For all the officers and sailors of the Royal Navy's grand fleet, this battle was destined for failure. However, for the sake of the British Empire, they were compelled to exert every effort in a desperate struggle against the German Navy. Only through such sacrifice could the Empire hope to secure victory in this conflict.
Admirals John Jellicoe and David Beatty had set their sights on sinking fifteen or twenty of the German Navy's capital ships. This clearly illustrated their acute awareness of the naval engagement, understanding that the prospects for victory were nearly nonexistent. Thus, they could only resign themselves to the hope that their own sacrifice might inflict significant damage upon the German forces.
Should this objective be successfully achieved, Britain might yet glimpse a chance of victory. Otherwise, defeat was inevitable. In this war, the British Empire, which had dominated the world for centuries, would face utter collapse. Their painstakingly maintained colonial system would crumble, leaving the German Empire to rise upon their ruins as the new global power.
Naturally, every Englishman felt a sense of bitterness about this fate. Thus, the officers and sailors of the Royal Navy, fully aware of the likely outcome, resolved to fight valiantly, inspired by the spirit of Nelson.
As time ticked by, around 10 AM, a cluster of small dark shapes appeared in the eastern sky. Initially, no one paid them any heed; even those who caught a glimpse presumed them to be migratory birds.
However, these small figures soon grew larger, accompanied by a droning sound akin to swarming bees.
"My God! What are those?" a lookout exclaimed as he trained his telescope on the approaching aircraft.
"Blast it, planes! They're German!" an officer shouted, for the Iron Cross on the wings was unmistakable.
Admirals John Jellicoe and David Beatty swiftly received this news, using their telescopes to observe the encroaching aircraft. Both men's faces paled considerably; clearly, the appearance of the German planes had caught them off guard. The implications of this development had yet to fully register, but both felt a disquieting sense of foreboding.
"How can German planes be here? There are no airfields nearby," John Jellicoe furrowed his brow.
"Could the Germans have developed long-range aircraft capable of reaching us from their homeland?" David Beatty pondered, finding it hard to believe, especially since British planes had limited range.
"Commander, are the Germans planning to use these planes to attack us?" an officer inquired.
"Attack a warship with aircraft? How absurd! Our ships are massive, fortified with thick armor; how could those toy-like planes pose any threat?" David Beatty scoffed.
"Let all vessels remain on high alert. The Germans wouldn't send these planes without a purpose," John Jellicoe commanded.
"Understood, Admiral."
Yet, no matter how vigilant they were, what could they do against the planes in the sky? The ships of the British Navy were not equipped with anti-aircraft weaponry.
Meanwhile, the German battlecruiser fleet had also spotted the aircraft, sparking a ripple of excitement among the German sailors. However, upon realizing that the planes belonged to their own side, they settled down, eagerly anticipating a display from their air force.
"The Commander is indeed cautious, allowing the carrier force to initiate an attack on the British. With this, the British will be even more powerless!" Vice Admiral Hipper remarked, shaking his head in apparent sympathy for the British.
As a senior officer of the German Navy, Vice Admiral Hipper was well aware of the combat potential of aircraft carriers. He did not believe the British could withstand an assault from the carrier-borne planes.
Vice Admiral Spee closely monitored the aircraft through his telescope, eager to witness their prowess in combat. After all, Qin Tian had asserted that the combination of carrier-based aircraft and aircraft carriers would supplant capital ships, dominating future naval warfare. As high-ranking officers in the German Navy, they held great faith in Qin Tian's insights, yet they yearned to validate this with their own eyes.
"Launch the attack!" The moment the German Navy's carrier aircraft flew over the British fleet, the commander issued the attack order.
A signal flare shot from the cockpit of one of the fighters. Given the ongoing efforts to miniaturize radio technology, it was not feasible to equip every aircraft with wireless communication. Consequently, the responsible commander was equipped only with a signal pistol to coordinate the squadrons.
Upon receiving the command, both fighters and torpedo bombers initiated their assault. The fighters strafed the decks of British warships with their aircraft machine guns, inflicting casualties upon the Royal Navy personnel, while the torpedo bombers dove toward the battleships, releasing their torpedoes. To ensure maximum damage, the primary targets were the "Bellerophon-class," "St. Vincent-class," and "Giant-class" battleships.
These three classes of battleships were among the earlier vessels constructed by the Royal Navy, relatively weak in defense and susceptible to damage or sinking.
As the German planes descended, hurtling toward them, John Jellicoe's heart sank.
"Blast it, the Germans are launching an attack!"
Yet, they had no means of defense, forced to watch helplessly as the German aircraft unleashed their fury.
"Rat-tat-tat!"
One fighter began to strafe, its nose-mounted machine guns unleashing a torrent of bullets. The rounds struck the battleship, sending sparks flying.
"Ah!" Cries of anguish erupted as a hapless soul was hit. The bullets from the aircraft machine guns were lethal, often tearing their victims apart.
Other British sailors, startled by the spectacle, scrambled back to their quarters for cover.
As the fighters rained down fire, the torpedo bombers launched their assault, grouping in fours as they targeted the "Bellerophon-class" and "St. Vincent-class" battleships.