Off the coast of Le Havre, five German "Deutschland-class" battleships and five "Blenheim-class" battleships, flanked by a host of smaller warships, formed a line with their broadsides facing the city, ready to unleash the full force of their artillery upon it.
Onboard the flagship *Deutschland*, Rear Admiral Richter-Filz was observing the situation through a telescope. He could clearly see the British Expeditionary Force's troops fleeing from the coastline into the city. Numerous sailors were abandoning the ships docked at the quay, evidently terrified of the German battleships' impending bombardment.
Earlier, the British had relied on the formidable strength of their fleet to bombard and attack the advancing German forces at Le Havre. Now, the tables had turned.
"It's a shame; despite our best efforts, we couldn't arrive in time. The carrier aircraft teams were incredibly swift—they managed to sink over twenty British battleships and thirteen armored cruisers!" Rear Admiral Richter-Filz remarked with a regretful tone.
While their original mission had been altered, the pre-dreadnought battleships, initially designated for coastal defense, had now proven their worth. The admiral had once hoped for a showdown between the pre-dreadnoughts of both navies, but unfortunately, by the time they arrived, the battle was already over. The British fleet had been devastated by the German air assault, leaving them in disarray, with all their pre-dreadnoughts and armored cruisers sunk. Their detour had yielded no spoils.
Of course, had the carrier aircraft not struck first, this German fleet might have had to face the full strength of the British Navy. With only ten pre-dreadnoughts compared to the British fleet's twenty-one, along with thirteen armored cruisers, the odds were heavily stacked against them. Even with superior ship performance, victory was far from certain.
"Order all ships to prepare for bombardment!" Rear Admiral Richter-Filz commanded.
Since a confrontation with the British fleet was no longer feasible, they would carry out their original mission: to provide fire support for the advancing army attacking Le Havre.
"Yes, Admiral."
The main guns of the ten battleships began to rotate into position, their barrels aimed at Le Havre. With no specific targets, they simply had to unleash their firepower into the city. The sheer destructive power of the large-caliber naval guns was enough to tear apart anything in their path.
"Additionally, send a telegram to the 1st and 8th Army Corps. Our bombardment is about to commence. Should they require specific targets, they may indicate them," Rear Admiral Richter-Filz continued.
After all, their mission was to support the army's assault, and that meant the needs of the army would take priority.
"Understood, Admiral."
"Boom! Boom!" The *Deutschland*'s twin 280mm main guns fired first, followed by the roar of seven 170mm secondary guns. Shells screamed through the air toward Le Havre.
As the bombardment was directed at land targets, high-explosive shells were used.
The remaining nine battleships followed suit. One after another, they unleashed their fury, filling the air with the sounds of thunderous explosions.
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!" The shells screamed as they raced toward Le Havre, their high-speed flight causing a shrill whistling as they tore through the air.
"Oh God! The Germans are firing! Run!" The British officers and soldiers inside Le Havre, terrified, fled in panic, their faces pale as ghosts.
"Boom! Boom!" Heavy shells landed squarely in the city, sending shockwaves that obliterated everything in their path.
Having already been severely damaged by earlier German bombardments, Le Havre was reduced to rubble. Now, with British fleet artillery having further ravaged the eastern districts, the German fleet focused its bombardment on the western districts, where the British Expeditionary Force had gathered in force.
"Boom!" A 280mm shell exploded, leaving a massive crater in the ground. Streets already torn apart were obliterated, and British soldiers in the area suffered devastating losses.
"My God!" A British soldier witnessed his entire company vanish under the blast of a shell. When the explosion cleared, nothing remained—only a void where his comrades had once stood.
"Hell, this is hell!" The soldier screamed in terror as he stumbled away, only to be obliterated by another shell seconds later.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!" Explosions reverberated throughout Le Havre, reducing British positions to rubble. The death toll among the British forces began to skyrocket.
"Damn the Germans! I'd rather face them in direct combat than be killed by their artillery!" A British officer shouted in anger.
Yet, they had forgotten. When the Germans had first attacked Le Havre, the British fleet's barrage had caused heavy casualties among the German troops. Back then, the British had cheered in triumph, applauding as their artillery decimated German soldiers.
Now, not long after, the roles had reversed. The German Navy's carrier aircraft had nearly wiped out the British fleet, and now their battleships were exacting a bitter revenge. The British had finally experienced the same suffering and despair that the Germans had felt under British bombardment.
"Boom! Boom!"
A barrage of 170mm shells rained down, covering a British position. When the smoke cleared, the position was completely gone. Though not as powerful as the 280mm main guns, the 170mm secondary guns were still far too much for a simple infantry position to withstand.
The Germans' tit-for-tat strategy was starting to exact a heavy toll on the British Expeditionary Force.