Chapter 165: For Whom The Death Knell Tolls
As Vice Admiral von Essen finally made up his mind.
For a time, the Lusha Fleet continued to close in on the enemy at high speed, and both sides achieved more and more hits.
The distance closed to 13 kilometers, 12 kilometers; “Gangut” had been pierced by a full 5 shells from “Nassau”, the bow was blown apart with severe flooding, the main armor belt on the starboard side had been penetrated and torn three times, and the hull was already listing to the right and down by the bow.
“Petropavlovsk” was also hit by another 3 shells from “Westfalen”, the main smokestack was blown down. The main armor belt was also penetrated, then damaging the connection between the internal boiler room and engine room, causing several steam pipes to burst, with high-pressure steam raging wildly inside the ship.
The damage control team could only immediately shut off the valves on the relevant pipes and open relief valves to vent the steam, causing the main engine pressure to drop by two tenths at once.
However, these sacrifices were not in vain. While the Lusha front two ships took a beating from their opposing ships, the Lushans’ tactic of concentrating the fire of their front three ships on “Rheinland” finally yielded obvious results.
In just over 20 minutes, the Lusha front three “Gangut-class” ships each hit “Rheinland” with 1, 2, and 4 armor-piercing shells respectively.
The first three shells, because the engagement distance was not close enough, either only penetrated non-core areas or were directly withstood by the main armor. But the last four shells were all hit after entering armor-piercing range.
Both port main turrets of “Rheinland” were completely destroyed, and a large hole was also blown in the port main armor belt.
“The enemy is going all out, trying to trade ‘Gangut’ for our ‘Rheinland’ to have something to show for it? If we keep fighting like this, our forces will definitely sink ‘Gangut’, and might even take an extra ‘Petropavlovsk’, but ‘Rheinland’ definitely won’t hold out either.
Especially since ‘Rheinland’s’ two port main turrets are scrapped, continuing to fight would just make it a lump of iron taking hits for nothing…”
In the command tower of “Nassau”, Major General Hermann quickly assessed the current situation.
Lusha ships are high offense, high speed, low defense; German ships are low offense, high defense. It’s hard to hope to sink “Rheinland” directly with naval guns, but crippling it is quite easy; another seven or eight shells, or five or six if lucky, might destroy the entire ship’s firepower.
In the Battle of Jutland on Earth, German warships often ended up as these “lumps of iron where all combat power is destroyed, but they just refuse to sink.”
Faced with this problem, Major General Hermann racked his brains, thinking hard.
After another ten-plus minutes of fierce fighting, as both sides sailed farther and farther south, the land of Hiiumaa appeared on the sea horizon ahead.
Major General Hermann then realized with a start that from 7:15 when both sides opened fire until now, it had already been nearly an hour and a half.
At the start of the battle, the battlefield position was at the entrance of the Gulf of Finland, where the total width of the Gulf of Finland was only 90 kilometers, 50 kilometers from North Bank Hanko Cape, and 40 kilometers from South Bank Hiiumaa.
And now, having sailed for over an hour on a heading of due south deviated west by 30 degrees, they were indeed almost at the shore of Hiiumaa.
A few more kilometers ahead, and they might hit shallow reefs at any time!
Therefore, they must find an opportunity to turn around as soon as possible.
Although turning would put them at a disadvantage, affecting the warships’ firepower output, with turrets needing to reorient and re-aim. But since the land appearance affected both sides equally, the enemy also had to turn, so the gap wasn’t that obvious.
Of course, if talking details, the Lushans could still take a slight advantage—because Vice Admiral von Essen’s fleet was originally cutting toward Major General Hermann at a larger angle, forming a 45-degree angle between them.
Hermann’s fleet was sailing due south deviated west by 30 degrees; to turn, he would need at least a 120-degree turn to north deviated west by 30 degrees. The slower ships at the rear of the line could adjust less, to north deviated west by 45 degrees, striving to reform the battle line.
While von Essen was originally sailing due south deviated west by 75 degrees; to turn, he only needed to turn north by 60 degrees, which couldn’t even be called a turn-around since it was less than 90 degrees, just a small turn.
“All ships turn right in place! All battleships adjust from heading 210 to heading 330, the 3 pre-dreadnoughts adjust from heading 210 to heading 315, pay attention to maintaining distance!
Additionally, ‘Rheinland’ is the exception! ‘Rheinland’ does not need to turn! Continue maintaining original heading and charge into the Hiiumaa shallows, pay attention to hydrography, once reef risk is detected, hard right rudder—with port side facing land, starboard facing sea, proceed gradually into the shallows yourself! Fire from the starboard side!”
The 6 main force ships under Major General Hermann immediately began turning, only the most heavily damaged ‘Rheinland’ did not turn; after some difficult maneuvers, it also avoided colliding with “Westfalen” turning ahead. It continued braving the enemy’s massed shells, smoothly sailing south toward the land.
“Rheinland” was hit by more and more shells, the bow and stern non-core areas were all flooded. The engine rooms weren’t penetrated, but speed was still reduced to 11 knots, and all main turrets able to fire to port were scrapped.
In the final moment, when “Rheinland” felt intense friction and vibration on the hull bottom, the captain decisively ordered hard right rudder; the warship with a violent, near-drift tail-slide “sideways parking” pose, slid sideways onto the shallows and grounded.
This also exposed the two starboard main turrets that had never been used, beginning to return fire with the 4 starboard guns. This maneuver truly stunned both sides—no one expected that the failed hexagonal main turret layout of the “Nassau-class” battleship, those two idle main turrets on the other side of the engagement, would actually see combat firing one day.
And in this process, the Lushans’ “Gangut” was also hit by more shells, severely flooded and listing, almost losing speed.
At the same time, due to the list, Gangut’s central main turret finally couldn’t withstand another hit from the enemy ship’s 280mm armor-piercing shell and was directly blown open—
In normal engagement at such close range, the enemy shells should have hit the 305 steel plate on the front of the main turret. But the list was too severe, and the shell struck the relatively weaker top armor at nearly 40 degrees incidence, naturally penetrating from above.
“Gangut”, having lost half its firepower, was finally on its last legs, on par with “Rheinland”.
……
“The Germanians actually had ‘Rheinland’ sideslip onto the shallows and ground? They could come up with such a move?!”
Vice Admiral von Essen saw the enemy’s action and was dumbfounded.
But the problem immediately shifted to his side.
Should he also turn and chase after?
“Gangut” in its current state probably couldn’t make it back either; maybe have Gangut also charge the shallows and ground, then have the other ships quickly pull away? That would still be one-for-one, with a sunk enemy to show, proving the Navy’s honor to the Tsar.
The remaining ships all had damage, their own side’s injuries should be a bit heavier, because their front three ships had focused on “Rheinland” to achieve the current result, while the enemy’s front three warships had spread their fire evenly against their front three.
So their own ships 2 and 3 were definitely more injured than the enemy’s 2 and 3, but what did that matter?
As long as all were damaged but not sunk, they could be embellished nicely in the battle report. Write themselves as lightly wounded, the enemy as heavily damaged, and vindicate the Navy.
More crucially, Vice Admiral von Essen couldn’t help checking his watch; the fierce fight and maneuvering with the opponent had already lasted an hour and a half. Moreover, he had been lured by the enemy from the initial battlefield, pursuing 40 kilometers southwest deviated south, about 23 nautical miles; returning would take another hour.
Who knows if the enemy’s reinforcements would arrive?
Seeing the enemy turn, this was a good chance to pull away distance.
After thinking it over, von Essen decisively ordered: “We turn too! All fleet except ‘Gangut’, hard right rudder! From heading 255 to heading 15! Right turn 120 degrees! Continue bombardment! After enemy and our distance pulls to over 15 kilometers, then turn to heading 45!”
Lusha ships also began turning; in the process of gradually pulling away, both sides inefficiently exchanged quite a few shells, causing some non-fatal damage each, but ultimately smoothly completed the turn.
……
“The Lushans think they’ve traded for a ‘Rheinland’ and are calling it quits? What’s the situation?”
Major General Hermann realized the enemy had also turned but, after turning, wasn’t pursuing; instead pulling away distance—Hermann was quickly baffled for a while.
He didn’t know the overall deception plan after all; his orders were just to fight with all his might. Seeing the enemy wanting to run, he wasn’t sure whether to pursue.
In the heat of the moment, he finally thought to immediately send a telegram to Vice Admiral Hipper en route to reinforce, urgently requesting instructions.
Before coming, he had received instructions from Vice Admiral Hipper and Vice Admiral Scheer: for this operation, Army Colonel Lelouch von Ritter Hunt would be aboard Vice Admiral Hipper’s flagship “Derfflinger”, and would bring a high-power Army radio and communications team.
And in fact, Major General Hermann’s own “Nassau” also had an Army communications team lent by Colonel Lelouch, which he had brought himself; theoretically belonging to German 6th Army Group, using the new cipher just changed by German 6th Army Group.
At the time, Major General Hermann didn’t understand: why would a warship carry an Army communications team? Did Colonel Lelouch think the Navy’s cipher was insecure?
But Colonel Lelouch had explained it to him like this:
“I didn’t say the Navy’s cipher is insecure; I just thought that in special cases, the Army radio could hide the fleet’s movements and avoid exposing position too early before engagement?
If transmitting from deep sea, needless to say, any eavesdropper would realize it’s a fleet transmitting. But in this operation’s coastal Riga Bay area, the terrain is complex, with fjords along Hiiumaa coast, sea and land intermingled.
If your fleet transmits with Army radio when near islands, it might fool enemy eavesdroppers into thinking it’s shore-based Army transmitting. And if the receiver is also sailing near sea, replying with Army radio could temporarily mislead the enemy, maximizing the suddenness of reinforcements.”
Lelouch used this rationale, avoiding talking to Scheer faction people about “Navy cipher leaks”, and impossible to alert Britannians. At the same time, unobtrusively switching to 6th Army Group Army cipher temporarily, also conveniently achieving fleet concealment.
Even deceiving his own side, achieving three birds with one stone: secrecy, counter-deception, concealment.
The backup communication system Lelouch had given him, Major General Hermann had never had a chance to use, but now he finally did.
The fleet had been fighting southward and was already not far from Hiiumaa shore; this small error wouldn’t be detected by era’s long-range radio eavesdropping for direction flaws.
So he immediately transmitted using Army cipher and equipment; a few minutes later, Lelouch’s side received and translated it—
And coincidentally, when the fight started here, Hipper’s fleet was patrolling near the southwest cape of Hiiumaa, i.e., the strait entrance between Hiiumaa and Saaremaa.
Hipper deliberately let remnant Lusha Army on Hiiumaa southwest cape see his position, so the Lusha Fleet would be alert without worrying Hipper was too close to the battlefield, daring to engage Major General Hermann.
After Major General Hermann and Vice Admiral von Essen engaged, Hipper immediately turned, hugging Hiiumaa’s coastline to reinforce the battlefield.
By now, they had sailed nearly 2 hours, 50 minutes more to reach the battlefield—of course, assuming the enemy stayed put fighting to the death for 50 minutes without fleeing.
It was at this critical juncture that Lelouch received the telegram and immediately handed it to Vice Admiral Hipper.
“Franz! Von Essen seems to be running! When they fought south to Hiiumaa north coast, ‘Rheinland’ and ‘Gangut’ both couldn’t hold and grounded; Major General Hermann wants to turn and re-engage, but von Essen pulled away during the turn!”
Hipper snatched the urgently translated telegram, paced back and forth several steps, then thought of a move:
“Have our battleships with decent speed turn full speed to pursue! I know they can’t catch the enemy’s 24-knot ‘Gangut-class’, but they can chase the slow pre-dreadnoughts; have ‘Nassau-class’ bite the enemy’s slow ships, at least breaking one arm! As for the remaining ‘Gangut-class’, weaken if possible; if not, leave the endgame to me!”
Lelouch immediately personally translated Hipper’s request into cipher at fastest speed, then handed it to the signaller to send.
After sending, Hipper breathed a sigh of relief: “Good thing you thought of this; even if we change strategy mid-battle, the enemy won’t notice, thinking it’s our Army on occupied Hiiumaa shore positions transmitting.”
Lelouch was very busy, temporarily ignoring Vice Admiral Hipper, and hurriedly personally drafted a secret telegram.
Hipper curiously: “What? You have another idea?”
Lelouch, handing the secret telegram to the signaller: “This is to the Army airfield on the island; originally we were maintaining waves of fighters and reconnaissance aircraft for sustained air superiority. But since the enemy is running, no need to hold back for sustained combat power.
Now dispatch all available aircraft for a final air spotting advantage for the ‘Nassau-class’ fleet. Then recall them for refueling and maintenance; when we reach the battlefield, concentrate the next wave.”
Lelouch had to go aboard and bring Army radio, of course not just for that one reason. With Army radio, when the fleet route neared shore, he could pretend to be Army micro-managing air support.
While the enemy, coordinating sea-air, definitely couldn’t match Lelouch’s precision.
Hipper, seeing this, sighed contentedly: “Though you don’t understand naval battle, every time I bring you aboard, there’s always some unexpected gain.”
Then, Hipper ordered the boilers of the 3 “Derfflinger-class” battlecruisers to also enter overload.
Rated power of 63,000 horsepower, super-pressured to max 72,000 horsepower, increasing power by a full seventh.
Speed also accelerated from rated 27 knots to 28.5 knots, madly chasing the enemy at theoretical 24 knots.
Vice Admiral von Essen at this moment definitely couldn’t exceed 24 knots either.
He had just bloodily fought Major General Hermann; though only “Gangut” grounded, the other 3 would have some speed loss, especially ship 2 “Petropavlovsk” with the most obvious slowdown—20 knots would be good.
……
From exactly 9:00 that morning, the next hour-plus was basically spent in pursuit-style slaughter.
Hipper hadn’t reached the battlefield yet, but in Major General Hermann pulling distance from von Essen’s “Gangut-class”, they still hit each other with seven or eight shells.
Especially the last few, at long range, all lobbing fire hits. For Lusha warships with weak deck armor, it caused quite substantial damage.
Ship 4 “Poltava”‘s central two main turrets also suffered lobbing penetration and were knocked out, the central deck blown to pieces.
“Petropavlovsk” was penetrated twice at the stern while fleeing, causing stern flooding too.
The down-by-bow problem was coincidentally solved, the ship no longer listing. But with bow and stern flooded, thousands of tons of water further slowed the ship to 17 knots.
The 3 ships von Essen took away theoretically had 12 triple main turrets, 36 guns total. In reality, ships 2 and 4 could only output half firepower, effective guns down to 24.
Only ship 3 “Sevastopol” had intact firepower, as it was tasked against “Rheinland”, which was crippled early, so no one targeted “Sevastopol” for damage.
While von Essen’s fleet suffered repeated damage, in the final phase Lusha shells mainly hit Major General Hermann’s ship 4 “Posen”, crippling its firepower, superstructure blown askew. But German warships’ excellent unsinkability allowed it to sail back for slow repairs.
At 9:25, von Essen and Hermann’s main forces finally fully pulled apart, out of each other’s max range. But Major General Hermann’s business obviously wasn’t done.
Unable to hit von Essen, he immediately turned to deal with the Lusha pre-dreadnought fleets.
Before, in the pre-dreadnought fleets’ mutual combat, the 3 “Friedrich der Grosse-class” had fought 1 “Borodino-class” and 2 “Paul I-class”.
After brief engagement, the “Friedrich der Grosse-class” found their 240mm rapid-fire cannons couldn’t penetrate the main armor belt of the so-called “strongest pre-dreadnought” “Paul I-class”.
In the initial half-hour gun duel, “Friedrich der Grosse” and “Paul I” fiercely bombarded each other; “Friedrich der Grosse” was nearly half-killed, penetrated with several large holes, side facilities and secondaries mostly destroyed, just lucky the 4 240mm rapid-fire guns weren’t hit.
While “Friedrich der Grosse” only blew the enemy’s forward 2 203mm turrets, slightly weakening secondary firepower.
After taking losses, the brave Germanians, under officers’ adaptability, chose to concentrate all 3 “Friedrich der Grosse-class” on the “Borodino-class” “Slava”—the only enemy ship their 240 rapid-fire could penetrate.
Ultimately “Friedrich der Grosse” honorably sank, “Grosser Kurfürst” and “Barbarossa” also heavily damaged,
But they turned “Slava” into a scrap heap too, while “Paul I” lost over half its 203 secondaries, only “Saint Andrew” basically unhit.
And at this time, with the battleship fleets’ battle ending, Major General Hermann could finally bring 2 “Nassau-class” to join these pre-dreadnought fights and reap the fruits!
On the Lusha side, nearly undamaged “Saint Andrew” saw enemy battleships coming to help from afar, immediately chose to ignore orders and flee alone, letting the two damaged teammates block and delay.
The already scrap-heap “Slava” of course couldn’t escape, penetrated by multiple 280 armor-piercing at close range, finally bottoming.
“Paul I” seeing it couldn’t escape, just wanted to take a back-padder before dying, so in the final stage stared at the enemy most damaged but unsunk “Grosser Kurfürst” for furious finishing blows.
Several 305 shells completely crippled “Grosser Kurfürst”; though not directly sunk, it was ultimately towed back for scrapping as waste iron.
The only difference from battle-sunk was the crew mostly survived, minimizing sailor losses.
“Paul I” during finishing blows was of course also riddled by “Nassau” and “Westfalen”‘s 280 gun groups, finally ammunition depot detonating under gang-beating, breaking in two and sinking.
Germanians and Lushans each battle-sank 2 pre-dreadnoughts,
But Germanian sunk were 1901-commissioned old ships with design flaws.
Lushans lost a 1906-commissioned mid-tier pre-dreadnought and a 1910 “strongest pre-dreadnought”,
Clearly Germanian side got the big advantage, and they could clean the battlefield, with one ship’s crew not drowning, towable back to sink later.
After “Paul I” and “Slava”‘s delay, Hermann had no time to chase other Lusha ships; all “Nassau-class” warships’ combat tasks ended here.
……
Just as Major General Hermann finished here, on the battlefield 30 kilometers northeast deviated north, a new mopping-up decisive battle was finally about to begin.
Vice Admiral von Essen with 3 half-crippled damaged “Gangut-class”, plus 3 ancient 1888-built pre-dreadnoughts encountered on return, was about to withdraw to Gulf of Finland.
But they ultimately couldn’t escape, chased down at 28.5 knots by Vice Admiral Hipper with 3 “Derfflinger-class” battlecruisers flying in.
Vice Admiral von Essen had 24 305 guns left, his fleet missing 300 experienced sailors on 2 ships—executed just before battle—replaced by Tsar’s Guard, but low tactical level and morale were obvious.
Hipper also had 24 305 guns, better quality than Lushans’, crucially fully crewed, all warships at peak condition.
