“Be careful what you wish for,” Doenitz cautioned.
“True, but this sortie with the battlecruisers will force the British to assign capital units to look for them. Yes, there is always the chance they may find them, but thirty-two knots is a good speed if they have to avoid engagement.”
“Those ships have had teething problems, Raeder. They ship too much water over the bow. Get them into heavy seas and you could find you’ve lost your forward turret without firing a shot. And as for the superheating tubes on the boilers, Scharnhorst will be lucky to average 28 knots in the Atlantic.”
“Yes, well remember, the battlecruisers are only a feint, a shadow on the sea to cause alarm. Then comes Bismarck and Tirpitz escorting the convoy north to Bergen and Tromso from Kristiansand. That is the theater. Operation Valkyrie follows. The British will watch that with great interest, and perhaps even commit more units to the Norwegian Sea to keep an eye on us there. We’ll scoot them up the coast, then turn west for the Denmark Strait.”
“And Hindenburg?”
“It will not be ready in time, but it will stand as fleet reserve. If the other units draw off the hounds as I suspect, then Hindenburg may be able to show a mailed fist and force the British to retain heavy units at Scapa Flow. The weather is very good for us now, all socked in, so the RAF will see nothing. Each group will be more than enough to defend itself, and a nightmare for the British at the same time.”
“Would it not be better to combine the entire force into one powerful surface wolfpack?”
“You think like a submariner, Doenitz. The Fuhrer might warm to such an idea, but that will result in nothing more than a major tactical engagement that will achieve nothing. We cannot trade the British battleship for battleship. My idea is to disperse the fleet to pose a wide ranging threat at many points.”
“But then you will dribble your force away, a ship here, a ship there, and the hounds would run the foxes down one by one. Would it not be better to concentrate the fleet?”
“No, Doenitz, dynamic dispersal. What we do, the enemy must also do. If we concentrate, so will they, and they outnumber our battleships more than two to one. But if we disperse the fleet we force the enemy to also dilute his forces in trying to run these foxes down, and if they do they will see the fox may be a wolf instead! The idea is to break through to the Atlantic, disperse, and then we dance with the convoys. The Graf Spee and Admiral Sheer have proved that concept. Now I turn Scharnhorst and Gneisenau loose. Just when they mass their forces to oppose that, the battleships sortie. The convoys are the prize, my friend. They are the real reason for sea control and interdiction.”
“Something tells me that will be my task in the end,” said Doenitz darkly. “And this is what will decide this war, not these surface engagements. If you want my opinion it is all a waste of steel and petrol. Even if you do attempt this dynamic dispersal as you call it, the British have enough forces to still overmatch you.”
“Perhaps, but they are spread thin as matters stand. Their battleships are old and slow. They play nursemaid to the merchantmen half the time and have but a handful of ships with the speed to catch our forces if we break out into the Atlantic, and some of those are their older battlecruisers-no match for a ship like Bismarck, let alone Hindenburg.”
“Don’t be so sure, Raeder.” Doenitz wagged a finger at him now. “A 15-inch shell is a 15-inch shell, and if it hits one of your nice new shiny ships it will explode just the same.”
“That is the risk we take any time we sail,” Raeder reminded him. “It would be nice if my battleships could slink out beneath the surface like your U-boats, Doenitz, but that is not the case. We may have to fight to break out, yes, this I know. Yet we will hurt the enemy as well, for every hit they score. You must have faith in that.”
Doenitz smiled. “Well, my friend, you realize that we could both be out of a job if this plan fails. Who do we send? Who commands the task groups at sea?
“Lütjens, he’s the only man for the job. I’m giving the battlecruisers to Hoffmann and putting Lütjens aboard Hindenburg. Lindemann will command the Bismarck class units.”
“Lindemann? He’s a Captain. We have Admirals to spare.”
“I want fighting men.” Raeder was not going to turn the operation over to desk Admirals. Let them sit at home as they were accustomed. This was a job for men who knew the sea, and the ships they fought on.
“What about Marschall? He won’t like losing Scharnhorst and Gneisenau.”
“Hoffmann fights, Marschall worries about ammunition and fuel expenditure.”
“And what about Thiele?”
“A good leader, but he’s a cruiser man. I’ll leave him there with the heavy cruisers. That’s where he does the best job.”
There it was, the map, the tiny models of the massive ships sitting there, the men waiting, ready, filled with urgency, and the silence now as the two Admirals reached an end to their meeting. In that silence many things grew, germinated by the memories of that last war. Jellicoe had been waiting for Scheer with the whole Grand Fleet at Jutland the last time the German Navy sortied in earnest. This plan might lead to the largest clash at sea since that time. It could either be a decisive moment that broke the back of the Royal Navy and changed the whole character of the war, or it could be the death ride of the Kriegsmarine, skewered just as it was being born. Neither man could see the outcome, but both men would live with it, one way or another.
“Well, Doenitz, gather your U-boats into a nice tight fist for me when they swing through the Faeroes gap.” Raeder placed his finger on the map, fingering a spot in the Atlantic. “I’ll want them here.”
* * *
“Any idea when we might see Prince of Wales?” Admiral Tovey was also running down his fleet list, checking on every ship he might have available.
“She’ll be a good while, sir,” said Brind. “We’ve only just completed fitting her out. Captain Leach is optimistic that he can resume trials in a few weeks.”
“I’ll want him working out by week’s end.”
“Week’s end sir? They’d have to put to sea with a hundred workmen aboard.”
“Then do so. We’ll need that ship sooner than we may think. Thank God they came off the docks a little early and we even have them this close.”
The King George V Class had been proposed before the 1936 expiration of the Washington Naval Treaty. At that time Britain was attempting to negotiate reduced caliber gun sizes, and proposed a 14-inch maximum for new construction to lead the way. These guns were subsequently ordered and built before Japan and other nations refused to sign on to the idea, and so the ships were under gunned, and with turrets that were overly complex and unreliable. To compensate, however, they were among the best protected battleship designs in the world, with 374mm of new cemented belt armor and excellent anti-torpedo bulwarks and magazine protection. The first two ships in the new class were ready earlier than expected, but still making adjustments and running trials.
“Now… what about Nelson?” Tovey asked about the ships the Navy had built when the much better G3 orders were cancelled after Invincible. They were smaller with a length of only 660 feet, but crowded three triple 16-inch gun turrets forward giving them the heaviest throw weight of any ship in the fleet. Well armored, they were slow as molasses compared to modern ship designs, and capable of only 23 knots.
“Nelson is presently at Greenock completing her refit. They’re running out that new Type 282 radar for trials.”
“Didn’t she get the Type 279?”
“She did sir, and all her other major repairs have been completed at Portsmouth before Jerry bombers made it a little too hot there. So we moved her to Greenock for this last bit of work.”
“Cancel it. Nelson is to make ready to rejoin the fleet here at once. We’ll pair her with Rodney, and the two of them can watch the Shetlands passage. As for Hood, what wrong with the old girl now? Didn’t she just get new tube condensers?”
“That she did,
sir. They have her down at Gladstone Dock, Liverpool, with crew just returning from leave. At the moment they are running anti-aircraft and armament drills on the new 4-inch guns that were added, and splashing a bit of paint about. There’s also a plumbing problem aboard, sir.”
“Plumbing?”
“Well it seems the condenser refit damaged a few feeder pipes and they have no working toilet facilities aboard.”
Tovey’s eyes narrowed. “What? See that it is corrected at once. Recall the crew from leave if they aren’t back yet and lay in a fresh stock of ammunition. When they see the lads all lined up at the gangways they’ll bloody well get the toilets fixed. I want Hood back here in 48 hours.”
“But sir… She was scheduled to cover that ANZAC troop convoy, US3, and then after that she’s bound for Gibraltar and the Dakar Operation. We mustn’t forget the French fleet.”
“I’ll need Hood here, Mister Brind. We’re already sending Barham, Resolution and Valiant, and that is all we can spare for the moment.”
“I see… Shall I inform Admiral Somerville, sir? He was set to place his flag aboard Hood at month’s end and is also expecting Ark Royal for Force H.”
“I’m afraid all of that is up in the wind now. I may be biting off more than I can chew, but they’ve handed me the biscuit here and it’s time I take charge. With both Bismarck and Tirpitz near Kristiansand there is simply no way I can release Ark Royal and Hood at this time. I’ll need them both here. In fact I’m inclined to hold that new carrier in home waters as well.”
“Illustrious? She was also nominated for service in the Med, sir.”
“Yes, well I’ve already discussed it with Admiral Pound. With Glorious laid up, fleet air cover is rather thin. He’s agreed to allow Illustrious to hang on here for a spell. Tell Admiral Somerville we’ll send Hermes in the short run and then Glorious after they patch her up. Along with Eagle that should fill the bill.”
“Illustrious has taken on aircraft, but she’s still working up at trials, sir.”
“Good enough, but she stays here. Hermes will simply have to do for Force H at the moment. The disposition of the French Fleet has yet to be decided. We still have time to build that force up further, if need be, pending the outcome of that situation.”
That reminded him of something, and he shifted to his dispatches. “See here, Brind. This Lieutenant Commander that brought Glorious home safely, is he still aboard the ship?”
“I believe so, sir. That crew was overdue for leave and they were sent out to Devonport yesterday, but the officers will remain until next weekend.”
“Send for the man. I’d like to speak with him. We'll need good men like that in the days ahead. How long for those repairs?”
“A week to ten days, dir. The bridge needs work, but the real damage was to the forward flight deck. They can’t use the elevators effectively until that’s cleared and patched, and there may be some structural work required there.”
Tovey tapped the desk with his pen, thinking. “The jig is up, Daddy. I can feel it. This time the Germans mean business, and a dirty business it will be. The fleet is to cease lolling about and any ship under repair for any routine maintenance is to be immediately recalled to active duty. Home Fleet will be going to sea. It's time we give Admiral Raeder something to think about as well.”
“Aye, sir,” said Brind. “The crews are ready. They’re spoiling for a good fight-ship to ship-every man jack among them.”
“Yes, well get word out to Admiral Holland on the Hood and get him moving north as soon as possible. These German ships are fast. Hood, Renown and Repulse are the fastest ships in the fleet along with Invincible and I intend to get them into the hunt.”
“I’ll see the orders go out, Admiral.”
Part V
Encounters
“I don’t believe in accidents. There are only encounters in history.
There are no accidents.”
— Pablo Picasso
Chapter 13
The young officer stood before the Admiral’s desk, saluting. “Lieutenant Commander Wells reporting as ordered, sir.”
“At ease Mister Wells. In fact please be seated. I understand you were instrumental in saving Glorious from more serious harm, and you are to be commended.”
“Thank you, sir, but it was all in the line of duty.”
Tovey was looking through a folder as he spoke. “I’ve read the reports, and the statement of the ship’s executive officer as well. A bit of a run in with the Twins…A sticky spot for a carrier with no escort to speak of. I cannot help but wonder why the German ships were not sighted earlier. How was it the ship found itself under those guns, in your opinion?”
Wells started to speak, then checked himself, thinking of the implications of anything he might say here. Captain D’Oyly-Hughes had lost his life in that encounter, and would not be there to present any other side of the story. In spite of what he thought of the man, Wells felt he owed him an easy rest now.
“May I ask if this is this a formal inquiry, sir?”
“The Admiralty will certainly convene such a hearing, but at the moment I should like to get to the bottom of this before all that shuffle and bother. If you feel uncomfortable speaking about it I will understand, however any light you might shed on the incident would be appreciated.”
“I understand, sir. Well… to put it simply, the ship was in a low state of readiness insofar as any potential surface contacts as a threat. The Captain was steaming in a zig-zag pattern, but with six boilers down, sir. Our speed was no more than 16 or 17 knots.”
“You believe the Captain was worried about a possible U-boat attack?”
“That seemed to be the only precaution he took, sir-the zig-zag pattern, with five point turns every ten minutes.”
“D’Oyly-Hughes was a submariner, and a good one, so I can understand his appreciation of the threat posed by U-boats. What I cannot understand, however, was how he allowed his ship, a carrier of some value, to come upon a pair of German battlecruisers. There were two destroyers present. Where were they posted?”
“About two cables off the bow, to port and starboard, sir. In fact I was on a lower weather bridge when we first sighted the enemy smoke on the horizon.”
“You heard the alarm from the mainmast?”
“No sir, there was no alarm. In fact there was no watch posted on the mainmast at all, sir.”
“No watch?”
“No sir, and we had no air cover up, and nothing spotted on deck either. Planes were on ten minute standby on the hanger deck, however.”
“Yet nothing on the flight deck?”
“No sir.”
Tovey raised an eyebrow at that. “Well then…It’s fairly clear how you came to be under the guns on this one. I’ve read the weather log for the day-clear and unlimited visibility, yet that works both ways, for friend and foe alike. A carrier with light escort and destroyers improperly posted, no air cover, no mainmast watch, six boilers down and no planes ready for immediate launch is a recipe for disaster, and that is what we nearly had there. Were it not for the gallantry of Lieutenant Commander Barker aboard Ardent, and your timely arrival on the bridge after that first hit was scored, we might have lost a very valuable ship and a good many lives. How was it you came to the bridge at that moment?”
“Sir, I saw that smoke on the horizon and was concerned. No alarm was raised, though Ardent saw it too and was making challenge with her search light. I thought I would see what might be done on the bridge.”
“What might be done? Do you mean to say you went there on your own initiative? You were not a scheduled watch stander?”
“No sir, I was not posted at the time, but with no action stations sounded I became concerned.”
“I see…Did you see the Captain before the action opened and the bridge was struck?”
“I did, sir. He was ordering 823 Squadron up when I arrived on the Bridge, and then immediately ordered me get to the main W/T room and report the sightin
g.”
“As he should have.”
“Correct, sir. It was just by chance that I was off the bridge when they took that hit.”
Yes, thought Tovey, by chance or fate, a glint in his eye. It was just as it had happened to him aboard King Alfred. “Do go on, Lieutenant Commander.”
“Well sir, I passed on the sighting information, then started back to the bridge, arriving to find virtually every man down and the whole bridge enveloped in smoke. It was then I saw Mister Louvell, and he urged me to take command.”
“What was your order then, if I may ask?”
“Sir? Well the bridge crew was pretty badly shaken up, Admiral. I could see that our only chance was to make a run for it. The Captain had been steering 220, but the ship was at 180 from what I could see. I gave the order to steer 120 and ahead full.”
“Away from the German ships?”
“Yes, sir, by the most direct route possible. Acasta was out in front laying a good smoke screen and I wanted to take every advantage of that. The wind would also be at our backs with that turn, so the smoke would ride with us as well, and I thought we might make a go of it.”
“Thank god the helm answered smartly, Mister Wells.”
“Actually…No one answered that order, Admiral. The Helmsman was down, so I took the wheel myself.”
Just as I did, thought Tovey…yes…Well this is a man I can use. He looked at Wells for some moments, then put the folder he had been reviewing down on the desk.
“Mister Wells,” he began. “You are not carrier man by training. In fact your file shows you to be well schooled in cruiser operations.”
“Yes sir. I was only just posted to Glorious three weeks ago to relieve a man down with illness.”
“I see you’ve tested well in gunnery, and even trained on the new Type 279 and 284 Radars.”
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