On the sea in the afternoon, the strong wind blows, the waves roll, four huge warships under the escort of light ships jolted forward, the leading ship has a razor-like slender and straight body, simple and thick lines show a strong German style, from the turret, the gun mount poked out of a pair of guns for it to add a lot of domineering, the brightly colored Black Eagle Iron Cross battle flag fluttered proudly in the wind. Pen | fun | pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 ｉｎｆｏ

"Mackensen", the German Mackensen-class battlecruiser No. 1, inherited the strong protection of the "super battleship" Derflinger class, and showed amazing survivability in the Battle of San Miguel Island, and its Krupp 50 times diameter 15-inch SK-C21 naval guns also left a deep impression on the world when shooting at long distances Alone.

In the thick battle bridge of the German battle cruiser, Paul-Bernke, dressed in the uniform of a German admiral and wearing a Grand Cross on his neck, calmly surveyed the sea. In the current situation, half of the main fleet of the Allied powers has been diverted to the island of San Miguel, and this highly decorated and calm commander is undoubtedly the best choice for the task.

After receiving the telegram from the communications corps, the lieutenant colonel staff officer quickly glanced at it, and then reported to Beanke: "General, the theater command has sent a telegram that as of 12 noon today, our reconnaissance plane has not found anything within 100 kilometers around the islands of São Miguel and Santa Maria. ”

Beinke frowned slightly: "The more this is the case, the more you can't take it lightly!" Maybe the little-known Major General Kim was really a Joachim-like madman. ”

"Do you also think that His Majesty Joachim I's combat deployments are often too aggressive?" The lieutenant colonel had served under Behenzollern for many years, and knew that his commander was a traditional soldier with no political inclination and loyalty and patriotism, although the genius from the Hohenzollern royal family was inevitably suspected of being over-touted by public opinion, but Beinke always respected him, and suddenly heard the derogatory term "madman", he was a little curious, and he used a "also" in the question, that is, he took the initiative to put himself on the same position as Beinck.

Beinke shook his head: "Madness does not just mean radical, but a kind of character, wild and uninhibited, bold and fearless, which is not comparable to ordinary people. If you look at yourself, if you confront His Majesty Joachim I with the same force, there is probably only a 1 in 10 chance of victory. ”

"Although the early combat operation did not go well, there is no need to underestimate yourself. Last year's Jane's Naval Almanac ranked you as one of the five best naval commanders of the moment, and I think it's the best proof of this, and I think it's the best proof of that even the arrogant Englishman has a high opinion of your abilities. The lieutenant colonel was relieved.

Although there is a stubborn side in Beanck's character, stubbornness does not mean stubbornness, and he has a more objective and rational view of himself: "No, war is the real test of the commander's ability. Unfortunately, I was not able to deliver the desired answer, and His Majesty Joachim I was the only one who did not lose any marks in this exam. ”

The lieutenant colonel moved his lips, realizing that the conversation between the two had attracted the attention of the officers around him, and swallowed back the question he had just wanted to say.

As time went on, the sea conditions became more and more difficult, and it was difficult for aircraft carriers to take off and land aircraft normally in such weather. The closer they got to São Miguel Island, the officers and men wanted to enter the harbor as soon as possible to take shelter from the storm, but Beanke recalled all kinds of speculations in his mind when he talked to the King of Ireland yesterday, and the hidden worries in his heart quietly heated up.

An hour later, the theater command sent a reconnaissance briefing as usual. Although land-based reconnaissance planes can be dispatched in such weather, the pilot's visual range has been greatly reduced, and it is difficult to see the sea situation from the air, and the airborne radar is still in the stage of small-scale use, and it is also affected by the weather, so that the existing advantage of the Allied forces in the Azores is equivalent to being cut by half.

It didn't take long for Behenke's fears to be confirmed when the German submarine U-2432, which was operating north of the island of San Miguel, was suddenly attacked, and it had not had time to send a full telegram before it lost contact, but the only passage of the telegram was that a large enemy ship had appeared in that area.

When Beenke received this report, His Majesty Joachim I, who was stationed in the northern waters of the Azores with his main fleet, must have received the same report, but for the next two hours or so, without any instructions from the flagship, the fleet gradually approached the island of São Miguel, and if nothing else, it was able to enter the port of Punta delgada, which was protected by fortresses and minefields, before dark.

Beanke anxiously awaited a second report of the enemy's capital ships, and after the U-2432 was lost, the Theater Command had quickly dispatched aircraft and ships to its normal area of activity, and as long as the enemy had not hastily withdrawn, they should have been discovered.

Time continued to pass, the outline of the island of San Miguel was already in front of sight, the vigilant fleet stationed in the port of Punta Delgada sent a pilot ship, ready to guide the fleet through a mine array into the harbor, the tangled Bernke ordered three aircraft carriers and some light ships to enter the harbor first, and the "Mackensen" and two light cruisers moved from the pilot to the rear position.

The light on the sea became more and more dim, and the officers and soldiers under his command returned to the intersection of the distant home like wanderers, one by one, but at this time, the uneasiness in Beinke's heart also reached an unprecedented level, and even he felt inexplicable, was it his own excessive nervousness, or the so-called battlefield intuition?

One by one, the three aircraft carriers and escort ships sailed through the minefield, while Beinke stood in front of the porthole on the right side of the bridge, looking intently to the east, and he did not come back to his senses until a subordinate officer came to warn him.

Having never seen Beinke look like this, the lieutenant colonel couldn't help but show a worried look, and he cautiously asked: "Sir, the pilot ship has us to keep up, do you need to inform it to wait?" ”

Beinke hesitated for a few seconds, looking east one last time.

The rain curtain is like a bead curtain, and the sight is blank.

"Keep up!" Beinke commanded in a deep tone.

The lieutenant colonel asked tentatively, "Sir, if you really feel uneasy, let the alert fleet send additional ships to strengthen patrols in the surrounding area!" ”

Beinke did not answer, but motioned with his eyes to the lieutenant colonel to do what he had just ordered.

The last three ships also followed the pilot into the minefield.

Since the fall of Texel, Allied forces have been strengthening the island's defenses, turning it into an impregnable sea fortress, with more than 4,000 anchor mines laid no more than ten kilometers from the coastline – never before in history has the island used such a large number of mines to deter the enemy and make its ships walk on thin ice as they pass by.

Suddenly, Beanke heard a roar, as if it was a muffled thunder that often occurs in spring, and before all the officers could react, he raised his binoculars and looked east, the water droplets on the porthole affected his vision, he adjusted the focus knob slightly, and then like the first outpost in Orleans to discover the attack of the Hun cavalry, he shouted in a trembling voice: "It's a large-caliber naval gun!" The target of the enemy was actually San Miguel! ”

The most unlikely scenario became a reality, and Beanke was emotional, not because he was afraid of the enemy, but because he was surprised by his own intuition and the appearance of another madman.

After being surprised, Beinke whispered a retelling of what someone had said yesterday: "This Ernest Joseph King is really not simple!" ”

The officers in the battle bridge turned their eyes to the east, and in a moment, an observation report came from the lookout: 8,400 meters in front of starboard, about 500 meters from the shore, a wave of water stirred up by heavy shells was spotted.

In just a few moments, the communication room was already busy.

"Received an enemy attack alert from S09!"

"Enemy alert from AS20!"

"Received a combat alert from the defense command of the island of São Miguel!"

"Received a telegram from the theater command!"

……

The officers and non-commissioned officers in charge of communications were busy verifying the codes, and then sending these emergency cables to the combat bridge. During this period, heavy shells fell again near the No. 9 coastal defense fort on the island of São Miguel, and the explosion on the shore made people feel that the whole island was trembling.

"Sir, the pilot ship replied to us that the safe passage is very narrow, and only small ships can turn around." The lieutenant colonel's staff officer hurriedly reported to Beinke.

Changing to an ordinary general, at this time, there is a good chance that he will lead the warship into a well-defended port, relying on coastal defense fortifications and land-based aviation units to fight against attackers of unknown strength, but Beinke is well aware of the deployment of troops of the Allies in the Azores battlefield and knows the positive significance of retaining a mobile naval force here, so he immediately decides: "Reverse, go back the same way!" ”

Even in the 30s of the 20th century, it was not easy to let such a large guy with a full load displacement of more than 40,000 tons sail backwards, not to mention that the current sea conditions are still very bad. After receiving the order, the captain, the first mate and all the officers involved in the control of the ship suddenly seemed to be facing a great enemy, and the "Mackensen" in slow sailing quickly stopped, and then began to slowly retreat, and the two light cruisers behind them acted in unison, and they were in this way difficult to go against the wind and waves, and the small boat that led it was more than flexible, and the courage of the crew was commendable, only to see it calmly turn around, quickly sail past the side of the three battleships, and guide them out of the minefield in reverse. The wind and rain continued, and the sky was getting dark, and the enemy in the distance did not notice the three strangely behaved Allied ships, thus missing the perfect opportunity to cut off hidden dangers and clear obstacles.

(End of chapter)