Able seaman Alfie Peters peered ahead from his post on board the light cruiser Undaunted, looking at his watch he noted with relief that he had just 20 minutes left on watch, then he could get some sleep, he was cold and hungry. He had joined the Navy two years earlier, along with his best mate Bill Perkins, they had been seduced by the tales of a petty officer of life at sea and the eighteen year olds couldn't wait to join up later that month when war was declared. Though the reality was very different, since being posted to the cruiser their life had revolved around endless patrols that yeilded no results, the Hun had never been spotted.
Undaunted was part of the 1st 9th Destroyer flotilla, and was on patrol with Destroyers of the 2nd 9th, total strengh was 12 DD's of the L class and Undaunted, their patrol saw them 112 kilometres NNW of Rotterdam.
On board the DD Llewellyn 500 metres off the starboard bow of Undaunted lookouts spotted smoke ahead, action stations were sounded and the sighting flashed to Undaunted by lamp. At the same time lookouts on board the German cruiser mine layer Brummer also spotted smoke ahead, she was on her way home after dropping off 400 presents for British shipping in the channel. This was the last cruise for her captain, he was being transferred to a administrative job, at 61 he was too old for front line duty.
Llewllyn increased speed to 29 knots, her four sisters following suit, she altered course slightly to starboard, Undaunted also rang up maximum revolutions and turned slightly to port, this would cover escape routes should the ship ahead be the enemy. Alfie Peters action station was the forward six inch gun on Undaunted, Bill Perkins was part of the port side torpedoe crew, both boys were excited, finally some action.
On board Brummer, the ship heeled over to port and headed WSW, her stern gun crews ready for action. Seven minutes later both guns fired at the lead ship on the port side of Brummer nearly 5000 metres behind them. On board Llewellyn two large splashes were sighted ahead, but the enemy was still way too far ahead for effective fire. "am under fire" was transmitted by WT to Undaunted. Minutes later she was hit by a heavy shell, her hull holed, search light destroyed and her forward four inch gun damaged. minutes later two more shells hit her damaging her midship mount and causing three casualities. Worse though her speed was down to 27 knots, and the enemy was getting away from her.
A WT from Undaunted to Llewellyn asked if she could identify the enemy ship, all that could be seen breifly was three funnels, her speed suggested she was a cruiser but which one.
Llewwllyn's captain flashed a signal to Loyal advising her to take command as he was dropping back due to damage, this was conveyed to Undaunted. Llewellyn turned to starboard 180 degrees.
On board Brummer lookouts spotted a second colum of ships to starboard, led by a cruiser, fire was switched to this new threat. Undaunted turned NNW at 28 knots sunrise still 18 minutes away. Two shells hit the water 200 yards ahead, her forward gun barked out a reply, that round fell short, another round was fired, short again, and off to the port side of the enemy. Undaunted shuddered under the impact of a shell, her forward gun damaged her four inch guns continued to fire at the fleeing enemy.
Meanwhile Loyal and her three sisters were gaining on Brummer, and hitting her, unknown to them one of her stern 15cm mounts was damaged, and three of it's crew dead, her hull was pockmarked with holes. Undaunted was hit twice more by 15 cm shells, holed forward her speed had dropped off, now she too hauled out of line to enable the DD's behind to ring up 29 knots. Alfie Peters waited anxiously for the repairs to the gun to be finished, he wondered how Bill Perkins was getting along, it had been raining on and off for over half an hour, and he was soaked and colder than before.
Loyal continued to close, the German ship not firing on her, Loyal's captain could only use his forward gun, her wanted to come along side and bring all his guns and torpedoes to bear, he asked the chief engineer to get more speed out of her. Undaunted turned to starboard to bring her port side battery to play and her rear six incher, she was hit again, her port tubes damaged, and her stbd no2 4 inch gun. this battle was not going the British way.
When the Germans realised what the British DD's were up to they opened fire on the nearest one , Loyal, she was hit hard, and pulled out of line. Brummer turned to starboard, still the British came on, this would be her last fight. Lydiard turned across Brummers bows firing, behind her Leonidas headed at Brummer at 29 knots, striking her port side in the machinery spaces, Leonidas's bow caved in and seven men were drowned, but Brummer's speed dropped further as hundereds of litres of sea water poured in to her ruptured hull.