The Rise of the Third Reich

"What? The British fleet is coming to Toulon?"

At 10:30 pm on May 12, three French admirals who were enjoying dessert received news that the British fleet was approaching. It was not the Germans who informed them but the unreliable Italians. Because it is responsible for "looking after" the French fleet in Toulon Port, the Italian Navy also has communication channels with the French fleet in Toulon Port.

But the Italian Navy Commander-in-Chief, Admiral Inigo Campioni, did not inform the French of the news.

On the one hand, he did not believe that the British had the ability to launch air attacks from aircraft carriers at night; on the other hand, he actually did not want the Germans to get the French navy fleet-he knew that the strength of the French fleet was greater than the Italian fleet. If the Germans took When the French fleet arrives, doesn't it have the most powerful navy in the Mediterranean?

However, his staff informed the Italian destroyer "Mistral" wandering outside Toulon harbor that the British fleet was approaching Toulon. The captain of the destroyer "Mistral" was overly aggressive and asked his men to use a clear telegram to inform the French fleet in Toulon Port of the news.

"What do the British want to do?" Admiral Darlan did not expect that the British would launch a night air attack because the Italians did not tell him that there were two aircraft carriers in the British fleet.

"Maybe they want to persuade us to join the Free French Movement?" Lieutenant General Matthews said.

"This is impossible," Admiral Rappold snorted. "There are Italian mines outside the port of Toulon. We can't leave even if we want to. I think the British must want to attack us!" "He looked at Lieutenant General Matthews, "Lieutenant General, increase your combat readiness immediately!"

"But they are British..."

"Can the British attack us?" Admiral Darlan had just had a few more drinks and was now slightly tipsy. "It's all because of these bad guys that France is in this situation today. Lieutenant General Matthews, I order the entire Port of Toulon to be on the highest alert!"

"Yes, Your Excellency, Commander-in-Chief!" Of course Lieutenant General Matthews did not dare to disobey the military order. He stood up and gave a military salute, then hurriedly left the restaurant and went to call various forts, artillery positions and airports.

Seeing Lieutenant General Matthews leaving, Darlan glanced at Admiral LaPold again. His relationship with the French High Seas Fleet commander was not very friendly. The two have always been rivals in their official careers, and neither of them likes the other. However, this time they rarely agreed on the issue of treating the British. Both of them were relatively anti-British and unwilling to hand over France's last bargaining chip to the British.

"Commander Rappold," Darlan said, "go back to your flagship. Although the fleet cannot get out, they can at least be used as floating forts. Gather the sailors and activate all the battleships, except for the 'Rize If you leave, go to the big parking lot, where you can have an artillery battle with the British."

The Port of Toulon is divided into a large berth and a small berth. The large berth is outside, close to the Sepe Peninsula; the small berth is inside, close to the city of Toulon. The Sepe Peninsula is the gateway to Toulon Port, and the peninsula is dotted with forts and fortresses. Admiral Darlan's battle plan is very simple, which is to use 2 "Breton" class ships, 3 "Guba" class ships and 2 "Dunkirk" class ships to form an artillery column to go to the entrance of the large parking lot. Block the gate and engage the British fleet with the cooperation of the forts on the Sepe Peninsula.

"What about the Richelieu?" Admiral Rappold asked. Although the "Richelieu" has not been completed, the officers and soldiers on the ship are fully equipped (not all on board) and can be launched, and its ammunition magazine also contains 380mm main gun ammunition.

"I will go aboard the Richelieu," Darlan said. "If there is a fight, I will fight the enemy on the Richelieu!"

"So... Admiral," General Rappold hesitated, "If the British really come, should we ask for help from the Germans and Italians?"

"Asking for help?" Darlan glanced at Admiral LaPold, "Now Germany and Italy are still France's enemies! What was just signed is only a temporary armistice treaty... How can France ask for help from its enemies?"

…

Just when Admiral Darlan set off for the battleship "Richelieu", 36 "Swordfish" aircraft had already formed 12 three-aircraft squadrons under the leadership of Commander Major Williamson's L4A aircraft. Under the moonlight, we flew towards Toulon Port.

Because these "Swordfish" aircraft were loaded with heavy torpedoes and bombs and carried extra fuel, they flew very slowly, with a speed of just over 140 kilometers per hour. The short journey of 170 nautical miles took more than 2 hours. Taking into account the time spent taking off and forming the team in the air, it took almost 3 hours. Just before 11 o'clock in the evening, 36 "Swordfish" finally slowly approached the Sepe Peninsula.

Just when the fleet was still about 10 kilometers away from the peninsula, the French army's air defense listeners deployed on the Sepe Peninsula discovered them. An air defense siren suddenly sounded on the Sepe Peninsula. The beams of the French searchlights turned on and kept turning. Some anti-aircraft guns that reacted too aggressively immediately sprayed out tongues of flame, and the sky was filled with fire nets.

"My God, the French are prepared!"

"The surprise attack was unsuccessful!"

"Major, their firepower is too strong, we can't rush through at all!"

An exclamation came from Major Williamson's earpiece. According to the original plan, he was to lead the fleet to pass over the Sepe Peninsula. With the dense network of fire in front of him, it was obvious that he couldn't break through forcefully. However, he also soon discovered that there were big loopholes in the French air defense network. Only the fire network on the Sepe Peninsula was soaring into the sky, but the large parking lot (the entrance to Toulon Port) was quiet. Obviously the French were not there. "Air defense ships" are deployed there.

"Attention all, I am Major Williamson," Major Williamson began to give the order, "We rush in from the front of the big berth, bypass the Seppe Peninsula, and rush into Toulon Port!"

In the exceptionally tall command tower of the battleship "Richelieu", Admiral Darlan, who had just boarded the ship, was also shocked to learn that there was an air attack by enemy planes.

"Are you sure it's an enemy plane?" He still couldn't believe it. "Could it be a German plane flying from Naya?"

"Not completely sure," Captain Henry, the captain of the Richelieu, immediately replied, "but we must regard them as enemies... Even the Germans are still our enemies now! Moreover, if they have no ill intentions, they will see The artillery fire on the Sepe Peninsula will naturally leave.”

Admiral Darlan thought for a while, and felt that this was true, and quickly asked: "Can the 'Richelieu' move now?"

"Not that much," Colonel Henry shook his head, "Besides, the officers and sailors haven't arrived yet, and there aren't even one-third of the people on the ship..."

The battleship is not meant to start immediately. It takes at least 15 minutes for the heavy oil to be ignited, and then the water can be boiled to drive the turbine. It's considered fast if it starts within 30-45 minutes. Moreover, the French High Seas Fleet is now trapped in the harbor waiting for its retreat, and its level of war preparation is very low. Many officers and sailors were not on board, and gathering them would take time. If the British fleet came for an artillery battle after dawn, the fleet could move, but it is impossible to move now.

"Damn it!" Darlan cursed, "Hurry up and arrange for people to go to the anti-aircraft gun emplacements, and organize the damage control team immediately..."

"As you command, Admiral!"

Darlan remembered something at this time and shouted: "Send a message to the Admiralty and tell them that the port of Toulon has been attacked by an air attack!"

Not a few minutes after Darlan's order was issued, a few small suns suddenly dropped over the big anchorage, illuminating the harbor shrouded in darkness as if it were daytime.

"Flare bombs!" Darlan took a breath, it was an enemy plane! Probably British...

"The surprise attack was successful!" Major Williamson shouted.

He was relieved. There was no dense anti-aircraft gun fire network waiting for them at the big anchorage!

By the light of the flares, he discovered that there were many cruisers, destroyers or other auxiliary ships parked on the sea. Most of them were quiet as if no one was driving them.

This is an unsuspecting fleet, which is in sharp contrast to the intensive anti-aircraft firepower on the Sepe Peninsula just now. Major Williamson, who had a background in the Navy, knew very well how long it would take for a stalled and parked warship to start... This was enough time for his "Swordfish" aircraft to cause huge damage.

"Bombing Squadron," he ordered over the radio, "go bomb the oil depots!"

There is a large oil depot belonging to the French Navy in the Port of Toulon, which stores millions of gallons of heavy oil!

"The torpedo squadron follows me," he ordered again, "Let's go to the small anchorage. The French battleships should be there! Remember, we don't have many torpedoes, so don't waste them."

He only brought 18 torpedo planes, each with only 1 torpedo. This should be used sparingly. The destroyers and cruisers in the big anchorage will be stopped and all will be reserved to deal with the battleships in the smaller anchorage.

Five minutes later, 18 Swordfish aircraft carrying torpedoes and 1 Swordfish aircraft carrying flares rushed into the small anchorage. The battleships here were obviously somewhat prepared. Dazzling searchlights and red and orange tracer bullets were fired at the same time, but they were not too dense.

Facing the French anti-aircraft firepower, the "Swordfish" aircraft piloted by Major Williamson and a three-plane formation composed of two other "Swordfish" launched the first attack. The torpedo he dropped hit the flagship "Bretta" of the French High Seas Fleet. "Bretagne", and another torpedo also hit the "Brittany". Another three-machine formation found the huge "Richelieu", causing the unfinished battleship to also eat a torpedo. At the same time, the "Guba", "Provence" and "Strasbourg" each suffered a British torpedo...