But no other major USN combatant lost suffered it which all things considered isn't all that bad. Mind you if I had firm identification on who desecrated the Houston and other lost Allied ships well let's just say that SOCOM would have a target list
The Rainbow. A World War One on Canada's West Coast Timeline
- Thread starter YYJ
- Start date
The USS South Dakota finally makes her appearance! I've been waiting for her to show up. I like the big armored cruisers. She is as big (displacement-wise) as Rainbow, Leipzig, and Nurnburg put together.
I'm sure the Canadians are looking at the US cruisers with desire, while the Americans are looking at what just happened to the Canadians with a mix of emotions.
I'm sure the Canadians are looking at the US cruisers with desire, while the Americans are looking at what just happened to the Canadians with a mix of emotions.
Methinks once they confirmed the Germans aren gone said ships will pull alongside the piers at several Canadians ports in order to render humanitarian aid.
Coulsdon Eagle
Monthly Donor
Close by, HMAS Perth has suffered too. Believe same has happened to HMS Exeter and some of the Dutch ships.
That is a good setting for a horror movie. It starts with divers meeting grisly ends from the restless spirits, and as the film progresses, the restless spirits go from the villains to the heroes as the audience sees what the ruthless looters are doing--protecting their home. It escalates, and the war veterans end up torpedoing the dive boat. It ends with the few surviving looters in a lifeboat, and corporate executives resolving to come back. Meanwhile, the spirits rest--but not easily; they know that the enemy above will be back.
With all the work you've put into this timeline over the years it's been running, I can't think of another timeline I'm familiar with on the site so far that would deserve a nomination more. You'll have my vote when the time comes!
Tribulations
Aug 21, 1800 hours. SS Saxonia, Trevor Channel, Barclay Sound.
Sub Lieutenant Thomas Brown was satisfied that the tribulations this day had presented had been happily resolved, in his small corner of the world. The Saxonia’s infirmary had at noon been as busy as a big city hospital responding to a disaster. Between them, the Saxonia’s surgeon, the doctors from the town of Bamfield and the SS Tees, and their conscripted supporting staff of nurses, orderlies, lifeboat crewmen and German dining room waiters, had treated and stabilized the flood of 45 wounded. One of the Germans casualties had succumbed to a serious headwound, and been buried at sea, but the rest of the injured, German and Canadian, were resting comfortably. A few militiamen had even been discharged with arms in slings or on crutches.
The Cable Station in Bamfield to the east had burned to the ground, and the debris had fallen into the basement. This had finally burned out, and only small ribbons of smoke rose from the concrete foundation.
“I’m famished,” said Brown. “I think it is time have the kitchen and dining staff wash up and make some food for us and all the internees on this ship.”
“Prisoners of War,” corrected his commanding officer, the young Royal Navy Lieutenant who was serving as Saxonia’s prize captain.
“Prisoners of War?” said Brown, confused. “The waiters?”
“As an auxiliary to a naval ship,” said the Lieutenant pedantically, “Saxonia was operating as a warship, so her crew are Prisoners of War.”
Come suppertime, Brown released the Saxonia’s dining room staff from their jobs as medical attendants, and sent them to the galley to prepare a modest evening meal. Trays of ham sandwiches circulated throughout the ship. Eventually the waiters arrived at the bridge, and Brown happily grabbed a sandwich in each hand.
“Sauerkraut?” offered the waiter, raising a silver serving bowl.
“No thank you,” replied Brown.
Brown and the Lieutenant had been getting intermittent reports from the wireless set on the SS Tees, tied up alongside, since 1300 hours. The picture they painted was grim. Early in the day the reports were about the bombardment of Vancouver, Nanaimo and Ladysmith. Later in the day they documented attacks on Victoria and Esquimalt. Captain Hose and Rainbow had surprised the Germans off Esquimalt, and a battle had ensued, but the wireless had not reported the outcome.
At 1915 hours, Pacheena Point Dominion Wireless Station began to transmit a message.
ALL SHIPS ALL STATIONS 2 GERMAN CRUISERS WESTBOUND 10 MILES EAST OF PACHEENA LIGHT
Brown happened to be standing together with the Lieutenant at the foredeck gangway, when the runner from Tees delivered the message.
“There seems to be strong interference, all of a sudden,” reported the wireless runner, “but we are still receiving the Morse over top.”
“What do you make of this?” the Lieutenant asked Brown. “Would you guess the Hun are done with their spree? Or are they headed this way?”
“I would expect them to head straight out to sea,” considered Brown. “They have much to gain by fleeing now, and little to gain by staying. Isn’t Japan joining Britain in the war on the 23rd, in only two days time?”
“One day,” replied the lieutenant. Then he added, in response to Brown’s curious expression, “The International Date Line,”
“Could the German cruisers be coming here, to rendezvous with this very ship?” Brown asked, the thought just occurring to him.
“I am not convinced the Hun, the cruisers anyway, know this ship even exists,” said the Lieutenant. “When we first took possession of the bridge, and we had not rounded up all the crew, Saxonia’s captain and first officer had a confabulation. They thought they were speaking in hushed tones, but they underestimated my hearing. And I did not let on that I speak German.” Brown raised his eyebrows. “Well, they are merchant sailors after all,” the lieutenant scoffed. “It sounded like an eager local German diplomat in Seattle arranged to outfit Saxonia as an auxiliary on his own initiative, and had not contacted the ships at sea yet. He was worried his communications were being spied on. And apparently they were. The Saxonia was to contact the cruisers when she was well at sea. And failing that, meet up with the rest of the Hun’s East Asiatic Squadron, wherever they are.”
“When we chased Saxonia down, we jammed any wireless messages she tried to send,” said Brown. “Then the crew smashed her wireless, and threw all the codebooks over the side. If the cruisers somehow do know this ship has been fitted out as an auxiliary for them, they will not know where she is now.” The men looked out to sea, where the sunset was painting the western sky orange. Only a narrow slot of open ocean could be seen between Cape Beale and the islands guarding the west side of the inlet. Across the channel, the wreck of HMCS Malaspina was stranded partway up an otherwise beautiful beach, laying almost on her side.
The wireless runner brought notice that the warning from Pacheena Wireless Station was being repeated constantly, with the reported position of the German cruisers being updated from time to time, as they drew closer. And that the interference was growing stronger. Then, at 1945 hours the wireless operator on Tees reported a message in a different hand.
ABANDON WIRELESS STATION AM ABOUT TO DESTROY WITH GUNFIRE
Shortly after, the warning transmission from Pacheena Wireless Station ceased.
The suspense was lifted at 2020 hours, when a ship nosed past Cape Beale, and turned to enter Trevor Channel. The ship was a cruiser, flying the German Imperial Ensign. She appeared in this light entirely in silhouette, with her ensign dramatically back lit by the setting sun. The ram bow was exceptionally pronounced, almost a caricature, projecting forward into the waves at a 45 degree angle, which made the cruiser look even more alien and menacing, somehow.
Brown said, “We have been chasing these Germans up and down the coast for 4 whole days…”
“Almost 3 weeks for me,” interrupted the lieutenant.
“… and here they are coming right to us,” finished Brown.
SS Saxonia
SS Tees
search-bcarchives.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca
SMS Leipzig
www.deviantart.com
Sub Lieutenant Thomas Brown was satisfied that the tribulations this day had presented had been happily resolved, in his small corner of the world. The Saxonia’s infirmary had at noon been as busy as a big city hospital responding to a disaster. Between them, the Saxonia’s surgeon, the doctors from the town of Bamfield and the SS Tees, and their conscripted supporting staff of nurses, orderlies, lifeboat crewmen and German dining room waiters, had treated and stabilized the flood of 45 wounded. One of the Germans casualties had succumbed to a serious headwound, and been buried at sea, but the rest of the injured, German and Canadian, were resting comfortably. A few militiamen had even been discharged with arms in slings or on crutches.
The Cable Station in Bamfield to the east had burned to the ground, and the debris had fallen into the basement. This had finally burned out, and only small ribbons of smoke rose from the concrete foundation.
“I’m famished,” said Brown. “I think it is time have the kitchen and dining staff wash up and make some food for us and all the internees on this ship.”
“Prisoners of War,” corrected his commanding officer, the young Royal Navy Lieutenant who was serving as Saxonia’s prize captain.
“Prisoners of War?” said Brown, confused. “The waiters?”
“As an auxiliary to a naval ship,” said the Lieutenant pedantically, “Saxonia was operating as a warship, so her crew are Prisoners of War.”
Come suppertime, Brown released the Saxonia’s dining room staff from their jobs as medical attendants, and sent them to the galley to prepare a modest evening meal. Trays of ham sandwiches circulated throughout the ship. Eventually the waiters arrived at the bridge, and Brown happily grabbed a sandwich in each hand.
“Sauerkraut?” offered the waiter, raising a silver serving bowl.
“No thank you,” replied Brown.
Brown and the Lieutenant had been getting intermittent reports from the wireless set on the SS Tees, tied up alongside, since 1300 hours. The picture they painted was grim. Early in the day the reports were about the bombardment of Vancouver, Nanaimo and Ladysmith. Later in the day they documented attacks on Victoria and Esquimalt. Captain Hose and Rainbow had surprised the Germans off Esquimalt, and a battle had ensued, but the wireless had not reported the outcome.
At 1915 hours, Pacheena Point Dominion Wireless Station began to transmit a message.
ALL SHIPS ALL STATIONS 2 GERMAN CRUISERS WESTBOUND 10 MILES EAST OF PACHEENA LIGHT
Brown happened to be standing together with the Lieutenant at the foredeck gangway, when the runner from Tees delivered the message.
“There seems to be strong interference, all of a sudden,” reported the wireless runner, “but we are still receiving the Morse over top.”
“What do you make of this?” the Lieutenant asked Brown. “Would you guess the Hun are done with their spree? Or are they headed this way?”
“I would expect them to head straight out to sea,” considered Brown. “They have much to gain by fleeing now, and little to gain by staying. Isn’t Japan joining Britain in the war on the 23rd, in only two days time?”
“One day,” replied the lieutenant. Then he added, in response to Brown’s curious expression, “The International Date Line,”
“Could the German cruisers be coming here, to rendezvous with this very ship?” Brown asked, the thought just occurring to him.
“I am not convinced the Hun, the cruisers anyway, know this ship even exists,” said the Lieutenant. “When we first took possession of the bridge, and we had not rounded up all the crew, Saxonia’s captain and first officer had a confabulation. They thought they were speaking in hushed tones, but they underestimated my hearing. And I did not let on that I speak German.” Brown raised his eyebrows. “Well, they are merchant sailors after all,” the lieutenant scoffed. “It sounded like an eager local German diplomat in Seattle arranged to outfit Saxonia as an auxiliary on his own initiative, and had not contacted the ships at sea yet. He was worried his communications were being spied on. And apparently they were. The Saxonia was to contact the cruisers when she was well at sea. And failing that, meet up with the rest of the Hun’s East Asiatic Squadron, wherever they are.”
“When we chased Saxonia down, we jammed any wireless messages she tried to send,” said Brown. “Then the crew smashed her wireless, and threw all the codebooks over the side. If the cruisers somehow do know this ship has been fitted out as an auxiliary for them, they will not know where she is now.” The men looked out to sea, where the sunset was painting the western sky orange. Only a narrow slot of open ocean could be seen between Cape Beale and the islands guarding the west side of the inlet. Across the channel, the wreck of HMCS Malaspina was stranded partway up an otherwise beautiful beach, laying almost on her side.
The wireless runner brought notice that the warning from Pacheena Wireless Station was being repeated constantly, with the reported position of the German cruisers being updated from time to time, as they drew closer. And that the interference was growing stronger. Then, at 1945 hours the wireless operator on Tees reported a message in a different hand.
ABANDON WIRELESS STATION AM ABOUT TO DESTROY WITH GUNFIRE
Shortly after, the warning transmission from Pacheena Wireless Station ceased.
The suspense was lifted at 2020 hours, when a ship nosed past Cape Beale, and turned to enter Trevor Channel. The ship was a cruiser, flying the German Imperial Ensign. She appeared in this light entirely in silhouette, with her ensign dramatically back lit by the setting sun. The ram bow was exceptionally pronounced, almost a caricature, projecting forward into the waves at a 45 degree angle, which made the cruiser look even more alien and menacing, somehow.
Brown said, “We have been chasing these Germans up and down the coast for 4 whole days…”
“Almost 3 weeks for me,” interrupted the lieutenant.
“… and here they are coming right to us,” finished Brown.
SS Saxonia
Submarine Tender Photo Index (AD)
www.navsource.org
SS Tees
The Canadian Pacific Railway's SS Tees. - RBCM Archives
RBCM Archives
SMS Leipzig
S M S Leipzig 1912 Pano by Deceptico on DeviantArt
www.deviantart.com
I felt this is relevant again so I'm quoting this older comment I made. Saxonia is not protected as a hospital ship legally and the Germans can effectively do what they wish with her and the Canadian/British crew onboard. Not good.
Something to consider with all those wounded is the difficulty of pain management for the time period and circumstances. While modern medicine helps somewhat, many of the burn or shattered bone injuries are simply extremely painful regardless. Not only do these fellas lack a century of practical medical research, they are lacking on personnel and almost certainly of drugs.Aug 21, 1800 hours. SS Saxonia, Trevor Channel, Barclay Sound.
Sub Lieutenant Thomas Brown was satisfied that the tribulations this day had presented had been happily resolved, in his small corner of the world. The Saxonia’s infirmary had at noon been as busy as a big city hospital responding to a disaster. Between them, the Saxonia’s surgeon, the doctors from the town of Bamfield and the SS Tees, and their conscripted supporting staff of nurses, orderlies, lifeboat crewmen and German dining room waiters, had treated and stabilized the flood of 45 wounded. One of the Germans casualties had succumbed to a serious headwound, and been buried at sea, but the rest of the injured, German and Canadian, were resting comfortably. A few militiamen had even been discharged with arms in slings or on crutches.
The Cable Station in Bamfield to the east had burned to the ground, and the debris had fallen into the basement. This had finally burned out, and only small ribbons of smoke rose from the concrete foundation.
“I’m famished,” said Brown. “I think it is time have the kitchen and dining staff wash up and make some food for us and all the internees on this ship.”
“Prisoners of War,” corrected his commanding officer, the young Royal Navy Lieutenant who was serving as Saxonia’s prize captain.
“Prisoners of War?” said Brown, confused. “The waiters?”
“As an auxiliary to a naval ship,” said the Lieutenant pedantically, “Saxonia was operating as a warship, so her crew are Prisoners of War.”
Come suppertime, Brown released the Saxonia’s dining room staff from their jobs as medical attendants, and sent them to the galley to prepare a modest evening meal. Trays of ham sandwiches circulated throughout the ship. Eventually the waiters arrived at the bridge, and Brown happily grabbed a sandwich in each hand.
“Sauerkraut?” offered the waiter, raising a silver serving bowl.
“No thank you,” replied Brown.
Brown and the Lieutenant had been getting intermittent reports from the wireless set on the SS Tees, tied up alongside, since 1300 hours. The picture they painted was grim. Early in the day the reports were about the bombardment of Vancouver, Nanaimo and Ladysmith. Later in the day they documented attacks on Victoria and Esquimalt. Captain Hose and Rainbow had surprised the Germans off Esquimalt, and a battle had ensued, but the wireless had not reported the outcome.
At 1915 hours, Pacheena Point Dominion Wireless Station began to transmit a message.
ALL SHIPS ALL STATIONS 2 GERMAN CRUISERS WESTBOUND 10 MILES EAST OF PACHEENA LIGHT
Brown happened to be standing together with the Lieutenant at the foredeck gangway, when the runner from Tees delivered the message.
“There seems to be strong interference, all of a sudden,” reported the wireless runner, “but we are still receiving the Morse over top.”
“What do you make of this?” the Lieutenant asked Brown. “Would you guess the Hun are done with their spree? Or are they headed this way?”
“I would expect them to head straight out to sea,” considered Brown. “They have much to gain by fleeing now, and little to gain by staying. Isn’t Japan joining Britain in the war on the 23rd, in only two days time?”
“One day,” replied the lieutenant. Then he added, in response to Brown’s curious expression, “The International Date Line,”
“Could the German cruisers be coming here, to rendezvous with this very ship?” Brown asked, the thought just occurring to him.
“I am not convinced the Hun, the cruisers anyway, know this ship even exists,” said the Lieutenant. “When we first took possession of the bridge, and we had not rounded up all the crew, Saxonia’s captain and first officer had a confabulation. They thought they were speaking in hushed tones, but they underestimated my hearing. And I did not let on that I speak German.” Brown raised his eyebrows. “Well, they are merchant sailors after all,” the lieutenant scoffed. “It sounded like an eager local German diplomat in Seattle arranged to outfit Saxonia as an auxiliary on his own initiative, and had not contacted the ships at sea yet. He was worried his communications were being spied on. And apparently they were. The Saxonia was to contact the cruisers when she was well at sea. And failing that, meet up with the rest of the Hun’s East Asiatic Squadron, wherever they are.”
“When we chased Saxonia down, we jammed any wireless messages she tried to send,” said Brown. “Then the crew smashed her wireless, and threw all the codebooks over the side. If the cruisers somehow do know this ship has been fitted out as an auxiliary for them, they will not know where she is now.” The men looked out to sea, where the sunset was painting the western sky orange. Only a narrow slot of open ocean could be seen between Cape Beale and the islands guarding the west side of the inlet. Across the channel, the wreck of HMCS Malaspina was stranded partway up an otherwise beautiful beach, laying almost on her side.
The wireless runner brought notice that the warning from Pacheena Wireless Station was being repeated constantly, with the reported position of the German cruisers being updated from time to time, as they drew closer. And that the interference was growing stronger. Then, at 1945 hours the wireless operator on Tees reported a message in a different hand.
ABANDON WIRELESS STATION AM ABOUT TO DESTROY WITH GUNFIRE
Shortly after, the warning transmission from Pacheena Wireless Station ceased.
The suspense was lifted at 2020 hours, when a ship nosed past Cape Beale, and turned to enter Trevor Channel. The ship was a cruiser, flying the German Imperial Ensign. She appeared in this light entirely in silhouette, with her ensign dramatically back lit by the setting sun. The ram bow was exceptionally pronounced, almost a caricature, projecting forward into the waves at a 45 degree angle, which made the cruiser look even more alien and menacing, somehow.
Brown said, “We have been chasing these Germans up and down the coast for 4 whole days…”
“Almost 3 weeks for me,” interrupted the lieutenant.
“… and here they are coming right to us,” finished Brown.
SS Saxonia
Submarine Tender Photo Index (AD)
www.navsource.org
SS Tees
The Canadian Pacific Railway's SS Tees. - RBCM Archives
RBCM Archives
SMS Leipzig
S M S Leipzig 1912 Pano by Deceptico on DeviantArt
(Edit: some of this simply being due to how early in the war it was. Pearl harbor for instance had numerous instances of Nurses not being able to give morphine due to non-wartime rules keeping the drugs further away and in smaller quantities. I doubt that either German cruiser has the medical stock's necessary for something of this scale. Regardless, many of the injuries aren't going to be assisted much even by narcotics. I've tried not to be especially graphic, but suffice it to say that serious burns are almost beyond help when it comes to pain. End of edit)
That's going to be a grim ship. Real, serious and most of all persistent pain is an incredible thing.
Regardless, an unmarked hospital ship in the path of a marauding cruiser is a nightmare for all involved, the only exception being entente propagandists far away.
Edit: As the Germabs get more tired, I'd expect virtually every crew member to start exhibiting concussion and shock symptoms, given the number of near hits. Along with that, the pressure waves can cause, especially once adrenaline wears off, stomach pain, nausea, migraine scale head aches, etc.
I get that this isnt crucial per say, but the lack of sleep, combined with both the Physiological and Psychological effects of shelling, ought to give us some insight into the "personal" side of this.
--Sometimes these factors get overlooked in historical action. In the famous "battle of samar", it's easy to forget that the Japanese admiral who ordered his fleet turned around had had one ship sunk from under him, been bombed, stranded, shelled and torpedoed for days, and all this while never sleeping for ~2-3 days. It's incredible he wasn't intelligible, if you think about it.
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honestly given the sheer number of horribly wounded men the Germans must have I think its likely that they'll leave the Saxonia be after dropping off their wounded and grabbing any men with naval experience from among its German crew, or perhaps not on the second part what with how crowded the Leipzig must be
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ferdi254
Banned
Actually in WW I morphium and even Heroin were given out in quantities which would have shocked any late 20th century medical staff but have nowadays have become SOP in good pain management treatment (not Heroin directly of course but equivalents). So as long as there is enough of that staff available I‘d prefer this to the 70s philosophy of having patients rather endure pain than risk the risk of addiction.