet's six.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Both sides opened fire, projectiles slicing through the air with a piercing, deafening roar. The naval engagement had reached a fever pitch, with both sides consumed by the heat of battle. Yet, in terms of losses and comparative strength, the German fleet maintained the upper hand.
"Admiral Scheer has already sunk a British battleship. It seems the end of the conflict is approaching," remarked Vice Admiral Hipper, astonished by the might of the *Derfflinger*-class battlecruisers and their 380 mm guns.
"Indeed! If the *Derfflinger* class is already this formidable, I shudder to think of what the forthcoming *Mackensen* class will be like. Moreover, our *Kaiser* and *Bavarian* class battleships are equipped with 380 mm guns as well. In terms of strength, we have far surpassed the Royal Navy. I dare say that in the impending decisive naval battle, our victory is all but assured," mused Vice Admiral Spee, envisioning the day when the German navy would triumph over the Royal Navy.
"We shall surely prevail!" Hipper added.
At that moment, however, the German battlecruiser *Seydlitz* was struck by a shell fired from the British battlecruiser *Royal Princess*. The projectile penetrated the aft deck, exploding and severing a drive shaft, severely hampering the *Seydlitz*'s speed.
Upon receiving this news, both Hipper and Spee wore grim expressions.
"Can the *Seydlitz* continue to hold its ground?" Hipper inquired.
"It will be difficult; its speed is diminishing, and it risks falling behind the line of battle. Additionally, it may become a primary target for the British. Losing it would be a considerable waste," Spee replied.
Hipper nodded, understanding that while the German ships may have sustained some damage, it had been relatively minor and not catastrophic. The *Seydlitz* required only a return to port for repairs. If it sustained severe damage or was sunk in the midst of battle, the cost would be too great.
"Let the *Seydlitz* withdraw from combat! Even without it, we can still defeat the British," Hipper decreed.
Spee had no objections and promptly ordered the *Seydlitz* to disengage.
Seeing a German vessel withdraw, the British navy erupted in cheers.
"Splendid! God bless us!"
Admiral David Beatty could not suppress a flicker of a smile.
"Now it stands at 7 to 5; we still hold the advantage. Perhaps we yet have a chance," Beatty thought to himself.
However, a mere ten minutes later, he was compelled to cast this notion aside.
The battlecruiser *Von der Tann* struck the *Australia* once more. Previously heavily damaged, the *Australia* was now hit by two 305 mm shells in rapid succession. One shell penetrated the command tower, where the 280 mm armor proved ineffective against the 50-caliber 305 mm projectiles. The explosion within the command tower obliterated the officers inside. Another shell struck the *Australia*'s stern, shattering the rudder and causing significant flooding.
After an unsuccessful leak control effort, the captain of the *Australia* ordered the ship abandoned, marking yet another loss for the British battlecruiser fleet.
Just five minutes later, the *Leopold* delivered a devastating blow to the British *Invincible*. A single 305 mm shell struck the armor near the waterline at an unyielding angle. The *Invincible*'s waterline armor was notoriously thin and offered little resistance against the 305 mm projectiles. The armor was torn apart, compromising several compartments.
The crew of the *Invincible* rushed to manage the damage. However, faced with the relentless onslaught of seawater, they had no choice but to surrender.
As the water flooded in, the *Invincible* began to list. Reluctantly, after reporting to Admiral Beatty, the captain issued the order to abandon ship. In a swift descent, the formidable vessel, displacing twenty thousand tons, capsized and sank into the icy depths of the Atlantic.
The balance now tipped to 5 to 5; the British still had the *Tiger*, *Queen Mary*, *Royal Princess*, *New Zealand*, and *Invincible* left, while the Germans retained the *Moltke*, *Goeben*, *Blücher*, *Von der Tann*, and *Leopold*.
Though the numbers were equal, the disparity in combat effectiveness was glaring.
"We've lost, General; we are no match for the Germans!" cried one of the staff officers.
Admiral Beatty, fully aware of the dire reality, faced yet another critical decision. Should he continue the fight to the bitter end, or retreat to preserve their remaining forces?
Swiftly, he resolved to order a retreat, commanding Robertson to lead the remnants of the fleet in a delaying action against the Germans.