Chapter 2168 Blood Fire Estuary One

When countless leaflets fell on downtown Kingston, the whole city was boiling. People panicked and prepared to evacuate the city that was about to be destroyed, and some bad elements began to take advantage of the fire. The army and the police tried to restore order but with spirit Nervous people clashed, and before the arrival of the German fleet, the British themselves messed up first!

When everyone in Kingston-upon-Hull knew that the High Seas Fleet was about to launch an attack on Kingston-upon-Hull, Prime Minister Asquith in London and Jericho in the Firth of Forth naturally also received the message. And that night, Churchill, the representative of the London Navy, came across from Jericho, holding an order from London in his hand.

"Did the London side ask the fleet to attack?" Jericho said, looking at his old boss, the former British Secretary of the Navy, and now the central naval representative Churchill.

"I do have this order in my hand, but it's up to me to decide whether to issue it. I need a reason now. Whether it's attacking or ignoring, I need you to give me an explanation!" Churchill said, looking at Jericho in front of him with complicated eyes. .

"I think you already know my decision." Jericho showed a wry smile on his face.

"That's right, not only me, but the king and Prime Minister Asquith also know your decision, but they are not cold-blooded enough, they still want to try, or want to know, our Grand Fleet Commander, Jericho Sir, why did you just give up the three cities of Kingston-on-Hull, Brig, and Grimsby!" Churchill said with some ferocity.

"We deployed minefields there, and the German fleet didn't dare to get too close." Jericho said with a sigh.

"Just kidding! Although I am not a soldier, I also know that the minefields we deployed on the banks of the Hull River cannot stop the German fleet from attacking cities and ports! The mines in these minefields are of low quality, and the density and width are not enough! And In order to shoot the shells as far as possible, the Germans specially equipped a light shell. With the high elevation angle of the artillery, they can shoot the shells at a distance of nearly 50 kilometers! The Germans can cover these three cities in the North Sea There is no need to enter the minefield at all." Churchill was outraged, not only because of Jericho's refusal, but also because of the attitude of the other party! In Churchill's view, Jericho was obviously bullying him for not understanding the navy!

(Historically, the German 380MM train gun has a range of 47.5 kilometers when firing a 400KG light bullet. The maximum range of firing a grenade with an elongated body is as high as 55 kilometers!)

"Moreover, this time the Germans are attacking land targets. Their shells must be mainly light shells and high-explosive shells, which are not suitable for fighting capital ships. We do not ask you to command a large fleet to defeat the opponent, as long as it can force the opponent Just retreat. Aren't you willing to meet even this request?" Churchill's tone was almost pleading.

"Tomorrow will be sunny, and the German long-range reconnaissance planes can even fly to Aberdeen! With good visibility, I'm afraid our fleet will be spotted as soon as it goes out to sea, and then the German bombers will be spotted before we hit the German fleet. There will be waves of attacks on the large fleet. Think about it, once we break away from the support of the air force in the Gulf of Forth, once we cross the red line. Then what will the large fleet face? Hundreds of bombers attacking in turn Believe me, when the weather permits, they will definitely bomb the Grand Fleet with greater vigor than bombing London!"

"We may have suffered heavy losses before encountering the main force of the High Seas Fleet, and the High Seas Fleet definitely has the opportunity to take advantage of the speed advantage to retreat calmly! We have no use other than losing a certain number of capital ships!" Jericho said here. Paused: "If the empire decides to fight the Germans to the end,

Then in the coastal area south of the Bay of Foss, any targets within the attack range of the German naval guns can be considered to give up! "

"This is simply a disaster for the empire." Churchill said: "Not only the material loss, but the German naval guns will leave indelible scars in the hearts of the people of the empire."

"That's better than fighting against the German fleet when we are absolutely at a disadvantage. Mr. Churchill, you know better than me that it is no longer possible for the empire to build a sea power comparable to that of the Grand Fleet. If we lose, we will not be able to win in the future." .” There was also a touch of emotion in Jericho’s original cold words.

"But in any case, we can't say that the Royal Navy is inactive!" Churchill said: "In any case, the large fleet must go to sea, you can just go around the port, you can also go south to a limited extent under the cover of the air force, I don't care Will you really run into the High Seas Fleet, but we must give the public an explanation, even if the explanation is a lie."

"I don't care about fuel or the status of the fleet. The empire will fully support you. The pressure on your shoulders is heavier than that of Lord Drake and Lord Nelson. Since the empire let you take charge of the fleet, it completely trusts you, so , under such circumstances, you can always satisfy this little request, right?" Churchill said. Letting the large fleet go out to sea for deterrent cruises is already the bottom line of London. Politicians must consider the psychological endurance of the people. So even if it is fabricating lies, even if the fleet goes out to work without success, the Royal Navy must do it! If Jericho still refuses, then the British government will really consider replacing Jericho!

"Is this the final decision?" Jericho asked, frowning.

"This is the last order!" Churchill said uncompromisingly.

"Okay. So be it." Jericho knew he had done his best.

At the same time, since the start of the war, the first military operation of the main force of the High Seas Fleet to the British coast has kicked off. More than 100 warships in Wilhelmshaven have been ready to go, and tons of coal and fuel oil have been injected into the sea. Among the hundreds of boilers, hundreds of tons of treated boiler water are converted into high-temperature and high-pressure steam, and they flow and roar in the pipelines like the blood of giants.

"The steam pressure is sufficient to start!" With the pointer of the pressure gauge pointing to the green line, tons of steam began to enter the engine room, and with the roar of the turbine from slow to fast, a steady stream of power was sent to all parts of the battleship. Clouds of smoke billowed from the towering chimneys, and the huge battleships began to leave the port with the help of the guiding ship! At 4:30 in the afternoon, when the tide rose again, the huge high seas fleet left Wilhelmshaven along the channel, and the huge fleet pointed directly at the British mainland!

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