Chapter 237: The End of France (7)

When the air battle over Sedan Fortress entered its climax, Wilhelmshaven, Germany, was also unusually lively.

Wilhelmshaven is a town on the west coast of the Jade Bay in Lower Saxony, Germany, and is a North Sea port. In 1869, King William I of Prussia built this port in order to establish a naval port for the Prussian Navy and named it after himself.

After several years of expansion and construction, Wilhelmshaven has now become one of the most important ports. In addition, it is not frozen or silted, and has no draft restrictions. It can berth various large ships and has become the most important naval port in Germany. It can also repair and build the latest ocean-going submarines. However, the High Seas Fleet is still strolling in the Icelandic waters at this time, so there are no large warships in the port now, only some small and medium-sized ships such as destroyers and cruisers.

The port is surrounded by dense anti-aircraft guns, all of which are the most advanced 40mm Bofors anti-aircraft guns and 88mm anti-aircraft guns. The three high-power radars equipped in the port and the nearby air force airport are enough to annihilate the invading enemy and make them unable to return.

There are 9 destroyers patrolling outside the port 24 hours a day, and more than 20 minesweepers and anti-submarine patrol ships are cruising nearby day and night.

Yannick particularly emphasized underwater defense measures. After all, he didn't want anyone to sneak into the port and destroy the ship.

It is still difficult to detect underwater targets with only technical means of the target, and various underwater protection measures are relatively passive-such as anti-submarine nets, underwater monitoring, etc.

Fortunately, the risk of submarines directly avoiding the detection of anti-submarine networks and going directly to the military port is relatively high, and divers are limited by physical strength and other factors, and the time and scope of activities are relatively limited. For example, in Scapa Flow, if the entire submarine had not slipped into the port, it would probably not have achieved such an amazing record.

Coupled with a large number of coastal artillery batteries, the entire Port William can be said to be unbreakable and impregnable.

Today, the guards in Wilhelm Harbor have all been replaced by the Royal Guards; there is a post every five steps and a sentry every ten steps, which is extremely strict.

Because almost all the high-ranking German figures gathered here, even the Crown Prince came in person; no one dared to be negligent, and the security measures were raised to the highest level.

In addition to these military and political officials, there was also a group of reporters, both domestic and foreign.

Before entering the port, each of these reporters had to undergo the most stringent inspection. The Royal Guards soldiers carefully checked their documents one by one, opened the packages they carried, and checked whether there were any prohibited items hidden inside.

There was also a Royal Guards captain who was loudly reading the precautions for entering the port to these reporters.

"This is a military port, and it is strictly forbidden to take photos casually. You can only stay in the designated area and take photos in the corresponding direction! All photos taken must be checked before they can be published in the newspaper!"

After listening to all the precautions, the reporters signed the letter of commitment and were allowed to enter the port. Under the leadership of the Royal Guards soldiers, they came to an inconspicuous but spacious platform.

I saw a dock not far away surrounded by three layers of people. The officers standing on the outermost perimeter were all colonels, and even the senior officers at the level of major general were some distance away from the dock.

"Oh, this reception is really high." A reporter couldn't help but sigh while fiddling with his camera.

"Of course, U-47 is a great contributor to the empire." A German reporter responded to him with unconcealed pride and pride on his face.

In the First World War, the German Navy was the country that attached the most importance to the use of submarines and was the first to launch submarine warfare. During the war, Germany had a total of 350 submarines that sank a total of 5,000 ships of various types, with a total tonnage of 12,000,000 tons. As a result, the Allies, who had suffered enough from German submarines, passed the Treaty of Versailles, prohibiting Germany from building or owning submarines.

Although the submarine warfare at that time brought a shadow to the maritime forces of various countries, this shadow had never been so strong. When a submarine can sneak into the port and slaughter several main battleships in one breath, this weapon is enough to make the whole world panic.

Suddenly, the crowd on the dock had a little commotion. I saw a destroyer coming on the sea level outside the port in the distance, and a tiny black dot followed behind the destroyer.

"Here it comes! Here it comes!" The reporters were immediately excited, and they all picked up their cameras and aimed at the small black dot in the distance.

The military band on the side also began to play, and the majestic and exciting melody echoed in the sky of the port.

The destroyer led the small black dot closer and closer, and everyone finally saw the outline of the small black dot. It was a German submarine with a small tonnage, sailing slowly behind the destroyer. The slender deck rose and fell in the waves, and the German submarine with a small tonnage always gave people the feeling of drifting on the water.

The deck of the submarine was full of people, covering half of the submarine's conning tower. But everyone still saw the huge number painted on the conning tower-"U-47".

Taking advantage of the thunderous cheers on the dock, a white young man with an American journalist's card on his chest whispered. "It's incredible that such a submarine could sink so many battleships?"

Standing next to him was a middle-aged white man who also had an American journalist badge. "Maybe they used some secret weapon. It's incredible that the intelligence agencies around the world haven't figured out what secret weapon the Germans used."

Of course Pullien would not leave the propeller in Scapa Flow, just in case the British dived and salvaged it. So when they evacuated, they fixed the propeller on the submarine and slipped out of Scapa Flow. However, they cannot be brought back to the port. After all, the propeller is fixed to the submarine shell. Once reporters take pictures, it will be known to everyone.

So on the way here, they had already removed the propeller and sunk it to the bottom of the sea.

When it was about to approach the dock, the leading destroyer turned around and returned to continue its patrol mission, while the U-47 staggered to the dock, and the military band played louder and louder.

The submarine-specific springboard was set up on the deck by the sailors. When the first submarine sailor jumped onto the dock, Yannick, who was standing at the front, almost vomited on the spot.

He originally didn't like the smelly sea breeze, but now compared to the smell emanating from this sailor, the sea breeze smelled like cologne. The clothes, which were so dirty that the original color could not be seen, were worn on a man who was as unshaven as a savage.

Fortunately, Yannick was mentally prepared. He had heard before that the conditions inside the submarine were very difficult. He stepped forward and patted his shoulder affectionately. "I'm so glad you're back safe, heroes of the Empire!"

"Your Highness!" The young sailor's face was flushed with excitement, and his tears were like a river bursting its banks.