Chapter I, Part 32: Operation Steinadler
Tyr Anazasi
Well-known member
Operation Steinadler, 09.-16.06.1944
The Operation Steinadler, or known as the Second Battle of Britain, was the code name for the attack on Britain. Most strikes were conducted by the Luftwaffe. The first targets were air fields, aviation factories and air defense positions. Within 24 hours most targets were hit and destroyed. This meant severe losses for the RAF and the 8th USAAF. Whole wings were eradicated. When the week was over, 698 planes of all kinds were left to defend Britain, among them 19 night fighters, 118 day fighters and 198 bombers. Most of them were hidden. Most aviation factories were destroyed and could no longer produce anything. The HQ of the RAF was destroyed as well. Harris, however, survived. If it was luck it might be questionable, as he, as a kind of scapegoat, was sent to the Falkland islands. As a commander of some obsolete fighters to defend some sheep farmers he thought.
But not only the air forces were attacked, the merchant and war navies as well. And indeed here the German navy took part of as well. In the night of June 10th a British fleet left Portsmouth, as they correctly assumed to be target of the Luftwaffe. The air strike should have been conducted only 12 hours later. Core of this fleet were the surviving battleships of Operation Overlord, HMS Nelson and HMS Rodney, six cruisers and 26 smaller vessels. However, their fleet was detected by a P-3C Orion of the German Navy, as such a move was predicted by the Germans as well. Not knowing they were detected they continued their voyage to Scapa Flow. Near Exmouth death came over them. It was nearly a copy of the battle destroying the Normandy invasion force. The guided missile FAC launched their MM-38 missiles on the escorts. The corvettes their RBS-15 Mk. III missiles on the cruisers. All British ships except the battleships were hit. Either they were sinking at once or they were sunk by the S-boats. Only five ships escaped. Of them two had to be beached and another was a total loss. The battleships tried to run but didn't get far. They were ambushed by the German destroyers and torpedo boats. And although damaging several of them, indeed the destroyer ZH-1 had to be scuttled a few hours later, the torpedoes found their mark. HMS Nelson was hit by six, HMS Rodney by nine. Both ships sunk in short time.
At the end of the week 648 merchant vessels of all types and 265 warships had been sunk. HMS Liverpool was the only cruiser left. The Soviet battleship Archangelsk was sunk by TAURUS cruise missiles.
For Churchill it had been a catastrophe. The RAF was heavily decimated, the RN de facto destroyed, at least in British waters, and the war industry hit badly as well. If the Germans did also attack the transport nodes like railway stations or harbours, Britain might be forced to surrender. So he pressed Stalin to attack. Stalin finally accepted and started Operation Bagration on June 16th.
That day the Luftwaffe flew a last sortie on Britain destroying the Palace of Westminster including Big Ben, Downing Street and the surrounding area. While the Germans had tried to avoid civilian targets being hit before, this was not done this time. Leaflets were dropped that they could each day destroy whole cities with minimal own losses if the Allies continued to deliberate attack German, or German Allied, civilian targets. If they used weapons of mass destruction Germany would "retaliate in kind". As the St. Thomas Hospital was hit as well, 3.699 British civilians died in this attack.
Britain was knocked on, but not knocked out, Churchill thought. He was still drunk since surviving in a bunker next to Downing Street 10. A few more days and Britain had to surrender. Now one could go on. Stalin will get a bigger share of the profit, which was frightening. He needed to talk with Roosevelt about help. He needed especially ships to defend Britain or a panic might happen. And planes- and a plan B if the Germans win against Stalin as well. But that would be risky. OTOH he had risked much before and he had won every time, hadn't he?
The Operation Steinadler, or known as the Second Battle of Britain, was the code name for the attack on Britain. Most strikes were conducted by the Luftwaffe. The first targets were air fields, aviation factories and air defense positions. Within 24 hours most targets were hit and destroyed. This meant severe losses for the RAF and the 8th USAAF. Whole wings were eradicated. When the week was over, 698 planes of all kinds were left to defend Britain, among them 19 night fighters, 118 day fighters and 198 bombers. Most of them were hidden. Most aviation factories were destroyed and could no longer produce anything. The HQ of the RAF was destroyed as well. Harris, however, survived. If it was luck it might be questionable, as he, as a kind of scapegoat, was sent to the Falkland islands. As a commander of some obsolete fighters to defend some sheep farmers he thought.
But not only the air forces were attacked, the merchant and war navies as well. And indeed here the German navy took part of as well. In the night of June 10th a British fleet left Portsmouth, as they correctly assumed to be target of the Luftwaffe. The air strike should have been conducted only 12 hours later. Core of this fleet were the surviving battleships of Operation Overlord, HMS Nelson and HMS Rodney, six cruisers and 26 smaller vessels. However, their fleet was detected by a P-3C Orion of the German Navy, as such a move was predicted by the Germans as well. Not knowing they were detected they continued their voyage to Scapa Flow. Near Exmouth death came over them. It was nearly a copy of the battle destroying the Normandy invasion force. The guided missile FAC launched their MM-38 missiles on the escorts. The corvettes their RBS-15 Mk. III missiles on the cruisers. All British ships except the battleships were hit. Either they were sinking at once or they were sunk by the S-boats. Only five ships escaped. Of them two had to be beached and another was a total loss. The battleships tried to run but didn't get far. They were ambushed by the German destroyers and torpedo boats. And although damaging several of them, indeed the destroyer ZH-1 had to be scuttled a few hours later, the torpedoes found their mark. HMS Nelson was hit by six, HMS Rodney by nine. Both ships sunk in short time.
At the end of the week 648 merchant vessels of all types and 265 warships had been sunk. HMS Liverpool was the only cruiser left. The Soviet battleship Archangelsk was sunk by TAURUS cruise missiles.
For Churchill it had been a catastrophe. The RAF was heavily decimated, the RN de facto destroyed, at least in British waters, and the war industry hit badly as well. If the Germans did also attack the transport nodes like railway stations or harbours, Britain might be forced to surrender. So he pressed Stalin to attack. Stalin finally accepted and started Operation Bagration on June 16th.
That day the Luftwaffe flew a last sortie on Britain destroying the Palace of Westminster including Big Ben, Downing Street and the surrounding area. While the Germans had tried to avoid civilian targets being hit before, this was not done this time. Leaflets were dropped that they could each day destroy whole cities with minimal own losses if the Allies continued to deliberate attack German, or German Allied, civilian targets. If they used weapons of mass destruction Germany would "retaliate in kind". As the St. Thomas Hospital was hit as well, 3.699 British civilians died in this attack.
Britain was knocked on, but not knocked out, Churchill thought. He was still drunk since surviving in a bunker next to Downing Street 10. A few more days and Britain had to surrender. Now one could go on. Stalin will get a bigger share of the profit, which was frightening. He needed to talk with Roosevelt about help. He needed especially ships to defend Britain or a panic might happen. And planes- and a plan B if the Germans win against Stalin as well. But that would be risky. OTOH he had risked much before and he had won every time, hadn't he?