0200 26 June 1916 - German deployment
So, after an absence of 18 months or more, I am back posting. Why I hear you ask? Well, I retired in June and am now a gentleman of leisure...and you can only play so much golf, after all. What have I been doing since June? Well, I have modified all my large timelines that I posted on Kindle, Rudolf will Reign, Consequences of an Errant Shell, the Australasian Kingdom, Leyte Gulf Redux and A Reluctant Fuhrer. Proof reading 2500 pages of text can take some time. Plus I have cleaned the house and published a book on the Post Office in Tasmania. And dealt with the usual drama of having children, albeit they are supposed to be adults.
So why I have I posted this when I already had a half commenced timeline? I wanted to make a fresh start, not only on this, but also on two other timelines, one a pre 1900 Australia one, another an Alien Space Bats scenario based on my Errant Shell World where Imperial Russia is still hanging around in 2020?
So, you ask, you intend to write three timelines at once. When I am rolling, which I hope to be now, I have always updated two timelines at once. Three is a bit more of a stretch, so we will see how I go. I don't have those other annoying distractions, such as clients, to take up my time, anymore, so it's virgin ground, so to speak.
Thanks to all those that have read my previous works and hopefully more will jump on board. Anyways, here we go.
0200, Jade estuary, German Empire, 22 June 1916
After the disappointing results of the 31st May, when two out of three ships of the 6th Division had grounded and subsequently fouled their condensers, the operation was cancelled and rescheduled until the 20th June, subsequently amended to the 22nd. It had allowed him to add ships to his order of battle, notably Koenig Albert and the newly completed Bayern, the latter manned by the transfer of the crew from the newly decommissioned old pre dreadnought Lothringen.
The plan was simple enough. It represented his basic strategy since he had taken over command of the High Seas Fleet in January 1916 from the perennially cautious Hugo von Pohl. Scheer was aware that he could not match the Grand Fleet for sheer numbers, even taking into consideration British naval deployments in the Mediterranean. With the Baltic activities of the Russians curtailed, Scheer had gathered as much of the High Seas Fleet as possible for the operation, in an attempt to draw forth and trap part of the Grand Fleet and destroy it comprehensively, namely David Beatty's battlecruiser force; hopefully the Harwich Force as well.
The unfortunate cancellation of the May operation due to two ships grounding and fouling their condensers meant the submarine forces available to lie off major British bases were not as they had been a month ago, but the plan was unchanged. Hipper had already sortied at 0030 with the 1st and 2nd Scouting Groups, consisting of five battle-cruisers, four light cruisers and 32 torpedo boats.
They were to bombard Sunderland and draw David Beatty's battle-cruiser force South from the Firth of Forth. Hipper would then to lead the battle-cruiser force back onto the guns of Scheer's High Seas Fleet, waiting 45-50 miles off Flanborough Head. He had originally counted on Zeppelin intelligence; however, June 1916 had been a month of extremely poor summer weather, with a maximum four days running at 8 degrees Celsius in Hamburg. Forecast for the day was modest, with gusting winds, all of which would hamper zeppelin operations.
The last month had not been a kind one for the Central Powers, Russia destroying Austro-Hungary's armies in Galicia and the Ottomans also in retreat in the East. A victory was badly needed. For that reason alone, Scheer had pulled together as much fighting power as possible. After Hipper drew the British scouting forces South, they would be confronted with 18 dreadnoughts, seven pre dreadnoughts, an armoured cruiser, 13 light cruisers and 49 torpedo boats.
This had been the original plan, however, with zeppelin reconnaissance not a possibility, Scheer had amended it to encompass Hipper's forces converging on the Skagerrak, engaging and destroying any commerce and Royal Navy patrols that frequented the area. He was hopeful this would lure part of the British fleet out to drive his forces away. The High Seas Fleet could then overwhelm this under gunned force in waters much closer to home, their flanks covered by light forces and their relatively short path to retreat assured. In all total forces were:
1. Battlecruiser force, Vice Admiral Franz von Hipper
I Scouting Group
Vizeadmiral Franz von Hipper, 1. Admiralstabsoffizier Korvettenkapitän Erich Raeder
SMS Lützow, flag, Vizeadmiral Franz von Hipper, Kapitän zur See Harder
SMS Derflinger, Kapitän zur See Hartog
SMS Seydlitz, Kapitän zur See von Egidy
SMS Moltke, Kapitän zur See Harpf
SMS von der Tann, Kapitän zur See Zenker
IXth Flotilla
V 28, Kapitänleutnant Lenßen hoisting Korvettenkapitän Goehle (Flottila-Leader) - screening 1SG
IXth Flotilla, 17th Half Flotilla, V27, V28, V26, S36, S51, S52
IXth Flotilla, 18th Half Flotilla
V30, Oberleutnant zur See Ernst Wolf hoisting Korvettenkapitän Werner Tillessen (flag), S34, S33, V29, S35, V30
II Scouting Group
Konteradmiral F. Boedicker
SMS Frankfurt, Kapitän zur See Thilo von Trotha hoisting Konteradmiral F. Boedicker (flag)
SMS Pillau, Fregattenkapitän Konrad Mommsen
SMS Elbing, Fregattenkapitän Madlung
SMS Wiesbaden, Fregattenkapitän Reiß
IInd Flotilla
B98, Kapitänleutnant Theodor Hengstenberg hoisting Fregattenkapitän Schuur (flag)
IInd Flotilla, 3rd Half Flotilla
Korvettenkapitän Boest (flag) on B 98, B98, G101, G102, B112, B97, S49, V43
IInd Flotilla, 4th Half Flotilla
Korvettenkapitän Dithmar (flag) on B 109, B109, B110, B111, G103, G104
VIth Flotilla
G41 Kapitänleutnant Hermann Boehm hoisting Korvettenkapitän Max Schultz (flag)
VIth Flotilla, 11th Half Flotilla, Kapitänleutnant Wilhelm Rümann on G 41, G41, V44, G87, G86
VIth Flotilla, 12th Half Flotilla
V69, Kapitänleutnant Stecher hoisting Kapitänleutnant Lahs (flag), V69, V45, V46, S50, G37
2. High Seas Fleet, Main Body
Chef der Hochseestreitkräfte:Vizeadmiral Reinhard Scheer
Chef des Stabes: Kapitän zur See Adolf von Trotha
Chef der Operationsabteilung: Kapitän zur See von Levezow
IIIrd Squadron, 5th Division
Konteradmiral Paul Behncke, 1. Admiralstabsoffizier Korvettenkapitän Freiherr von Sagern
SMS König flag, Kapitän zur See Brüninghaus
SMS Grosser Kurfürst, Kapitän zur See Goette
SMS Markgraf, Kapitän zur See Seiferling
SMS Kronprinz, Kapitän zur See Konstanz Feldt
IIIrd Squadron, 6th Division
Konteradmiral H. Nordmann (2nd Admiral of IIIrd Squadron)
SMS Kaiser, flag, Konteradmiral H. Nordmann, Kapitän zur See Freiherr von Keyserlingk
SMS Prinzregent Luitpold, Kapitän zur See Heuser
SMS Koenig Albert, Kapitän zur See Gaskell
SMS Kaiserin, Kapitän zur See Sievers
SMS Friedrich der Große, Kapitän zur See Theodor Fuchs
Flottenflaggschiff: SMS Bayern, Kapitän zur See Max Hahn(not in squadron or divisional organisation)
Ist Squadron, 1st Division
Vizeadmiral E. Schmidt, 1. Admiralstabsoffizier Korvettenkapitän Wolfgang Wegener
SMS Ostfriesland flag, Vizeadmiral Schmidt, Kapitän zur See von Natzmer
SMS Thüringen, Kapitän zur See Hans Küsel
SMS Helgoland, Kapitän zur See von Kamecke
SMS Oldenburg, Kapitän zur See Höpfner
Ist Squadron, 2nd Division
Konteradmiral W. Engelhart (2nd Admiral of Ist Squadron)
SMS Posen, flag, Konteradmiral Engelhart, Kapitän zur See Richard Lange
SMS Rheinland, Kapitän zur See Rohardt
SMS Nassau, Kapitän zur See von Schlee
SMS Westfalen, Kapitän zur See Redlich
Vth Scouting Group
Kommodore L. von Reuter, Admiralstabsoffizier Korvettenkapitän Heinrich Weber
SMS Stettin, Fregattenkapitän Friedrich Rebensburg
SMS Stuttgart, Fregattenkapitän Hagedorn
SMS Graudenz, Fregattenkapitän von Steiglitz
SMS Straslund, Fregattenkapitän Boller
SMS Brummer, Fregattenkapitän Drygala
IInd Squadron
Konteradmiral F. Mauve
IInd Squadron, 3rd Division
Konteradmiral Mauve, 1. Admiralstabsoffizier Korvettenkapitän Kahlert
SMS Deutschland, flag, Konteradmiral Mauve, Kapitän zur See Meurer
SMS Pommern, Kapitän zur See Bölken
SMS Pruessen, Kapitän zur See Lammers
SMS Schlesien, Kapitän zur See Fr. Behncke
IInd Squadron, IVth Division
Konteradmiral Freiherr F. von Dalwigk zu Lichtenfels (2nd Admiral of IInd Squadron)
SMS Schleswig-Holstein, Kapitän zur See Barrentrapp
SMS Hessen, Kapitän zur See Bartels
SMS Hannover, flag, Konteradmiral Baron von Dalwigk zu Lichtenfels, Kapitän zur See Wilhelm Heine
SMS Roon, Kapitän zur See Wilhelm von Karpf
IVth Scouting Group
SMS München, Korvettenkapitän Oscar Böcker
SMS Frauenlob, Fregattenkapitän Georg Hoffman
SMS Berlin, Fregattenkapitän Hahn
SMS Lubeck, Fregattenkapitän Priilowitz
SMS Danzig, Fregattenkapitän Wagner
Attached IVth Scouting Group
SMS Hamburg, Kapitän zur SeeBauer, Leader of Submarines
1st Leader of Destroyers
Kommodore A. Michelsen, Admiralstabsoffizier Korvettenkapitän Junkermann
SMS Rostock, Kommodore A. Michelsen, Fregattenkapitän Otto Feldmann
2nd Leader of Destroyers
Kommodore P. Heinrich, Admiralstabsoffizier Kapitänleutnant Meier
SMS Regensburg, Kommodore P. Heinrich, Fregattenkapitän Heuberer
Ist Flotilla, 1st Half Flotilla
Kapitänleutnant Conrad Albrecht (flag) on G39, G38, G39, G40, S32, V170, G197
Ist Flotilla, 2nd Half Flotilla
G192, G195, G196, G193
IIIrd Flotilla
S53, Kapitänleutnant Friedrich Götting hoisting Korvettenkapitän Hollman (flag)
IIIrd Flotilla, 5th Half Flotilla, V71, V73, G88, V74, V70
IIIrd Flotilla, 6th Half Flotilla
Kapitänleutnant Fröhlich, S54, V48, G42, G85, S55
Vth Flotilla
G11, Kapitänleutnant Adolf Müller hosting Korvettenkapitän Heinecke (flag)
Vth Flotilla, 9th Half Flotilla
Kapitänleutnant von Pohl, V2, V4, V6, V1, V3
Vth Flotilla, 10th Half Flotilla
G8, Oberleutnant zur See Rodenberg hosting KapitänleutnantFriedrich Klein, G7, V5, G9, G10, G8
VIIth Flotilla
S24 Kapitänleutnant Fink hoisting Korvettenkapitän von Koch (flag)
VIIth Flotilla, 13th Half Flotilla
Kapitänleutnant G. von Zitzewitz on S15, S15, S17, S20, S16, S18, S24
VIIth Flotilla, 14th Half Flotilla
Korvettenkapitän Hermann Cordes
S19, Oberleutnant zur See Reimer hoisting Korvettenkapitän Hermann Cordes, S19, S23, V189, V186
XIth Flotilla, 21st Half Flotilla
Kapitänleutnant G. von Bulow on S59, S59, S58, S57, G89, G90
XIth Flotilla, 22nd Half Flotilla
Korvettenkapitän H.Curnow, V75, V76, V77, V78
In all, it represented five battle-cruisers, 18 dreadnoughts, seven pre dreadnoughts, one armoured cruiser, 17 light cruisers and 81 torpedo boats, all of the High Seas Fleet's strength, 119 ships of war.
So why I have I posted this when I already had a half commenced timeline? I wanted to make a fresh start, not only on this, but also on two other timelines, one a pre 1900 Australia one, another an Alien Space Bats scenario based on my Errant Shell World where Imperial Russia is still hanging around in 2020?
So, you ask, you intend to write three timelines at once. When I am rolling, which I hope to be now, I have always updated two timelines at once. Three is a bit more of a stretch, so we will see how I go. I don't have those other annoying distractions, such as clients, to take up my time, anymore, so it's virgin ground, so to speak.
Thanks to all those that have read my previous works and hopefully more will jump on board. Anyways, here we go.
0200, Jade estuary, German Empire, 22 June 1916
After the disappointing results of the 31st May, when two out of three ships of the 6th Division had grounded and subsequently fouled their condensers, the operation was cancelled and rescheduled until the 20th June, subsequently amended to the 22nd. It had allowed him to add ships to his order of battle, notably Koenig Albert and the newly completed Bayern, the latter manned by the transfer of the crew from the newly decommissioned old pre dreadnought Lothringen.
The plan was simple enough. It represented his basic strategy since he had taken over command of the High Seas Fleet in January 1916 from the perennially cautious Hugo von Pohl. Scheer was aware that he could not match the Grand Fleet for sheer numbers, even taking into consideration British naval deployments in the Mediterranean. With the Baltic activities of the Russians curtailed, Scheer had gathered as much of the High Seas Fleet as possible for the operation, in an attempt to draw forth and trap part of the Grand Fleet and destroy it comprehensively, namely David Beatty's battlecruiser force; hopefully the Harwich Force as well.
The unfortunate cancellation of the May operation due to two ships grounding and fouling their condensers meant the submarine forces available to lie off major British bases were not as they had been a month ago, but the plan was unchanged. Hipper had already sortied at 0030 with the 1st and 2nd Scouting Groups, consisting of five battle-cruisers, four light cruisers and 32 torpedo boats.
They were to bombard Sunderland and draw David Beatty's battle-cruiser force South from the Firth of Forth. Hipper would then to lead the battle-cruiser force back onto the guns of Scheer's High Seas Fleet, waiting 45-50 miles off Flanborough Head. He had originally counted on Zeppelin intelligence; however, June 1916 had been a month of extremely poor summer weather, with a maximum four days running at 8 degrees Celsius in Hamburg. Forecast for the day was modest, with gusting winds, all of which would hamper zeppelin operations.
The last month had not been a kind one for the Central Powers, Russia destroying Austro-Hungary's armies in Galicia and the Ottomans also in retreat in the East. A victory was badly needed. For that reason alone, Scheer had pulled together as much fighting power as possible. After Hipper drew the British scouting forces South, they would be confronted with 18 dreadnoughts, seven pre dreadnoughts, an armoured cruiser, 13 light cruisers and 49 torpedo boats.
This had been the original plan, however, with zeppelin reconnaissance not a possibility, Scheer had amended it to encompass Hipper's forces converging on the Skagerrak, engaging and destroying any commerce and Royal Navy patrols that frequented the area. He was hopeful this would lure part of the British fleet out to drive his forces away. The High Seas Fleet could then overwhelm this under gunned force in waters much closer to home, their flanks covered by light forces and their relatively short path to retreat assured. In all total forces were:
1. Battlecruiser force, Vice Admiral Franz von Hipper
I Scouting Group
Vizeadmiral Franz von Hipper, 1. Admiralstabsoffizier Korvettenkapitän Erich Raeder
SMS Lützow, flag, Vizeadmiral Franz von Hipper, Kapitän zur See Harder
SMS Derflinger, Kapitän zur See Hartog
SMS Seydlitz, Kapitän zur See von Egidy
SMS Moltke, Kapitän zur See Harpf
SMS von der Tann, Kapitän zur See Zenker
IXth Flotilla
V 28, Kapitänleutnant Lenßen hoisting Korvettenkapitän Goehle (Flottila-Leader) - screening 1SG
IXth Flotilla, 17th Half Flotilla, V27, V28, V26, S36, S51, S52
IXth Flotilla, 18th Half Flotilla
V30, Oberleutnant zur See Ernst Wolf hoisting Korvettenkapitän Werner Tillessen (flag), S34, S33, V29, S35, V30
II Scouting Group
Konteradmiral F. Boedicker
SMS Frankfurt, Kapitän zur See Thilo von Trotha hoisting Konteradmiral F. Boedicker (flag)
SMS Pillau, Fregattenkapitän Konrad Mommsen
SMS Elbing, Fregattenkapitän Madlung
SMS Wiesbaden, Fregattenkapitän Reiß
IInd Flotilla
B98, Kapitänleutnant Theodor Hengstenberg hoisting Fregattenkapitän Schuur (flag)
IInd Flotilla, 3rd Half Flotilla
Korvettenkapitän Boest (flag) on B 98, B98, G101, G102, B112, B97, S49, V43
IInd Flotilla, 4th Half Flotilla
Korvettenkapitän Dithmar (flag) on B 109, B109, B110, B111, G103, G104
VIth Flotilla
G41 Kapitänleutnant Hermann Boehm hoisting Korvettenkapitän Max Schultz (flag)
VIth Flotilla, 11th Half Flotilla, Kapitänleutnant Wilhelm Rümann on G 41, G41, V44, G87, G86
VIth Flotilla, 12th Half Flotilla
V69, Kapitänleutnant Stecher hoisting Kapitänleutnant Lahs (flag), V69, V45, V46, S50, G37
2. High Seas Fleet, Main Body
Chef der Hochseestreitkräfte:Vizeadmiral Reinhard Scheer
Chef des Stabes: Kapitän zur See Adolf von Trotha
Chef der Operationsabteilung: Kapitän zur See von Levezow
IIIrd Squadron, 5th Division
Konteradmiral Paul Behncke, 1. Admiralstabsoffizier Korvettenkapitän Freiherr von Sagern
SMS König flag, Kapitän zur See Brüninghaus
SMS Grosser Kurfürst, Kapitän zur See Goette
SMS Markgraf, Kapitän zur See Seiferling
SMS Kronprinz, Kapitän zur See Konstanz Feldt
IIIrd Squadron, 6th Division
Konteradmiral H. Nordmann (2nd Admiral of IIIrd Squadron)
SMS Kaiser, flag, Konteradmiral H. Nordmann, Kapitän zur See Freiherr von Keyserlingk
SMS Prinzregent Luitpold, Kapitän zur See Heuser
SMS Koenig Albert, Kapitän zur See Gaskell
SMS Kaiserin, Kapitän zur See Sievers
SMS Friedrich der Große, Kapitän zur See Theodor Fuchs
Flottenflaggschiff: SMS Bayern, Kapitän zur See Max Hahn(not in squadron or divisional organisation)
Ist Squadron, 1st Division
Vizeadmiral E. Schmidt, 1. Admiralstabsoffizier Korvettenkapitän Wolfgang Wegener
SMS Ostfriesland flag, Vizeadmiral Schmidt, Kapitän zur See von Natzmer
SMS Thüringen, Kapitän zur See Hans Küsel
SMS Helgoland, Kapitän zur See von Kamecke
SMS Oldenburg, Kapitän zur See Höpfner
Ist Squadron, 2nd Division
Konteradmiral W. Engelhart (2nd Admiral of Ist Squadron)
SMS Posen, flag, Konteradmiral Engelhart, Kapitän zur See Richard Lange
SMS Rheinland, Kapitän zur See Rohardt
SMS Nassau, Kapitän zur See von Schlee
SMS Westfalen, Kapitän zur See Redlich
Vth Scouting Group
Kommodore L. von Reuter, Admiralstabsoffizier Korvettenkapitän Heinrich Weber
SMS Stettin, Fregattenkapitän Friedrich Rebensburg
SMS Stuttgart, Fregattenkapitän Hagedorn
SMS Graudenz, Fregattenkapitän von Steiglitz
SMS Straslund, Fregattenkapitän Boller
SMS Brummer, Fregattenkapitän Drygala
IInd Squadron
Konteradmiral F. Mauve
IInd Squadron, 3rd Division
Konteradmiral Mauve, 1. Admiralstabsoffizier Korvettenkapitän Kahlert
SMS Deutschland, flag, Konteradmiral Mauve, Kapitän zur See Meurer
SMS Pommern, Kapitän zur See Bölken
SMS Pruessen, Kapitän zur See Lammers
SMS Schlesien, Kapitän zur See Fr. Behncke
IInd Squadron, IVth Division
Konteradmiral Freiherr F. von Dalwigk zu Lichtenfels (2nd Admiral of IInd Squadron)
SMS Schleswig-Holstein, Kapitän zur See Barrentrapp
SMS Hessen, Kapitän zur See Bartels
SMS Hannover, flag, Konteradmiral Baron von Dalwigk zu Lichtenfels, Kapitän zur See Wilhelm Heine
SMS Roon, Kapitän zur See Wilhelm von Karpf
IVth Scouting Group
SMS München, Korvettenkapitän Oscar Böcker
SMS Frauenlob, Fregattenkapitän Georg Hoffman
SMS Berlin, Fregattenkapitän Hahn
SMS Lubeck, Fregattenkapitän Priilowitz
SMS Danzig, Fregattenkapitän Wagner
Attached IVth Scouting Group
SMS Hamburg, Kapitän zur SeeBauer, Leader of Submarines
1st Leader of Destroyers
Kommodore A. Michelsen, Admiralstabsoffizier Korvettenkapitän Junkermann
SMS Rostock, Kommodore A. Michelsen, Fregattenkapitän Otto Feldmann
2nd Leader of Destroyers
Kommodore P. Heinrich, Admiralstabsoffizier Kapitänleutnant Meier
SMS Regensburg, Kommodore P. Heinrich, Fregattenkapitän Heuberer
Ist Flotilla, 1st Half Flotilla
Kapitänleutnant Conrad Albrecht (flag) on G39, G38, G39, G40, S32, V170, G197
Ist Flotilla, 2nd Half Flotilla
G192, G195, G196, G193
IIIrd Flotilla
S53, Kapitänleutnant Friedrich Götting hoisting Korvettenkapitän Hollman (flag)
IIIrd Flotilla, 5th Half Flotilla, V71, V73, G88, V74, V70
IIIrd Flotilla, 6th Half Flotilla
Kapitänleutnant Fröhlich, S54, V48, G42, G85, S55
Vth Flotilla
G11, Kapitänleutnant Adolf Müller hosting Korvettenkapitän Heinecke (flag)
Vth Flotilla, 9th Half Flotilla
Kapitänleutnant von Pohl, V2, V4, V6, V1, V3
Vth Flotilla, 10th Half Flotilla
G8, Oberleutnant zur See Rodenberg hosting KapitänleutnantFriedrich Klein, G7, V5, G9, G10, G8
VIIth Flotilla
S24 Kapitänleutnant Fink hoisting Korvettenkapitän von Koch (flag)
VIIth Flotilla, 13th Half Flotilla
Kapitänleutnant G. von Zitzewitz on S15, S15, S17, S20, S16, S18, S24
VIIth Flotilla, 14th Half Flotilla
Korvettenkapitän Hermann Cordes
S19, Oberleutnant zur See Reimer hoisting Korvettenkapitän Hermann Cordes, S19, S23, V189, V186
XIth Flotilla, 21st Half Flotilla
Kapitänleutnant G. von Bulow on S59, S59, S58, S57, G89, G90
XIth Flotilla, 22nd Half Flotilla
Korvettenkapitän H.Curnow, V75, V76, V77, V78
In all, it represented five battle-cruisers, 18 dreadnoughts, seven pre dreadnoughts, one armoured cruiser, 17 light cruisers and 81 torpedo boats, all of the High Seas Fleet's strength, 119 ships of war.
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