Battleship Division 2 (BatDiv2) steamed in line east southeast. Double lookouts in the masts and other stations kept a constant watch on the dark horizon. The Division would need the soonest possible warning to escape should columns of smoke or the shapes of enemy ships suddenly dart into sight. Of course, it helped that it was night. The darkness offered some hope of escape. In daylight, all the American ships could hope to do if caught would give a good account of themselves.
The High Seas Fleet and the German Scouting Force were somewhere to the south. Robert Fitzgerald understood the basic plan from the staff meetings. The High Seas Fleet was acting as a distant covering force. By steaming in its present location, it would draw English attention away from BatDiv 2’s projected course while being near enough to BatDiv 2 to come to the rescue in case a Royal Navy patrol or an unfriendly Norwegian spotted the American force and reported it.
Lt. Robert Fitzgerald and Lt. Chester Nimitz napped on the deck of the flag bridge. Within fifty miles of the Northern Patrol’s usual sweeping areas, BatDiv 2 had gone to general quarters and maintained a heightened state of readiness ever since. So far, little of note had happened. Baton Rouge, one of the light scout cruisers, had wandered off and was God only knew where. Aside from that, BatDiv 2 and its supporting elements made good progress on a course south southeast. It was now very early in the morning, and Admiral Fiske had given orders to allow the men to sleep at their battle stations. Admiral Fiske was resting in his sea cabin a few feet away, while Captain Niblack had been gracious enough to order up extra cots to his sea cabin for Captain de Steiguer and Colonel Feland. Junior officers were left to shift for themselves.
A loud ringing woke both of them up. Robert's arm was just out of the newfangled plaster cast, and he was slower in getting up. By the time he was standing, Nimitz had already answered the telephone connecting the flag bridge with the rest of the USS Michigan. Robert stretched as he watched Nimitz talk on the phone.
“I see,” Nimitz said. “I will inform the Admiral at once." Nimitz rushed by Robert to the door to Admiral Fiske’s cabin. Nimitz knocked on the door, and before he could enter, it flung open, and Admiral Fiske stepped onto the bridge.
“Yes, Mister Nimitz?” Fiske said crisply.
“Sir, we intercepted a coded wireless signal from Admiral Hipper,” Nimitz said, avoiding the unnecessary apology for having “woken” the admiral. “He’s engaged enemy capital ships near Little Fisher Bank.”
“If we’ve received it,” Fiske said after a moment, “then surely Admiral von Pohl must have received it as well. We better wake up Captain de Steiguer. Stand fast Mister Nimitz, I will not send you into the lion’s den. You may telephone down to the bridge and ask the officer of the watch to have both Captain de Steiguer and Captain Niblack join us. I expect a few more reports will come in. If I remember right, the Germans went crackers over the potential for naval wireless in coordinating units at night. We might be able to follow what’s happening.”
The telephone rang again, and Nimitz answered it. “Flag bridge,” he said. “Sir, a general wireless signal from Admiral Hipper to all destroyers. ‘Execute Flotilla attack on enemy capital ships,’”
“Very good,” Fiske said.
Nimitz remained on the line, waiting for more news. Both Captain de Steiguer and Captain Niblack arrived shortly after the last message. Admiral Fiske briefly filled them both in on what had happened. Quite some time went by before Nimitz broke in again.
“Sir, a Signal from Hipper to Destroyer Flotilla. ‘Detach escort for Von Der Tann,’” Nimitz read.
“Sir,” Niblack started. “Should we alter course to close with Admiral Hipper?”
“I wish we could,” Fiske said. “Our orders are non-discretionary. We are not to deviate from sailing to Wilhelmshaven unless it is to flee from a superior force. I know it’s agonizing, but we know that the Grand Fleet is elsewhere. We must trust Admiral Hipper to disengage if he needs to and Admiral von Pohl to assist Hipper.”
After this, there was further silence. It stretched on for an interminable period. Finally, Nimitz spoke again. “A Signal from Hipper to Seydlitz. ‘Prepare wounded and crew for transfer. There's an additional one from Hipper to Light Cruiser Flotilla. Standby to take on casualties and crew from Seydlitz. Then a final one from Hipper to Scouting Force. Reform and Execute Case 2,” Nimitz said.
“Case 2?” Fiske asked.
“I believe that’s one of the prearranged maneuver orders that can be transmitted via code sir,” Steiguer answered. “I cannot speak to exactly what it means without the signal book we received, but I think that’s the one for the force to reform and return to port.”
“Damn,” Fiske said. “Germany doesn’t have enough battlecruisers to go about losing them. First the Goeben gets trapped in the Med, now the Seydlitz is gone, and the Von Der Tann too for all we know! And not a word about losses inflicted on the enemy! All just to help us sneak by the British! I tell you gentlemen. We will have a substantial blood debt to repay.”
They all quietly nodded. It had been a damned bad turn of events. Even allowing for the communications difficulties, it sounded like Hipper’s force got mauled. Robert could understand Fiske’s dejection. After all, the Germans had gotten off nearly scot-free thus far. Now, on their first cooperative mission with the US Navy, they’d lost a good battlecruiser, maybe even two, and all without inflicting any losses of their own.
“I suggest that we all get some rest.” Fiske said. “Captain Niblack, we will maintain our present readiness for now. However, I think that the men should have a hot breakfast come morning. I’m inclined to think that Jellicoe will return to Scapa Flow to take on ammunition and deal with whatever damage he suffered. Besides, he has to know that Admiral von Pohl is about. He’ll want to full magazines if he runs into the High Seas Fleet. That will be all gentlemen,”
“Very good sir,” Niblack said. “I’ll have the signal passed to the rest of the division via signal lamp. Good night sir,” He and Captain de Steiguer left.
“As for you two,” Fiske said, eyeing his two junior aides. “I think we should have someone keeping watch, just in case new signals filter in. I think only one of you need stand watch at a time. The other should find a warmer place to sleep.”
“Very good sir,” Nimitz said. Fiske turned and walked back into his sea cabin. Nimitz turned to Robert and said, “I’ll take the first watch and you can take over in 2 hours.”
“Sounds good to me,” Robert said. “I’ll head down to the wardroom on my way to my cabin, and I’ll ask one of the stewards to run up with some coffee.”
“Much obliged to you Rob,” Nimitz replied. Robert made his way down to the wardroom, placed his order for coffee. He then made his way to his cabin and threw himself on his rack. Within minutes he was asleep.
“Sir,” Someone said, shaking him. “Sir, I’m afraid I must ask you to wake up.”
“Wha,” Robert sputtered. “What is it?”
“Message from Mister Nimitz sir,” the sailor said. “Please report to the flag bridge,”
“Thank you,” Robert said as he eased himself up. He stretched and made his way to the ladders leading up. It was dawn now, but a gale and a rainstorm made the weather miserable. After several other ladders and a few passageways, he was up in the superstructure and then in the flag bridge. Admiral Fiske and Captain de Steiguer were already there.
“Sir,” Robert said as he entered.
“Was there anything else in the message Chester?” Fiske asked Nimitz.
“No, sir,” Nimitz replied. “Just the initial signal. Destroyer to Admiral von Pohl, Enemy Capital Ships in sight. It gives its position to the west southwest of the Great Fisher Bank.
“What time is it now?” Fiske asked.
“7:37 sir,” Steiguer replied, looking at his pocket watch.
“Well,” There’s no sense in us all crowding around. We would all do well with a meal in us. The signal room can send messengers if something important arises. You may all stand down.”
Nimitz and Robert returned to the wardroom. The corner where Robert had been sleeping was being swept, and the smell of the vast pots of coffee and containers of bacon, toast, and hashed potatoes filled the wardroom. The two sat down at a table and a steward brought them some food. They ate voraciously, having had little aside from cold corned beef sandwiches for the last day. After ten minutes, their plates were cleared.
“Thank God that Captain Niblack released the cooks from battle stations. There’s nothing that saps the spirit more than cold food. Bad weather, kipping on the deck in a semi-exposed flag bridge, even enemy action I could cope with. But cold food on top of all that would have taken the cake.” Robert said.
“Exactly,” Nimitz said. “Hot food and hot coffee are like bunker fuel. Go too long without ‘em and you run outta steam.”
“Even with plenty of both,” Robert said. “I’m still beat.”
“So am I,” Nimitz replied. “Neither of us have a watch, and I think I’ll turn in for a bit.”
“I’ll do the same,” Robert said. They both rose and headed for their quarters in the junior officers’ berths. Robert entered his and found Jack Malinowski dead asleep. He quietly shucked off his greatcoat and tiptoed back to his rack, turning in fully clothed.
About two hours later, a loud banging on the door woke him up. “Lt. Fitzgerald sir,”
Robert shot up and bolted to the door. He opened it to find a marine private outside. A brief glance at his watch told him it was about twenty minutes until 11:00.
“Sir,” The marine said, “Your presence is requested on the flag bridge.”
“Thank you,” Robert said. Once again, he made his way up to the flag bridge. A driving rain was falling, and he had to step carefully to avoid slipping. One broken arm was enough. He reached the flag bridge to find Admiral Fiske, Nimitz, and Steiguer already there. This time, Steiguer had the phone.
“Signal from High Seas Fleet scout cruisers to Admiral von Pohl. Enemy battlecruisers in sight.” Steiguer reported. “Followed by a signal from Admiral von Pohl to High Seas Fleet. Engage the enemy.”
Tense moments went by. The High Seas Fleet would not report hits via the radio, and daylight likely meant that course change signals were being made with flags or signal lamps. There was nothing to do but wait. Time passed, and BatDiv 2 continued to steam on its course.
“Signal from Admiral von Pohl to High Seas Fleet. Enemy retiring to port. Discontinue action.” Steiguer said.
“I hope that means that Admiral von Pohl had better luck,” Fiske said quietly. “I’m sorry to have troubled all of you. I do not think there will be anything else of importance to us. I think that we can rest easy until we reach Wilhelmshaven. The enemy seem to be on the other side of the North Sea.” As Fiske said this, Robert noticed that the admiral leaned over and touched the wooden telephone box.
The rest of the day passed quickly. The normal function of the ship resumed, which meant Robert had little to do. He enjoyed a shower, his first since sailing from Iceland, and the ham and bean soup served for lunch. He caught up some routine paperwork in the afternoon and beat Jack Malinowski in a chess game before supper. That night, everyone aboard except those stuck with the middle watch had a restful sleep. They were safely in the German Bight and would reach Wilhelmshaven before breakfast.
Panic ensued at dawn when a puff of smoke was spotted on the horizon. However, it turned out to be a dispatch boat carrying a pilot to navigate BatDiv 2 through the minefields. The captain had also seen fit to bring along mail due to the squadron and some papers from Admiral von Pohl. This led to the staff being summoned.
“Well gentlemen,” Fiske said. “I’m not sure what we make of this, but it seems that the Imperial Navy had a hard night’s fighting. Admiral Hipper got hurt pretty bad. It turned out that he had engaged the rear of Grand Fleet’s battle line. He shot up two of those old pre-dreadnought King Edward VIIs. His destroyers also managed to shoot up an enemy dreadnought, but they are not sure if it sank. However, he did lose the battlecruiser Seydlitz, and Von Der Tann will need quite some time in the yard before she’ll be seaworthy.”
“What about the High Seas Fleet?” Steiguer asked.
“It did pretty well. The British are down a pair of battlecruisers. It’s a bad rate of exchange for the Germans. Even at two-to-one they’ll run out of battlecruisers before the British do. Still, they got hurt pretty good and we’ve managed to slip through to Wilhelmshaven. Hopefully, we’ll be the first of many.”