Rhetor
Member
Situation as follows - Hochseeflotte preceeded by the Scouting Group was returning from a fruitless sortie to the Norwegian coast, when the dirigibles scouting over the North Sea reported nearby a British light cruiser squadron steaming NE. To ensure that the precious battleships would be screened from any light forces in the coming night, the admiral commanding the German fleet ordered the Scouting Groups to get to the position SW from the Hochseeflotte. It proved to be a wise decision.
The first sighting of the enemy came some 4,5 hours before sunrise from CL Wiesbaden, scouting ahead of the battlecruiser force. Immediately her situation became desperate - she steamed straight between two columns of four CLs each, followed by some armoured cruisers. In a desperate firefight the Wiesbaden managed to make a full 16-point turn and make away with only minor damages. Soon thereafter the CL Frankfurt steaming at full speed to the rescue of the Wiesbaden stumbled across another column of light cruisers, a strong destroyer flotilla and an armoured cruiser. She likewise made a run, but got badly shot up and deveoloped a bad fire.
German admiral decided to move in some Torpedoboote, and bring the battlecruisers within the supporting distance. Meanwhile the Hochseeflotte made a terribly complicated, 90 degrees turn, and steamed straight East. Escorting light cruisers were deployed in a line some 10 kilometers from the battle line.
The torpedoboote made a desperate torpedo run on the British cruisers; at the cost of two badly damaged and one sunk, they managed to force the enemy to quit the chase after CL Frankfurt, and scored a hit on CA Devonshire. Both sides broke contact for a brief moment.
German admiral decided it might be a good idea to bring in the battlecruisers and finish off the damaged Devonshire. But, to his surprise, instead of the damaged cruiser, the BCs stumbled across two destroyer flotillas, each lead by a fast light cruiser. The BCs opened heavy fire and made an emergency turn to avoid numerous torpedoes immediately launched by the British. In the process the 28 cm shells simply torn apart a British flotilla leader, and dealt a deadly blow to a CL. The engagement lasted not more than two minutes, and the BC Moltke managed to avoid three torps.
To avoid such a risk to the capital ships, German admiral sent in two full destroyer flotillas followed by three light cruisers - Elbing, Pillau and Weisbaden. To his surprise, they encountered eight light cruisers and two armoured cruisers - Antrim and Kent. In a very confused engagement the Antrim avoided all the torpedoes, meanwhile crippling and sinking three German destroyers. The other destroyer flotilla launched nearly all the torpedoes, forcing the AC Kent and some CLs to made away.
Meanwhile the AC Antrim was chasing after a damaged German destroyer. She was fighting gallantly, launching a torpedo from her last undamaged tube, and firing all her remaining guns. However, the AC was closing relentlessly, and was getting ready to kill her prey. German light cruisers were present, but their shells could not stop their armoured opponent.
Suddenly the Antrim was illuminated by four pairs of strong searchlights, coming from four dark shapes which appeared from the north. Seconds later there was a mighty flash and roar of heaviest guns. The Antrim was instantly hit by numerous 28 and 15 cm shells. The new arrivals were the German battlecruisers, coming to the rescue of the brave destroyer. German commander knew that such valuable ships cannot be risked in the night, so immediately after the Antrim was within range, he ordered a 90 degrees turn to keep the distance, and soon thereafter ordered a simultainous 90 degrees turn to starboard, to leave the battle area again. It was enough. The Antrim was firing to the last, but was simply demolished by the hail of medium and heavy shells. Her guns were being smashed one by one. Just before she got out of sight, the aft turret of Von der Tann fired a salvo, which hit the Antrim near her forward turret. A mighty detonation shook the night, and the brave British ship went down, firing to the very end.
Thus the battle ended. British forces have proved to be more numerous than expected. This first engagement showed flaws in the formation of the German Scouting Group - lone cruisers on point guard proved to be instantly outgunned in the initial contact with stronger enemy forces. A bit less luck, and the Germans might have lost their modern, fast and well armed light cruisers. In the next engagements these would be supported by destroyers.
The early morning brought more reports from the zeppelins - the British light cruisers squadron was followed by the Battlecruiser Fleet. As soon as the visibility raises, there would be a major fleet engagement.
Losses: German - five DDs, Frankfurt damaged.
British: AC Antrim sunk, AC Devonshire damaged, one CL and one DD sunk
The first sighting of the enemy came some 4,5 hours before sunrise from CL Wiesbaden, scouting ahead of the battlecruiser force. Immediately her situation became desperate - she steamed straight between two columns of four CLs each, followed by some armoured cruisers. In a desperate firefight the Wiesbaden managed to make a full 16-point turn and make away with only minor damages. Soon thereafter the CL Frankfurt steaming at full speed to the rescue of the Wiesbaden stumbled across another column of light cruisers, a strong destroyer flotilla and an armoured cruiser. She likewise made a run, but got badly shot up and deveoloped a bad fire.
German admiral decided to move in some Torpedoboote, and bring the battlecruisers within the supporting distance. Meanwhile the Hochseeflotte made a terribly complicated, 90 degrees turn, and steamed straight East. Escorting light cruisers were deployed in a line some 10 kilometers from the battle line.
The torpedoboote made a desperate torpedo run on the British cruisers; at the cost of two badly damaged and one sunk, they managed to force the enemy to quit the chase after CL Frankfurt, and scored a hit on CA Devonshire. Both sides broke contact for a brief moment.
German admiral decided it might be a good idea to bring in the battlecruisers and finish off the damaged Devonshire. But, to his surprise, instead of the damaged cruiser, the BCs stumbled across two destroyer flotillas, each lead by a fast light cruiser. The BCs opened heavy fire and made an emergency turn to avoid numerous torpedoes immediately launched by the British. In the process the 28 cm shells simply torn apart a British flotilla leader, and dealt a deadly blow to a CL. The engagement lasted not more than two minutes, and the BC Moltke managed to avoid three torps.
To avoid such a risk to the capital ships, German admiral sent in two full destroyer flotillas followed by three light cruisers - Elbing, Pillau and Weisbaden. To his surprise, they encountered eight light cruisers and two armoured cruisers - Antrim and Kent. In a very confused engagement the Antrim avoided all the torpedoes, meanwhile crippling and sinking three German destroyers. The other destroyer flotilla launched nearly all the torpedoes, forcing the AC Kent and some CLs to made away.
Meanwhile the AC Antrim was chasing after a damaged German destroyer. She was fighting gallantly, launching a torpedo from her last undamaged tube, and firing all her remaining guns. However, the AC was closing relentlessly, and was getting ready to kill her prey. German light cruisers were present, but their shells could not stop their armoured opponent.
Suddenly the Antrim was illuminated by four pairs of strong searchlights, coming from four dark shapes which appeared from the north. Seconds later there was a mighty flash and roar of heaviest guns. The Antrim was instantly hit by numerous 28 and 15 cm shells. The new arrivals were the German battlecruisers, coming to the rescue of the brave destroyer. German commander knew that such valuable ships cannot be risked in the night, so immediately after the Antrim was within range, he ordered a 90 degrees turn to keep the distance, and soon thereafter ordered a simultainous 90 degrees turn to starboard, to leave the battle area again. It was enough. The Antrim was firing to the last, but was simply demolished by the hail of medium and heavy shells. Her guns were being smashed one by one. Just before she got out of sight, the aft turret of Von der Tann fired a salvo, which hit the Antrim near her forward turret. A mighty detonation shook the night, and the brave British ship went down, firing to the very end.
Thus the battle ended. British forces have proved to be more numerous than expected. This first engagement showed flaws in the formation of the German Scouting Group - lone cruisers on point guard proved to be instantly outgunned in the initial contact with stronger enemy forces. A bit less luck, and the Germans might have lost their modern, fast and well armed light cruisers. In the next engagements these would be supported by destroyers.
The early morning brought more reports from the zeppelins - the British light cruisers squadron was followed by the Battlecruiser Fleet. As soon as the visibility raises, there would be a major fleet engagement.
Losses: German - five DDs, Frankfurt damaged.
British: AC Antrim sunk, AC Devonshire damaged, one CL and one DD sunk
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) 15cm hit from one of my cruisers.