Chereads / Blood and Iron Germany[Part One] / Chapter 451 - Chapter 0451: Predicament

Chapter 451 - Chapter 0451: Predicament

"Admiral, the battleship 'Ramilis' has been sunk," reported a staff officer to Admiral John Jellicoe.

Admiral Jellicoe and Vice Admiral David Beatty had witnessed the sinking of 'Ramilis' with their own eyes, and profound sorrow enveloped them. The Revenge-class battleship was their mightiest vessel, yet it had fallen to the German Navy with such alarming ease. The remaining Revenge-class ships could hardly withstand the German onslaught; one could say that they had already lost this battle. Soon, their remaining capital ships would likely succumb to the relentless assaults of the German fleet, one after another.

At that moment, the British battleship 'Conqueror' finally struck the German battleship 'Sachsen.' A 380 mm shell found its mark, hitting the turret of 'Sachsen's' primary gun. Despite the turret's formidable armor, a thickness of 380 mm, the angle of impact was particularly fortuitous. The resulting explosion toppled the turret, and due to the back-mounted design of the forward guns, the secondary turret was also rendered inoperative. This development meant that 'Sachsen' had suddenly lost two-thirds of its firepower.

"Well done!" Admiral Jellicoe and Vice Admiral Beatty exclaimed in unison at the sight. Yet, a pang of regret coursed through them; had 'Conqueror' struck 'Sachsen' before it dispatched 'Ramilis,' perhaps the latter might have been saved.

Nevertheless, inflicting such severe damage on 'Sachsen' was a most unexpected boon. Had 'Sachsen' joined in the bombardment of the other Revenge-class battleships, the consequences would have been dire.

Before they could fully savor their triumph, the German sailors aboard 'Sachsen' were taken aback by the sudden counterstrike. Colonel Konigs Reinhardt swiftly ordered the ship to alter course, distancing itself from the British vessels. Engaging at a distance of ten kilometers would be tantamount to seeking destruction.

Initially, the sinking of 'Ramilis' had further solidified the German Navy's advantage. However, the crippling blow to 'Sachsen' had diminished that advantage considerably.

Admiral Reinhardt Scheer, once beaming with delight, now wore a frown. Nonetheless, it could still be considered a worthwhile exchange: the crippling of one German battleship in return for the sinking of a British capital ship was a significant gain. 'Sachsen' could return to port, install new main guns, and regain its combat efficacy.

"Order 'Sachsen' to return to base!" Admiral Scheer commanded, unwilling to take further risks with the battleship having lost two of its turrets.

Yet Colonel Konigs Reinhardt rejected the order, imploring Admiral Scheer to continue the fight. Though 'Sachsen' had lost two turrets, the rear turret remained operational, capable of delivering formidable firepower.

After a moment's contemplation, Admiral Scheer acquiesced to Colonel Reinhardt's request, allowing them to remain and continue the battle.

Thus, 'Sachsen' joined forces with the battleship 'Baden' to assault the British 'Conqueror,' seeking vengeance. However, with only one turret left, 'Sachsen's' combat capability had diminished significantly, rendering it less effective in subsequent exchanges. Yet, the sinking of 'Ramilis' had undeniably granted the German Navy greater leverage in this naval confrontation, marking a noteworthy achievement.

With the sinking of 'Agincourt' and 'Ramilis,' the situation for the British Navy grew increasingly dire. Although they persisted, many sailors were plagued by despair. Without their indomitable spirit, they might have crumbled under the pressure.

Following the loss of 'Agincourt,' the German battleships 'Prince Leopold' and 'Nassau' began their siege of the British battleship 'Ireland,' putting it in grave peril.

Despite 'Ireland's' impressive armament of five dual-mounted 343 mm guns, it was utterly overwhelmed by the coordinated assault of the two German vessels. Moreover, as a foreign-trade battleship, 'Ireland's' defensive capabilities were subpar; a single hit could spell disaster, if not outright destruction.

"Boom!"

A shell launched from 'Ireland' struck 'Nassau,' hitting the command tower. Regrettably, the fuse was overly sensitive, causing the shell to detonate before penetrating the tower's armor. The blast's force left the officers inside momentarily incapacitated.

In this predicament, 'Nassau' was forced to be commanded temporarily by the navigation officer, interrupting their gunfire for several minutes. However, they quickly regained their footing.

As the British sailors aboard 'Ireland' celebrated their successful strike, their cheers were short-lived. The German battleship 'Prince Leopold' retaliated with formidable might, firing a 343 mm shell that struck 'Ireland' near the waterline. Despite the waterline armor being a thick 305 mm, it was insufficient to withstand the assault.

The shell breached 'Ireland's' waterline armor and detonated, creating a gaping hole. Immediately following this, 'Prince Leopold' unleashed a barrage of cannon fire, repeatedly hitting 'Ireland' and ultimately sending the vessel to the depths of the sea.