THE SHOWBOAT engages THE IRON CHANCELLOR

[oscssw]

May 11, 2022 16:52:39 GMT 575 said:

I really like your writing style.
And looking forward to days ahead.

575, I owe my "style" to the fact I have written thousands of log book entries. I am also a beneficiary of a really good elementary & secondary Parochial school education.  Those nuns were both dedicated and tough enough to get the best out of me, despite myself.  Served me very well in college, grad school and even in the old Nav too, especially at Boot Camp. That's another story for another time.  

[lordroel]

May 11, 2022 17:04:21 GMT oscssw said:

May 11, 2022 14:31:12 GMT lordroel said:

Senior Chief (oscssw ), you did nice work as such i am going to give you this, the Grand Order of the Master Writer whether you like it ore not.

Thank you my friend.  I don't think I deserve it but if you do I will be proud to accept it. 

Funny thing is, I am really enjoying the research, (learning a hell of a lot more about subjects I THOUGHT I knew well) and the egotist in me gets a kick out of reading a coherent and somewhat entertaining sea story. Enough said.

You deserve it, i award these to members who love and work to create their TLs and who i feel are good, yours marks all three what i have said.

May 11, 2022 17:21:03 GMT oscssw said:

May 11, 2022 16:52:39 GMT 575 said:

I really like your writing style.
And looking forward to days ahead.

575, I owe my "style" to the fact I have written thousands of log book entries. I am also a beneficiary of a really good elementary & secondary Parochial school education.  Those nuns were both dedicated and tough enough to get the best out of me, despite myself.  Served me very well in college, grad school and even in the old Nav too, especially at Boot Camp. That's another story for another time.  

Well if you think a log book entry TL suits you the best, keep doing it.

[oscssw]

THE SHOWBOAT engages THE IRON CHANCELLOR 16 May Update. What are the Ami's doing?

1 Mar 1941. RMC Kenneth O’Shea reports aboard BB-55. Lee had called in a few makers from a buddy at Bureau of Navigation to have O’shea transferred to his new ship.

27 March 1941 “ABC-1” Joint Staff agreement signed. ABC-1” defined what roles US and UK forces would play while the United States was still neutral. The USN was to ensure the defense of the Wester Hemispher. The sea lines of communication linking the British to the Western Hemisphere were vital, Per CNO Stark’s “Plan Dog” memo of 12 Nov ‘40 approved by FDR.
ABC-1 also formally authorized and encouraged the long established,tactical and technical information sharing between OpNav and the Admiralty. It also authorized cross posting of USN and RN Officers to share latest operational practices and TIMELY intel sharing.

Admiral King was very sceptical about the type of Intel the damn Brits would be sharing. Publicly Ernie was silent on most personal matters but his animosity to the RN began to come out in WWI. He was on Admiral Mayo's staff and interacted often and routinely with his British “peers”. They were incredably condescending snobs and made it clear the USN was definitely the junior partner and as “New Boy”, had a lot to learn before it’s opinion would matter. Ernie also had a VERY low opinion of the 1941 RN. He didn’t trust that they could live up to their commitments without massive US support, thought some of their plans for the European theater were using American blood to protect a post war surviving British Empire. While he also had seen many of their plans proven to be total house of cards, none more so than the stunningly rapid fall of Singapore in early 1942, collapsing any chance of a robust Allied defense of the Dutch East Indies.

Therefore when asked, he advised his superiors to rely more on home grown intel not only from ONI & the Army’s Military Intelligence Corps but other US government departments; even Wild Bill Donovan’s OSS. He ordered his subordinates to do the same thing. He had read and was very impressed by the the work of USCG LCdr Jones’ Code and Sypher Branch “Unit 387”. He had no idea that the “brains and real leader of “Unit 387” was veteran civilian Code Breaker Elizabeth Smith Feldman. The Coasties “Unit 387” in execution of it’s Port Security responsibilities was especially successful in identifying Nazi spies providing Convoy composition, escort force and departure dates.

28 APR 1941 BB-55 returns to Boston Naval Shipyard for latest upgrades and recalibration to her fire control and search radars. Lee instructed BB-55 Navigator to free LT. Tolley up as much as possible from his normal Asistant Navigator responsibilities He redisgnated him Tolley as “Tracking compartment Officer” Later that day Lee ordered the newly apointed “Tracking compartment Officer” to have the Chart room converted to a “Tracking compartment”. The chart room, was right aft of the CO’s’s bridge, already had good IC, a chart table, A TBS radio remote and a (DRT Dead reckoning Tracer). The DRT would be Lees his viusal plot. It had automatic input of own ship’s course and speed from pitlog and gyrocompas. To this Lee wanted Tolley to add up to date Radar, visual, HFDF and other units info.

Tolley had been doing a good job learning everything available about radar. Lee authorized Tolley to give him a list of junior QM, RM, Petty officers and non rated with civilian expereince he considered useful for his “tracking Team”. Lee as CO would resassign the men and hopefully Lt. Tolley would not suffer retribution of his seniors. Lee had also assigned RMC Ken O’Shea to the tracking Team. As a RM2 O’Shea had participated in the successful “radar” trial aboard the DD U.S.S. Leary in 1937. RM2 O’Shea had been transferred to U.S.S. New York in June of 1938. Given his “Radar” experience he once again took part in the "breadboard" test, of a more formalized prototype, called the XAF, installed on the battleship in December, 1938. This 200 megahertz (MHz) frequency set produced 15 kilowatt (KW) pulses, each 5 microseconds (usec) wide. It had a large planar antenna, dubbed the "flying mattress". Performance was so good that 20 more sets, called CXAM, were built and put into service on battleships, cruisers, aircraft carriers and a seaplane tender. Very successful as search radars, these sets were used through the entire war. Thanks to a letter of comendation from the NRL test supervisor O’Shea became an RM1 with a special notation in his srevice record of his “extensive experience with Radio Direction Finding”. He was an RD before there were RD’s . Tolley and his RMC drove his “kids” very very hard because they both knew the time was very short and they all had a lot to learn.

11 MAY ‘41 0035 CO BB-55 is at home. Lee also thought his new Tracking Compartment would give him a real edge,( once he leraned how to use it), especilly with Tolley and O’Shea in chnarge. It really struck him funny that the Tracking Compartment idea came from an old SciFi novel spaceship Directrix in the Lensman novels of E. E, Smith and influenced by the works of his friend and collaborator retired USN Officer Robert Heinlein.

15 MAY’41Convoy HX 123 departs Halifax Nova Scotia to Liverpool with 43 merchants
Was considered fast convoy made up of ships that could make 9–13kn. A parallel series of slow convoys, the SC series, was run for ships making 8kn or less, while ships making more than 13 knots sailed independently. The HX convoys were comparatively fast convoys, they were less vulnerable to U-boat attack than the slow convoys, but they were still very vulnerable to large surface raiders, like Bismarck and The Prince. Therfore the escort included an old BB if at all possible. HX-123 escorts were:
1 Old BB HMS Ramillies
4 Town class Ex USN WW I DDs
including the future famous HMSCampbeltown, ExUSN DD 131, of the St Nazaire Raid
3 Modified WW I W class DDs
7 Flower class Corvets
3 old ASW sloops
1 Armed Merchant Cruiser
16 MAY 1941 1900 Most of yesterday and today were spent exercising TG 39.1 in accordance with RDML Henry Hewitt’s own opertional doctrine. Work was needed to get his CO’s thinking like their TG Commander but that would come in short order. He did find one area of real concern ; simulated battle damage drills during shoot-exes. These ships have to be preapared to deal with multiple emergencies while still maintaining their accuracy and rate of fire. If Jutland showed amything German warships were tough opponents and he intended TG39.1 to be as tougher. It was quite obvious this needed immediate remedy and he would schedule TG drills to begin to rectify this tomorrow.
19 MAY1941 Convoy HX 123 950 miles south East of Halifax.
BB HMS Ramillies, has a catastrophic casualty to a high pressure turbine. The internal explosion fractures the casing sending shrapnel through the engine room that cuts down the Chief ERA and many of the engineers. Much of the piping requires patching and replacement. Serious damage is done the engine room’s other high pressure turbine. On inspection, it is determined the 2nd turbine requires shipyard repair. With her speed substantially reduced Ramillies is ordered back to Halifax with a W class DD and ASW sloop as escort.

24 MAY ‘41 2300 CV Victorious, BBs King George V, Rodney, and Ramillies, the battle-cruiser Repulseand four cruisers were taking up positions to intercept the KMS Bismarck and The prince, based on last known positioned radioed by Vice-Admiral Lancelot Holland signals as he withdraws his badly battered force.
25 MAY ‘41 0430 Victorious launches a search force of three Fairey Fulmar reconnaissance aircraft/fighter using datum provided by a damaged HMS Norfolk as a starting point of a sector search. They found HMS Norfolk but marginal visual conditions, poor communications caused by her damage antennas and the FAA’s over eagerness to avange the RN had them see what they wanted to sea... Bismarck. The flight leader radioed back her posit as that of Bismarck.
25 MAY ‘41 0530 Victorous launched her ready strike force of 7 torpedo armed Swordfish supported by five Fulmar monoplanes 8 wing mounted and one rear cockpit 0.303 Vickers K machine guns and two 250 lb bombs.
25 MAY ‘41 0625 Norfolk’s lookout report the strike but Wake-Walker and Al Phillips, informed of the strike by Victorious, order their Guns Tight and go over the tanoy speaker to inform the AA crews those are British aircraft going after Bismack and Prince Eugene. The crews cheer on the airmen until the Gunnery officer notices the swordfish have dropped down to torpedo launch height in a classic hammerhead formation. He informs Captain Philipps who comes to the same conclusion and immediately orders his communicators to signal they are friendly along with the recognition code. He also orders his signalmen to do the same and reiterates over the tanoy guns are tight. “Do not fire.”
25 MAY ‘41 0630 Fulmars conduct glide bomb and strafing attack on Norfolk to cover swordfish torpedo runs. Results are 2 near misses, open up many small but not fatal leaks and Norfolk’s AA gun crews are decimated by those 40 .303 Vickers K machine guns.
25 MAY ‘41 0631 Captain Philipps orders Guns free Air action commence, commence, commence. The remaining Norfolk AA gunners pour in a heavy fire upon the “String Bags” but the Hammerhead formation splits up the remaining AA gun mounts and ensures no matter which way Philipps maneuvers his ship will get hit. Result is two Swordfish downed before they reach launch posit, 5 torpedoes launched, one sinks, 1 circles until it runs out of fuel and three0 bore in for the ship. Philipps evades two but the one and the last scores a hit high on the armored blt amidships with a low order detonation doing minimal damage. Luck and good damage control save a very pissed off ship.
25 MAY ‘41 0735 Strike returns to Victorius convinced they seriously damaged Bismarck but confused there was no sign of The Prince. All four Fulmars, two with moderate damage and 4 of the Swordfish make it back to Victorious, one String Bag’s damaged undercariage colapses on landing shakes up the crew but no serious injuries. The strike is hailed by their Captain and shipmates but the losses were too heavy for them to celebrate. The senior flight surgeon authorizes medicinal rum to the survivors.
25 MAY ‘41 0750 Flag Officer First Cruiser Squadron (CS1) establishes communications with Prince of Whales who relays message to Victorious, copied to Tovey and Admiralty he has just torpedoed HMS Norfolk and gives her posit. The man was justifiably pissed off.
25 MAY ‘41 0755 Captain Philips orders an immediate “medicinal” issue of rum to all hands.
25 MAY ‘41 0810 Victorious XO informs the strike of what they actually did.

25 MAY ‘41 1130 Admiral of the Fleet Sir Alfred Dudley Pickman Rogers Pound arrived at No. 10 Downing street for a “Come to Jesus” meeting with Prime Minister Churchill. He fully expected to be sacked. Churchill greeted him cordially and over cigars and scotch had a frank discussion of what the RN was going to do about “Sinking the Bismack”. Maybe Churchill’s memory of his Dardanel’s catastrophe or the fact Pound had given oustanding service and loyalty, Winston referred to Dudley as “My Anchor”, praise not a slur. Pound left the meeting with his command flag still flying.

[stevep]

May 17, 2022 1:20:49 GMT oscssw said:

THE SHOWBOAT engages THE IRON CHANCELLOR 16 May Update. What are the Ami's doing?

1 Mar 1941. RMC Kenneth O’Shea reports aboard BB-55. Lee had called in a few makers from a buddy at Bureau of Navigation to have O’shea transferred to his new ship.

27 March 1941 “ABC-1” Joint Staff agreement signed. ABC-1” defined what roles US and UK forces would play while the United States was still neutral. The USN was to ensure the defense of the Wester Hemispher. The sea lines of communication linking the British to the Western Hemisphere were vital, Per CNO Stark’s “Plan Dog” memo of 12 Nov ‘40 approved by FDR.
ABC-1 also formally authorized and encouraged the long established,tactical and technical information sharing between OpNav and the Admiralty. It also authorized cross posting of USN and RN Officers to share latest operational practices and TIMELY intel sharing.

Admiral King was very sceptical about the type of Intel the damn Brits would be sharing. Publicly Ernie was silent on most personal matters but his animosity to the RN began to come out in WWI. He was on Admiral Mayo's staff and interacted often and routinely with his British “peers”. They were incredably condescending snobs and made it clear the USN was definitely the junior partner and as “New Boy”, had a lot to learn before it’s opinion would matter. Ernie also had a VERY low opinion of the 1941 RN. He didn’t trust that they could live up to their commitments without massive US support, thought some of their plans for the European theater were using American blood to protect a post war surviving British Empire. While he also had seen many of their plans proven to be total house of cards, none more so than the stunningly rapid fall of Singapore in early 1942, collapsing any chance of a robust Allied defense of the Dutch East Indies.

Therefore when asked, he advised his superiors to rely more on home grown intel not only from ONI & the Army’s Military Intelligence Corps but other US government departments; even Wild Bill Donovan’s OSS. He ordered his subordinates to do the same thing. He had read and was very impressed by the the work of USCG LCdr Jones’ Code and Sypher Branch “Unit 387”. He had no idea that the “brains and real leader of “Unit 387” was veteran civilian Code Breaker Elizabeth Smith Feldman. The Coasties “Unit 387” in execution of it’s Port Security responsibilities was especially successful in identifying Nazi spies providing Convoy composition, escort force and departure dates.

28 APR 1941 BB-55 returns to Boston Naval Shipyard for latest upgrades and recalibration to her fire control and search radars. Lee instructed BB-55 Navigator to free LT. Tolley up as much as possible from his normal Asistant Navigator responsibilities He redisgnated him Tolley as “Tracking compartment Officer” Later that day Lee ordered the newly apointed “Tracking compartment Officer” to have the Chart room converted to a “Tracking compartment”. The chart room, was right aft of the CO’s’s bridge, already had good IC, a chart table, A TBS radio remote and a (DRT Dead reckoning Tracer). The DRT would be Lees his viusal plot. It had automatic input of own ship’s course and speed from pitlog and gyrocompas. To this Lee wanted Tolley to add up to date Radar, visual, HFDF and other units info.

Tolley had been doing a good job learning everything available about radar. Lee authorized Tolley to give him a list of junior QM, RM, Petty officers and non rated with civilian expereince he considered useful for his “tracking Team”. Lee as CO would resassign the men and hopefully Lt. Tolley would not suffer retribution of his seniors. Lee had also assigned RMC Ken O’Shea to the tracking Team. As a RM2 O’Shea had participated in the successful “radar” trial aboard the DD U.S.S. Leary in 1937. RM2 O’Shea had been transferred to U.S.S. New York in June of 1938. Given his “Radar” experience he once again took part in the "breadboard" test, of a more formalized prototype, called the XAF, installed on the battleship in December, 1938. This 200 megahertz (MHz) frequency set produced 15 kilowatt (KW) pulses, each 5 microseconds (usec) wide. It had a large planar antenna, dubbed the "flying mattress". Performance was so good that 20 more sets, called CXAM, were built and put into service on battleships, cruisers, aircraft carriers and a seaplane tender. Very successful as search radars, these sets were used through the entire war. Thanks to a letter of comendation from the NRL test supervisor O’Shea became an RM1 with a special notation in his srevice record of his “extensive experience with Radio Direction Finding”. He was an RD before there were RD’s . Tolley and his RMC drove his “kids” very very hard because they both knew the time was very short and they all had a lot to learn.

11 MAY ‘41 0035 CO BB-55 is at home. Lee also thought his new Tracking Compartment would give him a real edge,( once he leraned how to use it), especilly with Tolley and O’Shea in chnarge. It really struck him funny that the Tracking Compartment idea came from an old SciFi novel spaceship Directrix in the Lensman novels of E. E, Smith and influenced by the works of his friend and collaborator retired USN Officer Robert Heinlein.

15 MAY’41Convoy HX 123 departs Halifax Nova Scotia to Liverpool with 43 merchants
Was considered fast convoy made up of ships that could make 9–13kn. A parallel series of slow convoys, the SC series, was run for ships making 8kn or less, while ships making more than 13 knots sailed independently. The HX convoys were comparatively fast convoys, they were less vulnerable to U-boat attack than the slow convoys, but they were still very vulnerable to large surface raiders, like Bismarck and The Prince. Therfore the escort included an old BB if at all possible. HX-123 escorts were:
1 Old BB HMS Ramillies
4 Town class Ex USN WW I DDs
including the future famous HMSCampbeltown, ExUSN DD 131, of the St Nazaire Raid
3 Modified WW I W class DDs
7 Flower class Corvets
3 old ASW sloops
1 Armed Merchant Cruiser
16 MAY 1941 1900 Most of yesterday and today were spent exercising TG 39.1 in accordance with RDML Henry Hewitt’s own opertional doctrine. Work was needed to get his CO’s thinking like their TG Commander but that would come in short order. He did find one area of real concern ; simulated battle damage drills during shoot-exes. These ships have to be preapared to deal with multiple emergencies while still maintaining their accuracy and rate of fire. If Jutland showed amything German warships were tough opponents and he intended TG39.1 to be as tougher. It was quite obvious this needed immediate remedy and he would schedule TG drills to begin to rectify this tomorrow.
19 MAY1941 Convoy HX 123 950 miles south East of Halifax.
BB HMS Ramillies, has a catastrophic casualty to a high pressure turbine. The internal explosion fractures the casing sending shrapnel through the engine room that cuts down the Chief ERA and many of the engineers. Much of the piping requires patching and replacement. Serious damage is done the engine room’s other high pressure turbine. On inspection, it is determined the 2nd turbine requires shipyard repair. With her speed substantially reduced Ramillies is ordered back to Halifax with a W class DD and ASW sloop as escort.

24 MAY ‘41 2300 CV Victorious, BBs King George V, Rodney, and Ramillies, the battle-cruiser Repulseand four cruisers were taking up positions to intercept the KMS Bismarck and The prince, based on last known positioned radioed by Vice-Admiral Lancelot Holland signals as he withdraws his badly battered force.
25 MAY ‘41 0430 Victorious launches a search force of three Fairey Fulmar reconnaissance aircraft/fighter using datum provided by a damaged HMS Norfolk as a starting point of a sector search. They found HMS Norfolk but marginal visual conditions, poor communications caused by her damage antennas and the FAA’s over eagerness to avange the RN had them see what they wanted to sea... Bismarck. The flight leader radioed back her posit as that of Bismarck.
25 MAY ‘41 0530 Victorous launched her ready strike force of 7 torpedo armed Swordfish supported by five Fulmar monoplanes 8 wing mounted and one rear cockpit 0.303 Vickers K machine guns and two 250 lb bombs.
25 MAY ‘41 0625 Norfolk’s lookout report the strike but Wake-Walker and Al Phillips, informed of the strike by Victorious, order their Guns Tight and go over the tanoy speaker to inform the AA crews those are British aircraft going after Bismack and Prince Eugene. The crews cheer on the airmen until the Gunnery officer notices the swordfish have dropped down to torpedo launch height in a classic hammerhead formation. He informs Captain Philipps who comes to the same conclusion and immediately orders his communicators to signal they are friendly along with the recognition code. He also orders his signalmen to do the same and reiterates over the tanoy guns are tight. “Do not fire.”
25 MAY ‘41 0630 Fulmars conduct glide bomb and strafing attack on Norfolk to cover swordfish torpedo runs. Results are 2 near misses, open up many small but not fatal leaks and Norfolk’s AA gun crews are decimated by those 40 .303 Vickers K machine guns.
25 MAY ‘41 0631 Captain Philipps orders Guns free Air action commence, commence, commence. The remaining Norfolk AA gunners pour in a heavy fire upon the “String Bags” but the Hammerhead formation splits up the remaining AA gun mounts and ensures no matter which way Philipps maneuvers his ship will get hit. Result is two Swordfish downed before they reach launch posit, 5 torpedoes launched, one sinks, 1 circles until it runs out of fuel and three0 bore in for the ship. Philipps evades two but the one and the last scores a hit high on the armored blt amidships with a low order detonation doing minimal damage. Luck and good damage control save a very pissed off ship.
25 MAY ‘41 0735 Strike returns to Victorius convinced they seriously damaged Bismarck but confused there was no sign of The Prince. All four Fulmars, two with moderate damage and 4 of the Swordfish make it back to Victorious, one String Bag’s damaged undercariage colapses on landing shakes up the crew but no serious injuries. The strike is hailed by their Captain and shipmates but the losses were too heavy for them to celebrate. The senior flight surgeon authorizes medicinal rum to the survivors.
25 MAY ‘41 0750 Flag Officer First Cruiser Squadron (CS1) establishes communications with Prince of Whales who relays message to Victorious, copied to Tovey and Admiralty he has just torpedoed HMS Norfolk and gives her posit. The man was justifiably pissed off.
25 MAY ‘41 0755 Captain Philips orders an immediate “medicinal” issue of rum to all hands.
25 MAY ‘41 0810 Victorious XO informs the strike of what they actually did.

25 MAY ‘41 1130 Admiral of the Fleet Sir Alfred Dudley Pickman Rogers Pound arrived at No. 10 Downing street for a “Come to Jesus” meeting with Prime Minister Churchill. He fully expected to be sacked. Churchill greeted him cordially and over cigars and scotch had a frank discussion of what the RN was going to do about “Sinking the Bismack”. Maybe Churchill’s memory of his Dardanel’s catastrophe or the fact Pound had given oustanding service and loyalty, Winston referred to Dudley as “My Anchor”, praise not a slur. Pound left the meeting with his command flag still flying.

  Well pretty much everything that can do continued to go wrong for the RN.  What actually directs the Bismarck far enough west that it clashes with the USN?  Also would it be alone as Prince Eugen was already running low on fuel by the OTL Denmark Straits clash?

[575]

Oi, oi, oi; fog of war and bad recognition..
Staying tuned!

[lordroel]

May 17, 2022 1:20:49 GMT oscssw said:

THE SHOWBOAT engages THE IRON CHANCELLOR 16 May Update. What are the Ami's doing?

1 Mar 1941. RMC Kenneth O’Shea reports aboard BB-55. Lee had called in a few makers from a buddy at Bureau of Navigation to have O’shea transferred to his new ship.

27 March 1941 “ABC-1” Joint Staff agreement signed. ABC-1” defined what roles US and UK forces would play while the United States was still neutral. The USN was to ensure the defense of the Wester Hemispher. The sea lines of communication linking the British to the Western Hemisphere were vital, Per CNO Stark’s “Plan Dog” memo of 12 Nov ‘40 approved by FDR.
ABC-1 also formally authorized and encouraged the long established,tactical and technical information sharing between OpNav and the Admiralty. It also authorized cross posting of USN and RN Officers to share latest operational practices and TIMELY intel sharing.

Admiral King was very sceptical about the type of Intel the damn Brits would be sharing. Publicly Ernie was silent on most personal matters but his animosity to the RN began to come out in WWI. He was on Admiral Mayo's staff and interacted often and routinely with his British “peers”. They were incredably condescending snobs and made it clear the USN was definitely the junior partner and as “New Boy”, had a lot to learn before it’s opinion would matter. Ernie also had a VERY low opinion of the 1941 RN. He didn’t trust that they could live up to their commitments without massive US support, thought some of their plans for the European theater were using American blood to protect a post war surviving British Empire. While he also had seen many of their plans proven to be total house of cards, none more so than the stunningly rapid fall of Singapore in early 1942, collapsing any chance of a robust Allied defense of the Dutch East Indies.

Therefore when asked, he advised his superiors to rely more on home grown intel not only from ONI & the Army’s Military Intelligence Corps but other US government departments; even Wild Bill Donovan’s OSS. He ordered his subordinates to do the same thing. He had read and was very impressed by the the work of USCG LCdr Jones’ Code and Sypher Branch “Unit 387”. He had no idea that the “brains and real leader of “Unit 387” was veteran civilian Code Breaker Elizabeth Smith Feldman. The Coasties “Unit 387” in execution of it’s Port Security responsibilities was especially successful in identifying Nazi spies providing Convoy composition, escort force and departure dates.

28 APR 1941 BB-55 returns to Boston Naval Shipyard for latest upgrades and recalibration to her fire control and search radars. Lee instructed BB-55 Navigator to free LT. Tolley up as much as possible from his normal Asistant Navigator responsibilities He redisgnated him Tolley as “Tracking compartment Officer” Later that day Lee ordered the newly apointed “Tracking compartment Officer” to have the Chart room converted to a “Tracking compartment”. The chart room, was right aft of the CO’s’s bridge, already had good IC, a chart table, A TBS radio remote and a (DRT Dead reckoning Tracer). The DRT would be Lees his viusal plot. It had automatic input of own ship’s course and speed from pitlog and gyrocompas. To this Lee wanted Tolley to add up to date Radar, visual, HFDF and other units info.

Tolley had been doing a good job learning everything available about radar. Lee authorized Tolley to give him a list of junior QM, RM, Petty officers and non rated with civilian expereince he considered useful for his “tracking Team”. Lee as CO would resassign the men and hopefully Lt. Tolley would not suffer retribution of his seniors. Lee had also assigned RMC Ken O’Shea to the tracking Team. As a RM2 O’Shea had participated in the successful “radar” trial aboard the DD U.S.S. Leary in 1937. RM2 O’Shea had been transferred to U.S.S. New York in June of 1938. Given his “Radar” experience he once again took part in the "breadboard" test, of a more formalized prototype, called the XAF, installed on the battleship in December, 1938. This 200 megahertz (MHz) frequency set produced 15 kilowatt (KW) pulses, each 5 microseconds (usec) wide. It had a large planar antenna, dubbed the "flying mattress". Performance was so good that 20 more sets, called CXAM, were built and put into service on battleships, cruisers, aircraft carriers and a seaplane tender. Very successful as search radars, these sets were used through the entire war. Thanks to a letter of comendation from the NRL test supervisor O’Shea became an RM1 with a special notation in his srevice record of his “extensive experience with Radio Direction Finding”. He was an RD before there were RD’s . Tolley and his RMC drove his “kids” very very hard because they both knew the time was very short and they all had a lot to learn.

11 MAY ‘41 0035 CO BB-55 is at home. Lee also thought his new Tracking Compartment would give him a real edge,( once he leraned how to use it), especilly with Tolley and O’Shea in chnarge. It really struck him funny that the Tracking Compartment idea came from an old SciFi novel spaceship Directrix in the Lensman novels of E. E, Smith and influenced by the works of his friend and collaborator retired USN Officer Robert Heinlein.

15 MAY’41Convoy HX 123 departs Halifax Nova Scotia to Liverpool with 43 merchants
Was considered fast convoy made up of ships that could make 9–13kn. A parallel series of slow convoys, the SC series, was run for ships making 8kn or less, while ships making more than 13 knots sailed independently. The HX convoys were comparatively fast convoys, they were less vulnerable to U-boat attack than the slow convoys, but they were still very vulnerable to large surface raiders, like Bismarck and The Prince. Therfore the escort included an old BB if at all possible. HX-123 escorts were:
1 Old BB HMS Ramillies
4 Town class Ex USN WW I DDs
including the future famous HMSCampbeltown, ExUSN DD 131, of the St Nazaire Raid
3 Modified WW I W class DDs
7 Flower class Corvets
3 old ASW sloops
1 Armed Merchant Cruiser
16 MAY 1941 1900 Most of yesterday and today were spent exercising TG 39.1 in accordance with RDML Henry Hewitt’s own opertional doctrine. Work was needed to get his CO’s thinking like their TG Commander but that would come in short order. He did find one area of real concern ; simulated battle damage drills during shoot-exes. These ships have to be preapared to deal with multiple emergencies while still maintaining their accuracy and rate of fire. If Jutland showed amything German warships were tough opponents and he intended TG39.1 to be as tougher. It was quite obvious this needed immediate remedy and he would schedule TG drills to begin to rectify this tomorrow.
19 MAY1941 Convoy HX 123 950 miles south East of Halifax.
BB HMS Ramillies, has a catastrophic casualty to a high pressure turbine. The internal explosion fractures the casing sending shrapnel through the engine room that cuts down the Chief ERA and many of the engineers. Much of the piping requires patching and replacement. Serious damage is done the engine room’s other high pressure turbine. On inspection, it is determined the 2nd turbine requires shipyard repair. With her speed substantially reduced Ramillies is ordered back to Halifax with a W class DD and ASW sloop as escort.

24 MAY ‘41 2300 CV Victorious, BBs King George V, Rodney, and Ramillies, the battle-cruiser Repulseand four cruisers were taking up positions to intercept the KMS Bismarck and The prince, based on last known positioned radioed by Vice-Admiral Lancelot Holland signals as he withdraws his badly battered force.
25 MAY ‘41 0430 Victorious launches a search force of three Fairey Fulmar reconnaissance aircraft/fighter using datum provided by a damaged HMS Norfolk as a starting point of a sector search. They found HMS Norfolk but marginal visual conditions, poor communications caused by her damage antennas and the FAA’s over eagerness to avange the RN had them see what they wanted to sea... Bismarck. The flight leader radioed back her posit as that of Bismarck.
25 MAY ‘41 0530 Victorous launched her ready strike force of 7 torpedo armed Swordfish supported by five Fulmar monoplanes 8 wing mounted and one rear cockpit 0.303 Vickers K machine guns and two 250 lb bombs.
25 MAY ‘41 0625 Norfolk’s lookout report the strike but Wake-Walker and Al Phillips, informed of the strike by Victorious, order their Guns Tight and go over the tanoy speaker to inform the AA crews those are British aircraft going after Bismack and Prince Eugene. The crews cheer on the airmen until the Gunnery officer notices the swordfish have dropped down to torpedo launch height in a classic hammerhead formation. He informs Captain Philipps who comes to the same conclusion and immediately orders his communicators to signal they are friendly along with the recognition code. He also orders his signalmen to do the same and reiterates over the tanoy guns are tight. “Do not fire.”
25 MAY ‘41 0630 Fulmars conduct glide bomb and strafing attack on Norfolk to cover swordfish torpedo runs. Results are 2 near misses, open up many small but not fatal leaks and Norfolk’s AA gun crews are decimated by those 40 .303 Vickers K machine guns.
25 MAY ‘41 0631 Captain Philipps orders Guns free Air action commence, commence, commence. The remaining Norfolk AA gunners pour in a heavy fire upon the “String Bags” but the Hammerhead formation splits up the remaining AA gun mounts and ensures no matter which way Philipps maneuvers his ship will get hit. Result is two Swordfish downed before they reach launch posit, 5 torpedoes launched, one sinks, 1 circles until it runs out of fuel and three0 bore in for the ship. Philipps evades two but the one and the last scores a hit high on the armored blt amidships with a low order detonation doing minimal damage. Luck and good damage control save a very pissed off ship.
25 MAY ‘41 0735 Strike returns to Victorius convinced they seriously damaged Bismarck but confused there was no sign of The Prince. All four Fulmars, two with moderate damage and 4 of the Swordfish make it back to Victorious, one String Bag’s damaged undercariage colapses on landing shakes up the crew but no serious injuries. The strike is hailed by their Captain and shipmates but the losses were too heavy for them to celebrate. The senior flight surgeon authorizes medicinal rum to the survivors.
25 MAY ‘41 0750 Flag Officer First Cruiser Squadron (CS1) establishes communications with Prince of Whales who relays message to Victorious, copied to Tovey and Admiralty he has just torpedoed HMS Norfolk and gives her posit. The man was justifiably pissed off.
25 MAY ‘41 0755 Captain Philips orders an immediate “medicinal” issue of rum to all hands.
25 MAY ‘41 0810 Victorious XO informs the strike of what they actually did.

25 MAY ‘41 1130 Admiral of the Fleet Sir Alfred Dudley Pickman Rogers Pound arrived at No. 10 Downing street for a “Come to Jesus” meeting with Prime Minister Churchill. He fully expected to be sacked. Churchill greeted him cordially and over cigars and scotch had a frank discussion of what the RN was going to do about “Sinking the Bismack”. Maybe Churchill’s memory of his Dardanel’s catastrophe or the fact Pound had given oustanding service and loyalty, Winston referred to Dudley as “My Anchor”, praise not a slur. Pound left the meeting with his command flag still flying.

Another good update Senior Chief.

[simon darkshade]

Senior Chief, I must join in the chorus of laud and BZs for what you’ve crafted so far. The logbook style lends itself very well to the scenario and allows that fine balance of narrative and technical detail. I am reminded of a couple of the stories that used to live on the old Warships1 splash page back in 2001 or so about the Philippine Sea and an Anglo-American 20s tussle.

You’ve got a good yarn on the go and the format suits it well. Good stuff.

[oscssw]

May 17, 2022 12:22:58 GMT stevep said:

May 17, 2022 1:20:49 GMT oscssw said:

THE SHOWBOAT engages THE IRON CHANCELLOR 16 May Update. What are the Ami's doing?

1 Mar 1941. RMC Kenneth O’Shea reports aboard BB-55. Lee had called in a few makers from a buddy at Bureau of Navigation to have O’shea transferred to his new ship.

27 March 1941 “ABC-1” Joint Staff agreement signed. ABC-1” defined what roles US and UK forces would play while the United States was still neutral. The USN was to ensure the defense of the Wester Hemispher. The sea lines of communication linking the British to the Western Hemisphere were vital, Per CNO Stark’s “Plan Dog” memo of 12 Nov ‘40 approved by FDR.
ABC-1 also formally authorized and encouraged the long established,tactical and technical information sharing between OpNav and the Admiralty. It also authorized cross posting of USN and RN Officers to share latest operational practices and TIMELY intel sharing.

Admiral King was very sceptical about the type of Intel the damn Brits would be sharing. Publicly Ernie was silent on most personal matters but his animosity to the RN began to come out in WWI. He was on Admiral Mayo's staff and interacted often and routinely with his British “peers”. They were incredably condescending snobs and made it clear the USN was definitely the junior partner and as “New Boy”, had a lot to learn before it’s opinion would matter. Ernie also had a VERY low opinion of the 1941 RN. He didn’t trust that they could live up to their commitments without massive US support, thought some of their plans for the European theater were using American blood to protect a post war surviving British Empire. While he also had seen many of their plans proven to be total house of cards, none more so than the stunningly rapid fall of Singapore in early 1942, collapsing any chance of a robust Allied defense of the Dutch East Indies.

Therefore when asked, he advised his superiors to rely more on home grown intel not only from ONI & the Army’s Military Intelligence Corps but other US government departments; even Wild Bill Donovan’s OSS. He ordered his subordinates to do the same thing. He had read and was very impressed by the the work of USCG LCdr Jones’ Code and Sypher Branch “Unit 387”. He had no idea that the “brains and real leader of “Unit 387” was veteran civilian Code Breaker Elizabeth Smith Feldman. The Coasties “Unit 387” in execution of it’s Port Security responsibilities was especially successful in identifying Nazi spies providing Convoy composition, escort force and departure dates.

28 APR 1941 BB-55 returns to Boston Naval Shipyard for latest upgrades and recalibration to her fire control and search radars. Lee instructed BB-55 Navigator to free LT. Tolley up as much as possible from his normal Asistant Navigator responsibilities He redisgnated him Tolley as “Tracking compartment Officer” Later that day Lee ordered the newly apointed “Tracking compartment Officer” to have the Chart room converted to a “Tracking compartment”. The chart room, was right aft of the CO’s’s bridge, already had good IC, a chart table, A TBS radio remote and a (DRT Dead reckoning Tracer). The DRT would be Lees his viusal plot. It had automatic input of own ship’s course and speed from pitlog and gyrocompas. To this Lee wanted Tolley to add up to date Radar, visual, HFDF and other units info.

Tolley had been doing a good job learning everything available about radar. Lee authorized Tolley to give him a list of junior QM, RM, Petty officers and non rated with civilian expereince he considered useful for his “tracking Team”. Lee as CO would resassign the men and hopefully Lt. Tolley would not suffer retribution of his seniors. Lee had also assigned RMC Ken O’Shea to the tracking Team. As a RM2 O’Shea had participated in the successful “radar” trial aboard the DD U.S.S. Leary in 1937. RM2 O’Shea had been transferred to U.S.S. New York in June of 1938. Given his “Radar” experience he once again took part in the "breadboard" test, of a more formalized prototype, called the XAF, installed on the battleship in December, 1938. This 200 megahertz (MHz) frequency set produced 15 kilowatt (KW) pulses, each 5 microseconds (usec) wide. It had a large planar antenna, dubbed the "flying mattress". Performance was so good that 20 more sets, called CXAM, were built and put into service on battleships, cruisers, aircraft carriers and a seaplane tender. Very successful as search radars, these sets were used through the entire war. Thanks to a letter of comendation from the NRL test supervisor O’Shea became an RM1 with a special notation in his srevice record of his “extensive experience with Radio Direction Finding”. He was an RD before there were RD’s . Tolley and his RMC drove his “kids” very very hard because they both knew the time was very short and they all had a lot to learn.

11 MAY ‘41 0035 CO BB-55 is at home. Lee also thought his new Tracking Compartment would give him a real edge,( once he leraned how to use it), especilly with Tolley and O’Shea in chnarge. It really struck him funny that the Tracking Compartment idea came from an old SciFi novel spaceship Directrix in the Lensman novels of E. E, Smith and influenced by the works of his friend and collaborator retired USN Officer Robert Heinlein.

15 MAY’41Convoy HX 123 departs Halifax Nova Scotia to Liverpool with 43 merchants
Was considered fast convoy made up of ships that could make 9–13kn. A parallel series of slow convoys, the SC series, was run for ships making 8kn or less, while ships making more than 13 knots sailed independently. The HX convoys were comparatively fast convoys, they were less vulnerable to U-boat attack than the slow convoys, but they were still very vulnerable to large surface raiders, like Bismarck and The Prince. Therfore the escort included an old BB if at all possible. HX-123 escorts were:
1 Old BB HMS Ramillies
4 Town class Ex USN WW I DDs
including the future famous HMSCampbeltown, ExUSN DD 131, of the St Nazaire Raid
3 Modified WW I W class DDs
7 Flower class Corvets
3 old ASW sloops
1 Armed Merchant Cruiser
16 MAY 1941 1900 Most of yesterday and today were spent exercising TG 39.1 in accordance with RDML Henry Hewitt’s own opertional doctrine. Work was needed to get his CO’s thinking like their TG Commander but that would come in short order. He did find one area of real concern ; simulated battle damage drills during shoot-exes. These ships have to be preapared to deal with multiple emergencies while still maintaining their accuracy and rate of fire. If Jutland showed amything German warships were tough opponents and he intended TG39.1 to be as tougher. It was quite obvious this needed immediate remedy and he would schedule TG drills to begin to rectify this tomorrow.
19 MAY1941 Convoy HX 123 950 miles south East of Halifax.
BB HMS Ramillies, has a catastrophic casualty to a high pressure turbine. The internal explosion fractures the casing sending shrapnel through the engine room that cuts down the Chief ERA and many of the engineers. Much of the piping requires patching and replacement. Serious damage is done the engine room’s other high pressure turbine. On inspection, it is determined the 2nd turbine requires shipyard repair. With her speed substantially reduced Ramillies is ordered back to Halifax with a W class DD and ASW sloop as escort.

24 MAY ‘41 2300 CV Victorious, BBs King George V, Rodney, and Ramillies, the battle-cruiser Repulseand four cruisers were taking up positions to intercept the KMS Bismarck and The prince, based on last known positioned radioed by Vice-Admiral Lancelot Holland signals as he withdraws his badly battered force.
25 MAY ‘41 0430 Victorious launches a search force of three Fairey Fulmar reconnaissance aircraft/fighter using datum provided by a damaged HMS Norfolk as a starting point of a sector search. They found HMS Norfolk but marginal visual conditions, poor communications caused by her damage antennas and the FAA’s over eagerness to avange the RN had them see what they wanted to sea... Bismarck. The flight leader radioed back her posit as that of Bismarck.
25 MAY ‘41 0530 Victorous launched her ready strike force of 7 torpedo armed Swordfish supported by five Fulmar monoplanes 8 wing mounted and one rear cockpit 0.303 Vickers K machine guns and two 250 lb bombs.
25 MAY ‘41 0625 Norfolk’s lookout report the strike but Wake-Walker and Al Phillips, informed of the strike by Victorious, order their Guns Tight and go over the tanoy speaker to inform the AA crews those are British aircraft going after Bismack and Prince Eugene. The crews cheer on the airmen until the Gunnery officer notices the swordfish have dropped down to torpedo launch height in a classic hammerhead formation. He informs Captain Philipps who comes to the same conclusion and immediately orders his communicators to signal they are friendly along with the recognition code. He also orders his signalmen to do the same and reiterates over the tanoy guns are tight. “Do not fire.”
25 MAY ‘41 0630 Fulmars conduct glide bomb and strafing attack on Norfolk to cover swordfish torpedo runs. Results are 2 near misses, open up many small but not fatal leaks and Norfolk’s AA gun crews are decimated by those 40 .303 Vickers K machine guns.
25 MAY ‘41 0631 Captain Philipps orders Guns free Air action commence, commence, commence. The remaining Norfolk AA gunners pour in a heavy fire upon the “String Bags” but the Hammerhead formation splits up the remaining AA gun mounts and ensures no matter which way Philipps maneuvers his ship will get hit. Result is two Swordfish downed before they reach launch posit, 5 torpedoes launched, one sinks, 1 circles until it runs out of fuel and three0 bore in for the ship. Philipps evades two but the one and the last scores a hit high on the armored blt amidships with a low order detonation doing minimal damage. Luck and good damage control save a very pissed off ship.
25 MAY ‘41 0735 Strike returns to Victorius convinced they seriously damaged Bismarck but confused there was no sign of The Prince. All four Fulmars, two with moderate damage and 4 of the Swordfish make it back to Victorious, one String Bag’s damaged undercariage colapses on landing shakes up the crew but no serious injuries. The strike is hailed by their Captain and shipmates but the losses were too heavy for them to celebrate. The senior flight surgeon authorizes medicinal rum to the survivors.
25 MAY ‘41 0750 Flag Officer First Cruiser Squadron (CS1) establishes communications with Prince of Whales who relays message to Victorious, copied to Tovey and Admiralty he has just torpedoed HMS Norfolk and gives her posit. The man was justifiably pissed off.
25 MAY ‘41 0755 Captain Philips orders an immediate “medicinal” issue of rum to all hands.
25 MAY ‘41 0810 Victorious XO informs the strike of what they actually did.

25 MAY ‘41 1130 Admiral of the Fleet Sir Alfred Dudley Pickman Rogers Pound arrived at No. 10 Downing street for a “Come to Jesus” meeting with Prime Minister Churchill. He fully expected to be sacked. Churchill greeted him cordially and over cigars and scotch had a frank discussion of what the RN was going to do about “Sinking the Bismack”. Maybe Churchill’s memory of his Dardanel’s catastrophe or the fact Pound had given oustanding service and loyalty, Winston referred to Dudley as “My Anchor”, praise not a slur. Pound left the meeting with his command flag still flying.

  Well pretty much everything that can do continued to go wrong for the RN.  What actually directs the Bismarck far enough west that it clashes with the USN?  Also would it be alone as Prince Eugen was already running low on fuel by the OTL Denmark Straits clash?

Bismarck and The Prince will be meeting up with an oilier.  In this ATL  Lütjens decides to conduct an underway refueling with Weissenburg, pretty soon at a secret location.  In the OTL Lutjens decided against the Unrep despite the fact Kriegsmarine HQ wanted him to do it.  I have already altered the time line so that Lutgens topped off both ships tanks at Bergen.  So they entered the Denmark straight with more bunkerage than in the OTL.

HX-123 will be his first victim.    

[miletus12]

May 17, 2022 1:20:49 GMT oscssw said:

THE SHOWBOAT engages THE IRON CHANCELLOR 16 May Update. What are the Ami's doing?

See my PM about this.

M.

[lordroel]

May 17, 2022 18:31:52 GMT oscssw said:

May 17, 2022 12:22:58 GMT stevep said:

  Well pretty much everything that can do continued to go wrong for the RN.  What actually directs the Bismarck far enough west that it clashes with the USN?  Also would it be alone as Prince Eugen was already running low on fuel by the OTL Denmark Straits clash?

Bismarck and The Prince will be meeting up with an oilier.  In this ATL  Lütjens decides to conduct an underway refueling with Weissenburg, pretty soon at a secret location.  In the OTL Lutjens decided against the Unrep despite the fact Kriegsmarine HQ wanted him to do it.  I have already altered the time line so that Lutgens topped off both ships tanks at Bergen.  So they entered the Denmark straight with more bunkerage than in the OTL.

HX-123 will be his first victim.    

CONVOY HX 123 seems to consist of 41 ships, a good target for Bismarck.

[oscssw]

May 18, 2022 4:09:03 GMT lordroel said:

May 17, 2022 18:31:52 GMT oscssw said:

Bismarck and The Prince will be meeting up with an oilier.  In this ATL  Lütjens decides to conduct an underway refueling with Weissenburg, pretty soon at a secret location.  In the OTL Lutjens decided against the Unrep despite the fact Kriegsmarine HQ wanted him to do it.  I have already altered the time line so that Lutgens topped off both ships tanks at Bergen.  So they entered the Denmark straight with more bunkerage than in the OTL.

HX-123 will be his first victim.    

CONVOY HX 123 seems to consist of 41 ships, a good target for Bismarck.

Glad to read you agree Lordroel.  HX-123 met a lot of my criteria.  I had to think long and hard about her old BB escort.  In the end I decided to get her out of the upcoming Convoy fight. 

[lordroel]

May 19, 2022 12:34:58 GMT oscssw said:

May 18, 2022 4:09:03 GMT lordroel said:

CONVOY HX 123 seems to consist of 41 ships, a good target for Bismarck.

Glad to read you agree Lordroel.  HX-123 met a lot of my criteria.  I had to think long and hard about her old BB escort.  In the end I decided to get her out of the upcoming Convoy fight. 

You think HMS Ramillies could not put up a fight against the IRON CHANCELLOR.

[miletus12]

May 19, 2022 14:14:42 GMT lordroel said:

May 19, 2022 12:34:58 GMT oscssw said:

Glad to read you agree Lordroel.  HX-123 met a lot of my criteria.  I had to think long and hard about her old BB escort.  In the end I decided to get her out of the upcoming Convoy fight. 

You think HMS Ramillies could not put up a fight against the IRON CHANCELLOR.

If I can put in my 0.05 euro in, I would not bet on Ramillies lasting more than 300 seconds when her immune zone is compromised by Bismarck.  I put that at about 7,000 to 27,000 meters offset and aspect 15 to 90 degrees on the horizon, assuming Bismarck solves track and can drop 4 shots out ladders every 50 seconds. 

[oscssw]

May 19, 2022 14:56:41 GMT miletus12 said:

May 19, 2022 14:14:42 GMT lordroel said:

You think HMS Ramillies could not put up a fight against the IRON CHANCELLOR.

If I can put in my 0.05 euro in, I would not bet on Ramillies lasting more than 300 seconds when her immune zone is compromised by Bismarck.  I put that at about 7,000 to 27,000 meters offset and aspect 15 to 90 degrees on the horizon, assuming Bismarck solves track and can drop 4 shots out ladders every 50 seconds. 

Lordroel my friend, I also think Ramillies would not last long but just might do some material damage to Bismarck or the Prince.  I want those two in pretty good shape when BB-55 catches up with them. 

I also have something really nasty for them, compliments AMC HMS Derbyshire.  Got to work out the details. 

[stevep]

May 19, 2022 17:04:35 GMT oscssw said:

May 19, 2022 14:56:41 GMT miletus12 said:

If I can put in my 0.05 euro in, I would not bet on Ramillies lasting more than 300 seconds when her immune zone is compromised by Bismarck.  I put that at about 7,000 to 27,000 meters offset and aspect 15 to 90 degrees on the horizon, assuming Bismarck solves track and can drop 4 shots out ladders every 50 seconds. 

Lordroel my friend, I also think Ramillies would not last long but just might do some material damage to Bismarck or the Prince.  I want those two in pretty good shape when BB-55 catches up with them. 

I also have something really nasty for them, compliments AMC HMS Derbyshire.  Got to work out the details. 

  I would agree.  It would definitely put up as much of a fight as it could, especially given the number of merchants who are threatened.  Could get lucky and do some damage given her 15" guns if she can get into range and has a bit of luck.  However the Bismarck is a lot larger and more modern, especially in terms of fire control and elevation of guns.  Plus it has the Prince Eugen although that would probably be dashing off after the scattering colony. 

  Take it that instead that HMS Derbyshire is going to be doing a Jervis Bay but manage to get a hit or something that while not significant in most ways has some influence?