Good feedback for me. I must be doing something right if I am leading you down the same path of sorrow and consternation as the 1914 citizens of Victoria.
The Rainbow. A World War One on Canada's West Coast Timeline
- Thread starter YYJ
- Start date
Question: I was unable to find the name of the actual historical captain of the Nürnberg, so I made up a name. Uwe Fischer. Today I just found out his real name. It wasn't hard to find, I just wasn't looking in the right place. Would readers find it too disorienting to change the name of one of the point of view characters this far into the story? I could do a global replace. Or I could leave it as is, and edit the name if I do anything with this story later.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMS_Nürnberg_(1906)#/media/File:Karl_von_Schoenberg_grave_Berlin.jpg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMS_Nürnberg_(1906)#/media/File:Karl_von_Schoenberg_grave_Berlin.jpg
Full stop
Aug 11, 1200 hours. SMS Leipzig, San Francisco.
Leipzig approached from south of the city, with the crew at action stations. The German Consul General had advised Captain Haun that the HMCS Rainbow had left the Bay Area the day before, but Haun abhorred surprises. The War Ensign flapped overhead in the fresh breeze. The fog at this hour was far offshore. The beaches were covered with holiday goers and American cars with the tops down. Just before the Golden Gate he had watched through binoculars curious guests lining up at the neo-classical railings of the Cliff House Hotel and bathers pouring out from the glass palace of the Sutro Baths to watch Leipzig pass, titillated by a glimpse of the European war, he supposed. The bathers were dressed in the risqué American style, with hemlines above their knees. On the Leipzig’s foredeck the pair of Japanese bear cubs that served as mascots were stretched out and napping.
"I remember that hotel as a gingerbread castle," said the executive officer.
"That one burned down. Gone the way of all things." said Haun. "This is a new one."
Captain Haun cruised Leipzig past the Golden Gate at a leisurely 8 knots in bright sunlight. The wireless operator was monitoring traffic, and he listened to the frequency of excited messages from British ships and company headquarters double, and double again, and again. From what he could hear from uncoded messages, it seemed like there was a full stop on merchant shipping flying the British flag, as well as commerce from the Empire for the entire West Coast of North America as far south as Panama. This seemed to be confirmed by the sightings of ships entering and leaving San Francisco over the afternoon. Plenty of American ships, a few from South America. A couple of Greeks. No Entente flagged ships.
Haun was eager to chase down and capture a prize. That was his number one order. But it seemed to him, that just by simply showing his presence he could bring the British Empire to its knees, and fit in some sunbathing at the same time.
https://www.geneanet.org/cartes-postales/view/6847481#0
http://www.cliffhouseproject.com/photos/koch/082010/Untitled-147_w.jpg
Leipzig approached from south of the city, with the crew at action stations. The German Consul General had advised Captain Haun that the HMCS Rainbow had left the Bay Area the day before, but Haun abhorred surprises. The War Ensign flapped overhead in the fresh breeze. The fog at this hour was far offshore. The beaches were covered with holiday goers and American cars with the tops down. Just before the Golden Gate he had watched through binoculars curious guests lining up at the neo-classical railings of the Cliff House Hotel and bathers pouring out from the glass palace of the Sutro Baths to watch Leipzig pass, titillated by a glimpse of the European war, he supposed. The bathers were dressed in the risqué American style, with hemlines above their knees. On the Leipzig’s foredeck the pair of Japanese bear cubs that served as mascots were stretched out and napping.
"I remember that hotel as a gingerbread castle," said the executive officer.
"That one burned down. Gone the way of all things." said Haun. "This is a new one."
Captain Haun cruised Leipzig past the Golden Gate at a leisurely 8 knots in bright sunlight. The wireless operator was monitoring traffic, and he listened to the frequency of excited messages from British ships and company headquarters double, and double again, and again. From what he could hear from uncoded messages, it seemed like there was a full stop on merchant shipping flying the British flag, as well as commerce from the Empire for the entire West Coast of North America as far south as Panama. This seemed to be confirmed by the sightings of ships entering and leaving San Francisco over the afternoon. Plenty of American ships, a few from South America. A couple of Greeks. No Entente flagged ships.
Haun was eager to chase down and capture a prize. That was his number one order. But it seemed to him, that just by simply showing his presence he could bring the British Empire to its knees, and fit in some sunbathing at the same time.
https://www.geneanet.org/cartes-postales/view/6847481#0
http://www.cliffhouseproject.com/photos/koch/082010/Untitled-147_w.jpg
Well, I took a poll, whether readers could stand the made-up Captain of the Nürnberg Uwe Fischer retroactively changing his name to the historical Karl Von Schönberg. Or if it would make everyone's head explode. The results was one in favour, 2 liking the post of the one in favour, none opposed. Done. There were only 3 chapters involving the Nürberg to edit so far anyway.
Last edited:
Canaries
Aug 11 1200 hours. Esquimalt Naval Dockyard.
NSHQ TO HMC DOCKYARD ESQUIMALT NURNBERG AND LEIPZIG REPORTED RACING NORTH FROM SAN FRANCISCO STOP
NSHQ TO HMC DOCKYARD ESQUIMALT NURNBERG EMDEN LEIPZIG SCHARNHOST GNEISENAU REPORTED AT NEW GUINEA STOP
NSHQ TO HMC DOCKYARD ESQUIMALT HMS NEWCASTLE ORDERED TO ESQUIMALT
6TH DUKE OF CONNAUGHTS OWN RIFLES HQ TO 5TH BC REGIMENT GARRISON ARTILLERY WORK POINT HQ 2 60 POUND FIELD GUNS FROM COBERG HEAVY BATTERY EMPLACED AT POINT GREY FOR HARBOUR DEFENCE VANCOUVER STOP 2 MORE FIELD GUNS EMBARKING ON PRINCESS SOFIA TO ESQUIMALT FOR VANCOUVER ISLAND MOBILE ARTILLERY RESERVE EXPECTED ARRIVAL AUG 13 STOP
Premier McBride had been tied up with Provincial matters that kept him away from the dockyard far more than he would have liked. He finally had managed to escape from the Legislature for a couple of hours, and stood on the dock where the submarines had been moored, last time he had been there. He did not have to look closely to see the slip was empty.
“Say!” McBride called to a passing petty officer. “Where are the submarines?” The petty officer kept walking, but turned and theatrically pointed down.
McBride walked to the edge of the dock and looked down. Indeed, there was a periscope sticking out of the harbour. Twenty feet from the dock. McBride stood and regarded the scene for a moment. He hoped this was a good thing.
There was a swirling in the water beside the dock, then a great turbulence of brown water and bubbles. The periscope started to rise, followed by the conning tower, and then the rest of the CC-1. The hatch on top of the conning tower clanked open and Lieutenant-Commander Jones clambered out.
“Oh, McBride, there you are!” called Jones. Water streamed off the conning tower deck and down its flanks. Another officer emerged close behind Jones. “I managed to get out from behind that desk for a bit. You see, none of the other crew have done this before. This is Willie Maitland-Dougall. Sub-Lieutenant Maitland-Dougall. He is a quick study. Oh, I’m sorry… Sub-Lieutenant Maitland-Dougall – The Premier of British Columbia.” Maitland-Dougall snapped to attention and saluted.
“Steady,” Jones said to Maitland-Dougall. “He’s not really an admiral. He just thinks he is. All right: Helm, bring us alongside.” Maitland-Dougall operated some controls. With a muffled hum, the sub moved forward, nosed towards the dock, and then smartly tucked in her tail as she came against the bumpers. Jones looked up at McBride. “See?” More crew in overalls climbed from the deck hatches, and soon had the sub was moored and the gangway lowered. Jones joined McBride on the dock.
“I must say you made an excellent choice putting Tubby Keyes in command. He had been working these crews like there’s no tomorrow. And they are responding. This is like no training setting I have ever seen. It is not Dartmouth. We are aiming to get as ready as possible before we have to fight. And we don’t know when that will be. Oh look, here comes Tubby now!”
CC-2 rounded the point into the harbour, running on her diesels. McBride recognized the tall figure in the conning tower as Lieutenant Adrian Keyes. The American trials captain stood beside him. They tied up beside CC-1. After Keyes quickly debriefed and dismissed his crew with a “meet in the classroom in half an hour,” McBride greeted him. Keyes had a white scarf draped jauntily around his neck, and held a cylindrical container the size of a hat box, draped with a cloth.
“Wonderful boats you got us, Sir Richard.” Keyes pronounced.
“Are they really? McBride asked, curious.
“It is a bit early to tell, but they are the only game in town.”
“How are they performing?
“Running on the surface, they seem fine. Faster than their design speed even. We did notice the diesel engines getting hot this run, but we could manage it. Quite frankly, as I look at the boats in detail, I notice some of the fit and finish is really below the standards I am accustomed to on Royal Navy boats. I get the feeling that since the Yanks at the shipyard knew they were only building these boats for dagoes, they thought they could cut some corners.”
“Oh Dear,” said McBride.
“Well, like I say, they are the only game in town. They may be perfectly effective as a deterrent and keep the Germans a thousand miles away.”
“I did make sure the papers reported widely on our new submarines,” said McBride hopefully.
“You surely did, I read about them in the Calgary Herald, on the train. But even to act as a deterrent, we need to be able to handle them. Bert has been invaluable helping me with training. Other than the American he is our only other submariner. Yes, I know he has other duties. Steal him back when you need him. We are just getting started on diving.”
“Yes, I saw,” said McBride.
“Unconventional, I know, but I wanted to start practicing diving in a place we can recover, and escape if we have to. What with unknown boats and novice crews.” McBride heard a small squeaking sound.
“We need to rush,” Keyes continued, “but we can only rush so much, with tricky things like diving. Isn’t that right?” Keyes baby-talked to the cloth-draped container as he lifted it to the level of his face. He pulled back the cover and made kissing noises to the two white mice inside, who stood on their hind legs and leaned against the cage side sniffing at Keyes. The submarine commander took a piece of carrot from his pocket and broke it in half, handing each piece to one mouse in turn.
“I see. Your canaries.”
“Exactly.” Said Keyes. “White mice will pass out before we do. Won’t you my little snookums.” The mice regarded Keyes as they chewed their carrots.
“So when we’re not at sea, I have the men taking the boats apart and putting them back together, or cramming submarine theory in front of a blackboard. Yesterday I had my crew perform an emergency surface maneuver in the pitch black, with the lights all out. They did just fine, bless them. They are even learning Spanish, so they can read the gauges. Presion Atmosferica! Angulo de Inclinacion!”
“I wish those torpedoes would hurry up.”
http://www.naval-museum.mb.ca/ships/subs/cc1.jpg
NSHQ TO HMC DOCKYARD ESQUIMALT NURNBERG AND LEIPZIG REPORTED RACING NORTH FROM SAN FRANCISCO STOP
NSHQ TO HMC DOCKYARD ESQUIMALT NURNBERG EMDEN LEIPZIG SCHARNHOST GNEISENAU REPORTED AT NEW GUINEA STOP
NSHQ TO HMC DOCKYARD ESQUIMALT HMS NEWCASTLE ORDERED TO ESQUIMALT
6TH DUKE OF CONNAUGHTS OWN RIFLES HQ TO 5TH BC REGIMENT GARRISON ARTILLERY WORK POINT HQ 2 60 POUND FIELD GUNS FROM COBERG HEAVY BATTERY EMPLACED AT POINT GREY FOR HARBOUR DEFENCE VANCOUVER STOP 2 MORE FIELD GUNS EMBARKING ON PRINCESS SOFIA TO ESQUIMALT FOR VANCOUVER ISLAND MOBILE ARTILLERY RESERVE EXPECTED ARRIVAL AUG 13 STOP
Premier McBride had been tied up with Provincial matters that kept him away from the dockyard far more than he would have liked. He finally had managed to escape from the Legislature for a couple of hours, and stood on the dock where the submarines had been moored, last time he had been there. He did not have to look closely to see the slip was empty.
“Say!” McBride called to a passing petty officer. “Where are the submarines?” The petty officer kept walking, but turned and theatrically pointed down.
McBride walked to the edge of the dock and looked down. Indeed, there was a periscope sticking out of the harbour. Twenty feet from the dock. McBride stood and regarded the scene for a moment. He hoped this was a good thing.
There was a swirling in the water beside the dock, then a great turbulence of brown water and bubbles. The periscope started to rise, followed by the conning tower, and then the rest of the CC-1. The hatch on top of the conning tower clanked open and Lieutenant-Commander Jones clambered out.
“Oh, McBride, there you are!” called Jones. Water streamed off the conning tower deck and down its flanks. Another officer emerged close behind Jones. “I managed to get out from behind that desk for a bit. You see, none of the other crew have done this before. This is Willie Maitland-Dougall. Sub-Lieutenant Maitland-Dougall. He is a quick study. Oh, I’m sorry… Sub-Lieutenant Maitland-Dougall – The Premier of British Columbia.” Maitland-Dougall snapped to attention and saluted.
“Steady,” Jones said to Maitland-Dougall. “He’s not really an admiral. He just thinks he is. All right: Helm, bring us alongside.” Maitland-Dougall operated some controls. With a muffled hum, the sub moved forward, nosed towards the dock, and then smartly tucked in her tail as she came against the bumpers. Jones looked up at McBride. “See?” More crew in overalls climbed from the deck hatches, and soon had the sub was moored and the gangway lowered. Jones joined McBride on the dock.
“I must say you made an excellent choice putting Tubby Keyes in command. He had been working these crews like there’s no tomorrow. And they are responding. This is like no training setting I have ever seen. It is not Dartmouth. We are aiming to get as ready as possible before we have to fight. And we don’t know when that will be. Oh look, here comes Tubby now!”
CC-2 rounded the point into the harbour, running on her diesels. McBride recognized the tall figure in the conning tower as Lieutenant Adrian Keyes. The American trials captain stood beside him. They tied up beside CC-1. After Keyes quickly debriefed and dismissed his crew with a “meet in the classroom in half an hour,” McBride greeted him. Keyes had a white scarf draped jauntily around his neck, and held a cylindrical container the size of a hat box, draped with a cloth.
“Wonderful boats you got us, Sir Richard.” Keyes pronounced.
“Are they really? McBride asked, curious.
“It is a bit early to tell, but they are the only game in town.”
“How are they performing?
“Running on the surface, they seem fine. Faster than their design speed even. We did notice the diesel engines getting hot this run, but we could manage it. Quite frankly, as I look at the boats in detail, I notice some of the fit and finish is really below the standards I am accustomed to on Royal Navy boats. I get the feeling that since the Yanks at the shipyard knew they were only building these boats for dagoes, they thought they could cut some corners.”
“Oh Dear,” said McBride.
“Well, like I say, they are the only game in town. They may be perfectly effective as a deterrent and keep the Germans a thousand miles away.”
“I did make sure the papers reported widely on our new submarines,” said McBride hopefully.
“You surely did, I read about them in the Calgary Herald, on the train. But even to act as a deterrent, we need to be able to handle them. Bert has been invaluable helping me with training. Other than the American he is our only other submariner. Yes, I know he has other duties. Steal him back when you need him. We are just getting started on diving.”
“Yes, I saw,” said McBride.
“Unconventional, I know, but I wanted to start practicing diving in a place we can recover, and escape if we have to. What with unknown boats and novice crews.” McBride heard a small squeaking sound.
“We need to rush,” Keyes continued, “but we can only rush so much, with tricky things like diving. Isn’t that right?” Keyes baby-talked to the cloth-draped container as he lifted it to the level of his face. He pulled back the cover and made kissing noises to the two white mice inside, who stood on their hind legs and leaned against the cage side sniffing at Keyes. The submarine commander took a piece of carrot from his pocket and broke it in half, handing each piece to one mouse in turn.
“I see. Your canaries.”
“Exactly.” Said Keyes. “White mice will pass out before we do. Won’t you my little snookums.” The mice regarded Keyes as they chewed their carrots.
“So when we’re not at sea, I have the men taking the boats apart and putting them back together, or cramming submarine theory in front of a blackboard. Yesterday I had my crew perform an emergency surface maneuver in the pitch black, with the lights all out. They did just fine, bless them. They are even learning Spanish, so they can read the gauges. Presion Atmosferica! Angulo de Inclinacion!”
“I wish those torpedoes would hurry up.”
http://www.naval-museum.mb.ca/ships/subs/cc1.jpg
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Smoke!
Aug 11, 0830 hours. SMS Nürnberg, Pacific Ocean near Dixon Entrance.
Crossing the Pacific, Captain Von Schönberg had been careful to keep the Nürnberg well to the north of the shipping lanes, in order to not stumble across a ship that might give his position away. Today he had headed south, and the Nürnberg lay a days sailing west of Dixon Entrance, between Cape Muzon Alaska, and the Queen Charlotte Islands.
Here lay a rich shipping lane, serving the Asian bound traffic from Prince Rupert, which was the western terminus of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway. Much of the traffic here would be British and Canadian, but Von Schönberg would still have to be careful not to antagonize neutral American ships serving Ketchican, Wrangel, St Petersberg, and the rest of the Alaska panhandle. This would all have been much easier if Alaska had stayed a Russian territory, Von Schönberg thought, then it would be open season.
The hazard was that if he was sighted by a neutral ship, he would be given away in a few days at most, and the Royal Navy would have a new reference point to start hunting him. But an equal hazard was that he could be too timid, and by remaining cautious, achieve nothing. Von Schönberg knew that His Majesty’s East Asiatic Squadron was living on borrowed time. Eventually, save through some Heavenly intervention, Nürnberg, Leipzig, and Admiral von Spee’s powerful main force with the Scharnhorst, Gneisenau, and Emden would be run down and overwhelmed by the endless ships of the Royal Navy. Their collective fate was to be being sunk by Royal Navy guns, scuttling, or internment.
But in these opening moves of the war, the Royal Navy ships were very far away. Most of the enemy ships in the Pacific were based in Singapore, Hong Kong and Australia, with the closest operating from Weihaiwei. Maybe Petropavlovsk if the Russians contributed any ships. Those Entente forces in the south-west Pacific were busy attempting to chase down Von Spee’s main force, and roll up the German South Seas colonies. And besieging the modern fortress of Tsingtao. That could keep them busy for a long while.
The Canadian navy only had one old Apollo class training cruiser on this coast, and no naval tradition. As far as he could remember from his cadet days, Canada’s last naval battle was in 1813, and they had lost.
He was more worried about Japan, who he knew to have modern warships and ambitious officers. Yet Japan seemed to be biding its time in this war. They would decide to join on their own schedule, and on their own terms, as Great Nations do. And Von Schönberg was pretty certain that when Japan joined the war, it would be so they could snatch up Tsingtao and all the German South Seas colonies at the least expense to themselves. Nothing to be done about that, those colonies were indefensible.
In the meantime, there was no enemy that could match Nürnberg within 3000 nautical miles. So, for moment, he had Opportunity.
His plan was to skirt the shipping lane and nab British ships heading west. These ships would be weeks from their destinations in Japan or Australia or Hong Kong, and most likely would not be missed until they were overdue. If he was careful and lucky he could avoid eastbound ships, who would be missed in two days at most. If he was careful and lucky, all an eastbound ship need see of Nürnberg would be a smudge of smoke on the horizon, not a suspicious thing to see in a shipping lane. He could take a few prizes and get the flavour of the hunting grounds. He may learn something that could be useful.
Eventually he would head south, to meet with, and he supposed, evacuate the German Trade commissioner from Vancouver at Barclay Sound, Vancouver Island as ordered, link up with the Leipzig, and ultimately, God willing, rejoin Von Spee’s main unit somewhere. Easter Island, with the giant stone heads…or Robinson Crusoe Island… the Pacific Ocean was the largest body of water on the planet.
It seemed the closer Nürnberg got to North America, the more cloudy it became. For that last two days, the clouds had been a lid, grey and low, but not limiting visibility at sea level. The sea was a matching grey, and there was no time of day, just gray daylight and night.
“Smoke!” called the lookout in the foremast top. “Dead ahead!”
Here was a westbound ship, right on schedule. After searching all points of the compass to make sure they were alone, Nürnburg began jamming the wireless airwaves, and raced in. The German Naval War Ensign snapped overhead.
“Ship is a steam freighter, with one funnel, approximately 2500 tons.” said Von Schönberg. She tried turning about, but Nürnburg soon caught up. “Name SS Kirkaldy, Aberdeen.”
“Signal her to stop,” ordered Fisher.” The signalman flashed on his Morse light for the freighter to stop.
“Not fast enough, fire a shot across her bows.” The 5.2 cm secondary gun abaft the bridge fired, placing a waterspout right in the freighter’s path. Not all that impressive a waterspout, thought Von Schönberg, but he wanted to conserve the 10.5 cm main gun ammunition.
SS Kirkaldy came to a stop and hove to. Nürberg’s boarding party brought back 26 crewmen, the ships papers, and a Newfoundland dog.
“Cargo is wheat, bound for Japan,” reported the Oberlieutenant in charge of the boarding party. SS Kirkaldy was sunk with 3 demolition charges. She rolled on her side towards the Nürnberg, settled, then sank stern first with a great boiling and bubbling of escaping air. After she disappeared there remained a slick of wheat kernels.
At 1130 hours, Nürnberg captured and sank SS Brindle – Sydney, a 2500 ton freight liner carrying dried peas, canned salmon, railroad ties, and general cargo to Australia. The boarding party brought back 31 crew, 5 passengers including a Lutheran Minister and his adult daughter, 80 cases of canned salmon, and 20 cases of Rye whiskey.
In the early afternoon, Nürnberg spotted 3 separate smoke tracks eastbound. She avoided them all without showing her hull over the horizon.
At 1645, Nürnberg captured and sank SS Castle Stafford – London, a 3000 ton tramp freighter carrying horse fodder, saddles, and tack for the Australian Light Horse Regiment. The boarding party brought back 38 crew, 3 farriers from Alberta, 3 ships cats, and an upright piano.
“Thank God that ship was not carrying live horses,” said Von Schönberg. “That would have broken my heart.”
Just before dusk Nürnberg spotted smoke from a ship to the west, which she dodged.
Nürnberg was now carrying 130 extra persons in addition to her 336 officers and crew. An area between the second and third funnel was prepared as a place for the prisoners to get some air during daytime. One of the stokers from the Castle Stafford played haunting Anton Dvorak pieces on the piano lashed to the second funnel. The Lutheran ministers’ daughter also took turns playing inspirational hymns. At night, accommodations became very crowded for all.
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/ae/17/78/ae1778811bcebeb88d9b4fd06250061e.jpg
Crossing the Pacific, Captain Von Schönberg had been careful to keep the Nürnberg well to the north of the shipping lanes, in order to not stumble across a ship that might give his position away. Today he had headed south, and the Nürnberg lay a days sailing west of Dixon Entrance, between Cape Muzon Alaska, and the Queen Charlotte Islands.
Here lay a rich shipping lane, serving the Asian bound traffic from Prince Rupert, which was the western terminus of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway. Much of the traffic here would be British and Canadian, but Von Schönberg would still have to be careful not to antagonize neutral American ships serving Ketchican, Wrangel, St Petersberg, and the rest of the Alaska panhandle. This would all have been much easier if Alaska had stayed a Russian territory, Von Schönberg thought, then it would be open season.
The hazard was that if he was sighted by a neutral ship, he would be given away in a few days at most, and the Royal Navy would have a new reference point to start hunting him. But an equal hazard was that he could be too timid, and by remaining cautious, achieve nothing. Von Schönberg knew that His Majesty’s East Asiatic Squadron was living on borrowed time. Eventually, save through some Heavenly intervention, Nürnberg, Leipzig, and Admiral von Spee’s powerful main force with the Scharnhorst, Gneisenau, and Emden would be run down and overwhelmed by the endless ships of the Royal Navy. Their collective fate was to be being sunk by Royal Navy guns, scuttling, or internment.
But in these opening moves of the war, the Royal Navy ships were very far away. Most of the enemy ships in the Pacific were based in Singapore, Hong Kong and Australia, with the closest operating from Weihaiwei. Maybe Petropavlovsk if the Russians contributed any ships. Those Entente forces in the south-west Pacific were busy attempting to chase down Von Spee’s main force, and roll up the German South Seas colonies. And besieging the modern fortress of Tsingtao. That could keep them busy for a long while.
The Canadian navy only had one old Apollo class training cruiser on this coast, and no naval tradition. As far as he could remember from his cadet days, Canada’s last naval battle was in 1813, and they had lost.
He was more worried about Japan, who he knew to have modern warships and ambitious officers. Yet Japan seemed to be biding its time in this war. They would decide to join on their own schedule, and on their own terms, as Great Nations do. And Von Schönberg was pretty certain that when Japan joined the war, it would be so they could snatch up Tsingtao and all the German South Seas colonies at the least expense to themselves. Nothing to be done about that, those colonies were indefensible.
In the meantime, there was no enemy that could match Nürnberg within 3000 nautical miles. So, for moment, he had Opportunity.
His plan was to skirt the shipping lane and nab British ships heading west. These ships would be weeks from their destinations in Japan or Australia or Hong Kong, and most likely would not be missed until they were overdue. If he was careful and lucky he could avoid eastbound ships, who would be missed in two days at most. If he was careful and lucky, all an eastbound ship need see of Nürnberg would be a smudge of smoke on the horizon, not a suspicious thing to see in a shipping lane. He could take a few prizes and get the flavour of the hunting grounds. He may learn something that could be useful.
Eventually he would head south, to meet with, and he supposed, evacuate the German Trade commissioner from Vancouver at Barclay Sound, Vancouver Island as ordered, link up with the Leipzig, and ultimately, God willing, rejoin Von Spee’s main unit somewhere. Easter Island, with the giant stone heads…or Robinson Crusoe Island… the Pacific Ocean was the largest body of water on the planet.
It seemed the closer Nürnberg got to North America, the more cloudy it became. For that last two days, the clouds had been a lid, grey and low, but not limiting visibility at sea level. The sea was a matching grey, and there was no time of day, just gray daylight and night.
“Smoke!” called the lookout in the foremast top. “Dead ahead!”
Here was a westbound ship, right on schedule. After searching all points of the compass to make sure they were alone, Nürnburg began jamming the wireless airwaves, and raced in. The German Naval War Ensign snapped overhead.
“Ship is a steam freighter, with one funnel, approximately 2500 tons.” said Von Schönberg. She tried turning about, but Nürnburg soon caught up. “Name SS Kirkaldy, Aberdeen.”
“Signal her to stop,” ordered Fisher.” The signalman flashed on his Morse light for the freighter to stop.
“Not fast enough, fire a shot across her bows.” The 5.2 cm secondary gun abaft the bridge fired, placing a waterspout right in the freighter’s path. Not all that impressive a waterspout, thought Von Schönberg, but he wanted to conserve the 10.5 cm main gun ammunition.
SS Kirkaldy came to a stop and hove to. Nürberg’s boarding party brought back 26 crewmen, the ships papers, and a Newfoundland dog.
“Cargo is wheat, bound for Japan,” reported the Oberlieutenant in charge of the boarding party. SS Kirkaldy was sunk with 3 demolition charges. She rolled on her side towards the Nürnberg, settled, then sank stern first with a great boiling and bubbling of escaping air. After she disappeared there remained a slick of wheat kernels.
At 1130 hours, Nürnberg captured and sank SS Brindle – Sydney, a 2500 ton freight liner carrying dried peas, canned salmon, railroad ties, and general cargo to Australia. The boarding party brought back 31 crew, 5 passengers including a Lutheran Minister and his adult daughter, 80 cases of canned salmon, and 20 cases of Rye whiskey.
In the early afternoon, Nürnberg spotted 3 separate smoke tracks eastbound. She avoided them all without showing her hull over the horizon.
At 1645, Nürnberg captured and sank SS Castle Stafford – London, a 3000 ton tramp freighter carrying horse fodder, saddles, and tack for the Australian Light Horse Regiment. The boarding party brought back 38 crew, 3 farriers from Alberta, 3 ships cats, and an upright piano.
“Thank God that ship was not carrying live horses,” said Von Schönberg. “That would have broken my heart.”
Just before dusk Nürnberg spotted smoke from a ship to the west, which she dodged.
Nürnberg was now carrying 130 extra persons in addition to her 336 officers and crew. An area between the second and third funnel was prepared as a place for the prisoners to get some air during daytime. One of the stokers from the Castle Stafford played haunting Anton Dvorak pieces on the piano lashed to the second funnel. The Lutheran ministers’ daughter also took turns playing inspirational hymns. At night, accommodations became very crowded for all.
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/ae/17/78/ae1778811bcebeb88d9b4fd06250061e.jpg
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I would think they'll be taking coal from prizes soon. The piano is a nice touch
How would they do that? Baskets and a fire bucket line? Seems like it would put the ships in a kind of vulnerable position?
Yes. Find a quiet inlet, and pass coal like that. Yes, it is very vulnerable, but being out of coal is even more so.
Pretty soon the Germans will need to keep a captured ship and put the smallest prize crew aboard that they can and sail it to a neutral port as a prize and get rid of the prisoners. This number of prisoners is already a strain on the cruiser, and gets worse with every new capture. Not only is space a problem, but the prisoners need food and water which diminishes the cruiser's supplies and only so much can be taken from captured ships. The prize ship can unload the prisoners and take on coal and then leave. Of course the Germans need to make sure that the prize ship is relieved of as much coal as possible so they have an excuse to fill up the bunkers to the top.
One way is ships boats and sacks. Here is another way, suggested by items the US customs service deems to be suspect.
https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1914Supp/d987
No way is fast, or can be done in anything other than calm seas.
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That is a really neat article and it gives a great flavor to the mindset at that time. The problem with history 'in general' is people tend to apply their own values, morals and opinions instead of understanding the context of that time. I think you are really doing a nice job in giving your story context. That is what makes it so enjoyable for me.
The entire barley harvest
Aug 12, 0800. SMS Liepzig, Farallon Islands, off San Francisco
The German Consul General at San Francisco had arranged to charter a yacht and meet with Leipzig at the Farallon Islands with the expectation that Haun would want to be discrete, and avoid detection. Instead, for the whole day, Leipzig had been the talk of the town. He may as well have met Haun and his cruiser at Mission Street Pier. The Counsel had to concede that perhaps he should leave naval matters to the professionals, because however counter-intuitive Haun’s methods, he had managed to completely shut down Entente trade on the West Coast. No less that 25 British merchant ships were holed up in San Francisco Bay, and his Intelligence officer told him that the entire barley harvest was prevented from being exported.
The Consul General greeted Haun, and presented him with a bouquet from the German community of San Francisco and an assortment of the world’s newspapers. As they met, crews unloaded crates of fresh food.
“Japan is making noises like they are going to declare war,” said the Counsel. “They covet Tsingtao.”
“That will be bad for me. Izumo is close by. She is the most powerful ship on this coast. I saw her 8 days ago,” said Haun. “That could force me to conclude my business here and move on. We can outrun her if we have to.”
“Berlin expects Japan will issue an ultimatum before declaring, something with impossible demands, so you should get some kind of warning.”
“What of Von Spee?” asked Haun.
“Left Tsingtao weeks ago. Somewhere in the wide Pacific, making the British and the French nervous. They have considerable resources looking for him. Just today a fleet showed up at the Yap Island colony and was landing troops and commencing bombardment when the wireless station went silent.”
“And Nürnberg?’
“I have no news. Like you, she was ordered to conduct cruiser warfare off North America when the War Alert cable was issued, but I have heard nothing since, from diplomatic or intelligence sources. I suggest you read the newspapers. When she shows up, it will be reported.”
“Oh, her name comes up in the newspapers. Like Leipzig, she is everywhere at once.”
Despite rumours he had heard from all quarters, (some of which the Counsel had planted himself) there had been no auxiliaries or colliers engaged to supply the Leipzig.
“All the ship owners are skittish as cats,” said the Counsel. “Rainbow showing up here in port made the point that the Royal Navy does have a long reach. It confirmed their biases. No owners want to make a fast dollar on a scheme that might cost them their ship.”
“What about German ships?” asked Haun. “Surely there must be some willing?”
“Willing, yes,” said the Counsel. “Their patriotism is always beyond question.” Haun noticed the sarcasm and exaggerated tone in the Counsel’s voice hinted there was more to the story. “Unfortunately, there are not any suitable vessels, half are sailing ships, and the fastest German flagged steamship in San Francisco at the moment can do only 10 knots. There are no big liners bottled up here. And the American authorities have made it very clear they will intern any ship using an American port to supply a belligerent. Furthermore, most have cargos still aboard, since they only ran into San Francisco as a refuge when war was declared.
“I have a possibility. The Hamburg-America Line is trying to sell the Alexandria, in harbour here, to an American Company. If a ship is American flagged, it seems not to need clearance to leave port. But that sale is in negotiation at the moment, and not available for you yet.
“Was there not a plan for this eventuality?” The Counsel General, even though he was on a German warship, in international waters, in the fog, looked both ways before he spoke the next words. “The Etappendienst organization?”
“I am told that organization does not exist here.” said Haun. “I am also told that organization does not exist, and has never existed. In any case it is not working for me now. I am making my own plan.”
“I am not even sure the Americans will let you coal once,” said the Counsel, “Despite raising no objection to the Rainbow coaling.”
“Well, I am not going to simply intern. I will return on the night of the 16th, unless you advise me that it is unwise to do so.”
The General Counsel returned to his chartered yacht, and after casting off, the Leipzig steamed north.
https://uboat.net/articles/60.html
The German Consul General at San Francisco had arranged to charter a yacht and meet with Leipzig at the Farallon Islands with the expectation that Haun would want to be discrete, and avoid detection. Instead, for the whole day, Leipzig had been the talk of the town. He may as well have met Haun and his cruiser at Mission Street Pier. The Counsel had to concede that perhaps he should leave naval matters to the professionals, because however counter-intuitive Haun’s methods, he had managed to completely shut down Entente trade on the West Coast. No less that 25 British merchant ships were holed up in San Francisco Bay, and his Intelligence officer told him that the entire barley harvest was prevented from being exported.
The Consul General greeted Haun, and presented him with a bouquet from the German community of San Francisco and an assortment of the world’s newspapers. As they met, crews unloaded crates of fresh food.
“Japan is making noises like they are going to declare war,” said the Counsel. “They covet Tsingtao.”
“That will be bad for me. Izumo is close by. She is the most powerful ship on this coast. I saw her 8 days ago,” said Haun. “That could force me to conclude my business here and move on. We can outrun her if we have to.”
“Berlin expects Japan will issue an ultimatum before declaring, something with impossible demands, so you should get some kind of warning.”
“What of Von Spee?” asked Haun.
“Left Tsingtao weeks ago. Somewhere in the wide Pacific, making the British and the French nervous. They have considerable resources looking for him. Just today a fleet showed up at the Yap Island colony and was landing troops and commencing bombardment when the wireless station went silent.”
“And Nürnberg?’
“I have no news. Like you, she was ordered to conduct cruiser warfare off North America when the War Alert cable was issued, but I have heard nothing since, from diplomatic or intelligence sources. I suggest you read the newspapers. When she shows up, it will be reported.”
“Oh, her name comes up in the newspapers. Like Leipzig, she is everywhere at once.”
Despite rumours he had heard from all quarters, (some of which the Counsel had planted himself) there had been no auxiliaries or colliers engaged to supply the Leipzig.
“All the ship owners are skittish as cats,” said the Counsel. “Rainbow showing up here in port made the point that the Royal Navy does have a long reach. It confirmed their biases. No owners want to make a fast dollar on a scheme that might cost them their ship.”
“What about German ships?” asked Haun. “Surely there must be some willing?”
“Willing, yes,” said the Counsel. “Their patriotism is always beyond question.” Haun noticed the sarcasm and exaggerated tone in the Counsel’s voice hinted there was more to the story. “Unfortunately, there are not any suitable vessels, half are sailing ships, and the fastest German flagged steamship in San Francisco at the moment can do only 10 knots. There are no big liners bottled up here. And the American authorities have made it very clear they will intern any ship using an American port to supply a belligerent. Furthermore, most have cargos still aboard, since they only ran into San Francisco as a refuge when war was declared.
“I have a possibility. The Hamburg-America Line is trying to sell the Alexandria, in harbour here, to an American Company. If a ship is American flagged, it seems not to need clearance to leave port. But that sale is in negotiation at the moment, and not available for you yet.
“Was there not a plan for this eventuality?” The Counsel General, even though he was on a German warship, in international waters, in the fog, looked both ways before he spoke the next words. “The Etappendienst organization?”
“I am told that organization does not exist here.” said Haun. “I am also told that organization does not exist, and has never existed. In any case it is not working for me now. I am making my own plan.”
“I am not even sure the Americans will let you coal once,” said the Counsel, “Despite raising no objection to the Rainbow coaling.”
“Well, I am not going to simply intern. I will return on the night of the 16th, unless you advise me that it is unwise to do so.”
The General Counsel returned to his chartered yacht, and after casting off, the Leipzig steamed north.
https://uboat.net/articles/60.html
Why do I get the feeling that a squadron of more modern cruisers will be transiting the Panama Canal to deal with the pesky German raiders after all it must be done or the Irish will revolt from a lack Guiness
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