I Became a Captain of the British Empire

Battle of Makassar Strait (3)

At the same time, the battlecruiser Repulse’s bridge.

A sea sparkling with gunfire and fire.

Looking at the place where the flares were fired, the watchdog hurriedly posted a report.

“Enemy cruiser spotted! Defense 250! Distance 6,000!”

A triangular mast visible under the flares and above the brightly exposed surface of the water. And the long hull and triple gun turret.

It is an American heavy cruiser.

“It looks Northampton class.”

“With 6,000m, can he give us effective hits?”

“Yes, it’s a dangerous distance if you get hit right.”

The chief of staff talks while flipping through the data book in his hand.

His complexion hardened, probably because he sensed danger.

Repulse’s armor can block a cruiser’s guns, but it’s a different story at this close range.

Even in its original history, the Japanese battlecruiser Hiei, with similar armor, was damaged by heavy cruisers’ melee fire.

A close-range encounter at night is something even capital ships cannot be relieved of.

“You have to deal with it quickly. Let the squadron know. Hit the enemy heavy cruiser first.”

“Yes, send a light signal to the Indipatigable!”

Searchlights twinkling on the aft deck.

The Indipatigable, which had followed Repulse, turned its guns with a majestic driving sound.

I raised my binoculars and looked once more at the enemy heavy cruiser.

“The main gun is pointing this way.”

Nine main guns with cold muzzles exposed.

It is said to be Northampton class, but it is a little far from what I know. Perhaps it is the effect of the repeal of the disarmament treaty. To put it mildly, it looks similar to the Wichita class of the original history.

With a heavy driving sound, the 15-inch gun on the deck turns. A gun that has never fired a single shot. As if to resolve that resentment, the arrayed guns sound their horns and send out a storm.

In an instant, the bridge was filled with noise.

“First shot fired!”

distance is very short.

A few seconds later, a column of water rose and obscured the cruiser’s hull. Enemy ships also fired fire and fired counterattacks, but fortunately there were no hits.

Subsequent shots from Indipatigable hit the cruiser’s fore deck.

Boom – rising flames.

Fire smoke covered the bridge.

As if Repulse wouldn’t lose, it fiercely fired the 2nd shooter.

The sound of a shoong, cutting through the air could be heard from where I was standing.

A visibly heavy shell.

The overwhelming firepower ripped apart the cruiser’s hull without hesitation.

The armor of the Northampton class is quite heavy compared to other cruisers.

The reduction of the defense area due to the ample displacement and the adoption of triple-barreled guns led to the strengthening of the armor.

Thanks to this, the armor of the US heavy cruiser was enough to deflect even the 8-inch guns of the self-propelled warship at standard engagement ranges.

However, getting hit by a large-caliber 15-inch gun at a distance of 6,000 would certainly be an unexpected situation.

As proof of that, the cruiser’s hull was now pouring out flames with a wild twist.

“Enemy ship, fire on deck! Gun silence!”

“Keep shooting. Don’t stop until you’re completely incapacitated!”

Kugu Palace –

6 main guns fire simultaneously. A storm overturns the sea. The enemy cruiser, who was turning her hull as if trying to fire her rear main guns, was hit with multiple hits at once.

A body that shines like a lamp. Bright yellow lights flashed all over the hull, and in a split second, an explosion ripped through the hull.

“Silence the enemy heavy cruisers!”

Debris erupted like a volcano in all directions, and the heavy cruiser leaned over in flames. The gunfire no longer spewed fire.

“I got it. Admiral.”

“The response was quick. Good work, Captain.”

“It’s an overstatement.”

Tobay speaks in a weary voice.

It wasn’t a very long time, but it must have been a lot of hard work because it was so urgent.

As the escort destroyers picked up survivors from the enemy cruisers, I turned my head to see the battlefield ahead.

The battle of the destroyer squadron was just about to come to an end.

“Enemy destroyers, 5 of which have been sunk so far.”

“How much damage to allies?”

“Vampire and Ardent are medium-wave. Acasta and Active are damaged, but combat sailing is still possible.”

“Slowly tidy up. Contact Furious. I’m telling you to start reconnaissance as soon as dawn comes.”

The atmosphere of the ship, which had been noisy with the sound of urgent footsteps, was gradually calming down.

The fading gunfire echoed as if announcing the end of the fight.

“Admiral! It’s an emergency in the Furious!”

Of course not all are like that.

“what?”

“Currently encountering and engaging an enemy light cruiser!”

There was a mudfish that escaped the fishing net.

* * *

South of the strait, the aircraft carrier Furious.

Fraser, who was in command of the aircraft carrier squadron, listened to the report with a feeling of great embarrassment.

“A light cruiser is coming this way?”

“Yes, circumstantially certain.”

“I’m going crazy.”

At the report of the operation officer who collected the communication report, he sighed and hit his forehead. Aircraft carriers are not designed to fight at night.

I heard that American and Japanese aircraft carriers were equipped with 8-inch guns in case of such a situation, but at least the Furious he was riding did not have such heavy armament. Ten 5.5-inch secondary guns mounted on the side were all.

“Admiral, but with this ship’s self-defense armament, it can defeat a light cruiser.”

“Then what would you do if you got a fatal blow to the air deck? An aircraft carrier without a deck is useless.”

Giving a glare to the operative’s words, Fraser crossed his arms and continued.

“For now, retreat and observe the trend. You may pursue the cruiser after daylight.”

In his opinion, engaging in an artillery battle with a cruiser was not a very wise choice.

Furious who raises a heavy body. When the giant moves, the waves shake together.

Standing on the bridge, Fraser looked around with a worried face. It was a time when I was worried that it might not be too late.

“Port-side watch report!”

Anxiety came true.

“Bearing 300! Distance 3,000! An unidentified trap, constantly approaching this ship!”

sh*t.

Muttering a curse, he grabbed his binoculars. On the port side of the Furious, against the dark background, I could see a sleek outline.

Before long, the triangular mast clearly catches his eye.

“Ha, Captain! It’s an enemy cruiser!”

“… wait.”

chilly voice.

The officer, who was urgently urging a response, blinked at his words and asked again.

“yes?”

“Wait. The enemy has not yet seen us.”

It was true.

The cruiser Fraser had seen approached too calmly for having spotted it.

If you can see a large ship, it won’t be enough even if you fire immediately. However, the enemies are quite peaceful as if they were on a cruise.

Soon after, the light of the searchlight fired by the destroyer illuminated the cruiser as it was.

“Captain… Aren’t those friends normal?”

“You got beaten up right.”

A messed up bow deck. Roughly curved warships. A hull with jagged fragments sticking out.

Traces of fierce engagement were engraved everywhere.

Maybe that’s why, the first thing the light cruiser did when it appeared was to turn its hull to evade. Watching the cruiser turn away in bewilderment, Fraser said.

“Now! Secondary Battery, engage!”

Just before the cruiser’s main guns could fire at the searchlighted destroyer, gunfire flashed simultaneously from the side of the Furious.

* * *

Ten minutes later, battlecruiser Repulse.

“Caught?”

“Yes, confirmed sinking on the Furious.”

While hurriedly turning course and going south, unexpected news flew over the bridge.

“Are you saying they caught it with artillery fire?”

“It seems so. At least, unless they’re equipped with torpedoes.”

The chief of staff scratching his head as if he couldn’t believe himself.

All the members of the bridge just silently blinked their eyes.

No one could have imagined that the light that flashed in the distance was a cruiser being beaten.

“An aircraft carrier that caught a cruiser with artillery fire… If true, that is absurd.”

“Even if it’s a surprise, is this possible?”

“Well, if you shoot first, there’s nothing you can’t do.”

The Furious’ 5.5-inch secondary guns were originally prepared for light cruisers exported to the Greek Navy. It’s a good gun that can feed an effective hit to a cruiser class.

However, no one expected that it would result in a real sinking record.

It sounds natural. An aircraft carrier is not a ship designed to engage in artillery fire.

“How is the Furious?”

“It took a few shots to the side, but it is said to be recoverable.”

“It was luck.”

The chief of staff nodded quietly. If even a few shots had penetrated the side and damaged the engine, or touched explosives such as aviation fuel in the hangar, an irreversible situation would have occurred.

Wiping the cold sweat, I let out a sigh.

“Okay, clean up the battlefield and join us now. I don’t know what will happen if I leave you alone.”

Towards the distant burning flash, Repulse sped up and approached. In the quiet sea, only the cold sound of burning steel echoed.

* * *

Thirty minutes later, the Spratly Islands.

The flagship of the Japanese Southern Fleet, Ryuzo.

As the cold wind pounded outside the window, Admiral Yonai turned his back with his hands behind his back.

“So, the Asian fleet was destroyed?”

“Yes, at least all capital ships seem to have been annihilated.”

Hearing the report from the chief of staff, the admiral let out an uncomfortable groan and lowered his head. It was a rare appearance, different from the docile impression.

The chief of staff tried to add words, wondering if he had offended the admiral.

“We’ll find out more details after scouting after dawn.”

“But the task force must already be returning to its home port.”

calm voice.

However, the chief of staff, feeling the cold inside, bowed his head and stepped back. Soon the communications staff approached him.

“Admiral. This is a notice from the British Orient Fleet Command. After resupply, they say they will move to Yokosuka.”

“Notice?”

under. Does that mean you won’t listen to me?

There was no power or justification to stop it anyway. The Admiral smiled and nodded his head willingly.

“More than expected… Things are moving fast.”

If so, now you have to prepare another way. Turning his head, Admiral Yonai spoke quietly to the communication staff.

“I need to contact Yamamoto.”

Over the horizon, the morning sun peeked out.

* * *

Japan, Yokosuka Port.

The time when the snow on the roof has not yet melted. Tasted the cold winter wind, Repulse entered the harbor.

“Admiral, the pilot is boarding.”

“Okay. Torbay.”

Outside of Repulse quietly being towed away by a tugboat.

As if reminding us that winter has not yet passed, the cold blue waters swelled. Snow was piled up all over the port, but the atmosphere was gradually clearing up.

This is Yokosuka, one of the major naval ports of the Japanese Navy. It is a favorite place from the days of imperialism to the present day of the original history.

“Originally, there was an aircraft carrier there.”

“… What are you talking about?”

The chief of staff tilted his head at me as I spoke while looking to the left at the port entrance. I replied quietly with a wry smile.

“No, nothing.”

Even if a super-large nuclear-powered aircraft carrier would be docked there decades later, no one would believe it.

In its original history, Yokosuka was teeming with state-of-the-art Aegis ships and aircraft carriers.

However, all I can see now are battlecruisers with gun mounts and destroyers with sleek steel hulls.

Should I say it’s a sense of exasperation? No, it’s funny to make such an expression on a subject that came from the past.

Anyway, feeling complicated, I turned my eyes away from the window.

“Rather than that, did you get in touch?”

When I asked the chief of staff, he nodded resolutely.

“I got it.”