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RelativeGalaxy7
Correction in Regards to Submarine Torpedoes
Hello everybody, I just have a very brief but important update to make. I have came across new information in regards to the journey the 18" torpedoes took from Halifax to Vancouver. Previously, I was completely unaware of when they left and was only vaguely aware of when they arrived, that has changed. My new information states that the train carrying only 9 18" torpedoes from HMCS Niobe in Halifax departed at midnight on August 9 and the submarines were labeled as "fully operational and provisioned with torpedoes" as of August 20. I have made the following edit to the chapter "Unprepared for the Unknown" to rectify this.
RelativeGalaxy7 said:
If the British Admiralty was to be of little immediate assistance in the coming days, the Canadian ‘Admiralty’ in Ottawa would not be any better. In their preoccupied minds, it seems that Ottawa had not entirely grasped the severity of the situation on the West Coast and due to this, they had dropped the ball in relation to the handling of 18” torpedoes for the pair of Canadian submarines. The Halifax Dockyard’s ordnance stores were thoroughly ransacked from August 7 to August 8 in order to compile all of the stocks of 18” Mark IV torpedoes possible and associated equipment for the pair of BC based submarines. To the horror of the staff in Halifax, it was found that the stocks of 18" torpedoes were effectively empty. What was found showed that over 30% of the torpedo stocks remaining had deteriorated heavily over the period where the Canadian Government had taken ownership of the base and even the torpedoes which looked workable externally, showed issues in regards to lack of upkeep or simply being worn out due to heavy usage. Late into the night on August 9, an express train departed Halifax bound for Vancouver carried only 9 Mark IV 18” torpedoes and their associated equipment. Many freight and passenger services throughout the period would experience difficulties and major delays as this vital cargo was rushed across Canada with the highest priority possible. The lack of any real substance to the number of torpedoes supplied was definitely alarming however with the condition of the stocks in Halifax and the incompetence of the Admiralty, little could be done.
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To clarify this, the submarines as of the current chapter "Ain't No Rest for the Restless" have yet to receive their torpedo armament, meaning they are effectively useless as direct combatants. The date in which they will arrive will be addressed within the story itself soon enough and may not match with the above mentioned August 20, as that seems be only an approximate date. Thanks for the understanding and I apologize for any confusion suffered by the change. I am striving to keep the timeline as realistic as possible, even if that means retroactively adjusting when new details become available to me :)
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