On the dark ocean, a huge fleet consisting of 32 battleships, 6 aircraft carriers, 17 armored cruisers, 20 light cruisers and 11 oil tankers was lined up in three columns, sailing in the pitch-black South Atlantic.
At this time, the warship was silent and without a single ray of light. Most of the sailors on board were asleep, but one third of them were still on combat duty. After all, they had already entered deep into enemy waters. Here, they could encounter enemy ships at any time.
The reality of going deep into enemy territory always makes the sailors a little nervous. After nightfall, the entire fleet has already implemented a light control. At this time, this huge fleet is like a ghost fleet sailing in the Styx, sailing in this sea shrouded in darkness.
The moon was blocked by dark clouds. Although the waves on the sea reflected some starlight, visibility was very poor due to the wind and waves. The lookout on the top of the mast just kept looking out to sea. While looking at the sea, two lookouts on the light cruiser "Edinburgh" started chatting.
"As long as there are no submarines."
"Submarines are just a bunch of thieves. They don't dare to attack the large fleet. Besides, we have sonar and depth charges..."
War will promote the development of technology. In the face of the threat of submarines, it took only one year to invent sonar, which was ten years ahead of schedule. Although the Empire's submarines could not attack as recklessly as in the past.
But who knows?
Sonar is notoriously unreliable.
However, what they didn't know was that at this moment, a group of assassins with daggers in their hands were approaching them on the sea.
On the dark sea with no stars or moon, the torpedo boat slowly climbed up the steep waves, then quickly increased its speed and sank with a roar. The bow of the torpedo boat rose high and disappeared in the rustling white foam. Black waves crossed the deck from time to time.
On the bumpy boat, Lin Xianyu clumsily climbed onto the command bridge and held the compass stand with his hands and legs to determine the direction. The compass direction plate kept turning under the positioning instrument, like a phonograph record. In front of his eyes, lines of numbers scrolled by.
After seeing a number he thought was the correct one, he would go down from the bridge again and walk to the deckhouse to confirm the position on the chart. Every time he came back from the bridge, he would see the same scene in the deckhouse: the chart was hanging from the table, and the paperweight, ruler, protractor, and compass on the chart were rolling everywhere, rolling from one wall to the other.
"Damn, the waves are really big..."
While cursing, Lin Xianyu put his things back where they were and then determined the direction.
"I hope the troops won't get lost!"
Lin Xianyu was praying in his heart. The team had already set out for more than two hours, and what he was most worried about now was getting lost!
On this night with surging waves and no stars or moon, there are almost no reference points on the sea. The most difficult thing about sailing under such weather conditions is to maintain the course. Lin Xianyu's back is covered with cold sweat when he thinks of the consequences of getting lost.
Trek!
In this war, their loss of direction may even lead to the defeat of the entire country. If this happens, they will all be sinners of the nation!
The small torpedo boat was filled with the pungent smell of gasoline. The torpedo boat was almost sailing on the crest of the waves, maintaining its unique shaking at high speed, sometimes flying on the crest of the waves, and sometimes being pushed into the air by the crest of the waves. If Lin Xianyu had not been accustomed to all this, he would probably have felt dizzy and wanted to vomit by now.
However, they have long been accustomed to all this.
"We should be here..."
Holding the longitude table in his hand, Lin Xianyu kept calculating his own position. The other boats did the same. The 52 torpedo boats were divided into four teams. They were like 52 sharp arrows, sailing on the sea, heading towards the enemy.
At this time, all the captains were more concerned about the enemy's position!
Where is the enemy?
Zheng Peiyun, the captain, frowned. Although the bumps caused by the ups and downs of the torpedo boat made him feel a little nauseous, he still held the chopping board tightly with his hands and stared at the nautical chart.
Where is the enemy?
"Radio operator, any news about the reconnaissance boat?"
Once again, Zheng Peiyun asked loudly.
"not yet."
In fact, a reconnaissance airship was still hovering high in the sky. In order not to be exposed, the airship crew did not always "broadcast" the traces of the enemy ships. Moreover, the dark clouds blocked their sight, so they could only keep searching for the fleet to prevent it from leaving the observation range.
At 2:15 a.m. on the 18th, after determining the position of the Anglo-American fleet through the gaps in the dark clouds, airship No. 503, which had maintained radio silence, sent another telegram.
He had just sent the telegram when the signal was intercepted by the British fleet. A British officer walked into Admiral Fisher's cabin. The admiral was dozing in an armchair with his head resting on his hands. "Sir, fifteen minutes ago, we intercepted a telegram."
The officer said respectfully.
"It should be a telegram from the Imperial reconnaissance airship. Its location is very close to us."
Fisher woke up immediately. He glanced at the telegram with sleepy eyes and said:
"Call the Captain."
After a while, Captain Hiddle arrived.
"Here, this is the telegram we just intercepted from the Imperial Navy. Their airships have been keeping an eye on us... Now is the time. I request that the fleet immediately enter the second-level combat readiness. Half of the sailors will be on duty within ten minutes."
"Yes, sir," said the captain.
Soon the fleet entered the third level of combat readiness, with the anti-aircraft guns on duty. Through the thick night on the deck, the crew members on the gun positions shrouded in sea fog could be vaguely seen. In the cabins below the deck, half of the people were sleeping or dozing.
At this moment, the loudspeaker suddenly issued a loud order for the secondary gunners to be on duty and for all personnel to be in position. People hurried out of the cabin, and the entire warship immediately became busy in an orderly manner.
In this way, whether it was the crowded turret, the ammunition room below, the control room, or the engine room and boiler room, all the crew members were on duty. Half of the crew was on duty, while the other half tried to rest on the spot. The lucky ones found a place to curl up and lie down; those who had no choice but to lie on the deck. Some people leaned against the bulkhead and fell asleep in the turbulence of the warship, but were awakened from time to time by the sudden vibration of the warship.
This night is destined to be a sleepless night...
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