Against the Tide Imperial: The Struggle for Ceylon (The Usurper's War: An Alternative World War II B by James Young (story reading txt) 📕

100 Miles Northeast of Mogadishu

5 August (4 August)

I think we’re about to rouse some folks from a misplaced sense of security, Jacob thought, gazing astern as the Houston made a lazy turn to starboard in the predawn darkness. Especially if they weren’t, for instance, expecting surface ships to come a callin’.

Task Force 25, as the new surface group was now called, was a much stronger force than the one that had terrorized the Mozambique Channel. In addition to the heavy cruiser’s normal companions, the large, hulking shapes of the U.S.S. Massachusetts and U.S.S. Indiana now loomed astern of the H.M.C.S. Repulse. Although both battleships’ crews were just slightly less green than a bed of kelp, their eighteen 16-inch guns more than tripled TF 25’s available firepower.

Certainly makes a potential encounter with what the Italians allegedly have in Mogadishu a little more even. The two new cruisers that came up with them will also help. The Baltimore was a heavy cruiser like Houston, while the Tallahassee was a “light” cruiser that displaced over 2,000-tons more than Jacob’s vessel.

“I must say, sir, Vice Admiral Fletcher has surprised me somewhat with his aggression,” Commander Farmer observed.

Jacob detected a slight sense of nervousness in the man’s voice, and the British officer busily scanned the skies to the west.

“Well, I don’t pretend to be able to read Vice Admiral Fletcher’s mind,” Jacob observed. “But I do think the possibility of an Italian Fleet gathering behind us finally became something he just couldn’t ignore.”

Farmer gave a curt nod.

“I must say, however, that Vice Admiral Cunningham would have appreciated knowing of Fletcher’s intent to raid Mogadishu before the rest of the fleet departed for the Maldives. Especially with the Japanese sighted entering the Indian Ocean a week ago.”

Well, maybe Vice Admiral Cunningham shouldn’t have explicitly questioned Vice Admiral Fletcher’s courage, Jacob thought. Especially since it’s the damn Prince of Wales’ short legs that have him concerned half the time. It was not hard to see the differences in British and American design philosophies with regards to their capital vessels and expected range. Having an Empire the sun never set on meant the Prince of Wales’ designers had assumed all Royal Navy vessels would be within easy distance of a friendly port. The Indian Ocean’s vastness and South Africa’s recalcitrance had shown that assumption’s inherent errors. The range problem had been further exacerbated by several crew practices with regards to not using certain fuel tanks.

I don’t care how worried they are about seawater getting into the boilers, you can’t just opt not to use thirty percent of your battleship’s fuel.

“I think it’s precisely that carrier battle that has Vice Admiral Fletcher deciding it’s time to get the Italians out of Mogadishu,” Jacob replied. “With Victorious, Ark Royal, and Eagle, he has three carriers to the four the Japanese are expected to bring, plus the aircraft on Ceylon. I think the odds are much better than even.”

Further discussion was cut off by furious signaling from the Massachusetts.

“Looks like our friends are on radar,” Jacob noted. “Now here’s to hoping the Italian or German in question isn’t blind.”

Farmer looked at the rapidly lightening sky above their head.

“I think it would have to be almost a divine curse, like something out of the Old Testament, to miss a fleet this size,” the British officer said grimly.

Very true, with three capital ships in this task force. But had to put something sufficiently large to be able to take care of itself if it came to that out here. Besides, if the enemy’s swinging at us, they’re going to miss the carriers.

One hundred miles to the northeast, the U.S.S. Yorktown and Enterprise lurked with their escorts. Unbeknownst to Commander Farmer or any other British officer, the new carriers Bonhomme Richard and Independence were roughly sixty miles to that group’s south and moving at high speed to join up.

Interesting how Second Fleet snuck half their strength all the way down the Atlantic, then around the Cape of Good Hope without anyone noticing, Jacob thought. Even if Vice Admiral Fletcher's been explicitly ordered not to subject those forces to 'undue risk.'

“I almost feel sorry for the poor bastards when that spotting report arrives,” Jacob observed. “Going to have to make some hard decisions at that point.”

The general intent was for the search aircraft’s report to flush anything in Mogadishu out into the open water for TF 25 to deal with. This was preferable to aircraft attempting to put torpedoes into vessels moored in a harbor with torpedo nets up and arrayed.

Assuming we can find the enemy once he puts to sea. That’s not always as easy as the flyboys make it sound. Or, for that matter, that what’s in the harbor is what the intelligence types think.

“Well, we’ve got the right commander for the job,” Commander Farmer said. “Vice Admiral Godfrey will chase the Italians all the way to Mombasa or Port Said depending on which way they go.”

Jacob nodded his agreement even as he tried not to think what had happened to the last Commonwealth admiral that chased an Axis fleet.

Admiral Phillips died with his spurs on at least.

"I must say, while the added tonnage was a bit of a surprise, your new South Dakota vessels have certainly made nice gifts for Admiral Godfrey," Farmer observed.

Jacob kept his face passive as the British officer's biting tone. Vice Admiral Godfrey had been expecting a routine tanking operation after departing Madagascar's vicinity. Instead, a significant portion of the United States Navy’s Atlantic Fleet had shown up at the rendezvous point.

Then again, Rear Admiral Lee did defer to Gordon's experience and place his vessel's under the man's command, Jacob thought. That probably helped smooth the waters.

"Here's to hoping we get a chance to see who did a better job packing a battleship into treaty tonnage," Jacob replied. "

God help us that we’re at the point we don’t feel comfortable telling our own allies what vessels the Navy is bringing