15th July 1941
Holy Crap!!!
Two colossal naval engagements have just taken place. I won't be able to complete the reports until I get to the end of the turn and I see exactly what was lost. So I will complete what I can now and then add to the reports as and when things become clear. This is where a replay function would be useful. I am damned if I can remember exactly what happened but I will give it a go.
Battle of the Scilly Isles - 15th July 1941
The British sent out the 1st Destroyer Flotilla to assist in the search for the German wolfpacks reported in the Bay of Biscay. The destroyers were surprised by the U-boats and a large destroyer/sub battle developed with the British suffering the greater losses.
As the battle raged, German destroyers were spotted on the horizon by more than one British destroyer. In response, from the west coast, four RN battleships (King George V (Flagship Adm Tovey), Duke of York, Prince of Wales and Queen Elizabeth) - already having been ordered to raise steam - were called immediately into action as surely, with destroyers out this far, the heavier units of the Kriegsmarine could not be far behind?
The British hunch was correct. But before the British battleships came into range, the 1st (Free French) Cruiser Squadron, that had been ordered to sail from Portsmouth to aid the destroyers, ran straight into the German fleet. The 6-inch gunned light cruisers were pounced upon by the German capital ships and totally destroyed.
However the Free French cruisers had put up a sterling defence and launched a successful torpedo attack against Scharnhorst. The damage inflicted allowed sufficient time for the three new King George V-class battleships to get into the fray (the slower Queen Elizabeth was still some way astern) and an epic duel ensued between the 14-inch gunned KGV's and the German capital ships.
The crippled Scharnhorst was overwhelmed and sunk, but with darkness falling the remaining German ships looked like getting away despite the addition of the 15-inch guns of HMS Hood and HMS Queen Elizabeth. The poorly armoured Hood was badly damaged but managed to remain in battle and firing salvoes from her two remaining turrets.
In desperation, the British brought the venerable carriers Hermes and the only slightly less ancient Furious into the battle. Their slow speed meant that they almost missed the fight entirely but Swordfish from Furious' 816 Squadron managed to deliver its torpedoes against the withdrawing Germans. As darkness finally rendered operations at an end, the exact fate of the German fleet, and its make-up, is unknown.
