1932 - Inauspicious Beginning
The Second Great War
The Canadian drill of March 26th, 1932 was an attempt to prepare the fleet for the seemingly inevitable war against the US. Yet, every precaution was taken to not provoke the US during that exercise, least the war happen before the navy deems itself prepared. The seemingly paradoxical decision reflects the internal chaos within the Canadian Navy. Some, no doubt confident from their victory against the mighty Royal Navy, believe that they might finally be in a position to take down their growing southern neighbor. Others are understandably hesitant given the close proximity and industrial might of the United States.
Despite the difference, neither camp in the Canadian navy intend for a war with the US "now". Yet that is precisely what the ill-fated exercise of March 26th has wrought. A Canadian Swordfish torpedo bomber found itself lost after carrying out a mock airstrike in the late afternoon of the 26ths, and in the ensueing darkness find itself entering US airspace and flying over Boston harbor. The situation between the two nation was already near the breaking point over the past year, and a Canadian torpedo bomber appearing over an major US naval facility provided the spark needed to light the powder keg.
While the initial order was to give warning shots, in the ensuing chaos, the torpedo bomber was shot down by American anti-air defenses. Both country blamed the other for the incident, and the population of both nation exploded with anger. Despite what the navy have in mind, it seems war might be inevitable. Britain and France quickly pledged support for their respective allies. Finally, on April 1st, what little attempts of negotiation broke down and war was declared, neither government willing to back down given the strong popular sentiments in both nation.
Bleak Outlook
The costly offensive of the first great war meant American forces were not in a rush to attack the well entrenched Canadian and French troops in Canada and Cuba, two major areas being contested by the belligerents. Rather, the massive American fleet immediately organized a blockade of the Atlantic provinces of Canada, and the Marine Nationale was tied down by the British People's Navy.
The combined US/British fleet that enforced the blockade nearly doubled the Canadian fleet in number, and that is not to mention that Canadian forces spread in other sea regions are left to fend for themselves against similar odd. A defeat this early in the war will spill doom for the Canadian Navy, thus the Canadian forces like wise remained on the defense on land and at sea. Hopefully, the American will make some sort of mistake, or the French may arrive with aids if they can overcome the smaller British Navy.
Yet things seldom goes as planned in war.
April 6th - Battle of Cape Flattery
While the main Canadian Atlantic Fleet faced the massive American blockade in port, things in the pacific had been more fluid. British Columbia also came under blockade by the smaller US pacific fleet. As almost every major US battleship was sent to contain the main Canadian fleet, the Pacific force are consisted of several heavy and light cruisers. The Canadian force in the region are far smaller, consisted only of the heavy cruiser
Mississauga, the Camrose class light cruiser
Burlington, and a squadron of destroyers.
While Canada had constructed multiple airbases in the Atlantic provinces, they neglected British Columbia, which only had small runways for small civilian aircrafts, and very little military aircraft available. As a result, US air force quickly took advantage of the situation and begin to carry out airstrikes at Canadian positions. As the Canadian pacific fleet risk being bombed in their moorings, the admiral of the Pacific fleet decides to resort to a risky attack under the cover of the night against US air facilities in Seattle. The USN blockade was rather lose given rather limited amount of ships available, with some caution and luck, Canadian fleet could sneak out at night, strike, and return before the USN is able to corner them.
The attack begin in the night of April 5th, the fleet leaving their base through the Burrard Inlet, and entered open water around midnight. Unfortunately, a US force of cruisers also happened to be patrolling the area, fortunately, they are utterly unprepared of the Canadian sortie.
1:50 AM Every Minute Counts 1:50 AM: Canadian lookout on the cruiser
Burlington spots a pair of shapes off to their starboard side, only 2000 yards away. The Canadian force was expecting companies and quickly reacted to the situation.
1:52 AM: The Sept-Iles class destroyer,
Saint-Lazare opened fire at the leading US ship, after making certain she was not a civilian craft. With the Entire Canadian pacific fleet involved in the sortie (Except several minesweepers), there is no question as to the identity of the incoming craft. A hit was immediately scored.
1:53 AM: Burlington opened up against the incoming ship as well, now identified as a light cruiser (In reality, USN Light cruiser Baltimore)
The American crews of Baltimore were taken by surprise, though they too returned fire as 5" and 6" shell begin to splash around them. Given the pointblank range, both side scored hits within their first or second volley. Soon,
Baltimore suffered 2 5" hits, and 3 6" hits, and
Burlington took two hits to her hull.
1:54 The second enemy vessel, following closely behind
Baltimore now opened fire to aid its comrade, and the huge splash of water as multiple near-miss landed near
Burlington indicates that this is no light cruiser.
The second ship was in fact the US heavy cruiser
Pittsburgh, one of the newest cruiser in USN service, and truly a terrifying opponent with 9 10" guns, fast speed, and armor to keep out 8" shell at mid-long ranges.
1:55 AM: Even as the second volley from
Pittsburgh scored two hits on the
Burlington amidship, and knocking out two of her guns,
Mississauga finally responded to the fighting that had broke out in the darkness ahead. The massive flash from
Pittsburgh's 10" guns allowed her to get a clear bearing of her targets, and her 12 8" guns roared at a range of just over 2,000 yards. 5 hits were scored in the first volley, one of these hit
Pittsburgh's foremast, destroying her firecontrol tower.
1:56 AM: Despite having her fire control knocked out, the gunners of
Pittsburgh continued to fire upon the
Burlington, who by now are ravaged by a mix of 10" and 6" fire, 2 10" hits in particular easily pierced her belt armor and mangled her machinery, slowing her down to a mere 6 knots.
Yet at the same time,
Mississauga begin to mercilessly pound the
Pittsburgh. With its guns trained on the
Burlington and its armor ineffective at such point plan range, it seems
Pittsburgh had little options to fight back. But an option it did have, a single underwater torpedo tube located midship, arguably an outdated design. Yet the
Mississauga had not expected a torpedo from a heavy cruiser, and its attempt to catch up to the
Pittsburgh to save the
Burlington had left it sailing directly into the incoming torpedo.
1:57 AM: Even as
Mississauga had placed its 11th hit into
Pittsburgh's hull, a huge plume of water shoots up from its bow as the sole torpedo launched by
Pittsburgh found its mark. The blow almost took the entire bow off, and caused immediate speed loss to 16 knots. By this point, both wounded heavy cruisers decided to limp away.
The Canadian fleet signaled its two Sept-Iles class destroyers to begin their attack, while the American Cruiser
Baltimore steamed ahead to cover the
Pittsburgh's retreat. In seven short minutes, hundreds of sailors lay dead as the flagships of both fleet limps away from the battlefield.
1:57 - 2:07 - Saint-Lazare's attack
The heavily armed Sept-Iles class destroyer, Saint-Lazare charged straight for
Pittsburgh, who was still being pounded by the
Mississauga. As the cruiser
Baltimore positioned itself to cover the
Pittsburgh's retreat,
Saint-Lazare did not back off, instead, she opened up with her 6 5" guns at point blank range, and scored over 10 hits on the Baltimore, knocking out her only fore turret and damaging her engine. The 5700 ton cruiser was left defenseless before a destroyer a quarter of her size, and turned to retreat as well.
With that, the night's battle is over. While both
Burlington and
Mississauga suffered considerable damage, flooding to both ships were stopped around 2:30, and it seems both can make a rather safe return back to Vancouver. Yet the damage both ships suffered slowed the fleet's speed to just over 10 knots, and that would mean they will not make it back before sunrise.
6:00 The Hunt Begins
Canadian fleet are still hours away from friendly ports when the sun rose around 6 AM,
Torpedo hit on Mississauga's fore is visible. Counter-flooding and emergency repair brought the situation mostly under control, though fear of further bulkhead failures kept speed low.
6:00am ~ An US aircraft was spotted flying over the fleet, it seems that the US fleet the night before had reported their encounter. Canadian crew manned their positions, but morale remained high. The US airforces in the region are not very massive, and mostly relied on land-based medium bomber that can neither carry torpedo's nor dive bomb. They are but 3-4 hours away from home, they can afford suffering some more damage. Yet this would not be the last time where airpower is being underestimated in this war.
US bombs missing the Mississauga narrowly, the relatively effective AA fire against large and slow moving flying boats made many US pilot drop their bombs too early.
8:04am A group of 8 US Vanguard flying boats appeared first, these rather large and clumsy aircrafts made for easy targets for Canadian DP guns and autocannons. One was shot down, 2 others heavily damaged and forced to abandon their attack. Yet still one 1400 lb bomb found its mark at the aft turret of the
Mississauga, caving in the turret roof and disabling the guns. Another near miss injured the Chambly class destroyer
Osoyoos. Yet the attack wave was held off, and it seems now the Canadian fleet can sail home with out further incidents.
Yet this was not to be.
8:30am A second group of American aircraft, this time 14 Dauntless medium bombers, armed with 1500lb bombs, carried out another attack on the Canadian fleet.
US photograph of Mississauga under bombardment, her X turret can be seen burning from the hit received 30 minutes ago. The cruiser's slow speed compensated for the relative inaccuracy of level bombing. The superior performance of dedicated bombers also meant that Canadian AA fire was much less effective, none of the attackers were shot down, though a few was damaged.
Photograph from Saint-Lazare as a 1500lb on the X turret of Mississauga. This second hit near the same location greatly weakened the structure of the ship, and caused a significant fire. Miraculously, the ship's magazine did not detonate, yet this luck mattered little in the long run. Two more 1500lb hit, one midship and one on her B turret caused further damage and fire, combined with another near miss made the situation onboard untenable.
8:45 Mississauga rolling over as the destroyer Saint-Lazare coming by to pick up her survivors, despite risk of further US air attacks. Fortunately, none came, and most of her surviving sailors were rescued and returned to Victoria.
Conclusion:
Merely 5 days into the war, the Canadian navy already suffers a heavy blow. With their main fleet blockaded in the Atlantic, the pacific fleet will have to make due with one outdated light cruiser and several destroyers for the foreseeable future. While two USN cruisers were moderately damaged, a few months in the yard beats an eternity under the waves.
While the Canadian strategy of waiting for a favorable battle does not change, losing control of the pacific and their western provinces is now a very real possibility. With that, what is already going to be an uphill war may just prove insurmountable.
Anyways, that is a long over-due update. Other projects and busy work had kept me from this AAR for awhile, but I suppose now is time to make a return. Still things does not good at all, and who knows if I can come out of this unscathed, but at the very least I will try my best to go down fighting.
Lastly is a image to show the hits suffered by
Mississauga throughout the day, the world's first victim to the advent of airpower.