AHTL: The Battle of the Atlantic

[HMS Audacious]

8th January 1940

The nazi resupply ship altmark enters the Norwegian coastal waters. The admiralty learns through traffic analysis and ultra intelligence that allied merchant men are aboard. Vice Admiral Lyster under orders from prime minister Chamberlain sorties the battlecruiser HMS Renown and four destroyers hms cossack, afridi, gurkha and matabele. Two aircraft Carriers HMS Victorious and Glorious along with HMS hood , two light cruisers HMS Newcastle and Belfast and six destroyers hms Bedouin,Hunter,Gallant,Garland,Glowworm and Grenville also sorties to act as cover for the first group of ships.

 

[Zheng He]

This sounds promising...

 

[Peg Leg Pom]

12th December 1939

The second Illustrious class Carrier HMS formidable is launched and the first of the new Hunt class escort destroyers is also launched. HMS Atholstone armed with 6 four inch guns, 2 20mm oreklion AA guns and 110 depth charges on two racks and 3 launchers.

HMS Formidable launched herself on 17 August 1939.

 

[HMS Audacious]

I've edited it so indomitable is launched in December 1939.

 

[HMS Audacious]

8th January 1940 cont

As soon as HMS Glorious and Victorious are out into UK waters they turn into the wind and launch four swordfish and four albacore tbr on a 250 mile search pattern. Also launched Is six of the new seafire mk1 on a combat air patrol. The earlier five ship formation consisting of the battlecruiser Renown and four destroyers race towards the Norwegian coast.

Onboard the Altmark her lookouts spot smoke on the horizon and believe it to be a couple of Norwegian destroyers. It is unfortunately for them HMS Renown and her four destroyers. Hms cossacks captain closes to 1200 yards and blocks altmarks path forcing him into international waters. While the Norwegian government sends two torpedo boats to intercept the RN and escort the Altmark into Bergen.

Captain vian has other ideas and messages the Norwegian torpedo boats that the resupply ship altmark is carrying allied merchant men including four Norwegian sailors and is authorised to force the issue by boarding the Altmark and if necessary to disable him. Altmarks captain orders to try and break away from the British and Norwegian ships. The captain of HMS Gurkha fires his four 4.7 inch guns across altmarks bow forcing it to stop. One of the torpedo boats moves in front of the resupply ship while the other moves behind it.

Hms Renowns captain, captain Barrington Simeon orders speed to be increased to 25 knots and to close to the Norwegian coast. The lookouts on altmark spot more smoke on the horizon thinking it's more British destroyers increases speed to 12 knots. It is hoped that they can breakout and enter German waters. Four Nazi destroyers sorties from keil naval base and head north towards the last known position of the Altmark.

 

[Some Bloke]

Dumb question, what exactly is the PoD?

 

[HMS Audacious]

14th September 1939

The opening shots of the longest battlefield of ww2 begins with u39 firing four torpedos at the aircraft carrier ARK ROYAL lucky all four detonate early. The destroyers escorting ark royal manage to drive the u-boat deep while ark royal launches two swordfish bi plane torpedo bombers carrying two depth charges each are vectored onto the U-boat. Both swordfish drop their depth charges, instead of sinking u-boat surfaces and the creware taken prisoner but not before the crew scuttle the u-39.

Three days later on the 17th the Royal Navies luck runs out when u-29 fires three torpedoes at HMS courageous west of the English Channel, Two detonate early but the third hits the carrier causing the carrier to slow to 12 knots, u-29 escapes hounded by two of the four destroyers escorting her. Her two remaining escorts shepherd the stricken carrier into Portsmouthharbour. With 78 dead and 130 injured the carrier is immediately dry docked and repairs to be hull is started, the goal is to get her patched up so she can be repaired away from the south coast.

The immediate result is the all fleet carriers are taken from ASW operations

This is the pod but it is lots of little pods that result in a lot of butterflies

 

[HMS Audacious]

Germany surface ships: Bismark launched and fitting out. The second ship Tirpitz is nearing his launch date.
The first aircraft carrier Graf Zeppelin is also nearing his launch date and the second of the class Peter Strasser is currently upto the hanger deck.
The heavy cruiser seydlitz is 90 percent complete and is hoped to be completed by mid 1940. Lutzow is nearing completion, at the moment half of the main armament and some of the superstructure is to be installed.

 

[JudgeKing]

It's Peter Strasser, not Peter Strauss.

 

[HMS Audacious]

It's Peter Strasser, not Peter Strauss.

Thank you I will change it

 

[HMS Audacious]

I'm going to rewrite the battle of the Atlantic its not going where I want it .

 

[Astrodragon]

5th November 1939

The lion class battleships are put on hold as DNC Admiral Henderson starts designs on the follow on class of carriers. The limit of 23 000 tonnes is causing real problems with the designs of the new fleet carriers. With the new aircraft getting larger and heavier the DNC propose that the new carriers are built to 27 000 tonnes.

One of the limiting factors in building the new carriers is the amount of aircraft to be carried. To maximise the amount of aircraft to be carried in sufficient numbers the hope is for two 16.4 foot high hangers serviced by two centre line lifts one at the stern and the other centre of the carrier.

The carriers are to be called the Implacable class. The plan is for four carriers to be laid down in 1940-41 and built by 1943-44.

The DNC also propose that the plans for trade protection carrier are dusted off and re-examined. The hope is that civilian yards would be able to construct them so naval yards would be able to construct and repair the fleet.

If that's Reginald Henderson, he died on 2nd May 1939. A big loss, he would almost certainly have got to higher rank and position.

 

[HMS Audacious]

If that's Reginald Henderson, he died on 2nd May 1939. A big loss, he would almost certainly have got to higher rank and position.

Yes it would have been and yes I would have him a lot higher up than 3rd sealord.

 

[Cryhavoc101]

If that's Reginald Henderson, he died on 2nd May 1939. A big loss, he would almost certainly have got to higher rank and position.

Henderson pretty much was the DNC as far as Carrier design and implementation was concerned in the late 30's - between the then DNC being ill and the subsequent one being overloaded he was able to push his vision of the required carrier.

 

[HMS Audacious]

Henderson pretty much was the DNC as far as Carrier design and implementation was concerned in the late 30's - between the then DNC being ill and the subsequent one being overloaded he was able to push his vision of the required carrier.

I'm hoping that before he dies he pushes for the Audacious class Carriers.

 

[HMS Audacious]

Rewrite is up