2156 22 June 1916 - Kaiserin is now a lame duck
2156, 22 June 1916, SMS Kaiserin, North Sea
Kapitän zur See Karl Sievers's Kaiserin was staggering on as best she could, despite the sheer weight of metal aimed against her. Barely making 13 knots, she had fallen behind all other ships in the race to the Jade. She was now 500 meters behind Deutschland, who was a similar amount behind Moltke, the later of which had seemingly increased her speed. Of course, that left all three ships fully 2-3 km behind the last ship in the main line of the High Seas Fleet.
Beatty had steamed a long way to reengage the High Seas Fleet with little success so far, a single hit on Nassau, another on Westfalen and a third on the struggling Deutschland. Evan Thomas's five ships, however, were now concentrating on Kaiserin, Beatty having altered his tactics, now that the range had fallen to only 14,800 yards. Visibility was now poor and in response, he had resorted to slaloming his ships across the sterns of the fleeing Germans, reducing the range of closure, yet letting all ships make use of their full broadsides. Evan Thomas's 5th Battle Squadron plus HMS Tiger were all concentrating on Kaiserin. With fires aboard, she was an easier target. She was also being engaged by Agincourt and Royal Oak at the rear of Jellicoe's line. Being targeted by 70 heavy guns, spotting the fall of shot was almost impossible, however, quantity has a quality all of its own. Firstly, hit by Tiger at 2049, she was hit again by Malaya at 2052, by Queen Elizabeth at 2053 and finally at 2156 Warspite was to hit her twice more. The first hit from Warspite passed through her conning tower, killing most on station including her captain. The second smashed into her thin armour belt to the rear of the ship on the waterline, exploding fully and ripping a ten foot gap in the armour plate. Already slowed, Kaiserin, now without either her captain, slowed again to a dawdling 9 knots, all whilst still under fire from the onrushing British ships.
Kapitän zur See Karl Sievers's Kaiserin was staggering on as best she could, despite the sheer weight of metal aimed against her. Barely making 13 knots, she had fallen behind all other ships in the race to the Jade. She was now 500 meters behind Deutschland, who was a similar amount behind Moltke, the later of which had seemingly increased her speed. Of course, that left all three ships fully 2-3 km behind the last ship in the main line of the High Seas Fleet.
Beatty had steamed a long way to reengage the High Seas Fleet with little success so far, a single hit on Nassau, another on Westfalen and a third on the struggling Deutschland. Evan Thomas's five ships, however, were now concentrating on Kaiserin, Beatty having altered his tactics, now that the range had fallen to only 14,800 yards. Visibility was now poor and in response, he had resorted to slaloming his ships across the sterns of the fleeing Germans, reducing the range of closure, yet letting all ships make use of their full broadsides. Evan Thomas's 5th Battle Squadron plus HMS Tiger were all concentrating on Kaiserin. With fires aboard, she was an easier target. She was also being engaged by Agincourt and Royal Oak at the rear of Jellicoe's line. Being targeted by 70 heavy guns, spotting the fall of shot was almost impossible, however, quantity has a quality all of its own. Firstly, hit by Tiger at 2049, she was hit again by Malaya at 2052, by Queen Elizabeth at 2053 and finally at 2156 Warspite was to hit her twice more. The first hit from Warspite passed through her conning tower, killing most on station including her captain. The second smashed into her thin armour belt to the rear of the ship on the waterline, exploding fully and ripping a ten foot gap in the armour plate. Already slowed, Kaiserin, now without either her captain, slowed again to a dawdling 9 knots, all whilst still under fire from the onrushing British ships.
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