I Became a Captain of the British Empire

Dancing with the Wolves

“Visibility is clear.”

Listening to the watchman’s report, I looked at the sunlit horizon.

It’s sunny after cloudy, or it’s really clear weather. That’s how you feel about sailing.

Thanks to the minesweepers, the leaflet passed through the mine field without much trouble and is now on its way to the open sea of Newfoundland.

Now it was time to change course and increase speed in preparation for the pursuit of the submarine.

“Correspondent, tell them to increase the fleet speed to 20 knots.”

“Yes, Chief Flyer!”

I flinched and shuddered. Anyway, I need to get used to that title now. It’s not just one ship that I’m in charge of. A whopping three flagships. It is also a high-speed ship like gold.

We need to remind ourselves of the seriousness of our mission.

I’ve felt that way all along.

“Port-side watch report! Check allied battleships at 220!”

A voice like cheers.

I turned my head to the left. Giant ships with their masts high on the horizon were approaching in a row.

it’s a battleship

“It’s a revenge.”

“Revenge?”

The chief warden approached behind him before he knew it and lowered his binoculars. He looked closely at the appearance of the leading battleship.

Elongated main gun turrets with two at the front and aft of the characteristic triangular turret. At first glance, it looked like Queen Elizabeth, but it had only one chimney.

R-class battleship. Numerous capital ships of the Royal Navy.

“A strong ally has arrived.”

“The speed is a bit disappointing.”

The chief junwi said, biting his lips disapprovingly.

“I can’t help it because the light has gone out. At least until Rodney and Rinaun finish repairing it, we have to hold on like this.”

That is the reality of the Royal Navy. Even if it is low speed, one battleship is an unfortunate yard. The two capital ships, Rodney and Renaun, need at least one week and three more months of repair, respectively. In particular, the absence of Rodney, who has nine 16-inch guns, is regrettable. There’s talk of their South Dakota-class returning to the ranks soon.

So, no matter how slow it is, the power of eight 15-inch guns is a very helpful power.

Moreover, several battleships were following behind them.

“Don’t go to Ramillies, you can even see the Iron Duke.”

“A great reinforcement.”

As many as three 15-inch gun battleships and one outdated battleship. However, compared to the US Navy’s 12-inch gun battleships, this is a 13.5-inch gun. That means the base ranks are different.

Including Queen Elizabeth, which can continue to engage after the last battle, Task Force H has 5 battleships, 2 battlecruisers, and 3 aircraft carriers. It is truly the largest fleet in the Royal Navy.

By the way, most of the R-class should be in the Mediterranean. Are there reinforcements?

“Did the Mediterranean Fleet concede?”

“Admiral Ern’s help was great. Because they gladly sent a capital ship.”

“I’m glad.”

But it’s not all good. It means that if there is power in one place, one place is empty. Perhaps now the Mediterranean Fleet is in an unprecedented period of stagnation.

He quietly clenched his fists.

We must end the war quickly somehow.

Inside the quiet submarine. Inside the ship submerged in the cold water, Major Jenkins looked up at the ceiling nervously. Soon, the submarines ordered to sortie would flock to the sea. He was worried that someone might steal his prey.

“Is Sona responding?”

The captain grabbed the sonic inspector’s shoulder and asked.

“There are a lot of signals. however… It doesn’t look like three ships.”

“What are you talking about?”

Instead of answering, the sonar inspector quietly handed over the headphones.

“That’s a lot.”

“I can see at least 5 ships.”

“Has the entire main fleet departed?”

The captain tilted his head.

It’s only been two weeks since the naval battle ended. But it’s a sortie again. Does the Royal Navy have enough strength left to prepare for a decisive battle again?

“Captain, how about reporting to headquarters?”

“Someone will report. We approach and aim for a sinking.”

Responding to the commander’s words, I moved to the center of the fighting room.

“Once the sonic contact is terminated, it rises to periscope depth.”

“Captain, at periscope depth, we risk being spotted this way!”

“Ignore it. There is no reason to follow such a custom.”

The captain waved his hand and brought his eyes to the periscope. It was the sound of not praying.

‘It’s bullsh*t to attack with sonar alone. How can I shoot when I don’t even know the distance?’

It is all about identifying the type of ship and the passive sonaron bearing currently in use. Even then, only unstable information comes in depending on the underwater situation.

“Captain, it would be better if you activated the active sonar… .”

“What did I say, operative?”

At the sharp voice, the officer shook his shoulders and returned to his seat. The captain only snorted.

If you use active sonar, you can know the distance, but there is a risk of revealing the location of this side as it is.

The past few weeks that have been entangled in practices. 0 ships before sinking.

You no longer have to follow these ridiculous instructions.

The captain stared into the still-black periscope lens with venomous eyes.

“good. What about the defense?”

“Azimuth of 330 degrees, speed of about 20 knots.”

“You move fast.”

“It’s easy to detect, though.”

As the submarine gradually rises, the captain asked the sonar officer as he felt a sense of floating.

“Are there any destroyers around?”

“At least two ships seem to be together. It’s a bit noisy, but… .”

Having said that, it was a sonic detective whose shoulders trembled in anxiety. The captain knew what he was thinking.

The louder the noise, the more likely it is to be nearby.

He thought about it for a moment, then spoke again, biting the corners of his mouth.

“Well, it’s not right up there, so take a look. Turn the player in the direction of progress. It fires in a fan shape and leaves as it is.”

Bright sunlight breaks through the cracks on the exposed surface of the water. Paying attention to the crosshairs of the periscope, the captain gazed intently at the surface. Eventually, he gritted his teeth.

“sh*t… Why is this angle?”

A distance of less than 3,000 m.

The bow of the pointed destroyer filled the periscope.

While looking closely at the battleship row, I noticed something strange.

“Does it seem slow?”

“yes?”

The operation officer tilts his head at the questionable voice.

“Ask the engine room.”

“No, the battleship squadron.”

He said, pointing to the smoke from the chimney on the horizon.

The officer turned his head and nodded.

“okay. As a rule of thumb, it looks like 10 knots.”

“Why are you maneuvering so slowly? This isn’t even a sea area with mines.”

“From my point of view, there seems to be a problem with the Iron Duke.”

At the commander’s tip, I looked at the last battleship.

A battleship that spits out poisonous thick smoke. Iron Duke-class first ship. A battleship that was once used as the flagship of the Grand Fleet. Of course, now I’m looking at the 20th year of the ship.

Anyway, since it was classified as a reserve for a while, it seems that there was a management problem.

“Touch the engine properly.”

“Because it was austerity. Still, I thought Iron Duke would be fine… It seems that the head of the agency is a newcomer.”

For a battleship class to have such a problem, it is a disgrace to the Royal Navy.

I was in the middle of thinking about that. Suddenly, a bad thought crossed my mind.

“If the fleet is that slow, it must be difficult to deal with an ambush.”

“Come to think of it, submarines come and go.”

The officer turned his head at the inadvertently protruding words, folded his arms and let out an uncomfortable groan. Do you have memories of World War I? Until the Lusitania incident, the Royal Navy suffered from U-boats like actual history, so submarines must be an unpleasant ship for the Royal Navy.

Of course, it’s not a very good story for me either. The mine field in front of the port was also the work of the submarine force. There is no guarantee that there will be no enemy submarines around here. Destroyers search the area, but finding a sub hidden underwater with the engines off is a difficult task even in the future.

Ubimuhwan.

I reiterated my motto.

“Operations officer, prepare for anti-submarine warfare.”

“yes? Are we talking?”

“Then who else will do it besides us?”

I dismissed the officer, who was shaking his head in embarrassment, and looked at the slow-moving battleship train again.

Sorting out is important, but if the rear is unstable, nothing can be done.

“We need to cover.”

That was the moment.

“Report from the destroyer ‘Binnie’!

The communications officer said in an urgent voice.

“Find a periscope judged to be an enemy submarine! Defense 045! Distance 5,000!”

My head hardened. My body jumped as if a stone had fallen.

What do you think will happen as soon as you think? There is no time.

When I finished my judgment, a voice came out of my own accord.

“All members, prepare for anti-submarine warfare!”

The sound of footsteps as if the ceiling were collapsing echoed from all directions.

“Open torpedo tube! Steps 1 through 4 are ready!”

“good! Are shooting specifications still far away?”

“Data input complete!”

“Fire at the signal!”

Inside the ship of S-11. Seeing the destroyer turn around, Captain Jenkins’ heart raced to the point where he wondered if it could be any more urgent. It wouldn’t be strange if he stopped breathing and collapsed right now. He barely caught his breath and screamed as if his throat would burst.

“Fly it at random and go submerged for now!”

“launch!”

pop-

cool drainage sound.

A clear wake began to be seen through the periscope. At the same time, a destroyer approaching from the left opened fire from her guns. A column of water shot up around the periscope.

“Enemy destroyers, close!”

“Damn it, nice eyes! Emergency submersion! Depth 200! At full speed!”

The captain took his eyes off the periscope and shouted. Each hurried footstep sounded, and the feeling of the floor tilting engulfed the soles of their feet.

“Enemy ship, drop depth charges!”

The captain swallowed dryly. There was no need to say anything about preparing for shock. Everyone was staring at the ceiling with nervous faces. Vibrations echoed around the pitch-black steel hull.

“Watch starboard! Defense 045! One torpedo trail, continuously approaching with this ship! Distance 8,000!”

“Okay, turn the key! Fifteen to the left!”

“15 to the left!”

Heavy metallic sound. After a while, Repulse’s ship turned. Repulse slowly turns as if gliding on water. Although the torpedoes were approaching moment by moment, he quietly pinched the hem of his uniform.

Don’t panic. Let’s do what we hear. What I learned from the senior captains is not only dealing with subordinates.

How can I assemble a large ship more effectively? I thought about it several times and asked for advice.

‘The ship turns sufficiently even if you don’t have to set a large rudder angle. Calculation is just as important as reaction speed. How can I most effectively turn the boat? Think of this first.’

French advice that comes to mind one after another. First, take a small rudder angle and turn slowly.

I drew a chalk-white line and looked at the approaching torpedo.

The faces of the subordinates turned pale. But it’s okay.

I recalled the advice of Bedford, the Tiger’s captain who was following me.

‘When a torpedo arrives, it’s normal to turn the ship in the opposite direction. A skilled captain can evade a ship between torpedoes. However, if the enemy is a submarine and the distance is wide, it is better to turn the ship in the direction of the torpedo. There’s nothing good about a battleship approaching a submarine.’

The distance is 8,000 m. During this period, the speed of the torpedo was about 34 to 45 knots. If it’s a repulse, it can turn around long enough for the torpedo to reach it. After that, run away from the submarine and stop. Submarines of the interwar period never had the speed to catch up with surface ships.

Calmly, I watched the returning players break the white foam on the surface of the water.

You need to set the timing to return the angle at the right time. When will it be, close your eyes and reflect. My head feels dizzy and cold sweat runs down my back. can i do it

At that moment, an awkward sensation took over my body.

no, something is wrong I’m used to it even though I’ve never felt it before. Like an instinct, the sense that I had to do it invaded my brain. When? now? yet.

By the time the waves rolled over Repulse’s bow three or four times. By the time the white wake disappeared towards the stern.

I immediately looked back at the helmsman.

“Stay on the course! Full speed forward!”

“Stay on course!”

After making some more turns, the slope of the floor was restored as if it had regained stability little by little. A watchman shouted in a sharp voice from the rear.

“Torpedo trail, passing by! Defense 175! Street 80!”

succeded. Repulse’s long hull was moving precisely in line with the gap between the four heavy torpedoes.

perfect turning. It’s an unbelievable look.

Did I do this?

“It was a great ship, Captain.”

The chief officer came and said, breaking into a cold sweat. He nodded his head with a puzzled face. Let’s grab the chest. My heart was beating fast.

I don’t feel it.

I couldn’t even figure out what the hell it was. As I was scratching my head in bewilderment, a column of water suddenly rose with a loud explosion.

“What, what?”

“Torpedo exploded!”

I hurriedly turned my head to starboard, and the wake that was advancing with us disappeared. Only white foam was spreading and breaking on the surface of the water.

Is it an early detonation? Damn, I thought someone was right.

“I think it exploded on its own, but is it because of the waves?”

“I don’t know. It could just be bad ammo.”

Anyway, I’m glad no one got hurt. A sigh of relief came out.

But it’s still too early to be relieved.

“The submarine was not caught! Leaving the destroyers behind, the capital ships speed up and leave the battlefield!”

Smoke billowing furiously. Waves rolling over the deck. I grabbed the railing and balanced on the accelerating hull. At the same time, he ordered the communications officer.

“Contact the Furious! Let the plane take off and conduct an anti-submarine search!”

“Are you sending it professionally?”

“send!”

This is not the time to worry about radio silence. You have to move as quickly as possible.

While the destroyers deployed in all directions, the three large ships galloped across the vast sea at the maximum speed they could.

From the rear, the sound of a series of explosions could be heard. While looking at the water column with anxious eyes, the operation officer approached and said.

“Chief of the flyer, leaving the destroyers behind, the escort of the flyer will run out.”

“We only need one 11th destroyer. because it’s high speed But battleship trains aren’t like that.”

Currently, there are only four destroyers serving to escort the battleship line. I’m anxious about that There is also no air cover. At least 8 destroyers are needed to block attacks from the surrounding area. If even one of those battleships breaks away from the frontline, the damage is great.

Suddenly, I looked at the line of battleships on the horizon.

Now do a zig-zag maneuver.

I prayed in my heart that there would be no ill effects. It was time to think like that.

“Look starboard!”

A breathless voice shot through the bridge.

“Four torpedo tracks! Continuously approaching with this ship! Distance 5,000!”

I don’t think it’s time to worry about others.