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resurrection wolf	The Battle of The Channel - June 1934		Lead	[-]
Posts: 921 04/15/08 01:42:18 ezOP	Tags : grey, wolf, battle, channel, restless, twenties, terrible, thirties Detailed background can be found in :- - The Restless Twenties http://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=88209 - The Terrible Thirties http://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=89160 Immediate background is that the British alliance need to evacuate the Canadian Expeditionary Force from the Seine estuary where a German counter-attack has driven it. viz :- the position of the Canadian Expeditionary Force in the Seine estuary has become untenable. Constantly assaulted by German forces, bombarded by the German tanks, artillery and a number of massive railguns brought up for the occasion, they fall back upon the ports of Le Havre and Harfleur. German aircraft rain bombs down upon them, the two airfleets at Evreux and at Dieppe now greatly reinforced from the Reich The RAF and RCAF units continue to wage a desperate defence in the sky, but the Germans are closer to their bases, and are concentrated in attack, and they continue to wear down the Canadian defenders. At a cabinet meeting in London, the inevitable is accepted and plans are put in action to evacuate the CEF... Best Regards Grey Wolf
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resurrection wolf	Naval Background	#1	[url]	[-]
Posts: 922 04/15/08 01:43:34 ezOP	Battle in the Channel Part 1 - Preparations The 'Reinvigoration' of the German navy since the New Year bears fruit in the planning for a response to the obviously imminent evacuation of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. The new leaders of the navy are in agreement that the High Seas Fleet must sortie, and beyond this they must play a significant role in Germany's response, or they would forfeit their right to existence on such a scale as they have The new aircraft carrier, Graf Zeppelin, whilst not properly worked up, is available and the decision is taken to up her trial compliment of aircraft to the full operational level, and assign veteran and experienced officers to key positions on a secondment basis, in order to bring her crew up to par. In addition, the battlecruiser Seydlitz has been worked up out of the Reserve, though hopes to bring the Moltke to a similar condition have been bedogged by engineering problems. The cruisers of the Baltic fleet are passed through the Kiel Canal, and additional squadrons formed up on the main battlefleet. Warning of the British action is given by aircraft constantly in the skies over Portsmouth and Southampton. When they report that the activity there has reached fever pitch, and the first transports are crossing the Channel, the High Seas Fleet sorties. Whilst this has been increasingly expected in British naval circles, no immediate information is available as the German codes remain secure, and British reconnaissance aircraft rarely get near the German ports. However, picket cruisers operating out of Harwich and the Humber have been sailing increasingly close to the Bight, and although one light cruiser was sunk by submarine, the operations have continued. They bear fruit as a patrol led by the Belfast sights the advance units of the High Seas Fleet The German forces are formed in three separate formations. In the van are the fast cruisers and destroyers, headed by four heavy cruisers, and comprising all twelve modern light cruisers in European waters. This force is to break through into the Channel and assault the evacuation fleet directly. The second force consists of the faster capital ships, a screen of faster but older cruisers, and the aircraft carrier Graf Zeppelin. Under the command of the Kaiser's son, Prinz Adalbert, it is to provide cover for the attacking force, but be available to drop back to support the third force in the event of the appearance of the battleline of the Home Fleet. The prince flies his flag in the Furst Bismarck and leads a line consisting of the Prinz Eitel Friedrich, Hindenburg, Derfflinger and Seydlitz The third force of the fleet comprises the heavy ships of the main battleline, with the fleet flagship, the 16.5"-gunned Deutschland leading the way. Behind it come its sister vessel, the Preussen, then the four 15"-gunned 'Bayern' class battleships, then the four 12"-gunned 'Konig' battleships. All of Germany's operational cruisers and first class destroyers are committed to the operation, each force having a roughly equal number, though the speed and quality declines as the list is worked through. The Royal Navy has an equally difficult task in trying to work out its dispositions in anticipation of such a move. Whilst it is imperative to defend the transports, the threat from u-boats entering the Channel from the West, and from aircraft operating out of Northern France, means that any deployment of major fleet units within the Channel is replete with difficulties and risks. The example of the Ajax, torpedoed and sunk during the abortive Cherbourg operation the year before, weighs heavily in the Admiralty's mind Cruiser forces of some size already exist at Harwich and the Humber, operating the watch on the Bight in relays. In case of a general sortie of the High Seas Fleet, these would be available to sail at short notice. It is decided to base the old King George V, Lion and Princess Royal at Portsmouth. The aerial defences of the naval base render them relatively safe from German aerial threat, whilst they remain available as an immediate reserve for the convoys. Their worth in the battleline is deemed negligible whilst using them in a supporting role for the cruisers seems to invite destruction at the hands of their more modern German counterparts. The Home Fleet has crept steadily South since the start of the war, and the aircraft carriers Furious and Argus are already based at Chatham, having seen service covering the landing of the CEF the year before. They represent, however, the total of British aircraft carriers available in home waters - indeed, after the loss of the Hermes off New Guinea, the only other vessel is the modernised early Ark Royal, but that is based out of Malta The 4 Hoods and the Tiger were first moved down to the Humber, but after it became obvious that the Germans probably intended to sortie, the rest of the Home Fleet's battleline has joined them. Consisting of the Ramillies and Resolution, the 5 Queen Elizabeths and the 4 Iron Dukes, this makes a total battleline of 16 vessels which will be sailing from one location together. This has not escaped the notice of German u-boat commanders. Conversely, the danger of German u-boats lying in wait for the fleet has not escaped the attention of Admiralty planners on the British side. Conversely, British submarines operate in the Southern North Sea. Best Regards Grey Wolf
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resurrection wolf	Tactical Considerations	#2	[url]	[-]
Posts: 923 04/15/08 01:44:15 ezOP	Tactical Notes In terms of immediate course of action the British have the bigger problem. The Germans need to head for the Channel, and deal with whatever is thrown at them. The British need to try to stop them, but where and how. Both sides are roughly equidistant and travelling at roughly the same speed, but if the Home Fleet heads for the optimum intercept point, Terschelling, it risks arriving behind the Germans who have a slight lead. But if they try to intercept further West, they continue to add distance to their own journey, as well as to that of the Germans In addition, British Intelligence knows that the Graf Zeppelin is complete, but not whether she has been commissioned or not. The Admiralty, though, must act on the assumption that she might have been, which means that any attempt to intercept the High Seas Fleet too far from the British mainland runs the risk of finding the Germans with an aerial wing that the Home Fleet lacks, the British carriers being based out of Chatham. The alternative therefore seems to be to try to take possession of the sea ahead of the High Seas Fleet. The optimum area appears to be in the seas between the Scheldte and the Thames estuaries. In headnig for there, the Home Fleet can rendezvous both with the light forces out of Harwich and with the carriers out of Chatham. I am going to assume that in both the British and German cases, their accompanying light forces beat off several submarine attacks, perhaps with superficial losses, but nothing that affects the mani battlelines. Best Regards Grey Wolf
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resurrection wolf	Notes on Strategy and Materiele	#3	[url]	[-]
Posts: 924 04/15/08 01:58:45 ezOP	Germany's strategic goal is to prevent the evacuation of the CEF which would result in its destruction as a fighting force (eg if it has to surrender). To this goal, the survival of the fleet is strategically irrelevant (though it would be nice !). Even if it is ALL lost, there still remain enough naval assets to prevent the British alliance from making a descent on German territory - 4 new fast battleships and a carrier are completing, the Moltke is already nearing recommissioning, and the 5 Kaiser class battleships can be brought back up to standard, as long as crews can be found. For Britain, there are two strategic imperatives -1- To get as much of the CEF safely back to Britain as possible -2- To preserve the Home Fleet as a fighting force Although Britain has 3 'R' class and 2 Repulses, plus an old small carrier in the Med, and 4 new 'Britannia' class battleships off Australia, bringing any of them home would denude another theatre of vital resources - - - Regarding the ships involved :- German Deutschland and Preussen - These are based on the L20 Alpha design, with improvements built in considering they were laid down in the mid 1920s Baden class - Baden and Bayern as completed, refitted but not modernised - Sachsen and Wurttemburg completed to the improved design Mackensen class - Furst Bismarck and Prinz Eitel Friedrich as designed, refitted but not modernised Konig class - Modernised as far as equipment goes, but not rebuilt Derfflinger class - Refitted but not modernised Seydlitz - Refitted but not modernised, has spent several years in the Reserve British Hood class - completed as the OTL Hood was, refitted but not modernised Queen Elizabeth class - refitted but not modernised R class - refitted but not modernised Iron Duke class - modernised as far as equipment is concerned, but not rebuilt Tiger - modernised as far as equipment is concerned but not rebuilt Lion and Princess Royal - refitted, have come out of Reserve King George V - refitted, has come out of Reserve Furious - flush deck as rebuild completed at start of 1920s Argus - as historical Best Regards Grey Wolf
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TomB1	Interesting Setup	#4	[url]	[-]
Posts: 2670 04/15/08 06:16:13 Administrator	I would think land based aircraft would play some role in this battle as well though maybe a small one in its opening phase. Is Graf Zeppelin Germany's first operational carrier? There is a very large learning curve needed to conducting effective air ops which is why it is highly dubious that the OTL version could have accomplished much. The submarines may be temporarily mission killed but I would epect them to reappear after the main engagement to finish off cripples. Tom
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resurrection wolf		#5	[url]	[-]
Posts: 925 04/16/08 02:51:19 ezOP	Thanks - I tried to reply to this yesterday soon after you posted it but I couldn't get Yuku to move to the reply box. I gamed it out last night in my own peculiar way (including cramp in my toes) and went with what you said about the British naval aviation being more experienced. The subs didn't get to play much of a role in the end as there weren't any German damaged ships lying around at the end, and the British light forces still retained control of the sea to husband their own away. The Argus did succumb to a torpedo though, which seemed fair enough as it was going very slowly in a dangerous area of sea for quite a while Best Regards Grey Wolf
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resurrection wolf	The Battle of The Hook	#6	[url]	[-]
Posts: 926 04/16/08 02:54:21 ezOP	The Battle of The Hook OK, since when I gamed this out the battle actually took place in the seas off the Hook of Holland, I guess it would have this name ! I might as well write out the entire battle blow-by-blow in this post, then summarise it in the next one for those who don't want to read the detail ! - - - British shadowing cruisers are driven off by the German battlecruisers and their support, but maintain vigil on the horizon Aircraft are also overhead, from both sides, from Texel onwards The British know exactly where the High Seas Fleet is from there on The Home Fleet (battleline and escorts from the Humber) picks up the Harwich Force The Chatham Force of the carriers Furious and Argus and escorts remains separate out to the West, at sea, but not heading to close in The Home Fleet intercepts the High Seas Fleet off the Hook of Holland - - - Action is joined as the German Attack Force (the light forces in the van whose aim is to break into the Channel) runs into the British battlecruisers (4 Hoods, Tiger and escorting light forces) which have forged ahead of the main battleline The Attack Force (AF hereafter) is immediately pounded and loses a quarter of its strength before the two forces close. The German Support Force (the 5 battlecruisers, and support forces, with the Graf Zeppelin in attendance) cuts across to give support The two battlecruiser forces exchange fire The light ships engage each other Graf Zeppelin launches airstrike against the British light forces, her commander benig well aware of the strategic imperative The Harwich Force closes to join in the melee The battlecruisers exchange blows Their lines pass each other on opposite headings Half of the British battlecruiser light forces are sunk But the Attack Force is taking serious damage and is down a further 25% of its strength and still mired in battle The light forces from the Supporting Force (German BCs) join in the melee, which is also now fully engaging the Harwich Force The Queen Elizabeths and the light forces of the Home Fleet pull away from the rest of its battleline In response the light forces of the High Seas Fleet Battle Force (2 Deutschlands, 4 Badens, 4 Konigs) surge ahead to meet their counterparts The Seydlitz begins to lag behind the SF line due to damage The rest of the SF (German BCs) cross the Queen Elizabeth's 'T' The remaining 50% of the AF breaks through The SF's light forces remain in a melee with the British BC light forces and the Harwich Force The Queen Elizabeth is knocked out of line But the Barham leads the rest of the division onto a course parallel but opposite to the German battlecruisers The German battlecruisers are beginning to take serious hits now The Queen Elizabeth lying between the lines is obscuring the German aim The Seydlitz is dead in the water The British battlecruisers close the German battleline The Hood in the van is disabled by hits from the 16.5" guns of the Deutschland The AF, what remains of it now streaming towards the Channel, is attacked by aircraft from Furious and Argus The Graf Zeppelin's aircraft attack the rear of the British battlecruiser line and knock out the already damaged Tiger The light forces from the main German Battle Force and from the Home Fleet form up close The remaining AF is down to 25% The light forces melee sees 1/3 of the Support Force's light and half of the Harwich Force casualties THE REMNANT 1/4 ATTACK FORCE ENTERS THE CHANNEL The remaining vessels of the Harwich Force come to the aid of the Tiger The British battlecruisers are engaged by the High Seas Fleet Battle Force The Anson is knocked out The Derfflinger and Hindenburg are hard hit by the Queen Elizabeths as they pass The Queen Elizabeths blast the stricken Seydlitz The Rodney and Howe break away from the German Battle Force The rear of the German line pounds the Hood and Anson as they pass the stricken ships The Furst Bismarck and Prinz Eitel Friedrich run into the rest of the Home Fleet battleline headed by the two R class battleships The head of the Queen Elizabeths (led by the Barham) and the German Battle Force exchange fire as they close German light forces attack the Queen Elizabeth which is lying dead in the water Tiger, Hood and Anson are blasted by the German Battle Force The Furst Bismarck and Prinz Eitel Friedrich are knocked out of line The Derfflinger and Hindenburg break off and limp away The remains of the Harwich Force uses smoke from the British wrecks and the Seydlitz to close the German Battle Force The Furst Bismarck and Prinz Eitel Friedrich are attacked by aircraft from the Argus and Furious German light forces sink the Queen Elizabeth The German Battle Force sinks the Hood and Anson The Tiger slowly limps away The Harwich Force is able to torpedo the Bayern The main battlelines on both sides begin to pass parallel to each other in opposite directions The Iron Dukes finish off the Furst Bismarck and the Prinz Eitel Friedrich THERE REMAIN NO SHIPS IN THIS AREA, AND PRINZ ADALBERT DROWNS WITH THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE TWO CREWS German light forces close to defend the Hindenburg and Derfflinger as they limp away The main forces' light forces are engaged in a fierce melee to the North of the main action The battlelines exchange fire The Queen Elizabeths (led by Barham) have slowed to allow the Rs and the Iron Dukes to form up a line The Bayern is out of line, but sheltered from the British guns by the rest of the battleline as it passes The Harwich Force survivors head North The Bayern engages the staggering Tiger The battlelines pass exchanging fire The Bayern reduces Tiger to a stationary wreck Home Fleet light forces get the better of the German Battle Force's light forces and form up with the remnants of the Harwich Force The surviving German light ships break off North Tiger sinks The main battlelines prove equally matched (2 Deutschlands, 3 Badens and 4 Konigs against 4 Queen Elizabeths, 2 Rs and 4 Iron Dukes) The Home Fleet light forces are to port of the battleline, away from the Germans Rodney and Howe fire on the Derfflinger and Hindenburg but are attacked by the latter's light forces escort Aircraft from Argus and Furious find the Graf Zeppelin The Home Fleet battleline executes a staggered turn The rearmost Battle Force ship, the Kronprinz Wilhelm is knocked out of line The Graf Zeppelin is on fire The Howe is torpedoed The Rodney engages the Derfflinger and Hindenburg The Deutschland leads the German Battle Force, angling Northwards Benbow and Marlborough are hit hard and slowed as the lines diverge The Markgraf in its turn is disabled at the German rear The Howe sinks The Rodney knocks out the Derfflinger The Kronprinz Wilhelm is pounded as the Home Fleet turns using it as a fulcrum The Seydlitz is also pounded by passing ships, and finally sinks The Graf Zeppelin blows up The Bayern forms up with the Hindenburg and her escort of light forces The Kronprinz Wilhelm sinks The Marlborough, under constant fire, blows up Home Fleet light forces attack the dead-in-the-water Markgraf Argus and Furious have been steaming very slowly to the West, keeping clear of the surface battle However, this has made them easier for hunting u-boats to fnid and the Argus is torpedoed and sinks The Markgraf is torpedoed and sinks The Bayern and Hindenburg fire on the Rodney The Queen Elizabeths form up having completed a 180 degree turn and increase speed away from the rest of their battleline The others form up on the Ramillies to complete the turn The Rodney is disabled German light forces attack the Valiant The Barham, at the head of the Queen Elizabeths, engages the Hindenburg The Valiant hauls out of line Home Fleet light forces come around the rear of the Queen Elizabeths and hit the remains of the German light Rodney is sunk by the Bayern The German Battle Force, headed by the Deutschland, is heading home and picks up the German light forces which had gone North The Hindenburg is blasted by the Barham, Malaya and Warspite and is attacked by the Home Fleet light forces Bayern is also attacked by light forces ENDGAME The Hindenburg is ablaze and dead in the water Home Fleet light forces take survivors off the wreck of her and off the Derfflinger which is also a blazing slowly sinking wreck Bayern beats off light forces but cannot shake the 3 relatively undamaged Queen Elizabeths and is eventually sunk Benbow and Valiant survive Hindenburg and Derfflinger eventually sink BRITISH Active Barham Malaya Warspite Ramillies Resolution Iron Duke Emperor of India plus the Furious Damaged Survivors Benbow Valiant GERMAN All survivors are active, no badly damaged ships survive the action Deutschland Preussen Baden Sachsen Wurttemburg Konig Konig Albert It should also be noted that in terms of surviving light forces, the British advantage is 4-to-1 LOSSES British Queen Elizabeth Hood Anson Rodney Howe Marlborough Tiger plus the Argus German Bayern Furst Bismarck Prinz Eitel Friedrich Hindenburg Defflinger Seydlitz Kronprinz Wilhelm Markgraf plus the Graf Zeppelin Best Regards Grey Wolf
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resurrection wolf		#7	[url]	[-]
Posts: 927 04/16/08 02:57:25 ezOP	Whilst the Battle of The Hook is numerically more or less a draw, the British remain in possession of the seas and are able to husband their damaged ships home. The Germans, whilst numerically equal to the surviving British, nevertheless flee the field and head for home. In terms of the strategic imperative, the Germans have only damaged the Home Fleet and it remains an effective fightnig force. Conversely, the British have only damaged the High Seas Fleet, but have maintained control of the seas and sufficient forces to do it with It is with regard to the Canadian Expeditionary Force that the outcome is clearest The German light forces which enter the Channel are only a quarter of those intended for the mission. Although the survivors are given constant aerial cover from the German squadrons based at the Pas de Calais, they prove unable to attain their strategic objective The British covering forces in the Channel are too strong for them, and when the Lion and Princess Royal sortie from Portsmouth, the fate of the surviving raiders is sealed. A couple of damaged destroyers limp into Calais, but the rest of the force is destroyed Although some transports are sunk by aircraft, u-boats and torpedo boats, the majority of the Canadian Expeditionary Force is successfully evacuated from the Seine Estuary Churchill and his government celebrate it as a great victory, and in this context the Battle of The Hook can be evaluated as a great strategic victory also for the effect it had on German plans for the Channel In Berlin public statements mock this "victorious retreat" but privately the Kaiser and his commanders are well aware that the survival of the CEF is a major blow Best Regards Grey Wolf
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TomB1		#8	[url]	[-]
Posts: 2672 04/16/08 20:39:25 Administrator	You put a lot of work into this. It might be called the Battle of the Frisian Islands (Childers would like that) instead the Battle of the Hook of Holland. Strikes me as being one of those tactical draw strategic victory beasties for the Brits.
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resurrection wolf		#9	[url]	[-]
Posts: 928 04/17/08 02:56:56 ezOP	Thanks for the comment I did notice that the board wiped out all the double line-spacing formatting I put in to distnguish different sections of the battle ! (Compare it with the same post on AH.com) Best Regards Grey Wolf
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The Battle of The Channel - June 1934	04/15/08 01:42:18	resurrection wolf
Naval Background	04/15/08 01:43:34	resurrection wolf
Tactical Considerations	04/15/08 01:44:15	resurrection wolf
Notes on Strategy and Materiele	04/15/08 01:58:45	resurrection wolf
Interesting Setup	04/15/08 06:16:13	TomB1
Re: The Battle of The Channel - June 1934	04/16/08 02:51:19	resurrection wolf
The Battle of The Hook	04/16/08 02:54:21	resurrection wolf
Re: The Battle of The Channel - June 1934	04/16/08 02:57:25	resurrection wolf
Re: The Battle of The Channel - June 1934	04/16/08 20:39:25	TomB1
Re: The Battle of The Channel - June 1934	04/17/08 02:56:56	resurrection wolf