I Became a Plutocrat in World War I: Starting with Saving France-Chapter 1006: Death Throes

Sorry, only one Chapter today, apologies.

...

The sounds of cannon fire and machine guns are incessant.

The "Renown" and "Repulse" are engaged in fierce anti-aircraft combat.

However, calling it combat is somewhat misleading; it’s actually a passive beating.

The battlecruiser is a high-speed vessel with battleship firepower but reduced protection, designed to compensate for the battleship’s slow speed to avoid being unable to chase or hit the enemy.

Due to lack of emphasis, the whole ship has only three "Pom-pom guns" and five Vickers Machine Guns for air defense.

(The above image shows the "Pom-pom gun" used on the warships for air defense, which was not upgraded to an octuple mount until around 1930, but still remained unsatisfactory)

This weak anti-aircraft firepower can hardly threaten the French Army’s dive bombers.

"Jenny B" bombers dive one after another from the sky, and if the pilots have any concerns, it’s to not dive too aggressively lest they plunge into the sea or crash into the warship.

Bombs are being released, drawing graceful trajectories that point directly at the target warship.

"Hard to port!" Captain Fernando of the "Renown" shouted.

Colonel Fernando is an experienced commander, nearing retirement at 56, having survived numerous battles with several narrow escapes.

These experiences have shaped his resilient and steadfast character, allowing him to remain calm even in turmoil and analyze the current situation:

It’s impossible to shoot down all enemy aircraft in air defense; those Pom-pom guns and machine guns don’t even have the necessary angle to aim at the targets.

The ship’s cannons are useless, especially since the enemy’s aircraft carriers aren’t even in sight.

The only option is to use the battlecruiser’s speed for "zigzag" maneuvers to evade enemy bombing!

His judgment proved correct.

The battlecruiser’s sudden turn caused most bombs to miss the target, with only two small bombs hitting the deck causing negligible damage; other bombs raised towering splashes on either side of the warship, making it sway like a leaf in a stormy sea.

Two nautical miles away, the "Repulse" wasn’t as fortunate; over a dozen bombs successively hit the hull and exploded.

With towering flames and black smoke, Colonel Fernando couldn’t tell if it was caused by the bombs or the smoke from the funnels.

But a glance at the "Repulse" revealed its impending doom: its speed was slowly decreasing, resembling a wounded and exhausted beast.

This meant it couldn’t evade but remained a stationary target for enemy bombers, tantamount to being sunk.

Indeed, the next second, a bomber broke through the clouds and dived down.

It dropped a 250-kilo bomb almost directly over the "Repulse," which drilled through the main turret’s roof.

The turret exploded from within, and the shells and propellants detonated instantly, setting off a chain disaster, with the bow enveloped in dark red flames amidst a thunderous roar.

Colonel Fernando sighed lightly, refocusing his attention on "Renown."

In times like these, there’s no point worrying about others when survival is at stake.

Next, it might be his turn!

Yet, Colonel Fernando still makes every desperate effort, believing there’s a chance for survival, not merely his own life but also the fate of the Royal Navy.

If even the most advanced battlecruiser is sunk without even seeing its target or firing a single cannon, does it mean the entire Royal Navy has lost its deterrence?

Colonel Fernando simply stepped out of the command cabin, clutching the handrails firmly as he gazed skyward, continuously watching the diving enemy aircraft and silently calculating the timing of their bomb release.

Suddenly, he turned and shouted at the command cabin, "Hard to starboard!"

Immediately, the crew sprang into action:

"Hard to starboard!"

"Hard to starboard!"

...

The ship turned so rapidly that Colonel Fernando was almost thrown into the sea.

Another batch of bombs veered overhead, exploding where the warship had just been, sending waves crashing onto the deck.

Cheers erupted from the command room, thankful for another narrow escape.

Colonel Fernando smiled slightly, perhaps they might endure until encountering the enemy’s aircraft carrier.

However, as he pondered this possibility, his gaze caught two planes approaching from the flank.

They were flying low and steadily above the sea, their noses pointed like sword blades directly at the ship’s broadside.

Colonel Fernando immediately realized what they were.

"Torpedo planes!" Colonel Fernando shouted, "Intercept them, shoot them down!"

But it was already too late.

Everyone’s attention was fixated on the bombers overhead, the Pom-pom guns were damaged, and even if they wanted to intercept, there wasn’t enough firepower.

Colonel Fernando helplessly watched as those two torpedo planes drew nearer, closer and closer.

Two torpedoes submerged like released swordfish, drawing two white lines toward the broadside.

...

Thirty kilometers away.

As Colonel Fernando struggled against fate, holding onto a glimmer of hope to find the enemy’s aircraft carrier and turn the tide, General Winter had already led his fleet away from the battlefield.

"Our reinforcements won’t make any difference," General Winter said, "If we don’t want to sink, we must reunite with the main fleet promptly."

Captain Ethan nodded in agreement.

More ships mean denser air defense firepower, with machine guns capable of mutual cover.

Also, the fleet might encircle the French Army aircraft carrier, preventing its escape and deterring it from approaching.

"Hopefully, they won’t notice us," Captain Ethan said anxiously.

Otherwise, the battleship fleet with a speed of only 20 knots would become targets for the bombers.

But General Winter thought differently; he glanced up to see two seaplanes circling overhead, following wherever the fleet went.

"We can only hope they’ve run out of bombs, Ethan,"

Colonel Ethan looked skyward, then turned back while shouting orders, "Increase speed, advance at full speed!"

Colonel Ethan didn’t bother pretending anymore.

The "Canada" has a top speed of 22.75 knots, while the accompanying battleships can only manage 18 knots.

The order to advance at full speed also meant abandoning the allied ships to flee on its own.

Clearly, this is a disgrace and a stain for the noble Royal Navy. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Colonel Ethan has become a ship’s captain thanks to his courage and capabilities, along with the slogan he shouts to his crew: "We will fight to the last moment."

However,

In the past, the reason he’d say that was because the Royal Navy was the world’s most powerful navy, and the odds were that it was the enemy who’d fall on the battlefield.

Now,

They can’t even see the enemy, only bombs descending from the sky.

And with the end already predetermined, either blown up or sunk.

What meaning does courage have at this point?