Chapter 2114: Trap One
"May you succeed immediately." When entering the edge of the Dover Strait, the German minesweeper responsible for providing cover once again sent a signal of blessing as usual. This evening marks the 15th time Earl Spey has led his fleet into the Strait of Dover. Most officers and soldiers are used to such tasks.
Except for some twists and turns on the first day of the battle, and on the fifth day, a former dreadnought battleship was sunk by a submarine torpedo, and scattered incidents of mine strikes, the encounter of the entire German fleet can be said to be calm. The former dreadnought battleships and armored cruisers of the British Navy are almost exhausted, and very few can fight. So much so that during this period, the German fleet performed more "armed patrol" missions, and there were very few real sea artillery battles.
However, Earl Spey still did not dare to be careless. This time, the German fleet concentrated 3 former dreadnought battleships, 2 armored cruisers, 2 light cruisers, and 5 destroyer/torpedo boat detachments. The capital ship is enough to deal with the possible remaining former dreadnoughts in the strait, and more than 20 destroyers and torpedo boats are also enough to perform anti-submarine and anti-lightning missions for the capital ship. In addition, there are 8 minesweepers responsible for clearing possible minefields. It can be said that Earl Spey has considered most of the possible situations.
"Have you heard? The army has stepped up its offensive. Maybe we won't have to perform this kind of mission in five days." A German officer said to his colleagues next to him in a very relaxed tone.
"I don't think so. The British will not give up their army. There are millions of troops. The British army has not lost so much in all the battles in the past 300 years. Maybe they will fight to the death." another officer said.
"But they don't have any fleets to put on the table in the strait now. It is said that there may be 3 to 4 former dreadnought battleships and a few armored cruisers in some ports. However, they are definitely not our opponents." said the officer.
"Maybe they'll call up the capital ships of the Grand Fleet," said one.
"If this is the case, it would be better. Those dreadnoughts will naturally be dealt with by the High Seas Fleet. We don't have to worry about it. Well, gentlemen, if you have time, you can go to the following to check the situation of the fleet instead of talking here. At this moment, Earl Spey, who had been silent all this time, said suddenly.
The count is not a rigid person, and he allows his subordinates to share some opinions when there is no battle, but today, an inexplicable anxiety makes the count feel a little irritable, how should I put it? He felt that the time had passed so easily that the British fleet actually acquiesced in the German fleet's control of the Dover Strait! It's not normal! The earl did not believe that the British would give up the army of millions.
The so-called perish in silence if you don't explode in silence, the British must be planning something, and nine out of ten of them may call fearlessness or even super fearlessness to deal with themselves! Now Earl Spey is ready to be sapped by the British fleet, so even though it has been very calm recently, the Earl still has not let down his vigilance!
"Fleet K has been dispatched. They searched the sea area ahead of the fleet's route and found no opponents. If we continue sailing, we can bring Dunkirk Port into our effective range in one hour. It seems that tonight , Our main task is to bombard the land." An officer in charge of liaison with the Air Force said. The Earl just nodded slightly at this. No comment was made, and at this time, the K fleet of the Luftwaffe began to conduct reconnaissance of the sea and land near the port of Dunkirk.
"Are the British crazy? With us controlling the Strait of Dover, they still want to evacuate?" When the elevating searchlight on the lower part of the K8 bomber swept across the sea,
The British troops who were preparing to evacuate through motorboats and small boats on the sea surprised the Germans. The port pier had been bombed and messed up by long-range artillery. The British could only evacuate on the beach by boat or temporary pier. Although it was at night, with the cover of night, doing so was still not a matter of courage, but courting death!
The K8 bomber circling over Dunkirk Beach immediately reported the situation here to Earl Spey by telegram, and after receiving the information, everyone was shocked. Bombarding an evacuating army is definitely a very pleasant thing.
"The time has finally come! Order the battleship Kaiser, the armored cruiser Cologne, and the armored cruiser Loon to attack the retreating British troops under the guidance of the air force, and pay attention to avoiding the British shore-based artillery fire. The destroyer squadron is deployed around the fleet , Form a cordon! Kaiser Frederick the Great and Kaiser Wilhelm II remain silent, and are ready to defend against possible British battleships at any time according to the scheduled plan." The earl ordered.
When the earl saw the telegram, his first reaction was that there was something tricky here! Who gave the British the courage to withdraw their troops under the guns of the German fleet? Pure land-based artillery is not enough to rely on. Although shore artillery with permanent bunkers is enough to cause a lot of trouble for battleships, the premise is that the caliber of the shore artillery is large enough and the defense is good enough. But obviously, the British The sea-facing artillery positions hastily constructed under the suppression of the German Army's long-range artillery obviously did not meet these two conditions. The most powerful artillery is the 9.2-inch artillery that was originally used as a train gun. The 13.5-inch and even 15-inch train guns owned by the British Expeditionary Force were all wiped out under the attack of German bombers, while the 9.2-inch gun relied on a larger number and smaller After all, there are still a few cannons left. But it is a pity that most of these artillery are equipped with concrete armor-piercing shells and high-explosive shells... So, this is embarrassing!
As for the defense facilities? Don't say that battleship turrets are directly used in some coastal areas of Germany. The British can't even get out the concrete for building reinforced concrete fortifications. That's right, they can only build positions hastily in some low-lying areas or places with shelters. coastal defenses against battleships and armored cruisers? Let's wash up and sleep.
Although the reconnaissance planes in the air and the destroyers on the sea have not found the trace of the British fleet, the Earl believes that there will be a battleship detachment waiting for him in all likelihood, otherwise the British will never joke about the lives of the army. Following the principle of always leaving himself behind in night battles, the earl put the other two battleships in charge of guarding, at least he was prepared when he was attacked by surprise.
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