Chapter 231: Night Battle in the Strait (Part 1)

In times of crisis, people always recall the heroes who have brought them joy and pride. In early 1941, Britain undoubtedly found itself in unprecedented dire straits since the advent of the Industrial Age. Napoleon had never posed an existential threat to the country, but the Germans did. At this moment, British soldiers and civilians might have been too preoccupied to think about the German raider Graf Spee, which had roamed the seas wreaking havoc over a year ago, but they surely remembered Henry Harwood. When the reports of the Battle of the River Plate spread throughout Britain, millions remembered this name—he had outwitted and bravely engaged the German raider, ultimately forcing it to scuttle itself outside Montevideo Harbor, thereby relieving Britain from its first naval crisis after the outbreak of war!

After that, Harwood, now in his fifties, enjoyed a successful career. In just one year, he was promoted from Rear Admiral to Vice Admiral in the Royal Navy, eventually becoming the overall commander of the Atlantic shipping lanes! Six hours ago, he was given the order to command an elite cruiser squadron once again on an extremely perilous mission, this time in familiar waters rather than the distant South American coast!

At 11 p.m. on January 27, 1941, the heavy cruisers HMS Exeter and HMAS Australia, along with the light cruisers HMS Fiji and HMS Neptune, gathered in the waters off northern Ireland, then proceeded at 24 knots into the North Channel between Ireland and Scotland!

Perhaps inspired by the Battle of the River Plate, Vice Admiral Harwood did not choose one of the heavy cruisers as his flagship. Instead, his command flag flew high on HMS Fiji, which had entered service six months earlier. Due to initial crew training issues, it had not joined the main fleet in the English Channel operations, thus saving the lives of hundreds of sailors. Among those ships, only one out of ten eventually returned to northern ports, with the Royal Navy suffering staggering losses of up to eighteen thousand personnel during the battle!

In terms of tonnage, HMS Fiji was only slightly smaller than HMS Exeter and HMAS Australia. However, as the Royal Navy classified cruisers based on gun caliber rather than size, the Fiji class, armed with 6-inch guns, naturally fell into the category of light cruisers. Equipped with both anti-aircraft and anti-ship radars, improved fire control, and defensive systems, its overall combat capability was not inferior to the heavy cruisers!

For Vice Admiral Harwood, HMS Exeter held a special place in his heart. In the Battle of the River Plate, this heavy cruiser, built in the late 1920s, had led the charge and landed the first hits on the German raider, Graf Spee. Despite being hit multiple times by the German ship during subsequent engagements, its crew persisted in combat, only withdrawing when all three main gun turrets became inoperative. Their courage was remarkable!

HMS Australia, sailing second in the formation, was originally a Kent-class cruiser built in Britain but transferred to Australia, a Commonwealth nation, after completion. It had been decommissioned in 1938 and re-entered service a year later. Due to prolonged service in the Pacific, neither it nor its sister ship, HMAS Canberra, underwent modernization like the rest of the Kent class. With the crisis in Britain, both ships returned to the Atlantic, initially tasked with escort duties. Just a week before, HMS Australia had escorted a convoy to England. After replenishment, it found itself inexplicably included in Vice Admiral Harwood's task force!

Bringing up the rear of the squadron was HMS Neptune, a Leander-class light cruiser, built in the early 1930s. Despite being slightly smaller in tonnage than the heavy cruisers, it was equipped with eight 6-inch guns and two quadruple 533mm torpedo tubes, making it formidable in surface combat!

The Irish Sea had the world's largest tidal range. At night, both the North Channel in the north and the Saint George's Channel in the south were turbulent. Under the faint starlight, the four cruisers struggled along their course to the southeast, facing the winds and waves. At 11:29 p.m., the radar on HMS Fiji detected two anomalous echoes in the direction of the Scottish coast. However, due to the sea's disturbance, the size and movement of the contacts could not be determined immediately.

At 11:37 p.m., lookouts on HMS Exeter spotted dark shapes on the surface of the sea. Although Vice Admiral Harwood was always composed, the Admiralty had informed him before departure that several destroyers and torpedo boats would sail from Stranraer Port, directly opposite Belfast, and join his cruiser squadron. Initially, he and his officers assumed these were friendly ships and signaled with lights to inquire.

Moments later, they were met with a fierce barrage of gunfire!

"Admiral! Admiral! It's two large warships!" relayed the message from the radar room to the bridge of HMS Exeter. By the time the first salvo from the enemy landed, with thunderous explosions and the sea boiling, it was clear to the British fleet commander: the enemy possessed firepower greater than their own, and the opening salvo was remarkably accurate!

"It's a battleship and a heavy cruiser!"

Watching the sea, Vice Admiral Harwood remained remarkably calm. Although the situation looked dire, he quickly came up with a plan. Despite the shock of encountering such formidable opponents, he remembered the lessons learned from the Battle of the River Plate. Although the Royal Navy had an advantage in radar technology, he chose to communicate with his ships using signal lamps instead of wireless telegraphy, fearing the Germans might intercept their messages. As another barrage of enemy fire rained down, every second was precious for Harwood and his squadron!

In the chaos of battle, the communication officer on HMS Fiji made a decision that was not exactly an error but a misjudgment: they used signal lamps instead of wireless communication to relay orders. While the Germans might have intercepted their wireless signals, every second counted under the heavy fire from the enemy. Unfortunately, after the orders were issued, the leading ship, HMS Exeter, took a direct hit!

On the dark, turbulent sea, bursts of fire erupted from the steel warships hundreds of meters away, casting a dazzling light. The bridge, turrets, and bow wave of HMS Exeter became incredibly clear in that instant.

The fireballs disappeared as quickly as they appeared, replaced by black smoke that engulfed the night. But the forward deck of the fleet leader remained illuminated: it was on fire!

Knowing the precision of German naval optics, Vice Admiral Harwood, though alarmed, immediately formulated a new plan. While most of the Kent-class heavy cruisers had their torpedo tubes removed during modernization, HMS Australia, serving in the Royal Australian Navy, retained its eight 533mm torpedo tubes. Despite being slightly slower due to its age, it could still keep pace with the other cruisers. As another barrage of German shells approached, Harwood swiftly adjusted his tactics:

"HMS Exeter to lure the enemy, HMS Australia to fire torpedoes at full speed, then engage with all guns. HMS Fiji and HMS Neptune, close in for torpedo attacks!"

In the conditions of night battle, breaking through the formidable armor and watertight compartments of the German Schanhorst-class battleships was no easy feat, far more challenging than the average battleship. The powerful 533mm torpedoes were evidently much more effective than the 8-inch and 6-inch naval guns. However, at this critical moment, the communication officer on the "Fiji" made what could hardly be called an error: they used signal lights to send commands instead of decisively using wireless communication. Although the Germans might have intercepted the tactics of the British fleet through radio monitoring, every second was extremely precious for Hawood and his fleet under the relentless barrage of fire from the two German warships! The consequence was immediate after the command was issued: the leading "Exeter" took a direct hit!

On the intermittently illuminated sea surface, bursts of fire erupted from the steel warships hundreds of meters away, accompanied by dazzling flashes. The bridge, gun turrets, and even the bow wave of the "Exeter" became exceptionally clear.

The fireball disappeared in the blink of an eye, followed by the emergence of black smoke, enveloping the night in darkness. However, the forward deck of the fleet's leading ship remained bright: it was on fire!

Knowing the precision of the German Navy's optical aiming instruments, although Hawood shouted that things were not looking good, he immediately had a new idea: although most of the Kent-class heavy cruisers had removed torpedo tubes during modernization, the "Australia" serving in the Royal Australian Navy retained its 8 sets of 533mm torpedo tubes. Eleven years might not be long for a warship, and even though its speed might have decreased from its optimal state, it could still keep up with the pace of the two cruisers. As the Germans launched another round of thunderous bombardment, Hawood swiftly made adjustments:

"The 'Exeter' will lure the enemy, while the other three ships will charge at full speed. After launching torpedoes, they will not immediately retreat but will instead unleash full firepower on the upper structures of the German ships!"

This time, it seemed that Hawood was determined to risk it all against the Germans! Who knows, perhaps tonight's battle could replicate the glory of the Pratt River mouth?