Chapter 5: Plan Before Taking Action

Unlike the later image of submarine commanders typically represented by those with bushy beards, this submarine commander, who issued orders in a commanding voice, had neatly groomed hair and a clean uniform. He sported a standard straight mustache, wore a fitted short-collared uniform, straight-legged Western-style trousers, and impeccably polished round-toed leather shoes, exuding an air of elegance, simplicity, and composure characteristic of a professional officer.

After patiently waiting for a while, the silhouette of the ship observed through the periscope grew large enough to identify its type. Two submarine officers and their staff officer became busy with the latest naval-issued ship identification manuals from various countries

The submarine commander pondered for a moment, then turned to look at the telegrapher. Seeing that the telegraphing work was not yet finished, he quickly walked over, picked up the paper and pen used for receiving and interpreting messages, swiftly wrote down a sentence on it, showed it to the telegrapher, and whispered, "Add it at the end"

The intermediate battleship consists of 2 Titan-class and 4 Orion-class vessels. The former features an asymmetrical configuration of five twin-mounted main guns—one on the foredeck, one on the port side at the front, one on the starboard side at the rear, and two on the aft deck. The latter has all five twin-mounted main gun turrets arranged along the centerline, with two on the foredeck, two on the aft deck, and one facing aft in the midsection, and the main gun caliber has been upgraded from 12 inches to 13.5 inches ... truly a powerful machine!

After a while, the submarine officer who took over the observation said: "Sir, there is no issue with the number of large warships. I have observed 13 second-class cruisers, 17 third-class cruisers, and 49 torpedo boat destroyers, most of which are new ships of around 1,000 tons. Additionally, among the service vessels, there is one seaplane carrier."

The telegrapher's work of sending coded messages with his fingertips did not cease, and he nodded to indicate his understanding

Returning to the periscope position, the submarine commander adjusted the observation angle of the periscope with both hands, his gaze sweeping past the imposing and majestic steel giants, searching for the rather inconspicuous silhouette of a ship at the rear of this vast fleet

The submarine officer deeply resonated with this, but the current mission came with a clear prohibition. He first smiled wryly, then had a sudden inspiration: "Why not consult the command headquarters to see?"

The young yet composed submarine commander was filled with doubts

At this moment, the German submarines, painted with combat numbers on the side of the command tower, lie quietly and patiently like sharks lying in ambush for their prey. If one could see beyond their double-hulled shells, one would observe crew members wearing boat-shaped caps and dark uniforms engaged in various tasks. Despite being submerged for an extended period, they do not have the murky air and unpleasant odors characteristic of British and French submarines. To provide the necessary air for the crew's survival and the operation of equipment, long cylindrical pipes extend alongside the periscope to the surface of the sea. The undulating waves make it difficult for observers on the surface to detect the optical devices at the top of the long pipes, which are only slightly larger than a can, and the nest-like air intake vents. Thanks to this primitive yet effective underwater ventilation system, German submarines with a displacement of between 500 and 700 tons and a crew of 40 to 50 have not surfaced since dawn. In a situation where anti-submarine technology is still in its infancy, both the British Navy's cruisers and the occasional British airships flying over this area find it difficult to detect these extremely dangerous lurkers, leading the British to believe that the area around Scapa Flow is safe, at least not under close surveillance. However, contrary to expectations, as the advance vessels of their home fleet have just left the channel, pairs of cold eyes have already taken note of this crucial movement.

Through the depths of the sea, over ten meters, the bright sunlight diminishes into a dim light. In this concealed environment bestowed by nature, a series of artificial mechanical objects, resembling the outline of pike and cloaked in inky blackness, remain in a stable state of suspension—possessing stealthy capabilities, lethal attack skills, and a merciless war mission, the U-boat, loyal to the German Emperor, stands as the most dangerous maritime killer of this era

Oh? The submarine commander arrived upon hearing the sound. He focused his gaze and, after a moment, said to the telegraph operator: "Send a first-level encrypted telegram to the headquarters: Correction to the previous report—discovered a vessel, CLV, model unknown, located at the end of the fleet"

The number of ship silhouettes is 20 or more, and the departing vessels are not limited to this; it seems to be the British home fleet

Underwater, near the Scarpa Flow anchorage area in Northern England

Having said that, he turned to his partner and said: "From the current position and course of the British fleet, it is highly likely that the battleship on the left will pass within our torpedo range. If only we were allowed to attack freely. If we could sink just one, we would immediately become heroes of the German Navy; two, well..."

The battleships on the right are of the King George V class and its enhanced version, the Duke of York class, comprising 6 of the most powerful active warships of the Royal Navy. With a displacement of 25,000 tons, they are equipped with 13.5-inch heavy guns, and all five twin-mounted main gun turrets are arranged along the centerline. This fleet possesses main gun firepower several times stronger than the total of the Japanese and Russian fleets engaged in the Battle of Tsushima a decade ago

The only course of action available to the officers was to observe and wait, and as time passed, their mood gradually became more anxious. It is important to note that the submarine was able to send and receive telegrams underwater solely because a special antenna was installed on the periscope mast. Once an enemy ship approached and the risk of being discovered arose, they would have to retract the periscope, which would consequently interrupt their radio communication with the outside world.

4 - 5. His partner read the angle measurement from the rear position of the periscope

On one of the U-boats, the German officers in the command room collaborated to observe, record, and make corrections

Orientation

In the calm and composed voice, a hint of excitement could be detected, instantly transforming the atmosphere of the small submarine command room

Bearing 4 - 5, Distance 10,000+, Ship silhouette 10+, Enemy surface fleet detected, there are large vessels!

Having finished speaking, the submarine commander, wearing a military cap, stepped aside to allow his partner, who was of a similar age but held a slightly lower rank, to take his place at the periscope. After a careful observation, the partner confirmed the former's assessment

After about half an hour, a faint buzzing mechanical noise could be heard from outside the hull. The submarine commander ordered the periscope to be retracted, and it was only raised again after the buzzing sound had faded away. This time, he glanced only twice before saying in a slightly elevated tone:

In the excruciating wait where the submarine officer repeatedly raised his hand to check the time, the telegraph operator suddenly began to write on a piece of draft paper. The final anxiety and anticipation came to an end within a minute. Before the telegraph operator could speak, the submarine commander snatched the draft paper from his just-raised hand, glanced over it, and then read it carefully word by word. There was no sign of joy in his eyes, nor was there any obvious sense of disappointment, but rather a feeling of surprise. Before the telegraph operator could speak, the submarine commander snatched the draft paper from his just-raised hand, glanced over it, and then read it carefully word by word. There was no sign of joy in his eyes, nor was there any obvious sense of disappointment, but rather a feeling of surprise.

Orientation

Once the military orders were issued, the crew members on duty swiftly and meticulously checked the equipment for which they were responsible. These energetic German sailors either sported slicked-back hairstyles with a side part or had neat crew cuts. Unlike the white summer uniforms of the surface fleet, the summer military uniforms issued to the submarine fleet remained in deep blue tones and were made from breathable, moisture-wicking cotton fabric, allowing the crew members to engage in various combat tasks in the best possible physiological condition.

Direction 4 - 6, Distance 10,000+, Ship silhouette 3, initially estimated to be a cruiser

The left column should represent the Pallas class and its improved variant, the Saint Vincent class. After the British Navy entered the Dreadnought era, they mass-produced the initial models. Their common external feature is that the forward deck has only one twin-mounted main gun turret, with one turret positioned on each side towards the front, and two turrets stacked on the aft deck, all equipped with 12-inch guns. The number of vessels built and commissioned includes 3 for the Pallas class and 3 for the Saint Vincent class. Here, 5 vessels have been observed, while another may be in reserve, possibly hidden behind other warships, or it may not have set sail due to malfunctions or other reasons.

After finishing his monologue, the submarine commander, with a mustache that barely touched his upper lip, showed no sign of relief. He left the periscope position, his brow slightly furrowed, his right hand stroking his nose, and his head bowed in contemplation.

Having spoken, the submarine commander, who was at most in his early thirties, keenly relinquished his observation position, while his partner seamlessly took over the observation and confirmed the former's visual assessment

After reading the telegram sent by the partner, the submarine officer had almost the same reaction

The distant end of the left battleship fleet should be the reserve fleet of the British fleet. The ship that can be seen head-on with three forward-facing twin-mounted main gun turrets should be the HMS Dreadnought. If I were the fleet commander, I would certainly place this epoch-making battleship at the forefront of the left battleship line, allowing it to enjoy the honors it deserves—even if it is the glory of being sunk in battle. Look behind it; there are nearly a dozen old battleships following closely. These are on par with our Brunswick-class and Deutschland-class ships, but unfortunately, they no longer possess the capability to determine the outcome of naval battles. This era does not belong to them.

4 - 6

The duty level has been raised to Level 2, and the duty personnel are each at their posts to ensure that our warship can be operational at any time

Second-class armored cruisers ... ... 11 vessels, third-class small cruisers ... ... 17 or 18 vessels, torpedo boat destroyers ... ... over 50 vessels, along with approximately 10 auxiliary vessels, what a massive support fleet, what a solid material foundation, this is the brilliance of a world empire ... ... Come on, mate, take a good look at this scene, may we be able to witness the same grandeur in Kiel Bay several years from now! Come on, mate, take a good look at this scene, may we be able to witness the same grandeur in Kiel Bay several years from now! Telegraph operator, send a first-level coded telegram to the command with the following content: U-21 sighted the British Grand Fleet at position DK southeast of Scapa Flow, preliminary observations are B1, B2 × 5, B3 × 6, B4 × 6, V9 × 2, V10 × 4, V12 × 4, V13 × 1, VL × 18, C × 50, G × 10, airships and observation balloons are visible above the fleet

Ultimately coming into view was a vessel that possessed neither a sharp bow nor a slender hull, nor did it have weaponry or heavy armor. It featured a high and narrow fore and aft deck, while the central deck was low and wide. The lines of the hull amidships were full, designed for the loading and unloading of cargo rather than for high-speed navigation at sea. Such ships are commonplace on transatlantic commercial routes, appearing cumbersome and out of place within a naval fleet. The deck was equipped with floatplane-type seaplanes, which merely added a somewhat unstable and unreliable reconnaissance capability to the fleet's operations—only those with true discernment could recognize its immense potential value. Such ships are commonplace on transatlantic commercial routes, appearing cumbersome and out of place within a naval fleet. The deck was equipped with floatplane-type seaplanes, which merely added a somewhat unstable and unreliable reconnaissance capability to the fleet's operations—only those with true discernment could recognize its immense potential value.

Is sinking it really more important than taking out a battleship?