Battering Ram of the Sea

Chapter 10 - Accomplishment and Damage

"The first attack group sank an aircraft carrier believed to be the HMS Hermes and also destroyed ten auxiliary vessels such as cruisers and destroyers. Furthermore, the escort Zeros shot down eight enemy fighter planes. As for the second attack group, they have certainly sunk two Nelson-class battleships, that is, the Nelson and Rodney."

The staff murmured in astonishment as the air staff officer read out the results.

A total of 126 aircraft from the 5th Carrier Division's Shōkaku and Zuikaku launched from their carriers, sinking one aircraft carrier and two battleships. Sinking battleships at sea with aircraft alone was a world first. Moreover, it wasn't just one, but two battleships, and to make it even more remarkable, they were both part of the "Big Seven," the 40-centimeter gun-equipped battleships, Nelson and Rodney.

"Furthermore, with the base air units attacking the Eastern Fleet in place of the second attack group, it has been reported that four battleships of the Revenge-class were sunk. This is further confirmed by a similar report from the Zuihō's Number 9 aircraft that was sent out for reconnaissance, so the accuracy seems to be quite high."

After the 5th Carrier Division dealt a heavy blow to the Eastern Fleet, the G3M land-based attack bombers and G4M land attack bombers from the base air units deployed in Indochina relentlessly pounded the same fleet, and unbelievably, they managed to sink all four battleships of the Revenge-class. As a result, it is believed that the Eastern Fleet has almost lost its capability as a naval striking force. Most of the surviving cruisers and destroyers have also been damaged, with very few remaining undamaged. The Army has already completed its landing in Malaya, and with the threat from the Eastern Fleet eliminated, the success of the Malayan campaign seems almost assured. The air staff officer who announced the results, however, now spoke with a slightly subdued tone as he reported the losses.

"As for our losses, when combining the losses from the first and second attack groups, we have lost two Type Zero fighters, ten Type 99 carrier bombers (D3A), and five Type 97 carrier attack bombers (B5N). Multiple aircraft have also been damaged, and as of now, the available planes for the 5th Carrier Division are twenty-eight Type Zeros, twenty-one Type 99s, and thirty-two Type 97s. Regarding the Zuihō, there have been no significant damages reported, as only one of the Type 97s sent out for reconnaissance sustained damage. So, the damage to the Zuihō is minor."

Upon hearing the report on losses, Rear Admiral Hara, the commander of the 5th Carrier Division, grimaced. Certainly, sinking one aircraft carrier and two battleships, and destroying 10 cruisers and destroyers, could be considered a fair exchange for 17 aircraft. However, losing nearly 40 crew members all at once was a significant blow to the 5th Carrier Division. The pool of Imperial Japanese Navy carrier crew members was already thin. To meet the aircraft complement requirements of the 1st Air Fleet at the start of the war, they had to draft not only crew members from the base air units but also a significant number of instructors and staff from the training units. Replacing nearly 40 crew members would not be a task that could be accomplished overnight. As the commanding officer responsible for the organization, Hara was facing a troublesome issue.

"What do you propose?" Hara, trying to avoid the unpleasant topic, asked Vice Admiral Ozawa.

"We should continue our attacks on the remaining enemy fleet with all available aircraft. While the Eastern Fleet has lost all of its mainline vessels, there are still more than a dozen cruisers and destroyers left. Sinking them would be a significant blow to the British naval capabilities, especially if we can take out some of their destroyers."

The Royal Navy was fighting against the Axis powers in various seas, including the North Sea, the Atlantic, the Mediterranean, and the Indian Ocean. Among these, the destroyer, often referred to as the workhorse of the fleet, was in high demand and in chronically short supply. This shortage would have a decisive impact, particularly in their battle against U-boats. The Royal Navy's difficulties would also be to the advantage of not only Germany but also Japan. Hara nodded in agreement with Ozawa's proposal and was about to issue orders for the preparations for the third attack group when an officer, who looked particularly troubled, rushed in before he could speak.