**Chapter 429: Encounter**
Rear Admiral Benjamin, commander of the Royal Navy's 2nd Battle Squadron, was in command of three 'Queen Elizabeth-class' battleships. It frustrated him that his squadron had originally boasted five formidable battleships, but now only three remained.
"Damn those Germans! If it weren't for their despicable and treacherous ambush, our 'Warspite' and 'Warrior' would not have been severely damaged," Benjamin muttered through clenched teeth. The loss represented a staggering forty percent reduction in his fighting strength! Otherwise, their chances in this naval engagement would have been considerably better.
"Sir, the Chief of Staff has ordered us to proceed to the battlefield without delay; they are being overwhelmed by the Germans," reported a communications officer.
Benjamin frowned, unable to comprehend the urgency. "Has the battle barely begun, and our battlecruiser squadron is already struggling? The Germans seem to be more formidable than we had anticipated!"
"Order all ships to increase speed," he commanded. Given that their battlecruisers were in trouble, it was imperative for them to hasten to the battlefield. Should the battlecruiser squadron be defeated or suffer heavy losses, their operational objectives would be compromised.
The three 'Queen Elizabeth-class' battleships accelerated towards the conflict. However, since their prior mission had been to flank the German 1st Battlecruiser Squadron, they were forced to take a lengthy route. After receiving Admiral David Beatty's telegram, they estimated it would take nearly an hour to reach the battlefield. Benjamin believed that Beatty's squadron could hold out for at least that long.
He was confident that once his fleet arrived, they could turn the tide. He had faith in the 'Queen Elizabeth-class' battleships; their 15-inch guns had considerable power, capable of penetrating the armor of the German battleships.
What Benjamin did not realize was that they were not the only ones receiving reinforcements. The German 1st Battlecruiser Squadron was also expecting backup. Admiral Hipper had sent a message to Admiral Scheer requesting prompt arrival at the battlefield, not for assistance, but to cut off the British retreat. By doing so, they could potentially eliminate all remaining British battleships in one fell swoop.
Hipper was concerned that if they sank more British vessels, the remaining forces would likely flee in disarray, hindering further gains.
"Boom!" The British 'Queen Mary' struck the German 'Prince Frederick' with a direct hit from its 13.5-inch gun.
"Hooray! Well done!" Admiral Beatty cheered upon witnessing the event.
"God save the British Empire! Sink those German ships!" the other officers aboard the 'Tiger' echoed.
However, their jubilation was short-lived.
As the smoke cleared, it became apparent that the German 'Prince Frederick' had suffered no significant damage.
"Damn it, what happened? Our shells didn't penetrate the German battleship's turret? How is that possible?" exclaimed a British officer in disbelief.
"Oh God! How are we supposed to fight?"
Beatty's expression darkened. Even when they hit their targets, they were failing to inflict damage. If this continued, their ships would soon be sinking one after another.
When 'Prince Frederick' was struck, Admiral Hipper was equally astonished. This was their flagship; a severe blow or sinking would spell disaster.
Although the German high command knew that in a decisive battle against the British, they could not expect to lose no ships, they hoped to minimize losses to maintain their strength against other potential adversaries.
"Sir, the 1st turret of the 'Prince Frederick' has been hit but remains intact. The massive explosion has killed the gunners inside," a staff officer reported to Hipper.
Only then did Hipper relax slightly.
Ten minutes later, the German battleships 'Von der Tann' and 'Leopold' combined their firepower to sink the British Royal Navy's 'Invincible,' raising the British losses to two ships.
This was also due to the inherent design flaws of the 'Invincible-class' battleships, which had poor defensive capabilities. Otherwise, it would not have succumbed so easily.
With two battleships down, the German 1st Battlecruiser Squadron's advantage grew. Hipper then ordered the three 'Blücher-class' battleships to concentrate their fire on the British 'New Zealand,' aiming to further extend their lead.
"Oh God! How much longer until Rear Admiral Benjamin arrives? We can barely hold on!" Beatty was increasingly anxious.
The ferocity of the German forces left him increasingly worried about the situation.
However, it soon became evident that the reinforcements he had been counting on would not arrive.
On their way to the battlefield, the British 2nd Battle Squadron encountered the German 2nd Battle Squadron. Without hesitation, Admiral Scheer ordered an assault on the British 2nd Squadron. Engaging six battleships against three was a golden opportunity.