Channel Raid 1918.

Game of WW1 naval. 

Using General Quarters part 2 with1/3000 Navwar models.

Organized, using terrain and models and nominally umpired by Leslie.

AAR by Leslie Tipping.

Players
British    : Phil and Alan.
German : Adam.

The game was based on aborted German naval plans to raid into the English Channel in October 1918. A scratch force of German capital ships accompanied by some light forces was to try disrupt the supply lines between England and France in an attempt to provide some relief to the hard pressed armies on the western front, bolster civilian morale and provide glory and perhaps a future for the fleet. Standing in their way was the British Channel Fleet made up of pre Dreadnought battleships and a variety of light forces. 

The raid never occurred.  When it was suggested that it take place it provoked a widespread mutiny in the German Fleet helping to hasten the end of the war. None of the ordinary sailors ,who were war weary and hungry, wanted to die fruitlessly in a lost war.

The game assumed that the raid took place and so the Germans sailed into the English Channel.  However it was also assumed that, as in real life, British Intelligence through the breaking of German codes was aware of the plan and so  the faster elements of The Grand Fleet were dispatched south to intercept the enemy. The scene was set for the largest naval clash since Jutland in 1916.

The game was arranged to give both sides the possibility of  both claiming victory through different victory conditions . The Germans were fighting to gain honour and glory points as outlined in their fleet orders. The British were seeking to gain a more traditional victory by sinking a greater value of enemy ships than they lost by counting the ships defence factors.

The instructions given to the players.

German instructions.

British instructions.

The German fleet arrived in the Channel and the merchant convoy promptly began to scatter.

The two escorting destroyers, Porpoise and Spitfire, courageously sailed to confront the entire enemy fleet. The British auxiliary merchant cruiser , The Macedonia, also began to fire on the Germans. The initial firing from both sides was really very poor with a lot of straddles but with little damage inflicted. The most memorable moment in this early period was when the Germans opened fire on the hospital ship ,The Mongolia , and ,despite missing, promptly lost an honour point. 

The firing continued and The Channel Fleet sailed into view but was too far away for any meaningful shooting. Meanwhile The Porpoise had been rendered a blazing wreck and soon sank after being shot at by the majority of the enemy fleet.  The Spitfire although no longer able to move because of hull damage managed to loose off a torpedo before sinking. Unfortunately the efforts of the gallant little ship were for naught as the torpedo missed. 

The Germans then made short work of The Macedonia and began closing on the fleeing merchant men. Several of the merchant ships were able to escape off the table due to the sacrifice of their gallant naval escorts. The little tramp steamer The Seagull however was soon stopped by devastating German fire but despite the many ships shooting at her she managed to repair her engines and with dogged determination continued to make for safety.

The Channel Fleet had now closed sufficiently to begin to fire on the advancing Germans. 

Minor damage was inflicted on The Hindenburg and medium to serious damage on The Moltke and The Von Der Tann. In return the overwhelming German return fire stopped The Dreadnought leaving her wallowing  and defenseless. At this point in a display of great courage the rest of the Channel Fleet moved in front of The Dreadnought to protect her from further damage . Almost unnoticed to this point The Seagull finally succumbed and sank.

With a roar of 15 inch guns elements of the Grand Fleet announced its arrival behind the German line. The German admiral sent the battleships The Konig and The Kronzprinz Wilhelm to oppose them . Unfortunately neither German ship achieved any hits on the British line and in one move of British firing The Kronzprinz Wilhelm had all her guns destroyed and suffered medium hull damage causing her to lose speed.

As time was ticking by it was decided that the game would continue for only one more turn so both sides decided to launch mass torpedo attacks. The Germans launched against the predreadnoughts and the British against the retreating Konig class battleships. Unfortunately both sides missed to the great disappointment of their respective admirals. When the points were totaled neither side had done enough to declare victory, Although Phil was declared to be the winner of the battle of the memoirs it was not a substantive victory.  Adam was declared to be in disgrace and likely to be court martialed.

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Photos curtesy of Leslie.