Jump to content


Photo

Armada Espana


  • Please log in to reply
No replies to this topic

#1 W. Clark

W. Clark

    Lt Colonel

  • Members
  • 604 posts
  • LocationOregon, out in the sticks

Posted 24 April 2023 - 09:55 PM

The Armada Espana

A Dutch/Spanish WWII What-if

 

Dutch East Indies Fleet: VAdm Helfrich

Cruiser Sqdn 1: RAdm Staveren         DesGrp 1                                 DesGrp 3

CL HrMs De Zeven Provincien FF       DD HrMS Kortenaer               DD HrMs Callenburg

CL HrMs Endratch SF                          DD HrMs Van Ghent               DD HrMs Issac Sweers

CL HrMs Tromp                                   DD HrMs Van Galen               DD HrMs Tjerk Hiddes

CL HrMs Jacob van Heemskerck        DD HrMs Witte de With         DD HrMs Almonde

Cruiser Sqdn 2: RAdm Dorman          DesGrp 2

CL HrMs De Ruyter SF                        DD HrMs Banckert

CL HrMs Java                                      DD HrMs Piet Hein

CL HrMs Sumatra                               DD HrMs Evertsen     

                                                            DD HrMs Van Nes

 

Armada Espana: VAdm Juan Valdez

Cruiser Sqdn 1: RAdm Vierna            DesDiv 1                                  DesDiv 3

CA AE Canarias FF                               DD AE Chrruca                        DD AE Almirante Antequera

CA AE Baleres SF                                 DD AE Alcala Galiano             DD AE Almirante Miranda

Cruiser Sqdn 2: RAdm Santa Anna    DD AE Almirante Ferrandiz    DD AE Gravina

CL AE Almirante Cerveva SF               DD AE Sanchez Barcaiztegul  DesDiv 4

CL AE Galicia                                       DesDiv 2                                  DD AE Escano

CL AE Miguel Cervantes                      DD ASJose Luis Diez                DD AE Ulloa

Cruiser Sqdn 3: RAdm Gravina          DD AE Lepanto                       DD AE Jorge Juan

CL AE Mendez Nunez SF                     DD AE Almirante Valdes         DD AE Ciscar

CL AE Navarra

 

Background

The Dutch legislature was sure that the British and the Americans would come to their aid if Japan attacked the DEI. So sure, that they were inclined to spend as little as possible on the defense of the DEI even though there were no agreements (written or verbal) about such aid being sent from either the Brits or the Yanks. And when either the Brits or Americans broached the subject, the Dutch hemmed and hawed demanding total commitment from the Brits and Yanks while demurring from making any commitment of their own.

 

But not everyone viewed such aid as a given and repeatedly asked the very uncomfortable question;” What if they do not come to our aid? Are we willing to give up the DEI? Because with our current defense that is what will happen.” Now this conversation about the need to enlarge the DEI Fleet had been going on since at least 1908 with the legislature continually kicking the can down the road for over twenty years. But the admirals finally convinced enough of the legislature that a fleet replenishment act was passed in the early thirties (instead of 1938). Not enough, but a vast improvement on what they had. They laid down 5 cruisers (De Ruyter, Tromp and Endratch classes and 4 destroyers (Tjerk Hiddes class). There was still no answer to IJN heavy cruisers, but that would have to wait.

 

Then came May 1939, the battle of Khalkhin Gol and the Soviet defeat of the Japanese Army. Even those who had steadfastly maintained that the Japanese would go after Siberia over the DEI realized that this was no longer the case. Suddenly the Legislature voted funds for cruiser killing battle cruisers but it was too late. What was of use was the funds given over for the immediate and long overdue refitting of Java and Sumatra and the filling of the DEI Fleet’s ranks.

 

The Germans invaded Holland on 10 May 1940 and the government went into exile in Britain. The situation in the Far East was deteriorating at an ever-quickening rate. Then came the final blow. The Americans in conference with the Brits about what to do in the Far East dropped a bombshell. They told the Brits flat out that the American people would not politically support a government that shed American blood to secure either the British or the Dutch colonial empires. They would supply weapons, but no troops.

 

The Brits in a moment of unhistorical clarity realized that they could not spare the fleet needed to defend Singapore and the Far East with the war going on in Europe and Africa (realizing Jan Smuts prediction). The Brits informed the Dutch of this development. The worst fears of those who had argued for so long for the enlargement of the fleet were now realized. The Dutch held their fleet at the ready in the waters off Java and waited for the next shoe to drop. This occurred on 7 December 1941 at Pearl Harbor, a day in infamy. The Americans committed to the defense of Australia and told the Dutch that they were on their own in the DEI.

 

Meanwhile, back in Europe, Franco was still playing footsie with Hitler and Churchill did not like it one little bit. Then the Spanish approached the Brits about giving back Gibraltar in order to retain Franco’s good will. Franco had crossed Churchill’s bow once too often and Churchill was looking for a way to put Franco back in his place. Someone proposed taking the Canary and Balearic Islands from Spain and Churchill jumped on it. It was estimated that a brigade each would be overkill, but additional ships were needed to cover the invasion of the Balearic Islands. Churchill approached the Dutch Government and offered them the rule of the Balearics if they supplied the DEI fleet to cover the invasion. The Dutch government in an effort to preserve their fleet and get something in return agreed.

 

Mid-July 1942

The DEI had fallen to the Japanese months before, but the DEI Fleet was not there. They were instead entering the Mediterranean escorting a British brigade in troop transports to take Port Mahon.

 

It was 1200 hours on 15 July 1942. The wind was a Force 3 westerly at 10 knots. The sky was solid overcast and VAdm Helfrich hoped this would keep any Spanish planes from finding them before they could strike at Port Mahon. There were no squalls all though that would probably change with nightfall. However, there was a bit of haze to the north that reduced visibility in that direction by 1,000 yards. Visibility was 28,000 yards, but that, if the sky was any indication could change.

 

The DEI under Vice Admiral Helfrich was steaming north (0 degrees) at 15 knots. DesDiv 3 in line abreast screened the van from 5,000 yards head. The rest of the fleet was deployed in three columns. The cruisers, CruSqdn 1 leading, comprised the center column with DesDiv 1 and 2 to port and starboard respectively. The invasion convoy trailed the fleet.

 

HrMs Philips Van Almonde’s masthead reported enemy in sight, bearing NW. the Armada Espana had come out to fight. VAdm Helfrich ordered DesGrp 3 to form on the van of the fleet in line ahead and DesGrps 1 and 2 to form on the fleet astern on its unengaged (starboard) side. Helfrich also ordered the cruisers to 30 knots.

 

The Armada Espana under Vice Admiral Juan Valdez was steaming east at 25 knots. Valdez wanted to go faster as he considered himself in a race to Port Mahon but the Navarra (a copy of the British WWI town class) could barely make 25 knots. DesDivs 2 and 3 formed a line abreast (port and starboard respectively) screen 5,000 yards ahead. The remainder of the Armada was deployed in three columns with the cruiser squadrons 1, 2 and 3 (in that order) in the center column and DesDivs 1 and 4 to port and starboard respectively.

 

AE Gravina’s masthead reported enemy in sight, bearing SE. They had found the invasion fleet. The Spanish were about to fight the Dutch again at sea for the first time since the Seventeenth Century. Valdez ordered DesDivs 2 and 3 to form on the van of the Armada in line ahead DesDiv 2 leading. DesDive 1 and 4, DesDiv 1 leading would form on the Armada’s rear in line ahead.

 

Both fleets launched all their spotter a/c at 1306 hours (they had all been on stand by for some time). At 1312 hours the opposing flag ships opened on one another and their first salvos missed. By 1218 hours the Dutch were up to 30 knots but Navarra held the Armada to 25 knots. Nevertheless, the range had closed to 21,000 yards. The range reduction coupled with aerial spot improved both sides gunnery with the improvement most marked for the Espana heavy cruisers. The cruisers were firing at their opposite numbers, Canarais at Provincien, Baleares at Endratch, Admiral Cerveva at Tromp, Galica at Jacob van Heemskerck, Miguel Cervantes at De Ruyter, Mendez Nunez at Java and Navarra at Sumatra and vice versa.

The destroyers of both sides stayed out of the fight for now per their orders.

 

 

Between 1218 and 1230 hours as the range decreased to 15,000 yards De Zeven Provincien suffered six hits that knocked out her fore guns and rear twin leaving only her aft triple still in action, other early hits jammed her rudder amidships and damaged her engines and her hull slowing her to 21 knots. She fixed her rudder but broke her engine beyond repair by her crew.

 

During the same time frame Endratch suffered seven hits that caused two fires in her a/c handling facilities (she failed to put them out), and damaged her structurally twice, and knocked out her fore turret (reducing her to 7 guns) as well as minor damage to searchlights and the like. Further hull damage at 1236 hours coupled with her green crew’s inability to put her fires out and repair her damaged bulkheads sank her.

 

Tromp also in these 12 minutes received 3 hits that damaged her hull, slowing her to 19 knots. She took the third hit in her a/c handling facilities and kept a fire from starting.

 

Jacob Van Heemskerck took a hit to her hull that slowed her to 26 knots. De Ruyter was hit twice and would have had her secondary badly damaged if she only had one. Java took a single hit to her hull that slowed her to 26 knots. Sumatra’s luck with her green crew that contained almost every naval cadet in the Dutch Navy when coupled with the antiquated FC of Navarra suffered no damage at all.

 

Canarais during this period suffered hull damage that slowed her to 26 knots and the loss of her starboard fore 4.7” mount. Baleares also suffered the lost of her fore turret, a hit to her bridge that killed RAdm Vierna, damage to her hull that slowed her to 30 knots, damage to her a/c handling that started a fire and the destruction of her starboard fixed TT mount that would have hurt her considerably if she had any torpedoes to start with.

 

Almirante Cerveva suffered three hits to her hull that slowed her to 15 knots, her fore gun mount, a magazine hit (she flooded) that knocked out her fore twin mount and her starboard secondary. Galicia suffered serious structural damage and damage to her a/c handling facilities and she repaired both. She also lost her fore gun mount. Miguel Cervantes suffered hull damage reducing her to 28 knots and the loss of her starboard secondary.

 

Mendez Nunez took a hit that would have damaged her secondary if she had one and Navarra took damage to her hull that slowed her to 21 knots and knocked out her starboard secondary.

 

At 1236 hours both Admirals ordered their destroyers to attack the van and rear of each other’s fleet with destroyers deployed opposite those targets. It has been rumored that they only now remembered that they had destroyers present. Well, it gets hectic when you are under fire.

Both sides destroyers were either copies of or derived from Royal Navy destroyer designs and they were all armed with 4.7” guns that could fire rapidly. The destroyers ended up shooting at their opposite numbers just like the cruisers except that the Armada had two extra destroyers and those doubled up.

 

The engagement pairings were Churruca at Kortenaer, Galiano at Van Ghent, Sanchez at Van Galen, Ferrandiz at Witte de With, Diez at Banckert, Lepanto and Valdes at Piet Hein, Antequera at Evertsen, Miranda at Van Nes, Gravina at at Callenburgh, Escano at Issac Sweers, Ulloa at Hiddes, Juan and Cicar doubled up on Almonde. All were firing rapidly except Lepanto and Juan who being engaged and with a multiple batteries’ modifier were firing normally.

 

Kortenaer took hull damage and a fire in her DC racks that slowed her to 30 knots. Van Ghent took a bridge hit and a magazine hit that knocked out her fore gun. Van Galen took hull damage that slowed her to 30 knots and lost her fore TT. Piet Hein suffered a fire in her DC racks and serious structural damage that slowed her to 31 knots. Evertsen suffered a fire in her DC racks and lost her fore TT. Van Nes suffered a rudder jammed amidships, Callenburgh suffered hull damage and engine damage that reduced her to 24 knots, Sweers suffered engine damage that slowed her to 24 knots, Hiddes lost her fore TT and hull damage that slowed her to 30 knots and Almonde’s hull damage slowed her to 30 knots.

 

Galiano suffered a magazine hit and lost her fore gun. Sanchez suffered a fire in her DC racks, Diez suffered hull, reduced to 31 knots, Lepanto, hull damage, reduced to 31 knots, Antequera lost her fore gun, Miranda lost her fore gun, hull damage, reduced to 31 knots and Juan lost her fore gun.

 

At this point the action slowed down while ships on both sides tried to repair damage that threatened their very survival in some cases. Kortenaer put her fire out as did Evertsen. But Piet Hein failed and took more damage, reducing her to 23 knots. Van Nes failed to fix her rudder. Callenburgh fixed her engine hit but Sweers did not and her crew’s efforts do so disabled it beyond repair outside a dockyard. Sanchez put out her fire as did Baleares. Galicia failed to fix her bulkhead, took more damage, and was slowed to 21 knots.

 

During the next 12 minutes with the range decreasing generally to 9,000 yards, Spanish 8” gunnery failed except for Baleares who hit Tromp four times. Cerveva hit Heemskerck twice. Galicia hit De Ruyter four times and Cervantes hit Java elven times. Nunez and Novarra doubled up on Sumatra hitting her six times. The Dutch return fire hit Canarais and Baleares thrice each. Cerveva took a hit and Galicia took five hits. Cervantes took four hits. Nunez took seven hits.

 

Tromp had her a/c handling facilities damaged but avoided a fire. But she also lost her fore turret and suffered an engine hit and serious structural damage that slowed her to six knots. Heemskerck lost her fore turret and suffered serious structural damage that slowed her to 19 knots. De Ruyter lost her fore guns and suffered serious structural damage that slowed her to 27 knots. Java had her a/c handling facilities damaged but avoided a fire. She also took a hit to her non existing secondary but that was the last of the good news. Java lost both her fore gun mounts and the first two on her port broadside. Java took four hits to her hull slowing her to 9 knots and an engineering hit as well as an amidships rudder jam. Sumatra’s luck held at first as she took hits to her non existing torpedo and secondary batteries. But all good things come to an end with Sumatra losing her fore gun mount and taking serious structural damage thrice that reduced her to 14 knots.

 

Canarais lost her fore turrets and hull damage slowing her to 21 knots. Baleares lost her starboard fore 4.7” mount and hull damage that reduced her to 21 knots. Cerveva lost her midships 6” mount. Galicia took another hit to her a/c facilities that started a fire. She lost her starboard secondary and suffered hull damage that slowed her to 10 knots. Cervantes lost her fore gun mounts and suffered a magazine hit that knocked out her midships gun mount. She also took a hit to her engineering spaces that reduced her to 21 knots. Nunez took 2 hits to her a/c facilities and both started fires. Nunez lost her fore and starboard side fore mounts. Nunez suffered hull and serious structural damage that reduced her to 17 knots.

 

Then it was the destroyers’ turn with same pairings as before and still firing rapidly. Kortenaer took four hits. Van Ghent took 6 hits. Van Galen took 5 hits. Witte de With took a hit. Banckert took 3 hits. Piet Hein took 5 hits. Evertsen took 2 hits. Van Nes took 2 hits. Callenburgh took 6 hits. Sweers took 3 hits. Hiddes took 3 hits. Almonde took 11 hits.

 

Churruca took 3 hits. Galiano took a hit. Sanchez took 4 hits. Ferrandiz took a hit. Diez took 4 hits. Lepanto took a hit. Antequera took a hit. Gravina took 4 hits. Escano took 4 hits. Juan took 2 hits.

 

Kortenaer lost her fore gun mount and suffered severe damage to her hull that reduced her 11 knots. Van Ghent lost fore TT mount and took a bridge hit; She also suffered 2 hull hits and 2 engine hits that knocked her DIW. Van Galen took a hit to DC racks that started a fire and she lost both fore gun mounts; 2 hull hits reduced her to 16 knots. Witte de With lost her fore TT mount. Banckert lost her fore gun mount and took 2 hull hits that slowed her to 23 knots. Piet Hein lost her fore gun and TT mounts as well as a magazine hit that knocked out her last fore gun mount; she also took 2 engineering hits that knocked her DIW. Evertsen took a magazine hit that knocked out her fore gun and a hit to her engineering that reduced her to 23 knots. Van Nes lost her fore gun mount and suffered hull damage that slowed her to 31 knots. Callenburgh lost all her TT mounts, a fore gun mount, serious structural damage and other hull damage that reduced her to 20 knots. Sweers lost a TT and gun mounts and hull damage. Hiddes also lost her last TT and a gun mount and hull damage that slowed her to 23 knots. Almonde took a hit to her DC racks and a fire; she lost all her TT mounts and three gun mounts; she also suffered serious structural and hull damage that reduced her to 20 knots.

 

Churruca took a hit to her FC; lost a TT mount and a magazine hit that took out her fore gun mount. Galiano lost her fore TT mount. Sanchez took a bridge hit; lost her fore TT mount and serious structural damage (twice) that reduced her to 23 knots. Ferrandiz suffered hull damage that slowed her to 31 knots. Diez suffered a fire in her DC racks; the loss of her fore gun mount and damage to her hull that reduced her to 23 knots. Lepanto took further hull damage slowing her to 16 knots. Antequera lost her fore TT mount. Gravina suffered 2 fires in her DC racks, serious structural and further hull damage that reduced her to 16 knots. Escano lost her fore TT mount and hull damage that slowed her to 16 knots. Juan took a hit to her engineering and serious structural damage that slowed her to 23 knots.

 

By 1248 hours the range had decreased generally to 6,000 yards. Both Admirals realized that they were both pretty beat up and they had better launch torpedoes while they still had some. But first they would repair what they could. Van Ghent failed to fix a engineer hit and remained DIW. Van Galen failed to put her fire out and suffered further damage that reduced her to 11 knots. Piet Hein followed suit and remained DIW. Evertsen tried fix her engine hit and broke it beyond repair instead. Callenburgh failed to fix her bulkhead, suffered further damage that slowed her to 17 knots. Almonde fixed a bulkhead.

 

Galiano failed to fix her bulkhead and suffered further damage reducing her to 23 knots. Sanchez fixed one bulkhead but suffered further damage from the other and slowed to 16 knots. Diez failed to put her fire out and suffered more damage for it. Gravina failed to fix a bulkhead and the bulkheads and fire caused more damage and that sank her. Juan also failed to fix a bulkhead and took further damage.

 

Provincien fired port TT at Canarais. Tromp fired her port TT at Baleares. Heemskerck fired her port TT at Cerveva. Cerveva fired both her starboard TT at Provincien. Galicia fired both her starboard TT at Tromp. Cervantes fired both her starboard TT at Heemskerck. Nunez fired both her starboard TT, fore at De Ruyter and aft at Java.

 

Churraca and Kortenaer fired all their TT at each other. Galiano and Van Ghent fired all their TT at each other. Sanchez and Van Galen fired all their TT at each other. Ferrandiz and Witte de With fired all their TT at each other. Diez and Banckert fired all their TT at each other. Lepanto fired her TT at Piet Hein as did Valdes. Antequera and Evertsen fired all their TT at each other. Miranda and Van Nes fired all their TT at each other. Escano fired all her TT at Callenburg. Ulloa and Sweers fired all their TT at each other. Juan and Hiddes fired all their TT at other. Ciscar fired her TT at Almonde.

 

Provincien took 3 hits, Tromp took 2 hits, De Ruyter took 2 hits. Java took 2 hits. Sumatra took 2 hits. Baleares took 2 hits. Cerveva took 3 hits. Cervantes took a hit. Nunez took 4 hits.

 

Provincien lost her last gun mount and her starboard TT mount and a hit to her engineering knocking her DIW. Tromp lost her last fore turret and a hull hit that sank her. De Ruyter suffered serious structural damage and a hit to her engineering that reduced her to 14 knots. Java lost another port broadside gun and hull damage that reduced her to 4 knots. Sumatra lost a fore gun and hull damage that reduced her to 9 knots. Baleares took more damage to her a/c facilities and an aft turret. Cerveva lost her aft twin mount and further hull damage that reduced her to 5 knots. Cervantes lost her fore port TT mount. Nunez suffered serious structural damage and further hull damage that sank her.

 

Kortenaer took 3 hits. Van Ghent took 2 hits. Witte de With took 2 hits. Banckert took 5 hits. Piet Hein took 2 hits. Evertsen took 5 hits. Van Nes took 3 hits. Callenbugh took 4 hits. Sweers took 5 hits. Hiddes took 4 hits. Almonde took 2 hits. Galiano took a hit. Sanchez took 3 hits. Diez took 3 hits. Lepanto took 5 hits. Anteguera took a hit. Miranda took a hit. Escano took 2 hits. Ulloa took a hit. Juan took 2 hits.

 

Kortenaer took serious structural damage that along with further hull damage sank her. Van Ghent took further hull damage that sank her. Witte de With took hull damage and a engine hit that reduced her to 23 knots. Banckert suffered a bridge hit, lost a TT mount, hull damage and 2 hits in her engineering spaces that knocked her DIW. Piet Hein a sitting duck while DIW suffered a fire in her DC racks and lost a gun mount. Evertsen suffered a fire in her DC racks, lost a TT mount, her last fore gun and an aft mount as well as serious structural damage that slowed her to 16 knots. Van Nes lost a TT mount, gun mount and hull damage. Callenburgh lost a gun, had the ruble of her TT battery stirred, suffer hull damage and a hit to her engineering that reduced her to 11 knots. Sweers lost all her TT mounts and then had their ruble stirred for good measure, she took 2 hull hits. Hiddes lost a TT and a gun mount, suffered serious structural damage and further hull damage that reduced her to 17 knots. Almonde lost two gun mounts.

 

Galiano suffered a hull hit that slowed her to 16 knots. Sanchez lost a TT and two gun mounts. Diez lost three gun mounts. Lepanto lost a TT and a gun mount, 2 hull and engine hit that slowed her to 11 knots. Antequera suffered a fire in her DC racks. Miranda lost a TT mount. Escano suffered a fire in her DC racks and a hull hit that slowed her 28 knots. Ulloa took a hull hit that slowed her to 28 knots. Juan suffered a magazine hit and exploded.

 

Helfrich failed morale and tried to disengage. DesDiv 4 checked morale over the sinking of Juan and failed. DesDiv 3 checked morale over the loss of Gravina and failed. JUAN Valdez checked morale over DesDiv 4 and passed. He checked again over DesDiv 3 and failed. Both fleets attempted to withdraw.

Churraca hit Kortenaer with a torp, sinking her. Six minutes latter Kortenaer’s torp returned the favor. Galiano hit Van Ghent twice with torpedoes sinking her. Six minutes later Van Ghent’s torp returned the favor. Sanchez hit Van Galen with a torp that sank her. Ferrandiz hit Witte de With with a torp sinking her. Diez hit Banckert with a torp sinking her. Lepanto hit the DIW Piet Hein with a torp sinking her. Evertsen hit Antequera with a torp sinking her. Miranda hit Van Nes with a torp sinking her. The sinking Juan’s torp took revenge by sinking Hiddes. Six minutes later Hiddes torpedo blew the remains of Juan up again. Ciscar hit Almonde with a torp sinking her.

 

Cerveva hit Provincien with a torp sinking her and killing VAdm Helfrich. Galicia hit tromp with a torp sinking her. Cervantes hit Heemskerck twice sinking her twice over. Nunez hit De

Ruyter with a torp sinking her and killing RAdm Doorman. Six minutes later Tromp with her dying breath hit Baleares with a torp sinking her. Sumatra’s inability to fix her bulkheads sank her also.

 

By this point nether side could break off fast enough and making smoke parted ways as quickly as they could.

 

OK, why this scenario? Its pretty simple. I get tired of my Dutch fleet getting nailed by the Japanese and seek glory against a new opponent. It has never worked out. Day or night the Armadas Argentine or Espana have stomped on the Dutch. They look like a match on paper. Then the dice begin to roll and to date it has been a downward spiral for the Dutch. The Dutch lack of torps on many of their cruisers and no 8” (or 7.5”) EDR seems to outweigh the fact that according to the CRTs that the Dutch shoot better.  Also, the Argentines and the Spanish have more torps and they are surprisingly good.

 

WMC

 






0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users