novelraw Chapter 628: After revision - 628 Change the Telegraph Code
Chapter 628: After revision - 628 Change the Telegraph Code
Gallieni acted quickly. The next day, he placed an order for 200 aircraft in the name of "cooperating with the Royal Navy to blockade the La Manche Strait," and the construction of airfields was also put on the agenda.
However, most of the airplanes were fighters, with only a few Caproni Bombers used for training and testing (to see if there were any issues with the Caproni Bombers in the high-salt, high-humidity coastal environment and to make necessary improvements).
The British had no objections to this.
At this time, everyone believed that the role of aircraft was limited to fighting for air superiority, reconnaissance, and striking enemy logistical supply lines.
Furthermore, these activities were mostly confined to land warfare. In naval warfare, aircraft could almost only be used for reconnaissance.
What the British did not realize was that this was all part of Shire’s plot.
While the British had not yet recognized the importance of aircraft, Shire had already laid out his plans to easily gain control of both the sea and air before the British could sense any danger.
Following this, as soon as the airfield was completed and the fighters and torpedo bombers were deployed, the overall situation would be decided.
By then, the French Navy, which had been suppressed by the Royal Navy for decades and dared not compete with the Royal Navy for control of the strait, would finally have its moment of glory.
British Fleet: "Get out of the way, you fools! Look at those small and broken fishing boats, we don’t even need artillery, we could ram you and you would sink!"
French Fleet: "Look up at the sky, arrogant British. Do you see the torpedoes hanging under the bombers? If necessary, we can call in dozens or even hundreds of them. Think about what that might mean!"
The British Fleet suddenly felt a chill. They had only known torpedoes to be launched underwater, but the French had somehow placed them in the sky!
All the guns on the warships were aimed at enemy warships, with only a few "Pom-Pom" guns for air defense, and those were mainly meant for seaplanes.
Using these to deal with fighters and bombers was far from sufficient!
(The above image shows a "Pom-Pom" gun, which can be considered a large Maxim gun, with a 37MM caliber. The British Navy used various mounted versions of it all the way until World War II. It had no tracer rounds, and its air defense capability was extremely limited)
It was at this moment that the British suddenly realized: the world’s number one navy had now lost its title to the French Navy, once ranked fifth. What they had always considered their own inland English Channel was now completely under French control. If they resisted, this narrow strait would immediately become their burial ground, burying the entire Royal Navy.
...
In Central London, within the War Office Building, uniformed staff officers and secretaries bustled about, adding a touch of tension to the Edwardian Baroque-style building.
(The above image shows the British office building built in 1902, now converted into the Raffles Hotel.)
In the office on the third floor facing the road, the Minister of Military Supplies and General Winter were looking expressionlessly at a map, while a staff officer calculated the German fleet’s current position on a nautical chart.
"Is the intelligence accurate?" asked the Minister of Military Supplies.
"Yes, it is very accurate," replied the staff officer.
The Minister of Military Supplies nodded in satisfaction.
During this period, they had been verifying whether the deciphered code matched the actual positions of the German fleet.
If it did, it meant that the deciphered code was correct and that the Germans were unaware of it.
This was originally not a concern for the Minister of Military Supplies; it was the responsibility of the Minister of the Navy.
However, the code was closely related to the positions of the German submarines, and the Minister of Military Supplies’ task was to ensure the safety and escort of supplies, thus he was put in charge of the code.
General Winter handed over a telegram:
"Sir, the code indicates that the Germans will execute a surprise attack tomorrow."
"They will dispatch a fleet consisting of 2 battlecruisers and 11 destroyers to attack our Third Fleet."
The Third Fleet was the fleet stationed south of the North Sea to blockade the English Channel. It was the weakest of the three Royal Navy fleets, composed of light cruisers, destroyers, and thunder strike ships of small and medium tonnage, primarily tasked with laying mines for blockade.
General Winter then added, "We should inform the Minister of the Navy immediately, sir, otherwise it will be too late."
The Minister of Military Supplies was silent for a moment, then slowly asked, "You mean, we should send reinforcements from the Minister of the Navy?"
"Yes, of course," General Winter replied, "the Second Fleet can make it in time."
The Minister of Military Supplies shook his head slightly, "No, General, we should not do that."
"Why not?" General Winter looked at the Minister of Military Supplies in confusion.
"To avoid arousing the Germans’ suspicion," the Minister of Military Supplies raised the decrypted telegram in his hand, "Have you considered, if we always know the Germans’ surprise attack plans in advance and avoid danger, even some plans that were decided temporarily, what do you think the Germans will think?"
General Winter suddenly understood.
The Germans’ plan was for "tomorrow," and since they were investing fast battlecruisers and destroyers, it was likely a temporarily devised surprise attack plan, just as the Minister of Military Supplies had stated.
If even this could be anticipated by the Royal Navy, it would mean an intelligence leak.
It wouldn’t take long for the Germans to suspect the code!
After a moment of silence, General Winter said, "Then, we should at least notify the Third Fleet and let them make some preparations."
The Minister of Military Supplies again rejected this suggestion with a cold voice, "That is not a sensible approach, General. Admiral Aifuri (Third Fleet Commander) may use mines to blockade the channel to ensure his safety, or some other minor actions."
General Winter understood that the Minister of Military Supplies intended to sacrifice part of the Third Fleet’s strength to ensure continued deciphering of the German code.
The Minister of Military Supplies stared at General Winter and said earnestly, "We must do this, General. Blocking the main force of the Germans is our real task. Do you understand?"
General Winter reluctantly replied, "Yes, sir, I will relay your suggestion to the Minister of the Navy."
The outcome was self-evident: the Minister of the Navy would side with the Minister of Military Supplies; they never hesitated in such matters.
At this moment, a staff officer suddenly burst in and reported, "Sir, the Germans have changed their code."
"What?" The Minister of Military Supplies and General Winter were stunned; they looked at each other, not understanding what had gone wrong.
After a while, the Minister of Military Supplies frowned and said, "Could it be that we have been avoiding submarines too frequently?"
General Winter added:
"And the French Fleet hunting submarines."
"The Germans don’t know that Shire developed the ’Echo Detector,’ so they can’t understand why twelve submarines were sunk at once."
"This might make them suspect an intelligence leak."
The Minister of Military Supplies slowly nodded.
There were many possibilities, but it was futile to consider them now. The main point was that the code could no longer be decrypted, and they couldn’t know the Germans’ subsequent breakthrough plans!