Dozens of German aircraft once again soared over the British fleet, instilling a palpable panic among the vessels. Many warships, disregarding their formation, sought to flee in disarray, evidently intimidated by the prior display of might from the German Navy.
"Commence the attack!" As the commander of this wave of aircraft signaled, dozens of torpedo bombers, assigned their tasks, launched their offensive.
The already battered *Magnificent* and *Revenge* battleships could not evade their fate. These aircraft knew all too well the meaning of striking a drowning opponent.
Eight torpedo bombers split into two groups, each targeting the *Magnificent* and *Revenge*. Both battleships had suffered severe damage, their hulls taking on water, which significantly hampered their speed. Under such conditions, they stood little chance against the onslaught of the torpedo bombers.
The *Magnificent* was struck by two torpedoes, further compounding its grievous injuries. Ultimately, it succumbed to the depths, overwhelmed by the deluge.
The *Revenge*, met with even worse fortune, was hit by three of the four torpedoes launched by four bombers. Though they were light torpedoes, they were sufficient to claim the *Revenge*, which sank even before the *Magnificent*.
All three *Bellerophon*-class battleships of the Royal Navy had fallen to the German air assault, and this was merely the beginning. Another forty torpedo bombers continued their relentless assault on British naval vessels.
With the *Bellerophon* class now entirely vanquished, the *St. Vincent* class battleships became the new targets for these aircraft. Despite being an improved variant, many of the enhancements were minimal. The standard displacement of the *St. Vincent* class had increased to twenty thousand tons, surpassing the *Bellerophon* by over a thousand tons. However, in terms of defense, it remained identical to its predecessor, rendering it equally vulnerable to the aerial onslaught.
"Curse it, all *Bellerophon* class battleships have been sunk! The Germans have shifted their focus to the *St. Vincent* class. I fear they too shall succumb to the attacks of the German aircraft," exclaimed Vice Admiral David Beatty.
Admiral Jellicoe's expression darkened further. The German Navy's strategy was clear: systematically eliminate their capital ships, leaving the remnants to be dealt with by their main fleet. As the British naval strength diminished, the likelihood of inflicting casualties on the Germans would dwindle.
"Damn the Germans! What a ruthless tactic!" Admiral Jellicoe cursed.
Though he grasped the essence of the German strategy, he found himself powerless to thwart it. Like helpless spectators, they could only watch as German aircraft unleashed their fury upon their battleships.
The *St. Vincent* surged to its top speed, but against the threat of torpedoes, such speed was inadequate. Under the pressure of the German air attack, the *St. Vincent* floundered like a frenzied bull.
Yet, no matter how fiercely it struggled, the *St. Vincent* could not escape the fate of destruction. Four torpedo bombers closed in on its port side and, from a mere eight hundred meters away, released their torpedoes. Four light torpedoes surged toward the battleship. Despite the *St. Vincent*'s urgent evasive maneuvers, it was in vain.
Two of the torpedoes struck home—one tearing a gaping hole at the waterline, while the other crashed into the stern, obliterating the rudder and rendering the *St. Vincent* a sitting duck.
As anticipated, in the subsequent assault, the four torpedoes launched by the bombers all found their mark, devastating the *St. Vincent*'s underwater armor on the port side. A deluge of seawater flooded into the vessel, and within mere minutes, the *St. Vincent* capsized due to the excessive flooding.
The remaining two *St. Vincent* class battleships, *Collingwood* and *Vanguard*, faced similar fates as they too came under attack from the German bombers. Their inadequate defenses could not withstand even the light torpedoes, leading both battleships to share the same grim fate.
*Collingwood* endured a barrage of seven torpedoes before sinking, while *Vanguard* was struck by five, succumbing as well to the relentless influx of water.
After dispatching all the *St. Vincent* class battleships, the German air squadron had expended their torpedoes and began to withdraw. Yet, among the remaining British battleships, the German light torpedoes could only pose a threat to the *Hercules*, the second ship of the *Giant* class. The flagship, *Giant*, had been severely damaged during a German submarine attack at Scapa Flow and was unable to partake in this great conflict.
The *Giant* class had only a slight displacement advantage over the *St. Vincent*, with defenses that were nearly equivalent. Should the German Navy's aircraft target them, they too would find themselves facing certain doom.
The German air forces, in two waves of attack, had effectively annihilated the Royal Navy's three *Bellerophon* class and three *St. Vincent* class battleships. The entire British 5th Battle Squadron had been obliterated. Coupled with the 2nd Battle Squadron, which had sustained heavy damage and lost two ships, the Royal Navy was left with only three battle squadrons, totaling fourteen battleships. They would now confront the German Navy's twenty-four battleships and twelve battlecruisers.