Bismarck

"Dad, Bismarck...May God bless you, and hope you stay safe and come back soon..."

ps: I recommend the book "Encounter of the Nuclear Mother" written by a kid in the group.

Chapter 555: Your Eugengen is back

The Alps, which serve as the natural boundary between Central and Southern Europe, also divide the winter climate of Southern and Central Europe into two halves.

Previously, it was winter in Berlin with a temperature of around zero degrees, and there were a few snowflakes in the cold wind blowing from Eastern Europe. But now, in the port of Trieste, the deepest part of the Adriatic Sea, although the drizzle made people feel a little chilly, the average temperature of around ten degrees still did not require a thick coat, and it felt just right except for being a little wet.

At the CDRA shipyard in Trieste, Bismarck saw his true self.

After four months, the main body has been completely repaired, and the distribution of anti-aircraft firepower has been improved. In addition to the thirty-two 37mm twin-mounted continuous machine guns on the superstructure and the stern deck, twelve gyroscopic stabilized bases for anti-aircraft guns produced by the Italian San Giorgio Company have been installed on the ship. On top of each base, there is a ship-borne anti-aircraft machine gun obtained from the Air Force, which is improved from the barrel of the FLAK41 50mm anti-aircraft machine gun, with a maximum range of 7500 kilometers, an effective range of more than 360 meters, and a theoretical maximum range of rounds per minute for the twin-mounted anti-aircraft machine gun!

俾斯麦伸出了自己的猫爪子，扳着手指头数了数：嗯…如果考虑到自己B（布鲁诺）、C（凯撒）两座主炮塔顶上的两座双联装37是左右两舷都可以开火的话……貌似现在自己每侧已经有了17座双联装37和6座双联装50，即使比起自己记忆中“未来几年后，也就是1950年”的那些“十级”巡洋舰们的防空火力圈也差不多了！

Moreover, apart from himself, Grape's main body was also modified! Only Zeppelin did not install these 50mm anti-aircraft guns.

The reason why Zeppelin didn't install any more was because the width of the flight deck couldn't be easily occupied. In addition, the outer platform under her flight deck, which could have been used to install anti-aircraft guns, had now been converted into a supporting structure for the outer platform of the flight deck. Speaking of which, this modification was the idea that Persian Cat had proposed to Zeppelin when she abducted him from Gdynia!

However, because of this improvement, the width of the Zeppelin's flight deck was widened, and a fairly wide flight deck standby area was left, and the rear elevator was even changed from the originally reserved 150 gun turret position to a side elevator. Now Zeppelin can not only reserve a squadron of fighters when normally retracting and launching aircraft, but can also take off and fight at any time. Even if it is to be changed to an angled deck in the future, there is enough space and structural position to modify it.

Compared with these, the installation locations of several 50 anti-aircraft guns, Bismarck pursed his lips and thought about it, it seemed that it was really nothing.

After all, as an aircraft carrier, the efficiency of carrier-based aircraft operations is the foundation. If even air defense has to rely on the carrier-based air defense weapons, then this aircraft carrier is probably no different from a pig waiting to be slaughtered...

Thinking of this, Bismarck smiled somewhat self-deprecatingly and looked at the sailors who came to the shipyard dock to receive his re-entry.

Two thousand sailors lined up neatly, carrying their bags on their backs and holding suitcases filled with their luggage in their hands... The sailors, who were used to fighting the wind and waves on the ocean, ignored the drizzle in the Mediterranean winter. Under the leadership of the officers, they returned to their bases, which were originally their combat posts, in an orderly manner according to the order of each team.

Think about it, in a few days, it will be Christmas, and in a few days after Christmas, it will be New Year's Day of 1942. By that time, maybe I will follow the captain, take Grape and Zeppelin, to the Indian Ocean to blockade shipping, while waiting for Eugen to return to the team! - Although, if I can avoid meeting those Japanese devils, it will be perfect!

If I think about it carefully, it seems that it has been more than two years since the Battle of Poland. Even when I talk about war, except for the attacks on civilians, I can't accept the life and death battles on the battlefield. I have already become accustomed to it.

Time passes by so fast...

……The Persian cat is staring at the dividing line of time……

Outside the CDRA shipyard in Trieste, several transport ships returning from North Africa slowly entered the Trieste port area under the escort of Italian Navy destroyers.

Team after team of German soldiers in North African desert camouflage came down from these transport ships. The total number of German officers and soldiers on these transport ships looked to be at least tens of thousands - but apart from the bags on their backs and the guns on their shoulders, this German army did not seem to carry any heavy weapons!

The heaviest military equipment in the whole team was the horses held by reins in the hands of a group of German soldiers with SS logos on their collars and sabers on their waists! After these German cavalrymen walked down from the steps of the ship, they led their horses and began to assemble and line up under an orange swallowtail flag embroidered with the Iron Cross and the Nazi Eagle emblem on the dock, and a black, white and red triangle flag horizontally from top to bottom - the cavalry flag and the divisional command flag. This was the SS Cavalry Brigade troops returning from North Africa. However, they should now be called the Nazi SS 8th Division, the "Florian Geyer" Cavalry Division!

On a destroyer next to the transport ship, dozens of German officers and soldiers, led by a German soldier wearing a black windbreaker and holding the rank of admiral, also came out and landed on Italian soil. When their boots finally stepped on the dock, the admiral in the black windbreaker couldn't hide his excitement and stretched his body vigorously:

"Ahhh... I, Rommel, am finally back! - But it's been a long time since I last saw such a cold and wet drizzle?"

"Well, it's been about seven or eight months since we last saw rain! But we are indeed back!"

Nehring, the Chief of Staff of the African Corps behind Rommel, looked around at the soldiers gathering at the port, took two steps forward and stood next to Rommel.

Behind them, other officers and soldiers were carrying a dozen large sealed boxes off the warship and placing them aside, waiting for someone to come and pick them and their cars up.

Looking at the troops busy cleaning up the boxes and gathering - there were even a few troops that had already lined up to leave the dock after gathering. Rommel looked at his partner and asked, "Nelin, did you bring the handover form for our heavy weapons in North Africa to the Italians?"

"I have it with me. It's in my bag." Nelin opened the briefcase in his hand, looked inside, and nodded. "However, speaking of it, if we hand over our heavy weapons and equipment in North Africa directly to the Italians... then our work back home will be very easy. We only need 20 transport ships to transport tens of thousands of soldiers back. But... it's a pity to give away those heavy equipment in North Africa to the Italians for nothing..."

"Just give it to them. Anyway, those are tropical desert types, which are completely different from the environment of the place we are going to..." Hearing Nelin's reluctant tone, Fox smiled indifferently: "Besides, when we come back this time, we not only need to receive new equipment, but also receive special training in combat in cold regions and frozen land. With the current national production capacity, the equipment can definitely be fully replenished... By the way, speaking of which, I heard from people on the Eastern Front that although the Soviet Russian army has poor tactical training, they are very tenacious in battle. It seems that they are also two extremes from the British we met in North Africa - I really want to fight with them to see how much worse they are than the British in North Africa!"

"Haha, now that you mention it, that's true..." After saying this, Nei Lin seemed to be relieved.

However, when talking about the African battlefield, Rommel still had some emotions: "Although the Afrika Korps no longer exists, we are now the headquarters of the Fifth Armored Army. However, after all, we have fought the British for so long, and I really don't want to leave those British guys!"

"Yeah." Nelin nodded. But soon, Nelin found a convoy coming towards him: "Legion... no, Commander, look, is the convoy coming to pick us up?"

Hearing what Nelin said, Fox also raised his head and looked: "It seems to be true... Then let's go! When we get to the Eastern Front, we will have a good fight with the Russians!" As he said this, he had already walked towards the convoy.

"Yes!... Everybody, get ready to load your things into the car!" Seeing Rommel walking towards the convoy, Nehring responded with a yes, then turned around to call the staff and soldiers behind him, picked up the boxes full of files and combat materials, and followed.

…………In the far Atlantic Ocean, on the edge of the Caribbean Sea…………

"Top Top~! Telegram telegram~!"

Eugen ran into the control room holding a telegram in her hand. Her two ponytails were twitching in the air, like a rabbit's big ears.

The boredom of the long voyage was swept away by her presence.

Top, who was dozing off on the back of a chair, heard the sound of his own heavy cruiser. He reached out and took off the logbook covering his face. He turned his head to look in the direction of Eugen and stretched out his other hand...

"Here you go, pick up the telegram~!"

Eugen gently placed the telegram in Top's hand, and Top read it directly: "Top secret telegram No. XXXX from the Navy Department... According to the instructions of the Navy Department, the Mediterranean Fleet under Admiral Lütjens of the Greater German War Navy has completed the task of capturing the Suez Canal together with the Army, and is about to go to the Indian Ocean to fight and be renamed the Eastern Expeditionary Fleet... Now order the heavy cruiser Prince Eugen to move from the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean, reunite with the Eastern Expeditionary Fleet, and accept the command of Admiral Lütjens!... Great! We finally have a place to stay!!"

"Yeah yeah~! Now we can go find Bismarck and the others!"

Whether it was Top, who smiled happily as he read the telegram, or Eugen, who was standing beside him with a sweet smile, the corners of their mouths could not help but grin a little higher after hearing the telegram.

Speaking of which, it has not been easy recently. Although the harassment has lasted for two months, and although there are always some American merchant ships that think they are lucky and act alone, and although they are not afraid of the American patrol fleet, but... whether it is for themselves or for the supply ships operating in other waters to ensure safety, the ammunition they carry is always limited.

In the previous Battle of the Faroe Strait, although the breakout was successful and a heavy cruiser and five destroyers were sunk, the ammunition was almost used up!

In order to avoid repeating the mistake of the German Navy's Graf Spee, which sank after running out of ammunition and unable to break through the pursuit fleet more than two years ago, Top is now trying to avoid fighting with the US patrol fleet as much as possible. However, although a few US ships can still be caught, judging from the fact that more and more US fleets are now joining the escort fleet arranged by the US Navy, it is only a matter of time before there are no "fish" to catch in this sea area!

This is the edge of the Caribbean Sea, not far from the Allied island airport. If we are spotted by patrol planes, we must move!

So now the Prince Eugen is almost always covered with camouflage nets during the day, hiding in an unknown bay in the West Indies...

No wonder Raeder sent one of his own ships out to disrupt the commerce! The deterrent power and combat effectiveness of a heavy cruiser are always limited...

For some reason, Top suddenly thought of the scene when Lindemann commanded the battleship Tirpitz and slaughtered everyone in Dunkirk...

But this thought only flashed through his mind for a moment. Looking at the cute little Eugen beside him, the shadow of the powerful battleship was thrown into the sky by Top, and it was impossible to pick it up.

(PS: Top was the first and longest-serving captain of the Tirpitz in history)

Eugen's little brain over there wasn't anything so complicated, she just looked at her captain coquettishly: "Top Top, are we going to the Middle East now?"

Being looked at by such a natural Eugen, Top suddenly felt a little guilty. He was stunned for two seconds before coming back to his senses:

"...Ah, I see... Then Eugen, let's turn around and head to the Middle East now."

"Yeah~ Okay, okay!"

The twin-tailed girl's sunny smile no longer looked like a little rabbit in Top's eyes. Instead, she looked like a little angel who warmed people's hearts and healed darkness.

Compared to the inexplicable feeling, the talent in front of you is the most important.

Chapter 556: Our "allies"

At the junction of the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea, 240 kilometers east of the Somali Cape, there is an isolated stone island called Socotra Island, which is kilometers long, less than kilometers wide, and about square kilometers.

The name of this island means "Island of Paradise" in Sanskrit. However, this island obviously has nothing to do with paradise, because it is actually an island with a harsh environment, barren land, rocks and gravel, and almost no rainfall, and almost no living resources. However, since it has been isolated from the Eurasian continent and the African continent for 1800 million years, there are many natural wonders on the island. In addition, the unique animal and plant resources here also produce various precious spices, including frankincense, myrrh, ambergris... The most famous of them is a kind of rare living fossil-level tree species, the dragon blood tree, which is only available here and has a crown like a UFO. The resin is called "dragon blood" because of its bright color. It is a precious spice and special trauma medicine that has been famous for a long time since ancient times. It is said that as early as the ancient Egyptian era, the pharaohs often sent people here to collect frankincense, myrrh and dragon blood resin to embalm their mummies a hundred years later, waiting for their resurrection "one day"...

In modern times, due to the location of Socotra Island, which controls the transportation routes between the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea, it became a maritime stronghold of Western colonists hundreds of years ago - first the Portuguese and then the British.

However, by early January 1942, the British left!

Seeing that the Suez Canal had been lost and that they lacked battleships in the Indian Ocean and were unable to confront the Axis naval forces head-on, the British chose to retreat after completely destroying the island's dock facilities, handing over this barren but peaceful island to the German War Navy's Eastern Expeditionary Fleet.

And now, in the capital of Socotra Island, the small town of Hadibu in the bay on the north side of the island, tens of thousands of islanders, from the chieftain to the rest of the islanders, are curiously looking at the several steel warships that are slowly mooring and dropping anchor in the bay - and it seems that these ships are larger than the British ships before...

Compared with the small boats of the British colonists, these huge warships were so huge that the natives were scared to death, thinking that some god had descended again.

These large ships were flying completely unfamiliar flags, unlike the Union Jacks that they had seen before. It seemed that these large ships were still putting small boats full of people into the sea, and after these small boats were put into the sea, they seemed to be slowly heading towards the town. When the small boats reached the shore, the people in brown clothes on the boats, holding their guns, started running towards every corner of the town.

But...what does this have to do with us?

They ignored the British when they were around, and the same goes for these people.

The islanders, who were used to living in peace, looked at the ships on the sea with a little confusion, as well as the figures in military uniforms who were scattered and looking around after landing. Ignoring the soldiers' glances and the incomprehensible chatter, the islanders frowned, blinked, and replied with a language that no one except the locals could understand, @￥%＃￥…… (What did you say? I don't understand), and then looked at the Marines on the other side who were also confused because they didn't understand at all.

Seeing that they didn't seem to have any other reaction besides whispering to each other, the islanders turned around, picked up their things, and went about their business.

Only the Marines, who were completely unable to communicate due to the language barrier, were left standing there, disheveled in the wind.

However, probably because the islanders were peaceful, the landing marines and the locals could not communicate in the same language, but there was no bloodshed. After all, these landing marines were not professional soldiers, but sailors, and they were a little more elegant than the soldiers who only knew how to practice martial arts and fight all day long...

After all, the army is a bunch of idiots, and the navy is a noble branch of the army~

Besides, if there is any problem on this island, there are two battleships and an aircraft carrier right behind the Marines, ready to provide real-time and accurate express delivery services at any time!

The language barrier didn't matter. Since the locals didn't have any resistance, the Marines didn't want to cause trouble. Soon, the Marines successfully controlled the town of Hadibu and several strongholds at the foot of the 1200-meter-high Hajshir Mountain behind the town. Of course, the only water source in the town, the upper reaches of a small stream flowing down from Hajshir Mountain, was also controlled by a team of German Marines. The home of the island chief was also "visited" by dozens of Marines with translators...

After thoroughly confirming the safety of the town, following the report from the Marines, the German warships and transport ships still anchored at sea began to lower the second batch of small boats - these small boats were loaded with a group of engineers. And on the boats were a group of things that looked like terrain survey equipment...

-----Three or four hours later-

"…Huh, we finally sent him off…"

The Persian cat lying on the table, supporting its head with both hands, looked at the nautical chart on the table with a bored look on its face.

Just now, the Marines went to "invite" the chief of the islanders to the ship. With the help of the translator, the captain talked with the chief, who had a very strong local accent and was difficult to understand. Although the general situation was that the captain told the chief that he might have to stay for a while, but as long as the islanders did not cause trouble, he promised to restrain the fleet sailors from disturbing the people, and also hoped that the chief would also restrain the local residents, so that everyone would be good...

Although it seems that the local islanders are not aggressive and have no interest in who will occupy the island and become the owner, so apart from the language barrier, the captain and the chief have no problem talking. But... why do I always feel that this feels a bit like the Imperial Army establishing a maintenance association...

If I remember correctly, it seems that the "True Imperial Army" in the Indian Ocean has also entered the Indian Ocean now, right? It seems that just a few days ago, when I was still in the Red Sea, I received intelligence from Germany, saying that the main force of the Japanese Combined Fleet is now besieging Ceylon Island, forcing back the Allied fleet stationed in the Indian Ocean, which is not very powerful, and even sank the flagship of the British Royal Navy Indian Ocean Fleet, the Hermes aircraft carrier, which did not have time to move out of the attack radius of the Japanese carrier-based aircraft...

The ears are more droopy...

"Okay, okay, let's deal with Britain and the United States first... I remember hearing someone say that in order to defeat the devil, we would rather form an alliance with Satan. I think it was Churchill who said that..."

You see, the Allies all said so, so it doesn’t matter if the Axis powers also said so.

Bismarck shook his head in self-mockery, lowered his head with a depressed look, and continued to look at the map: "...The width of the Arabian Sea is more than 2500 kilometers, and the distance to Ceylon is less than 24 kilometers. In this case, even at the second battle speed of knots, it will probably take less than three days to cross - go there early and throw the stuff to these devils, then we will be done here, and then let them fight the Americans to death!"

The Persian cat, with a depressed look on his face, gnashed his teeth and started mumbling.

but……

“Pah!~”

A big hand gently patted the Persian cat on the head. Before the Persian cat could get angry, a question immediately followed: "What are you mumbling about? Are you thinking about cooperating with Japan again?"

"Hey, Captain?!" After hearing this, the Persian cat was really scared.

Although she hated the Japanese and even had some hatred for them, the captain knew it. But now she was on a German battleship, and the captain was a very serious soldier... If she kept repeating the orders from above, would the captain say anything...

"No, no, I'm thinking about other things. Don't worry, I will definitely complete the task." Bismarck quickly made a promise.

"Oh? Really?" Lütjens obviously didn't believe it.

However, the captain ignored the Persian cat whose eyes were already ringing with fear, and snorted in disdain: "Come to think of it, I know why you hate the Japanese!"

"Huh?" The Persian cat was stunned.

"I just received news that they have captured Trincomalee (the largest port in Ceylon) yesterday. But..." At this point, Lütjens' face also flashed a trace of disgust, and he even slammed a document in his hand directly on the table: "Look, this is what our country's naval and diplomatic liaison team sent to Japan sent to me... They arrived in Trincomalee today, but as soon as they landed, they saw this group of Japanese dwarfs committing large-scale murder, arson, rape and looting... They are simply committing all kinds of evil..."

"Well, that's what he is like..." Bismarck curled his lips in disdain.

Moreover, Lütjens said that it was very strange, because in the army, it is normal for some inhumane behaviors to occur after a long period of extreme tension in combat, but the problem is that this needs to be managed by the military court or the gendarmerie, which is also an evaluation of whether an army is professional - it can be done, but there is a price to pay. This is also the reason why he hates the SS. The army is a killing machine, yes, but it is not a massacre machine.

"Not only did their military police not care about these things, but they also joined the rebellion and kidnapped a large number of local people to the suburbs and then slaughtered them directly... Some people in our liaison team couldn't stand it and found their garrison to stop them, but they were threatened by these guys... There are actually such bastard armies in the world, which really opened my eyes..."

Lütjens didn't know what to say.

Bismarck was not surprised, she had known about it for a long time.

However, looking at the captain's angry face, a certain ship cat was a little confused at first, but then it seemed as if some idea turned over in its head, and it couldn't help but start to feel secretly happy.

After all, Bismarck knew that his captain was a man of chivalry. He still remembered that during the Kristallnacht three years ago, he and Lily were almost captured, and they had no choice but to kill the arresting team. The captain did not treat Himmler well. Later, he even heard that the captain went directly to the mustache and protested to him in person! But probably because he was afraid that he and Lily would worry, he never told him and Lily about this...

Now even the captain hates the Japanese, isn't that a good thing?

The two of them stand on the same front, have the same values, eat, sleep and curse the Japanese every day, and their relationship is getting better and better, hehehe.

Bismarck's ears were originally drooping, but now they popped out with a "BIU".

+1 for offensive and defensive alliance against Japan

(PS: Lütjens was a Jew, and was one of the three generals who protested to the mustache during Kristallnacht. But the mustache appreciated it. And in history, during the Rhine Exercise, even Lütjens himself felt that he was in danger of death and found Raeder, urging him to cancel or modify the plan. However, in the end, it was Lütjens who chose to follow orders and attack...)

Chapter 557: The Garrison is Our Home

"... a little to the left... a little more to the left... yes! Right here! Get down the stakes!"

"okay!!"

---------

On the outskirts of Hadibu Bay on Socotra Island, under the command of the chief naval engineer, one iron pile after another was moved to the designated position, and then driven into the coral reefs of Socotra Island little by little by the engineers with pneumatic hammers. The sea water, which was originally emerald green, and one could even easily see the coral reefs on the seabed, became turbid with the roar of the pneumatic hammers. All of this was seen by Admiral Lütjens, the fleet commander, and Secretary Bismarck, who were standing nearby to inspect the progress of the construction.

Although both the captain and Bismarck knew that such construction would cause serious damage to the coral reefs around the island that took hundreds of millions of years to form, but... there was no other way now...