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Sunday, 20 June 1943 – The North Atlantic – The Pre-dawn Hours

“Herr Admiral,” reported Trautmann, the Bismarck’s captain, “the damage to our steering gear has been made good. We are ready to proceed.

“Excellent,” Lütjens said in a somewhat subdued tone. “Signal all ships to resume course two-zero-zero, speed twenty knots. And launch our scout aircraft now, before our French ‘friends’ pay their morning respects.” The French tactic of deploying fighters over the Battle Force, to which it had no effective reply, had proven decidedly effective.

“Yes Herr Admiral,” Trautmann responded.

Slowly the Battle Force resumed its regular order and settled back onto its base course. The air attack of the previous evening – to Lütjens is was unclear whether the attacking aircraft were German or French – had certainly cost his force time in pursuing its opponents. Analysis of wireless traffic still indicated that they were operating somewhere to the southwest of his current position, and in launching his search planes early Lütjens hoped that one or two might survive long enough to sight one of the other carrier forces. He feared however that von Fischel and Godfroy would remain just out of reach.


Sunday, 20 June 1943 – The North Atlantic – Morning

Admiral von Fischel had communicated to his French opposite number the inclusive results of the night air attack on the Battle Force, with the indication that he would adopt attritional tactics against Lütjens’ task force. It was another suggestion of Lindenau; to whittle down the Battle Force by striking not at its strongest vessels, but at its weaker components.

Flight operations on the Graf Zeppelin began as the eastern sky began to glow, announcing sunrise. The first of eight Fieseler Fi168 “Hammerhai” torpedo bombers were flown off as antisubmarine patrol, followed shortly thereafter by eight Fw190M “Wurger” fighters of the defensive air patrol. Strictly speaking neither was required – the opposing force had neither U-boats nor strike aircraft – but Admiral von Fischel had ordered that operations should be conducted under wartime conditions and to assume the possibility of unanticipated opposition. The third group of aircraft launched from the Graf Zeppelin comprised eight Fi168 scout bombers, who began a search to the northeast for the current location of the Battle Force

Marinefliegergruppe 2 embarked on the Peter Strasser would provide the principal element of the first strike Lindenau planned. It would provided twelve Fw190M fighters for escort, while a further twenty-four would each carry a pair of 100 kilogram practice bombs in the fighter-bomber role; sixteen of her Fi168s would carry 550 kilogram practice bombs as dive bombers, her other Fi168s would carry torpedoes. The strike would be augmented by sixteen more dive bombing Fi168s from the Graf Zeppelin, for more than eighty aircraft. In the ready rooms the pilots were briefed on their mission, and waited for the first sighting reports to come in. In the hangers of both aircraft carriers the maintenance and ordnance crews strained to prepare the aircraft of the strike and began to spot aircraft to the deck.

-----

The first contact report was received about one and a half hours after the launch of Graf Zeppelin’s morning search. The Battle Force was some two hundred and fifty kilometers away to the northeast on a broadly converging course but engaged very much in a stern chase. Von Fischel gave the order to launch and both carriers increased speed and turned into the wind; one-after-the-other aircraft bounded down the decks and into the air, forming up before heading northeast.

-----

The Seetakt operators aboard the ships of the Battle Force had no difficulty picking up the incoming carrier-based aircraft – the returns on the plotting scopes showed a formation larger than any they had previously seen in training, and unlike the prior night’s torpedo attack, these aircraft were not attempting any evasive course. From the largest battleship to the destroyers of the escort air attack alarms were sounded and the flak positions readied. Signals flashed from the Bismarck and the entire force began to increase speed, hoping to foil the aim of bombers or torpedo planes.

The strike group leader signaled separation, and the torpedo bombers of Marine-Sturz-kampfstaffel 122 spiraled down to attack altitude, while dive bombers from both carriers sought altitude. The twenty four fighter bombers from Marine-Jagdstaffel 122 were left to open the attack, and lined up the leading destroyers on the starboard side of the columns of battleships.

The captain and bridge crew of Zerstörer 253 were shocked to find themselves among the targets selected for the fighters – they were expecting the attacking aircraft to aim for the battleships, or the at least the cruisers of the vanguard. Gamely the destroyers opened up with every gun they had – the amount of blank ammunition they used was prodigious – but there were too many fighters, and soon they were joined in their attack by the screaming dive bombers and the low-flying torpedo planes. The battleships fired their heavy antiaircraft guns to support the destroyers, though the range for their lighter weapons was judged to be too much to be effective.

On the bridge of the Bismarck Lütjens swore under his breath. He recognised Lindenau’s handiwork in this attack – employing a full deck strike against a small number of destroyers would certainly result in ‘kills’ – destroyers were not meant to take the simulated punishment to which they were now being subjected.

Smoke streamed from the destroyers’ funnels as they attempted to protect themselves and the task force; they careered across the waves at more than thirty knots. Their gun crews worked furiously. After twenty minutes the last of the attacking aircraft was wave-hopping back towards their rendezvous point, freed of their practice ordnance. And the umpires began their task of assessing the damage done to the Battle Force and the cost to the Carrier Force.

Reading the report delivered by von Stosch Lütjens frowned. The attack had fallen heavily on the ships of the Fourth Destroyer Flotilla - Zerstörer 253 had ‘been struck’ by four bombs dropped from attacking fighters and was ruled as having been sunk; Zerstörer 251 had ‘been struck’ by two more bombs dropped by the attacking fighters and then ‘struck’ by a ship-killing bomb dropped by one of the “Hammerhai” dive bombers – she was ruled as having been blown up with all hands. Zerstörer 257 had been ‘hit’ by another 550 kg bomb and ruled as having been sunk. Admiral Rogge had led the ships of the Fifth Cruiser Squadron in support of the destroyer screen once it was realised that they were the target of the air strike, and while their added fire had assisted the defense, the cruiser Breslau had drawn the attention of the attacking torpedo planes and was ruled to have been struck by two torpedoes and ‘sunk’. Rogge’s flagship, Köln, was ruled to have been struck by one heavy bomb and severely damaged.

“They did not even attack my battleships!” Lütjens frowned.

“That is correct Herr Admiral,” von Stosch noted. “We find the tactic interesting…”

-----

Lindenau too had a report to read. Overall he was satisfied with the results of the attack, but the umpires had ruled his losses as heavy – of the twenty-four fighter-bombers, four were ruled as being shot down, and a further two damaged and unrepeatable; five of the thirty-two dive bombers committed to the attack were ruled as being lost, with three more damaged but repairable; of the sixteen torpedo bombers, three were ruled as being lost and a fourth damaged. Sixteen percent of the attacking force lost outright; twenty-five percent losses overall. Still, the ‘losses’ could be made good, and already the crews on both aircraft carriers were readying aircraft for a second strike.

Saturday, 20 June 1943 – The North Atlantic

"Sir, the officer of the watch presents his respects and requests you on the bridge at your earliest possible convenience."

"I'll be along in a moment," Capitaine de Frégate Jean L'Herminier answered. He tucked his sheaf of morning reports securely into a desk drawer so the submarine's movement would not disturb them, and quickly headed up onto Casabianca's sail. "Ensign Jouan, your report?"

The ensign turned to L'Herminier and then gestured slightly towards the lookout perched precipitously in the periscope shears. "Capitaine, Matelot Courtin believes he saw something bearing two-eight-zero approximate."

Courtin peered down at L'Herminier. "Not sure what it was, sir. Looked like some sort of flotsam, but it could have been a raft. Only saw it for a few moments, sir. It was indistinct and distant."

Jouan looked pensive. "I altered course to starboard to bring us back to the approximate location, sir. But we've not seen anything yet. Your orders, sir?"

L'Herminier thought for a few moments. He didn't know what a raft might be doing all the way out here in the Mid-Atlantic, but humanity alone compelled him to investigate the possibility. "Begin a standard search-and-rescue pattern. Double the lookouts."

A few moments later, just as the new lookouts were arriving in the Casabianca's sail, Courtin pointed and sang out. "Raft! Raft bearing three-zero-five, range one thousand!"

L'Herminier raised his binoculars and stared for a few moments. The raft was occasionally visible, bobbing up and down across the swells. "Stand by to search for survivors," he ordered. "Ensign Jouan, you have the helm. Bring us into position for rescue operations."

"Aye, sir."

The shape of the inflatable raft slowly became more distinctive, and L'Herminier was able to distinguish three men wedged tightly into it. None of them moved, though one sat upright, perched on the side of the tube. "Sound ship's horn," L'Herminier said. "Doesn't look like they're very aware of us. Corpsman, stand by."

As the Casabianca's horn echoed across the water, one of the men started into alertness, looking around and spotting the submarine. He quickly shook one of his fellows awake, and the two men waved enthusiastically. The third man remained prone in the bottom of the raft.

A few short minutes later, L'Herminier went down to the main deck as the first of the men was hauled aboard. He wore an aviator's uniform with the German flag on the sleeves. "Êtes-vous un aviateur allemand?" L'Herminier asked. "Ah, pilot, Deutscher?"

The man pointed to his sleeve. "Ja. Ich bin Deutscher." He gestured back to the raft and poured out a torrent of words which none of the deck crew could determine. The Casabianca's corpsman silenced him with a bottle of medicinal brandy.

"Seaman," L'Herminier said, "Go fetch Ensign Leclere. I think he speaks German."

It quickly became clear that the German aviator had been trying to describe the plight of one of his comrades still in the raft, who was unconscious and bleeding from several injuries. As soon as the two remaining men and their raft were aboard, the corpsman inspected the injured man and made a quick report. "Significant blunt-force trauma, Capitaine. Cuts from glass, broken ribs and both arms. He probably also has some internal injuries, though I can't yet confirm that. The other two men have minor injuries and are badly chilled from exposure."

Ensign Leclere, who's German was crude but sufficient for the occasion, interrogated the two other men. "They were the crew of a German torpedo bomber," Leclere explained. "They are participating in the war-game and went to bomb targets at night. The pilot - the injured man - became disoriented as they tried to return to the carrier Graf Zeppelin, and they ditched about six hours ago. These two men are the navigator and rear gunner, and they got the pilot out and launched the raft before their plane sank."

L'Herminier nodded. "Get them below and give them food and medical attention. Ensign Leclere, you are assigned to communicate with these men. Make sure they're comfortable. We'll send a signal in the clear to inform their carrier that they're alive and safe. Corpsman, I want recommendations about the injured man - do you think you can treat him?"

"I would feel better if we could deliver him to a doctor, sir," the corpsman admitted. "I don't believe his danger is acute, but I don't wish to take any chances."

"The opposition's Battle Force may be the closest to us at the moment. Let's send our signal and see what orders we receive," L'Herminier decided.

Sunday, 20 June 1943 – The North Atlantic – Evening

The Battle Force of the Kriegsmarine had endured a second air strike from its Carrier Force opponent, and its commander, Hans Lütjens, faced the dilemma it placed upon him. Lindenau had chosen to repeat his tactics of the morning, aiming for the weaker destroyers of the screen. Lütjens had ordered his ‘surviving’ destroyers to take up station closer to the battleships, whose guns could better engage the ‘attacking’ aircraft. The umpires’ report von Stosch had delivered an hour ago indicated that losses to the attacking aircraft were indeed heavy, but they had still delivered a considerable blow – the damaged cruiser Köln was deemed to have taken a second heavy bomb and ‘sunk’; the captain of the Zerstörer 265 had deliberately placed his vessel in the path of a torpedo ‘aimed’ at the flagship and taken the hit intended for the Bismarck – she too was ruled ‘sunk’. To Lütjens her sacrifice was hollow glory. The Zerstörer 259 had been hit by four light bombs dropped from Fw190M fighter bombers and the umpires had ruled her as ‘sinking’. The Zerstörer 261, ruled hit by a heavy ship-killing bomb, was considered to have blown up with all hands.

“Yes,” thought Lütjens, “it is only an exercise. But the losses are mounting – two light cruisers and six destroyers ruled as losses and now on their way home to Germany.”

More importantly, the fuel reports from his ‘surviving’ ships left him few options. While his battleships and heavy cruisers were capable of sustaining the stern chase of the Carrier Force, his destroyers were not. Their bunkers, drawn down by a day of high-speed steaming, were running perilously low. Every hour steamed in pursuit of von Fischel’s carriers drew the Battle Force further away from its supply ships – and with the destroyer losses Lütjens could not easily detach them in twos or threes to refuel in rotation.

Lütjens closed the portfolio that contained the results of the day’s activities and left his cabin for the bridge. Moments later signal lamps flickered from ship to ship with orders for a course change. The bows of the German battleships and their escorts swung round to the northeast and the Battle Force retired to rendezvous with its train.

-----

Konteradmiral Werner Lindenau also read the umpires’ report on the afternoon’s air strike on the Battle Force. There was no serious damage to the great ships, but the attritional tactics he had suggested continued to achieve results. Losses, he noted, were higher. The second air strike had comprised sixty eight airplanes – twelve fighters as escort, twenty four fighter-bombers, twenty dive bombers and twelve torpedo bombers, drawn from both carriers. The umpires had ruled six fighter-bombers, five dive bombers and three torpedo bombers as being lost – one quarter of the strike aircraft involved. These were grievous losses, particularly when combined with those from the morning. Thankfully, it was merely an exercise.

Tactically the Carrier Force was still in very good position continue operations. The favourable winds had allowed them to maintain their distance from the Battle Force while operating their aircraft, and, from all reports, Lütjens was still unaware of the Carrier Force’s exact location. Lindenau was confident that if they maintained their current course and speed that there was little risk of an encounter with the Battle Force during the night; nevertheless, he expected that search aircraft from the Graf Zeppelin with their Hohentweil-H apparatus would maintain contact with the Battle Force and give warning should it unexpectedly attempt to close.

Lindenau felt that he had one more good strike left in his air groups. He had ordered the maintenance crews of both aircraft carriers to bring all reserve aircraft to readiness to make good the ‘losses’ of the day.

Sunday, 20 June 1943 – The North Atlantic – Evening

The hydrophone operator reported quietly to the bridge. "High speed screws bearing one-two-five, multiple targets. Range estimated... eight thousand."

Capitaine L'Herminier looked at his watch. He'd still not received any instructions from fleet command about the German fliers he'd rescued earlier in the day, but it seemed like the Battle Force had come to find him. Perfect. The injured man is resting stable, so I actually have a chance to make a significant contribution to this exercise...

"Scope up." L'Herminier quickly swept the horizon with the periscope, burning the images into his mind before lowering the scope again. There was a distinctive paucity in the destroyer screen, at least from L'Herminier's low position, and the destroyers which were actually present were in tighter formations around the capital ships than L'Herminier expected. "Maintain course; increase speed to six knots. Unless they zig away, they'll be on top of us in about ten minutes, and we'll get a solid chance at a submerged approach on some of the big ships. Action stations."

The word passed quietly but swiftly among the men, and the submarine continued its slow underwater intercept course. Through the hull the sound of propellers could be heard - two destroyers of the suspiciously thin screen, passing ahead and astern of Casabianca, with plenty of margin of error. "Scope up," L'Herminier commanded again. He quickly swept the horizon again, noting the fading light. It was perfect for him - the great warships steaming north-west with the setting sun backlighting them for a torpedo shot.

Casabianca made her approach carefully, letting at least two targets pass by rather than risk a long-range shot. L'Herminier guessed that, if his submarine was prepared to fire war shots, the sudden detonation of torpedoes, against a target in the middle of a battleship formation, would cause havoc as escorts rushed in to attack, and the battleships tried to get away from an unexpected enemy. He kept waiting until the submarine was in position for a solid beam shot against a large vessel - in the fading light, L'Herminier couldn't quite tell if his target was a battleship, or merely a heavy cruiser. The periscope photos might tell him later. He also prepared a secondary attack against a destroyer close in to the main formation. Finally:

"Range... eight hundred meters. Helm, begin our swing. Stand by to fire... Tube one, shoot."

All of Casabianca's tubes were empty; practice torpedoes would have been unrecoverable at sea. But the torpedomen opened the outer doors and flushed the tube with compressed air, just as if the shoot had been real. "One away."

"One, two, three, four, five," the navigator counted aloud, watching his chronometer.

"Tube two, shoot."

"Six, seven, eight, nine, ten..."

"Tube three, shoot."

"Three away!"

"...thirteen, fourteen, fifteen..."

"Four, shoot!"

"Helm, bring us around to the destroyer, right full rudder, make your course zero-four-zero!" L'Herminier ordered. He quickly turned the scope to spot the destroyer, coming up astern, still apparently unaware.

"Course zero-four-zero!"

"Tube five, shoot! Tube six, shoot!"

"Five away, six away."

"Scope down. Surface the boat!" L'Herminier commanded.

Casabianca came to the surface in a swirl of white foam, but L'Herminier made it to the bridge before the destroyer swept a searchlight across the boat. One of Casabianca's crewmen quickly raised the tricolore, and a second seaman started communicating with a semaphore lamp. "We are the French submarine CASABIANCA. We have recovered three German aviators. One requires medical attention which we cannot provide. We request permission to transfer these men to your designated ship."

Sunday, 20 June 1943 – The North Atlantic – Night

Admiral Lütjens was advised immediately when a submarine – subsequently identified as French – surfaced within the Battle Force’s formation and signaled that it bore wounded German flyers – crew of the planes lost in the Carrier Force’s initial night strike. He was very thankful for the rescue of the aviators, but he was certain that the fact that the submarine had penetrated the Battle Force’s weakened screen would result in further damage to his warships; and, he was equally certain, that his location and course would be reported to the French and German carrier forces hunting him. In this regard he was quite correct.

It was nearly midnight when Admiral von Stosch knocked on his cabin door; Lütjens was expecting him.

“An updated damage report Herr Admiral,” von Stosch said laconically, and handed over a slim portfolio.

Lütjens opened it and scanned the results. The French submarine had ‘launched’ eight torpedoes from a position well inside the formation; three were ruled to have ‘hit’ the heavy cruiser Admiral Hipper, leaving her dead in the water and flooding; a fourth was ruled to have ‘struck’ Zerstörer 260, breaking her back and sending her to the bottom.

“Very bad luck I am afraid,” said von Stosch. **

He was tempted to respond angrily but Lütjens contained himself. “Indeed,” he replied after a brief pause. “The loss of so many destroyers undoubtedly made the Frenchman’s approach far easier.”

“Quite so,” acknowledged the chief umpire. “Lindenau’s tactic of whittling away at the Battle Force has paid unexpected dividends.”

Lütjens notified his flag captain who passed on the information to the captains of the Admiral Hipper and the Zerstörer 260, ordering them to detach from the Battle Force and join the now-lengthening parade of vessels heading homeward as ‘sunk’ or ‘damaged’.

This was not the battle that Lütjens had anticipated fighting.

-----

It was well past midnight when Vizeadmiral Hermann von Fischel was awakened with the news of the contact report filed by the French submarine. He came to the flag bridge of the Graf Zeppelin and checked the plot.

“Lütjens has changed course,” he said in surprise. “Notify Admiral Lindenau at once!”

Signal lamps flashed between the two aircraft carriers. This was not the first time that von Fischel rued having his air commander separated him; this was one more thing that would have to change in German doctrine – smaller and more compact staffs, with fewer aides to slow communication.

In the small hours of night the Carrier Force changed course and also headed northeast, trying to get back into position where it might strike at the retiring Battle Force. Von Fischel was not certain whether Lütjens was trying to rendezvous with his supply ships or was acknowledging defeat; it made little difference. He would not rush hastily in pursuit, but would close on the last reported position of the Battle Force in the expectation of the dawn search finding them within striking range; thus the carrier force would cruise at a steady fifteen knots. He did, however, order the Fourth Cruiser Squadron under von der Marwitz to range ahead of the Carrier Force in case Lütjens left some of his heavy ships behind to ambush his pursuers.

** [Can you say dice hate? ]

Sunday, 20 June 1943 – The North Atlantic – Evening

"We've got another update on the opposition force course and speed," Capitaine Chatelaine reported. "Our submarine, Casabianca, reported their position. They're heading back to the northeast... here."

Vice-Admiral Godfroy glanced at the plot. "Lutjens must be tiring of von Fischel's attacks on his lighter units."

Chatelaine nodded. He'd been eager to participate in those attacks, but Godfroy had elected to hold all strikes through the afternoon in favor of attempting a night attack like the Germans had tried. "If he's returning to his northeast, that will take him back towards his oilers, the range is opening again."

Godfroy did not respond for a few moments, and paused in thought. Finally, he made his decision. "Hold our night strike - for the moment. I've got a different plan. I'm going to detach Suffren, Duquesne, and the older destroyers under Contre-amiral St-Hilaire. They shall maintain current position, and fly your night scouting flights. While they do that, we'll take St. Cyr, Paris, Justice, and the four Barfleurs... along this course, at high speed. An hour before dawn, we'll launch our strike... against the opposition force's oilers."

"That's a daring move, Admiral," Chatelaine said. "We'll be getting perilously close to Lutjens' flank. If he realizes that we're so close, he could turn on us quickly in the night."

"I think it's time to take the risk," Godfroy said. "Von Fischel's just battering his airgroups to death on Lutjens' AA. Even night strikes carry a lot of risk. But if we hit the oilers, Lutjens has to go home." He paused. "We'll go under emissions blackout - no communications, just our search teledetection. Suffren can fake radio traffic in St. Cyr's codes in order to keep up the pretense. If Lutjens has our location fixed with radio direction finding, maybe we'll fox him."

"Aye, sir," Chatelaine said. "I'll pass the word at once."

Ten minutes later, Paris turned north, followed by Justice and St. Cyr. The four newest destroyers in the squadron spread out in a thin patrol line ahead of the reduced squadron, and all the ships accelerated to twenty-seven knots.

Monday, 21 June 1943 – The North Atlantic – The Pre-dawn Hours

Admiral Lindenau rose early to supervise the preparations for what could be the last effort of the Carrier Force in the present exercise. He carefully reviewed the plan of the day. While the submarine sighting report gave the Battle Force’s last known position, course and speed, it would be too old to rely on for an air strike – the Carrier Force would have to launch its own search planes to do so, and Lindenau had been forced to commit eight Fi168 bombers operating in pairs to cover the likeliest sectors; their efforts would be supplemented by floatplanes from the escort. Despite argument to the contrary, Admiral von Fischel has insisted that the Carrier Force launch its own antisubmarine patrols and maintain a regular combat air patrol – this was what doctrine required, and had the Carrier Force been faced with an air or submarine threat, he would have agreed. This left a perilously weak striking force to be launched if and when Lütjens’ battleships were found – ten Fw190s to fly escort as top cover, a total of thirty-six Fw190s armed with bombs, ten Fi168 dive bombers and sixteen more Fi168s armed with torpedoes.

As the deck crews aboard the Peter Strasser began to spot the dawn search Lindenau sat quietly and jotted down notes on the points he would raise when the exercise was critiqued.

“Too many fighters in current air groups… inadequate numbers of strike aircraft…”

“Fighter-bomber aircraft not fitted to carry heavy ordnance… improvement required…”

“Senior air officer must have operational control of task force… or sail aboard flagship to advise task force commander personally…”

“Aircraft carrier doctrine must be oriented to offense, not defence…”

The only comfort could draw on was the knowledge that soon two more aircraft carriers would be commissioned, which would help address many of his concerns.

-----

Vizeadmiral Günther Lütjens was also awake in the pre-dawn hours, unable to sleep. His battleships were intact, but the constant nipping at his escorts had its effect – the ‘loss’ of the Admiral Hipper he ascribed to the weakened destroyer screen caused by attacks by carrier-based aircraft. “A death of a thousand cuts” he thought.

He walked to the plotting map. “This is the current situation?” he asked Trautmann.

“Yes Herr Admiral,” Trautmann responded. “Analysis of wireless traffic puts the French task force here,” he pointed, “to our south-southwest. We are pulling away from them on our present course.”

“Good,” Lütjens replied. “And von Fischel’s aircraft carriers?”

“Our information is less certain,” Trautmann said with a frown. “Our plot had them to our west-southwest, but that was incomplete. On the presumption that they have received a contact report from the submarine that sank the Admiral Hipper, we presume that they have resumed course and are following us, but we cannot know the distance.”

Lütjens mentally lamented the utter failure of the Battle Force’s float reconnaissance aircraft to make significant contributions to his knowledge of the enemy’s location and movements. The audacity of the French commander in stationing constant air patrols over his battleships and knocking down scouts as soon as they were launched was galling; but it had proven to be an effective tactic in the fair weather they had enjoyed.

“It seems we are at a disadvantage,” Lütjens admitted. “However, once we rendezvous with our supply ships we will move north before conducting refueling operations. Perhaps we can escape their search patterns.”

Monday, 21 June 1943 – The North Atlantic – Shortly After Dawn

Admiral Godfroy's orders to the St. Cyr's airgroup commander were simple: "Hold nothing back." In the gray pre-dawn light, the carrier's deck crews had spotted the largest strike that St. Cyr's short flight-deck could accommodate, and the planes began flying off on their strike mission.

Godfroy's reduced force had dashed northward during the night, running nearly two hundred nautical miles further north, so that they were further north (albeit further west) than the German Battle Force. They'd maintained communications silence, but had been blessed in the pre-dawn hours with a radio-direction-finding report from one of the German support ships.

The first wave headed to the northeast. It was formed primarily from sixteen bomb-equipped Epaulards and an equal number of bomb and rocket-equipped Milan fighter-bombers. As the dive-bombers moved in to attack the tankers and support ships, the fighters descended to wavetop height to strike at the closest escorting destroyers.

In the lead dive bomber, the strike commander called out "Allons-y!", deployed his dive brakes, and rolled his bomber into an eighty-degree plunge from four thousand meters.

Monday, 21 June 1943 – The North Atlantic – Shortly After Dawn

Kommodore Franz-Maria Liedig stood on the bridge of Zerstörer 224 and watched the Seetakt operator update his plot. A large force of aircraft was inbound – and Liedig could not be certain which group of aircraft carriers it might be from – merely that it would be an opposing-force formation, and thus the ‘enemy’ for purposes of the exercise.

Thus far his eight destroyers had little to do but shepherd the Battle Force’s supply train, refueling and revictualing at leisure, and enjoying the ocean air. It now seemed that it was time to pay the piper. He knew quite well that the oilers and supply ships were the Achilles heel of a force operating at sea, and some combination of factors had allowed the Battle Force’s train to be discovered, and, unless a minor miracle happened, suffer a serious air attack.

“This is an exercise,” he reminded himself, “but the umpires will be scoring it as if it were real.”

The pip on the Seetakt display grew closer.

“Signal to all vessels,” Liedig ordered. “Prepare for air attack. Escorts take Standard Defensive Formation Three.“

In the remaining moments the supply ships strove to gain sea room in which to maneuver. They would, no doubt, be the primary targets, and nearly all of them were, in theory, floating bombs. The escorts belched black smoke in an attempt to hide the supply ships from the attacking aircraft, or at least confuse their aim. The gun mounts of each destroyer trained in the direction of the attacking aircraft and began to track them. The vessels of the Sixth Destroyer Flotilla were not the newest in the Kriegsmarine, but they had just finished yard refits and had been fitted with the latest electronic fire control equipment for the main armament, the same powerful 12.8cm guns fitted on the latest Kriegsmarine destroyers. Liedig was determined to make the best possible use of the combination.

High above the task group a glint of sunlight reflecting off a wingtip signaled the pushover of the first attacking dive bomber. Liedig ordered the escort to open fire, concentrating on the dive bombers with their longer-range main armament and leaving the fighter bombers to be dealt with by secondary batteries.

The pilots of the attacking Epaulard dive bombers were surprised at the sustained and accurate defensive barrage thrown up by the destroyers of the escort. Of course, they had no way of knowing how many of them might be judged to have been ‘downed’ by the escort prior to release of their bombs, but the fat oilers that were their targets would be ‘badly damaged’ by even a single bomb hit. Each pilot did his best to place his bomb on ‘target’, allowing for offsets. The Milan fighters opened up on the destroyers as they came up on them, using their 20mm autocanons, their rockets and the bombs carrier under their wings. They had done well enough against German cruisers only a few days previously; taking on destroyers should be easy. Yet they too were surprised at the accuracy of the barrage thrown up in their direction, and many a pilot was thankful that it was mere practice and not a real attack.

Bombs and rockets expended, the French strike force headed back towards its carrier. Only time and the exercise umpires would tell the results of twenty minutes of mayhem.

-----

His strike force had been recovered for more than an hour when Contre-amiral Joseph Rue, the principal umpire sailing with the French carrier force, delivered the results to Admiral Godfroy.

“Of the attacking dive bombers, two were judged shot down prior to dropping their bombs; a third was shot down after release; two more suffered severe damaged; all were holed to one degree or another. Of the bombs dropped by the Epaulards, four hits were obtained. The tanker Altmark has been ruled as sunk; the tanker Ermland damaged severely and on fire; the store ship Mittenwald took damage from a near miss.”

Godfroy nodded. “Two of three tankers, one of two other supply ships. A costly but worthwhile exchange. What of the fighter bombers?” he asked.

Contre-amiral Rue continued, “Of the attacking fighter bombers, all were judged of having launched their ordnance prior to loss; two were judged as being shot down afterwards, and three others damaged and requiring at least twenty-four hours to repair; all aircraft suffered some battle damage, if readily repairable. Hits were scored on three destroyers, with two, the Zerstörer 226 and 239 being ruled sunk, and a third Zerstörer 237, heavily damaged. Several other destroyers were damaged by cannon and rocket fire.”

“Not too shabby,” Godfroy thought.

Monday, 21 June 1943 – The North Atlantic – Shortly After Dawn

The second wave of French aircraft came in twenty-five minutes later. Composed of St. Cyr's Latécoère Late-550 torpedo bombers and a second squadron of Milans loaded as fighter-bombers, the torpedo bombers spread out into striking elements and descended to low level. As with the first strike, the Milans, armed with bombs and rockets, focused their efforts on the destroyers in order to cover for the torpedo bombers.

While the fighter-bombers attacked the escorts with bombs, rockets, and cannon, the small groups of Latécoères scattered to make a multi-vector attack on the remaining supply ships. Aboard the German destroyers and the supply ships, the crews noted that the torpedo bombers came in at unusually high speeds to make their torpedo drops, and did not hug the deck as expected, dropping their torpedoes at full speed from two hundred meters altitude. Yet the practice torpedoes remained stable until they hit the water, and started running straight. This kept the bombers out of the reach of all but the 105mm guns of the supply ships. Yet despite altitude and speed, the attacks were still precise and practiced.*

Their drops done, the French aircraft departed to return to their carriers to learn what damage they had taken and dished out.



* Note: St. Cyr's naval air group is generally acknowledged to be the best of the current French carrier groups.

Monday, 21 June 1943 – The North Atlantic – Early Morning

Admiral Lütjens paced the Bismarck’s flag bridge filled with questions – would he be able to rendezvous with his supply ships before the next attack by von Fischel’s aircraft; would his ships be able to fend off another attack, or would their escort be further whittled away; where were the French, and why have they been so quiescent; would they too attack his battleships today? The electronic detection apparatus had reported the appearance of reconnaissance aircraft in the vicinity of the Battle Force – the snooping aircraft heralded an incoming strike some time in the next few minutes or hours.

The appearance of Admiral von Stosch on the bridge broke Lütjens’ reverie. “Good morning Herr Admiral” he said.

Lütjens paused in surprise. Von Stosch had thus far been an infrequent visitor to the flag bridge. “Quite,” he replied cautiously.

“I have news Herr Admiral,” von Stosch announced and handed a slim folder to the Battle Force commander.

Lütjens’ heart sank as he read the umpires’ report. The French task force had located his supply train and had launched a savage ‘attack’ upon it.

“Tanker Altmark sunk by dive bombers; tanker Ermland set afire by bombs and sunk by torpedo attack; tanker Uckermark attacked by torpedoes and set afire; ammunition ship Sachsenwald struck by four torpedoes and blown up; supply ship Mittenwalde damaged by bombs and torpedoes and destroyed by ‘explosion’ of Sachsenwald.” The report was clinically precise.

“The entire train?” Lütjens commented.

“Yes Herr Admiral,” von Stosch acknowledged.

Lütjens returned to reading the report. “Zerstörer 226 and 239 sunk by bombs in first wave of attack, Zerstörer 237 damaged and finished off by second wave; Zerstörer 227 sunk by bombs dropped by fighters in second wave, Zerstörer 225 heavily damaged and listing; remaining vessels of the escort damaged by bomb and rocket fire.” He looked up wordlessly.

“Herr Admiral,” von Stosch said, “Unternehmen Frühlingswind is at an end.“

-----

The news of the end of the exercise was flashed to all participants. Aboard the German aircraft carriers the strike aircraft readied for launch began to be struck below, with air operations reduced to local fighter and antisubmarine patrols. On the vessels of the Battle Force, gun crews relaxed from antiaircraft stations. The vessels ‘sunk’ in the exercise magically resurrected to refuel those ships requiring bunkers before beginning the long trip home.

In cabins throughout all three task forces officers began to compose reports and finalise comments that would be submitted for the post-exercise analysis – what worked, what failed to work, what assumptions proved correct, what assumptions proved unfounded. There would be complaints that the umpires were too lenient, or too harsh, in their assessments. There would be arguments that the basic premise of the exercise was too unbalanced – to which there was some truth. But all participants acknowledged that much had been learned.

And educational.

Bravo to all involved. Very nicely done. I checked in multiple times a day hoping for the next part. Great job.

Agreed, very well writen!

Thank you. I am glad that Brock and I were able to pull it off, and as a player I now have lots of ideas of where to improve.

BOLO for the after-action reports.

Wilhelmshaven, 11 July 1943

The arrival of Admiral Godfroy and his battle staff in Wilhelmshaven had set the stage for the full after-action review of Unternehmen Frühlingswind. The discussions and review had lasted several days, and all the participants had the opportunity to review log books, contact reports and otherwise answer questions that had confounded them during the actual course of the exercise. The final presentation of the review was left in the hands of Konteradmiral Hans von Stosch, the chief umpire. Gathered in the auditorium were all the senior commanders and their staffs, as well as the senior members of the Russian Federation observer delegation, who had been invited to contribute and comment out of courtesy to an ally.

Having welcomed the assembled officers to the briefing, Admiral von Stosch began by distributing numbered copies of the final report of the exercise.

“Gentlemen, you have before you the final report of our findings and recommendations. Any further observations will be noted for the record and annexed to the report.”

Quoted

Unternehmen Frühlingswind was designed as an unbalanced scenario to test whether a well-handled carrier force could successfully operate in the face of a large surface force. Its secondary purpose was to provide large scale refueling at sea training for a large segment of the fleet. French participation was a contingent element of the exercise and proved to be decisive in denying the surface force sea room in which to operate and in providing additional air assets. The exercise is considered to be a success in this regard – neither carrier task force suffered loss except for attrition of their air groups while significant losses were inflicted upon the Battle Force. However, despite the losses inflicted, the Battle Force could have continued operation for some hours despite the loss of its fleet train.

Lütjens frowned. Yes, his battleships were barely scratched, but his destroyer screen had been battered and a number of his cruisers lost. If he had been able to close with either carrier group his guns would have swept them away; he had failed to close because he could never find them.

Von Fischel nodded. He felt he had proven the point that a well-handled carrier force could avoid combat with a surface force.

Quoted

Commander, Battle Force, relied solely on passive antisubmarine techniques in attempting to pass the submarine patrol line stationed at the exit of the North Sea. Due to speed and sea conditions, such passive techniques proved inadequate; the passage of the Battle Force was reported and the contingent participation of the Marine Nationale triggered. Commander, Carrier Force, applied active antisubmarine techniques and air assets to neutralize the submarine patrol line in the vicinity of the Carrier Force. Funkmess-equipped carrier aircraft proved effective in targeting and neutralizing surfaced submarines.

“Active use of antisubmarine detection equipment would have announced our presence to the patrolling U-boats,” Lütjens objected. “Had the U-123 not been fortunate in obtaining a sighting, our breakout would have been undetected.”

“Yes,” added Orlov, the chief Russian observer. “The use of echo-acoustic equipment would have been unwise.”

“Duly noted,” replied von Stosch. “The Carrier Force, using active techniques, was able to ‘sink’ one of the patrolling submarines while dealing with a second with its air assets. By ‘eliminating’ half the patrol line, the Carrier Force actively assured its unmolested passage.”

Quoted

The active use of submarine in support of the Force opérationnelle Atlantique proved very useful, supplementing its air search assets. It is recommended that the Commander, Submarine Force, commence development of appropriate doctrine to train crews in cooperation with the fleet at sea.

Von Fischel and Lütjens were in agreement on this point. The French submarines had been far too useful in support of their carriers to ignore.

Quoted

Commander, Battle Force, chose to divide his command in an attempt to locate and bring to battle the French carrier force; while a reasonable decision based on the information at hand at the time, this in the end proved futile. The air search assets of the Battle Force, while given an increased potential area of coverage, were combated by the aggressive air patrols of the French carrier force. The use of an Attaque Contre le Potentiel Aérien by Commander Force opérationnelle Atlantique is considered an innovative and decisive tactic when dealing with an enemy force devoid of defensive air assets.

Von Fischel was tempted to comment in defence of his colleague. “Our air doctrine has been weighted towards protecting our own forces, not attempting to establish dominance over the opposing force.”

“True,” Lütjens responded. “It does not take away from the fact that having established air superiority over the Battle Force, the
Force opérationnelle Atlantique was able to dictate the pace of events to its benefit. Our doctrine must accordingly be modified to be more aggressive.”

Konteradmiral Werner Lindenau was surprised at Lütjens’ readiness to argue for a more aggressive role for the Marineflieger. “I must agree; a carrier force commander must be allowed the freedom to act as circumstances dictate; at times one must set ‘the book’ aside.”

Quoted

The decision of Commander, Battle Force, to detach the First Cruiser Squadron in pursuit of the cruiser Duquesne, while a valid tactic in terms of surface warfare, failed in its mission due to superior French air reconnaissance, and resulted in the air attack on First Cruiser Squadron. Commander, First Cruiser Squadron, handled his ships to the best of his ability and minimized the losses that could have be incurred in the air attack delivered by the Force opérationnelle Atlantique.

Commander, Battle Force, failed to bring the Force opérationnelle Atlantique to night battle by the slimmest of margins. Commander, Force opérationnelle Atlantique, chose to forego a second air strike on the First Cruiser Squadron and withdraw out of reach of the Battle Force.

Comparing notes with Godfroy Lütjens had realized how close he had come to catching the Duquesne and perhaps the entire French carrier force. The umpires, and the other participants in the review had agreed that in the circumstances, he had taken a reasonable risk.

Quoted

Commander, Carrier Force, properly adhered to doctrine in maintaining combat air and antisubmarine patrols during the course of the exercise despite knowledge that no creditable air threat existed. The exercise was to be conducted simulating wartime conditions.

Commander, Carrier Force, made use of scout bomber resources to obtain information relating to the location of the Battle Force. Air searches were carried per doctrine, with aircraft carrying 220 kg practice bombs in the event that a suitable target was located. However, this limited the radius of search aircraft and commanders should use discretion to maximize the search radius of aircraft employed.

Von Fischel had acknowledged that he had proceeded cautiously, in view of the wartime conditions specified for the exercise. Lindenau and the other members of the ‘air-faction’ of the Kriegsmarine had presented the view that its doctrine must change.

Quoted

Wireless traffic analysis provided the Commander, Battle Force, with useful intelligence regarding the relative positions of the Carrier Force and the Force opérationnelle Atlantique, and the decision of Commander, Battle Force to commit his command to battle on 19 June was rational on the basis of the information available.

Lütjens had been surprised when he had the opportunity to see the plot of the Carrier Force and the Force opérationnelle Atlantique that day; his staff had placed both groups at nearly the correct positions. However, the location of the Carrier Force’s supply ships were unknown to him; had he known their location to the east, he would not have taken up the stern chase of the Carrier Force, but gone for its jugular.

Quoted

Commander, Carrier Force, having located both the Battle Force and its train, chose to effect a night attack on the Battle Force itself. Conceptually, the night attack allowed the test of new equipment and techniques; the results of the attack were disappointing and the loss of aircraft prohibitive for the returns. An attack on the Battle Force’s supply vessels would have been more decisive.

The coup de grace administered by the Force opérationnelle Atlantique against the supply ships of the Battle Force demonstrates the application of force at the most important point, with the result that victory conditions of the exercise were met. Commander Force opérationnelle Atlantique and his subordinates showed excellent judgment in husbanding their air assets to make the strike on the supply ships effective.

In the discussions during the review, von Fischel had admitted that he had chosen not to attack the Battle Force’s supply ships in order to keep the exercise under way. Von Stosch and the team of umpires had agreed that for the purposes of the exercise the decision was valid, but the success of the French air strike necessitated a comment.

Quoted

Commander, Carrier Force, chose to employ strong attritional tactics against the Battle Force, resulting in severe losses to the screening elements of the Battle Force and forcing its eventual withdrawal. Severe losses of aircraft were sustained during these attacks.

“Given the limited number of aircraft available,” Lindenau commented, “strikes against the softer targets – the destroyers and cruisers – were our only viable targets. We need more strike aircraft aboard our carriers.”

“And we agree,” von Stosch replied.

Quoted

The current composition of Marinefliegergruppen is oriented to defense, not offense; aircraft carrier doctrine must be oriented to offense. Therefore, it is recommended that the composition of current and future Marinefliegergruppen be reviewed to increase the proportion of strike assets available.

“Thank you Herr Admiral,” Lindenau concluded.

Quoted

Fw190M aircraft employed as fighter bombers presently cannot carry a sufficient ordnance load to carry out attacks on any but the smallest warships. Therefore, it is recommended that a modified aircraft capable of carrying a heavier ordnance load, including rocket projectiles, be developed as quickly as possible.

This was another of Lindenau’s pet peeves. The Fw190M was a far superior carrier aircraft to the old Bf109T, but it still lacked an offensive punch. “Yes,” he echoed. “The rocket projectiles of the French Milans proved very effective against ships.”

Hans Langsdorff agreed. “The calculated effect on the upper works of Prinz Eugen in particular were distressing. They were also effective in suppressing antiaircraft fire. Adding them to the weapons outfit of our carrier fighters would increase their effectiveness considerably.”

Quoted

The failure to co-locate the Commander, Carrier Force and the Commander, First Aircraft Carrier Squadron, led to delays in communication. Such difficulties were also encountered by Commander, Battle Force. Therefore, it is recommended that flag arrangements be reviewed to assure co-location of task force commanders with their principal subordinates.

The size of the staffs assigned to Commander Battle Force and Commander Battle Force proved larger than necessary; with co-location of other staff assets with the force commanders, it is recommended that the size of flag staffs be reviewed and where feasible, reduced.

The German admirals, to a man, were honest enough to have admitted that many on their staff were supernumerary, or needed only for shore service. Von Fischel had been the first to speak in favor of these proposal when it was first brought up.

“The need to take time to communicate with the senior air officer, and the associated risk if forced to do so by wireless, demands that this change be made,” he said.

Quoted

It is recommended that the inter-operability of communications equipment and signals techniques be improved. The lack of reliable and secure communications between Commander, Carrier Force and Commander, Force opérationnelle Atlantique necessitated a risky rendezvous.

Lütjens had been surprised to learn that Godfroy had risked a gyrocopter ride from his flagship to the Graf Zeppelin, and had complimented him for his willingness to take risks to accomplish the mission.

“Inter-operability is not something to be improvised,” he said, “and unless our services come to a common procurement, inter-operability will never be perfect. Nevertheless, there is much that can be done.”