The search went on at twelve o'clock, and Tan Renhao was also irritable, and he gradually calmed down. If the British expeditionary fleet had the intention to escape, it would have run two or three hundred nautical miles by this time, and the area of sea that needed to be searched was already very huge, and it would be difficult to completely cover it even if all carrier-based aircraft were dispatched. The last reconnaissance planes led by Qiu Gengbo also reached the maximum search radius at about this time, and the first task force had already reached the northwest of Juan Nueva, less than 40 nautical miles from the coastline of Mozambique.

"Talking about the general, Yang Qinkai's group has returned, do you need to let them set off again?"

Tan Renhao hesitated for a moment, then shook his head slightly, and asked, "Did Jiang Zhongmin send a message?" ”

"We have received several telegrams, but none of them have anything to do with the enemy fleet, and we have not sent reconnaissance planes to the sea area searched by shore-based patrol aircraft......"

"Let Yang Qinkai prepare for their landing, don't rush to arrange for them to leave.

Tan Renhao sighed secretly, and then walked to the chart table.

"We give up on the action?" …

"No, it's not time to give up, it's just that we have to think about what else we haven't taken care of." Tan Renhao glanced at Zheng Guanhua, "Now Qiu Gengbo and they have reached the maximum reconnaissance radius, right?" ”

"Except for the fighters led by Colonel Yao Boyan, the bombers have reached the maximum reconnaissance radius, and they will start returning in about fifteen minutes."

Tan Renhao nodded, and didn't ask anything more. Zheng Guanhua didn't say much, he was busy dealing with other affairs in the fleet. When Zheng Guanhua went to find the staff officer, Tan Renhao glanced up at Zheng Guanhua. He didn't stop Zheng Guanhua. At this time in the past, Hao Dongjue would think about the next action with Tan Renhao, and would give advice on how to arrange the fleet's reconnaissance operations. and even play a major role. Now, Zheng Guanhua has spent his energy on some more minor issues. This is actually a shortcoming of Zheng Guanhua. Not knowing what is most important at a critical moment. Tan Renhao sighed secretly, Zheng Guanhua still needs a lot of time to hone, and even more needs to exercise, in the short term, it is impossible for him to reach Hao Dongjue's level. Then. Tan Renhao's gaze returned to the chart, let's solve the problem in front of him first.

The charts clearly marked the patrol areas of the four groups of reconnaissance planes, as well as the flight routes of the reconnaissance planes, and the time points on each important reconnaissance route. These were made by a few staff officers for a long time, and they all required a lot of energy. This also helps fleet commanders understand the situation on the battlefield to the greatest extent.

Looking at these marks on the chart, Tan Renhao was also puzzled. If the British fleet had escaped south, either directly south or south along the coastline of Madagascar. Or to escape south by relying on the coastline of Mozambique, and in terms of time, any area of the sea that the British expeditionary fleet might have possible is within the coverage of reconnaissance aircraft. Moreover, the main sea areas have sent double reconnaissance forces, and the British expeditionary fleet has at least five battleships, and maybe the French expeditionary fleet is active together, such a huge fleet. It is impossible to evade several reconnaissance sites of reconnaissance planes in a row. But why was there no trace of the enemy fleet?

Thinking about it, Tan Renhao suddenly had a flash of inspiration in his mind, and then he slapped his forehead violently. He had overlooked one of the easiest to ignore, and the least noticeable, that if the British Expeditionary Fleet had not escaped southward, their search would have yielded no gain! In other words, if the British Expeditionary Fleet, after getting rid of the pursuit of the Third Task Force, turned around the Third Task Force and then withdrew from the battlefield to the north or northeast, then it would be normal for the reconnaissance planes sent by Tan Renhao not to find out. Judging from the fact that Cunningham let the two battleships stay and die, Cunningham must have thought that he would not be able to escape if he sailed directly south, so it was very likely that he would not go south, but would spin around under the noses of the first task force and the third task force, and then escape from the direction that Tan Renhao did not consider!

Thinking of this, Tan Renhao immediately picked up the scale and pencil, and he first marked the escape course of the British Expeditionary Fleet when it encountered the Third Task Force on the chart, and then he marked the exact location of the small team that was chased and killed by Qiu Gengbo on this route. That is, the British expeditionary fleet turned between these two points. And it is possible that the British expeditionary fleet will sail in two directions, one in the direction of the island of Madagascar and the other in the direction of Mozambique.

Tan Renhao first ruled out the possibility of the British expeditionary fleet south of Mahajanga, a small port in the northeast of Madagascar, which was prosperous hundreds of years ago but is now in decline, and a seaplane base of the Marine Corps is located in a nearby bay, and the waters near the coastline south of Mahajanga have been searched. If the British expeditionary fleet had escaped along the coastline of Madagascar, it would have been possible only to have the north of Mahajanga and sail north along the coastline. Tan Renhao immediately used the scale to mark a rough range on the chart, which was the distance that the British expeditionary fleet could sail to the north at the fastest speed after reaching the vicinity of the coastline, and the end of this route was already near Cape Amble, and the first task force was 500 nautical miles away from Cape Amble, and the reconnaissance planes could not fly there at all!

The British Expeditionary Fleet also had an escape route, that is, it first sailed westward, reached the coast of Mozambique, and then turned north, and after a big ***, it could avoid the reconnaissance planes of the First Task Force. Tan Renhao still used the scale to make the maximum range that the British expeditionary fleet could sail so far, and then he used this voyage to make an approximate range on the chart. Because there are many routes to the coast of Mozambique, this range is not small. One thing is certain, however, that even if the British Expeditionary Fleet had taken the nearest route, it would now be no more than 30 nautical miles from Task Force 1. The reconnaissance planes of the 1st Task Force can fly to a distance of at least 350 nautical miles to carry out reconnaissance missions, and if the search time at the maximum reconnaissance radius is shortened, this distance can be extended to 400 nautical miles!

"Xiao Zheng. Immediately let Yang Qinkai's fleet prepare to go! Tan Renhao called Zheng Guanhua over, and he circled the range that began to be marked on the chart. Let Yang Qinkai's group immediately go to this sea area to carry out a search mission, you immediately come up with the relevant reconnaissance plan, and when you are ready, let Yang Qinkai's group set off immediately. ”

Zheng Guanhua glanced at the chart, and he was a little puzzled. But at this time, Tan Renhao had already walked towards the communications staff officer.

"Immediately contact General Jiang Zhongmin and ask all his long-range patrol planes to search the waters near Cape Amber, and set the search range to at least 100 nautical miles!"

"Cape Amble?"

Tan Renhao nodded, and without explaining much to the communications staff, he called the navigation staff over. "The fleet is ready to turn northeast and sail directly towards Cape Amber at a speed of 24 knots. Also, notify Task Force 3 and have them follow suit. ”

Together with Zheng Guanhua, several staff officers were very puzzled.

"Everyone. The enemy fleet will slip out from under our noses, and now we must seize every minute. Tan Renhao walked towards Zheng Guanhua, "After Qiu Gengbo and them came back. Prepare the aircraft group for bombing, and remember to inform Qiu Gengbo of the new rendezvous area. ”

Before the other staff officers could react, Zheng Guanhua first understood what Tan Renhao meant, and he immediately asked the staff officers to take action. The command cabin was also bustling with activity.

Tan Renhao was very calm at this time, and under the influence of inertial thinking, he did not think in the first place that the enemy fleet would adopt the opposite method to avoid the Third Task Force, and at the same time avoid the reconnaissance planes and bombers of the First Task Force. Now, several hours have passed, and the speed of the British fleet is 29 knots, and at this speed, from the time it fled after half past three, the British fleet has now run nearly 280 nautical miles, and the distance between the first task force and the first task force was 110 nautical miles, plus the first task force sailed southwest for more than 200 nautical miles during this period, the distance between the two sides is likely to have exceeded the combat radius of the reconnaissance planes and bombers. In other words, even if the water patrol plane sent by Jiang Zhongmin found the enemy fleet, it would be out of reach now!

The 3rd Task Force was the first to call back, and Chang Jianxin did not ask about the reason for the 1st Task Force's turn, but only said that the 3rd Task Force would continue to follow the 1st Task Force and escort the 1st Task Force. Then, Jiang Zhongmin also sent a telegram back, he was making every effort to organize long-range patrol planes to find the British expeditionary fleet, but at this time, most of the long-range patrol planes did not return to the seaplane base, and these planes could only be sent to carry out Tan Renhao's new mission one after another, at least two hours later, all the planes would fly to Cape Amber, and the time to complete the search mission must be after five o'clock in the afternoon.

Tan Renhao was still a little remorseful, but he didn't show this remorse.

At about 3 o'clock in the afternoon, Yang Qinkai's group sent back a message that no trace of the enemy fleet had been found in the predetermined sea area, and that the fighters led by An Shile had also expanded the search area, but they had not gained anything. Tan ruled out the possibility of the British expeditionary fleet moving north along the coastline of Mozambique.

After four o'clock, Jiang Zhongmin sent the first reconnaissance report, and the first batch of long-range patrol planes arriving at Cape Amber were already on a search mission, but nothing was found for the time being. It was not until about six o'clock that Jiang Zhongmin sent the last telegram that all the long-range patrol planes had completed their search mission, and still no trace of the British expeditionary fleet had been found. By this time, according to the speed of the British expeditionary fleet, they had bypassed Cape Amber and were probably heading south along the eastern coastline of Madagascar.

"Contact Jiang Zhongmin and ask him to try to arrange a group of patrol planes and marines to search every bay from Mahajanga to Cape Amber, as well as the estuary of the river, to find traces where the British expeditionary fleet has stayed or appeared!" When Tan Renhao received the last telegram from Jiang Zhongmin, he no longer had any hope. "The fleet is going to return to Moroni, and let Task Force 3 follow."

There is no need to talk about Renhao to say anything more, at this time everyone in the fleet command knew that the operation was over, and after a day of tossing, the main force of the British and French expeditionary fleet escaped. But this busy day is not without harvest. During the battle, the 3rd Task Force sank two battleships and four cruisers of the British Expeditionary Fleet, capturing more than 1,700 British naval officers and men. In addition, the bombers of the 1st Task Force sank five cruisers and eight destroyers of the British Expeditionary Fleet, and captured more than 500 British officers and men (the 3rd Task Force sent warships to retrieve these British officers and men). But relatively speaking, this is not a big victory, there are still enough capital ships in the British and French expeditionary fleet, and the officers and men on those battleships are just a little frightened, the battleships themselves are not injured, and the British and French expeditionary fleet still has enough huge combat effectiveness.

What Tan Renhao was most unwilling about was that after so many days of maneuvering with the British and French joint expeditionary fleet, he didn't even see the shadow of the three British aircraft carriers. And in Tan Renhao's eyes, those three British aircraft carriers are worthy of thirty battleships! He has always wanted to see how powerful the British aircraft carrier is, but as a result, until now, he has not even caught a single hair of the British aircraft carrier.

It was getting dark, and the fleet began to sail towards Moroni. Tan Renhao controlled his emotions, the British had slipped away, and it was through his fingers. After calming down, Tan Renhao's first thought was what kind of mistake he had made and why he had made such a mistake. This is a sign that he has become mature, he does not complain about anything, anyone will make mistakes in battle, and the difference between a good general and an ordinary general is that a good general knows how to sum up problems, and learns from experience and lessons to avoid making the same mistakes in the future.

In the early morning of the next day, the fleet arrived near Moroni, and the vigilance task was handed over to the destroyers commanded by Jiang Zhongmin, and the peripheral search task was also taken care of by the long-range patrol aircraft, so the officers and men in the fleet could relax for a while, but Tan Renhao did not dare to relax at all.