I Became a Captain of the British Empire

Anxious premonition

It was an instant, but it was enough for the admiral to complete his judgment.

“All Fleet Battle Deploy!”

A lion-like call echoed across the bridge. At the same time, Nelson’s massive ship moved through the waves.

It was not an order from the admiral. It is up to the captain to command the ship. Captain Vinnie, who was instructing the steering from the open-air bridge upstairs, gave the appropriate steering command as soon as he heard the wake report.

“Stay at the helm! Don’t let go of the key!”

Breaking into a cold sweat inside, he watched the trails of the two approaching torpedoes with his heart trembling. The torpedo, which split the sea with chalk-white lines, eventually passed Nelson’s bow and stern. Without any relief, he gave the following order.

“Agency! Maximum top speed! Get out of this area immediately!”

Before long, a lot of smoke came out of Nelson’s chimney, and the long hull, like an oil tanker, increased its speed. It would take some time to reach the engine’s full speed of 23 knots, so Vinny looked at the area where the torpedoes had been fired. He looked nervous, but no one said anything to him.

At the same time, battlecruiser squadron flagship Renown

“Report the situation!”

“Enemy submarine spotted in Nelson! Distance 3000!”

Rinaun’s bridge had no space to step on due to all kinds of reports. Fascinated by the sudden flood of calls for aid, Colonel Talbert wanted to tear his hair out. Having to perform the duties of squadron commander and captain at the same time, he was gradually feeling the limits of his judgment.

Originally, the squadron commander was held by Admiral Dudley Pound. However, as a capable admiral, he was now in a naval hospital due to exhaustion on the verge of retirement, and thanks to this, the position of squadron commander was temporarily left to Talbert.

Fortunately, he was also a promising player, so he was able to handle temporary jobs during peacetime without difficulty. If he had just two more days, he might have risen to the position of brigadier general.

The problem is that the war did not wait for that.

“Damn it! What is the destroyer fleet doing?”

He already knew that the task assigned to him was serious. I just felt resentful that I couldn’t find the submarine right away. Seized with urgency, the face of Brigadier General Robin Dalglish, commander of the destroyer flotilla, passed before his eyes.

Damn it, what an incompetent inspiration.

The destroyers wandering around belatedly looked pitiful in his eyes.

But pulling his hair out was just the beginning.

“Captain!”

“what’s the matter?!”

Talbert, who was already very sensitive, shouted at the communications officer in response. Renown’s communications officer was as busy as Nelson’s colleague, so he didn’t pay much attention to the captain’s annoyance. That was fortunate.

“Enter the battle from the fleet flagship Nelson! EVERY WIRELESS INFORMATION CHECK! There are many possibilities of enemy ships nearby! The Battlecruiser Squadron must find and engage the enemy fleet immediately!”

The prompt report gave the captain a little more time to respond.

“An enemy ship?”

Talbert shook his head at the unexpected radio.

If there is a ship around here that can hide from the eyes of the scouts, at least it is not a battleship. If that size moved, it would surely be caught by our surveillance net. If there is an enemy ship to communicate with, it must be a surfaced submarine or a submarine supply ship. Like the merchant ship that Repulse is currently holding.

“Has Repulse contacted you?”

“The merchant ships are firing guns and fleeing!”

Talbert exclaimed in exasperation.

“It’s a merchant ship no matter where you look at it! The most cruiser ever! Tell them to sink it immediately!”

Blindfolded and Aung is also an oil bunsuji. Attacking a battlecruiser is truly suicidal. Does it seem that he has no intention of being captured anyway?

He couldn’t tell. I just waited for that damn supply ship to fly away, listening to the sound of the Repulse’s four-inch secondary guns firing. After thinking for a moment, he immediately spoke to the correspondent.

“Notify the squadron! This squadron immediately rushes into the sea area where their communication was detected at full speed and destroys the enemy! Follow this ship to form Danjongjin and tell them to come!”

“yes!”

A beacon was raised on Renown’s mast, and the searchlight flashed a flashing signal. Talmut clenched his fists as he watched the battlecruisers turning their bows to follow Renown, who was speeding up to 30 knots.

A raid on the move, what a disgrace to the Royal Navy! It must be rooted out with remorse.

Looking at the empty horizon, he made a promise.

A faraway sea area.

A huge ship advanced on the surface of the cold waves. The ship, which had a wide flat deck like a playground, made a graceful gesture and turned away from the wind.

“It’s a headwind. Captain.”

“good! Flyer leader. Preparations are complete.”

On the bridge of the large aircraft carrier ‘Lexington’, Brigadier General Marshall, the flyer’s commander, carefully looked out the window. The deck was busy preparing for takeoff. Standing quietly by the window, he soon untied his hands behind his back and turned his head.

“What is the distance from the enemy?”

“I am currently at 120 miles.”

The brigadier nodded in satisfaction.

a short distance However, their figures were not visible even at the edge of the horizon. that is enough.

Watching the hurriedly moving airmen, the brigadier quietly opened his mouth.

“I approve of this. Let the raid take off first.”

“yes!

The flight commander answered with a loud voice, and soon after, the Lexington’s ship accelerated and moved forward. The admiral turned his eyes to it all, only looking at the chart, his watch, and the view of the deck out the window.

There were not many warships in the surrounding waters. At most, 1 light cruiser and 8 destroyers. Barely enough to fill the quantity of one destroyer squadron. There were no battleships and only one aircraft carrier was the only large ship.

A surprise attack with only one aircraft carrier. It’s an unreasonable strategy. The potential of an aircraft carrier is limitless, but that is only when the quantity supports it. If at least he had brought Langley…

No, it’s a useless assumption.

He shook his head, clearing his thoughts. Now was the time to focus on the task at hand. I made up my mind and opened my mouth.

“Does a sleeping lion really have teeth?”

With their backs to the brigadier muttering incomprehensible words, a group of dozens of biplanes flew past the bow of the Lexington.

“Agency! Maximum top speed! Follow Leewoon at 30 knots!”

He gave the order in a voice that seemed to explode. A report was heard from Jeonseonggwan, and the officers rushed to the bridge.

It seems that the loud exhaust sound can be heard from here. But I’m just frustrated.

“Where are the enemy ships?”

It’s already been two hours, and the battlecruiser squadron has been searching the open sea. I can’t see anything, but I’m chasing after you. I know roughly where the location is with wireless detection, but it’s still very frustrating. Will you be able to spot the enemy?

Make sure to read from noble mtl dot com

Putting those thoughts aside for a moment, he caressed his ears with earplugs. My brain was still tingling. In terms of caliber, even though it is only 114mm, which is far short of the main gun, its volume was beyond imagination.

How loud are the 15-inch naval guns with these secondary guns? Just imagining it gives me goosebumps.

“Make sure there are no submarines around.”

I looked around at the watchmen around me and talked about it just in case.

I can’t be relieved that Nelson was almost struck by a lightning strike. I don’t know if there is a submarine around here.

However, there was no way that Rinaun, who did not have a sonar, would be able to detect a submarine at this high speed, much less. Glad you found a periscope. The only hope is the watchmen grabbing the binoculars placed by the window from all sides.

“Captain.”

“Why but?”

While I was looking at the sea with my binoculars, the officer approached.

“I’m presumptuous, but something is strange.”

“What do you mean?”

“You haven’t seen anything for two hours, have you?”

It was an anxious look. His voice was firm, but a bad shadow was cast on his face.

But what are you saying to me?

“The commander-in-chief must have an idea. Don’t worry, keep your seat, Major.”

The officer’s eyebrows trembled nervously, but that was all. I no longer complained and only held up my binoculars.

Well, what about me? I’m sorry but I can’t help this either. After all, it’s just one captain. You mustn’t show me being agitated. I just hope that my friend Talbert will make the right decision for the position.

How long are you going to continue the search anyway? By this point, either the submarine guys had all run away, or it would have been the timing to catch up with the fleet and fall behind. It’s time to slowly go back. Now that only a handful of warships have come forward, it is difficult to encounter the enemy’s powerful fleet. Since the raid occurred in the near sea, the possibility that the enemy fleet is advancing in the North Sea cannot be ignored.

“Can you see anything around?”

“Nothing.”

Those were the words of the chief executive officer. He licked his lips and grabbed the binoculars again. Anyway, there is nothing to be ashamed of. The cruising distance is not unlimited…

Even if you get a supply in the middle, there is nothing good by wasting fuel. I turned my head and called the communications officer.

“Correspondent! Send it to Renown! How about we stop the chase soon!”

“yes? You mean the flagship of the squadron?”

“Do as I say!”

The communications officer, who blinked in surprise, replied with a tilt of his head.

“All right.”

If he doesn’t do it, I’ll have to call him first. I could be angry at the flagship for ordering it, but I can’t help it. It’s better than wasting your energy on useless things.

Anyway, my body was tired, so I missed cigarettes. Even if it wasn’t on the boat, I’d smoke one. It was the time when I was looking at the cloudy sky with a bored mouth.

Horrible thoughts ran through my mind.

While Repulse, who had doubts about the pursuit, prepared a searchlight for the light signal, Talbert, standing on Renown’s bridge, was in other troubles.

The location of the fleet has been revealed. Obviously, the Atlantic Fleet would have moved quickly at dawn. In order not to be seen on the coastline, they deliberately fell into the open sea and used minimal radio communication between fleets.

Even so, the enemy’s submarines were ambushing the passage of the Atlantic Fleet as if they were aware of it.

“weird… How the hell did they know where we were?”

In fact, the naval fleet is not a group that shows up so easily. This is because it is very difficult to find a ship hidden in the open sea. Even if it is not a submarine, the vastness of the sea is itself the best hideaway. It was like Emden in the last great war. Moreover, there was no proper radar in those days.

The questions grew like a snowball, but there was no clear answer anywhere.

It’s not even something that he, who is only a squadron commander, needs to worry about. The things to be concerned about were elsewhere.

“Light signal from repulse!”

“Something?”

“Request to stop pursuing!”

Talbert frowned.

damn it! I haven’t found one yet!

After the raid began, Lee-woon had been flustered and moved, but had not posted any criminal records. The discovery of the enemy supply ship, which could be said to be a feat, was also credited to Repulse.

At least as a captain of a capital ship, he had a desire to make his own ship perform meritorious deeds. But he is a seasoned soldier. He is a master of mercenary tactics, and a great man who knows how to distinguish when troops are inserted and when troops are withdrawn.

Talbert, who was touching the tip of his chin with his right hand, immediately shouted.

“Raise the signal! Let’s go back!”

It’s just that the judgment was a little slow.

“Watch starboard! A lot of enemy planes in the sky!”

Hearing the voice close to screaming, Talbert looked at the watchman on the starboard side with emotions that were half puzzled and half puzzled. But it didn’t take long for his brain to become the same mess as Gyeonsi’s.

“Damn it… !”

A formation of dozens of biplanes was breaking through the clouds and approaching from the sky.

“I knew this would happen!”

Seeing the planes covering the sky, I inadvertently shouted out loud. The chief officer glanced at me, but I didn’t pay attention.

Right now, the work in front of you is more important.

“Correspondent! Send a light signal to Renown right now!”

“yes? You mean now?”

“Right Now!”

yeah, it’s not too late If it is a biplane carrier aircraft, the fastest speed is 150 km/h. There is still time to reach this side. In the meantime, persuading him, no, just conveying my thoughts is a success.

“I have a plan.”

Only I know how to deal with this situation.