At the border of Gibraltar and Spain, the British soldiers, led by their officers, stood in perfectly aligned ranks. On the opposite side, the Spanish forces presented a stark contrast, their formation scattered and disordered. In comparison to the British, the Spaniards appeared woefully unprepared, their discipline questionable, a clear indication of their lack of fighting prowess.
Furthermore, the British contingent numbered in the thousands, while the Spanish troops scarcely reached a thousand.
However, the Spanish soldiers stood with an air of arrogant superiority, as though they had emerged victorious from a great battle. The British soldiers, too, wore expressions of triumph, creating a scene that was almost comical in its absurdity.
Under the direction of their officers, the British soldiers laid down their arms. Piles of rifles were stacked like small mountains. Light and heavy machine guns were neatly aligned in rows, while various types of artillery were similarly arranged in perfect order before them.
"General, the time has come. We have withdrawn from Gibraltar in accordance with the agreement between our two nations," declared Sir Glad, the Governor of Gibraltar, a broad smile on his face.
Although surrendering to the weak and ineffectual Spanish might seem a lifelong disgrace, in comparison to preserving his life, it was a clear gain. Had the Germans attacked Gibraltar, the few thousand soldiers stationed there would have been utterly incapable of resisting the oncoming force. Such a conflict would have led to the slaughter of these men—and perhaps his own demise as well. Now, by handing Gibraltar over to the Spanish, he could depart without further complication.
Whether the Germans would unleash their wrath upon Spain was a matter beyond his concern.
"Very well," sighed Major General Donald of Spain, his face clouded with concern. His forces were the closest to Gibraltar, hence his assignment to take control. Yet, he did not see this as a prized duty. He feared provoking the Germans, for such an act could precipitate war—a war in which his forces would undoubtedly be the first to suffer.
He had resolved that, once Gibraltar was retaken, he would station only a token force there, and then return to his camp. If possible, he even considered fleeing to Spain. His years of military experience told him that this situation was far from simple—and could very well lead to danger.
The British forces, in neat formation, crossed the border and departed Gibraltar, heading towards the Spanish-allocated military camp. Once the aftermath of this event had settled, they would leave Spain for Canada.
The Spanish troops then moved into Gibraltar, assuming control of its defenses.
Not far from Gibraltar, a fleet flying the Iron Cross sailed the waters. This fleet was the German Navy's Mediterranean Fleet, commanded by Vice Admiral Moff, a distinguished officer who had earned his reputation during the British naval engagements and island expeditions. His hard work had been rewarded with promotion and command of a larger fleet.
Aboard the fleet's flagship, the battleship Helgoland, Vice Admiral Moff stood gazing into the distance. They were now within half an hour of reaching Gibraltar.
He was satisfied with the fleet's main ships: seven major vessels, consisting of four Helgoland-class battleships and three Moltke-class battlecruisers.
These ships were not the same Helgoland-class and Moltke-class vessels initially constructed by the German Navy. Instead, they were British-built New George V-class battleships and Glorious-class battlecruisers.
After their defeat, the British Navy, unwilling to accept their losses, embarked on an ambitious shipbuilding program to create powerful warships capable of reclaiming naval dominance. Unfortunately, despite their best efforts, they failed to complete the ships. The New Iron Duke-class battleships, New George V-class battleships, Revenge-class battlecruisers, and Glorious-class battlecruisers had all been partially built but stalled due to material shortages and the German army's invasion of Britain.
Once Germany had occupied Britain, these vessels fell into German hands. After being brought back to German shipyards, they were quickly upgraded and underwent rigorous sea trials, eventually joining the fleet to bolster Germany's naval strength.
Meanwhile, the German Navy's home fleet was composed of four Kaiser-class battleships and four Brandenburg-class battlecruisers—equivalent to the British Lion-class battleships and Hood-class battlecruisers. These British ships, however, were only halfway completed, with at least another year of construction required before they could be fully operational. As such, the German home fleet relied on smaller, less formidable vessels to maintain its strength.
Thankfully, Germany's growing naval power had deterred any challengers, and other nations dared not provoke the mighty German fleet.
"Prepare the fleet. Upon arrival, we will bombard Gibraltar's fortress with our main guns. The defensive structures the British built there are already obsolete. Once we take Gibraltar, we shall rebuild them," ordered Vice Admiral Moff.
"Understood, sir," responded the communication officer, promptly relaying the command.
"Using British-built ships to attack British fortresses—how delightful!" murmured Moff, a wry smile tugging at his lips.
Upon hearing his words, the German officers and sailors burst into laughter, for they knew the truth: they were, indeed, using British ships to assault British strongholds. The once-great British Empire had become the subject of ridicule.
At that moment, an officer rushed to report, "Sir, an urgent telegram from Berlin!"
After reading the telegram, Vice Admiral Moff's face darkened.
"Order the fleet to cease operations and await further orders," Moff commanded.
"Sir, what has happened?" the officers inquired.
"The Spanish have taken control of Gibraltar," Moff said grimly. "What happens next will depend on orders from home. This move by the Spanish is akin to snatching food from the tiger's mouth."