"Quickly, increase speed to ten knots. We must leave this place as soon as possible," Colonel Dönitz commanded, his face reflecting a mix of excitement and tension.
Undoubtedly, their mission had been a success. The sounds of the earlier explosions confirmed that their torpedoes had struck their targets. Regardless of whether the second round of torpedoes would find their mark, the results of this assault were already commendable. Should the subsequent six torpedoes also hit one or two targets, their triumph would be even greater.
However, for Colonel Dönitz and the other crew members, the foremost concern was how to safely escape Scapa Flow and return to Germany. If they lingered any longer, the wrathful British would undoubtedly tear them apart.
U-037 began its rapid maneuver towards the waterways of Scapa Flow, eager to flee the scene. After inflicting damage on several Royal Navy capital ships, they had undoubtedly provoked the British forces. Searchlights swept the surface in chaotic arcs, while destroyers scoured for suspicious targets. Remaining any longer would likely result in their annihilation; thus, a swift escape was imperative to ensure their safety.
Within Scapa Flow, the personnel of the Royal Navy were in a frenzy. The sudden ambush had inflicted severe losses upon them. For every sailor in the Royal Navy, this was a profound disgrace. They were determined to exert every effort to locate and destroy the German submarine to vindicate their honor. Yet, even if they succeeded in sinking the U-boat, it would hardly compensate for their losses; a single capital ship cost more than twenty submarines.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Suddenly, more explosions echoed across Scapa Flow. Two battleships had been struck once more, leaving the Royal Navy personnel momentarily stunned.
"Oh God! The Majestic and Neptune have been hit."
"Damn it, could there be more than one German submarine lurking here?"
The Majestic and Neptune, both equipped with 305mm guns, were notably less armored compared to the super-dreadnoughts. The Majestic had taken two heavy torpedoes, resulting in two massive breaches in her hull, and she began to sink. The Neptune, though luckier with just a single torpedo hit, still suffered a severe rupture in her thin underwater armor, with seawater rushing in. Such damage was undeniably catastrophic.
Admirals Jellicoe and Beatty wore ashen expressions. The Royal Navy had already been at a disadvantage against the German fleet, and now, with the ambush in Scapa Flow, their losses were catastrophic. If this continued, the Royal Navy's strength would be further diminished, making their disadvantage against the German forces even more pronounced.
If the Royal Navy had previously held a twenty percent chance of success, now it had plummeted to nearly zero. This situation virtually foretold the Royal Navy's impending defeat in future naval engagements—a prospect no one could bear to accept. The battle had yet to commence, yet they felt they had already lost. This realization left Admirals Jellicoe and Beatty deeply dissatisfied.
"Full efforts to rescue the damaged ships! Additionally, dispatch more destroyers for search operations; we must locate that German submarine!" Jellicoe gritted his teeth.
His only hope was that the injured battleships sustained only minor damage, allowing for prompt repairs. If severely damaged, they would require much more time—time the German Navy would undoubtedly not afford them.
Jellicoe harbored intense hatred for the German submarine that had ambushed them. If Colonel Dönitz and his crew stood before him now, he would not hesitate to eliminate them all.
"Yes, sir," Beatty replied, nodding. He, too, felt a sense of despair. This situation was a bitter blow to the Royal Navy's prospects of victory in future engagements.
"Damn the Germans, like rats hiding away! Quickly, pursue southward! Prepare depth charges; we must flush them out," commanded the captain of a British destroyer.
Soon, the depth charges were ready. These massive munitions were forcefully pushed into the water by the sailors.
"Boom! Boom!"
The muffled explosions reverberated underwater, but all that surfaced were a few dead fish.
Meanwhile, U-037 remained concealed beneath the waves, seeking to evade capture. Though they had increased speed to ten knots, it paled in comparison to the thirty-knot pace of the pursuing destroyers.
"How much longer until we escape Scapa Flow?" Dönitz inquired.
"Sir, at our current speed, it will take at least another hour."
Dönitz's brow furrowed tightly. For them, that hour was fraught with peril.
British destroyers continued to pass overhead, preventing them from raising their periscope. If spotted, it would mean certain death.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The ominous sounds of explosions marked the detonations of British depth charges. The shockwaves rocked the submarine, causing the German sailors to pale, fearing for their vessel.
Creak! Creak!
The sound of the pressure hull groaned under the strain; the immense water pressure from the explosions posed a grave test for the submarine's integrity.
Fortunately, the latest model of the U-200 submarine performed admirably, successfully withstanding the pressure, allowing the crew to breathe a sigh of relief.
The British Navy's pursuit of U-037 continued, but without success. It wasn't until dawn that they abandoned the hunt, realizing the German submarine had successfully escaped.
Although the North Sea was not vast, tracking down a submarine in the vastness of the ocean proved exceedingly challenging.