by Hall, Gerald
“That will be a welcome sight, Sir. But what about her aircraft? I’ve heard that there has been a bit of a fuss about what the Admiralty will be operating from our carriers.”
“I suppose that you could say that. Ark Royal will still begin her first post-refit cruise with a full complement of de Havilland Sea Venoms. She will also be carrying a detachment of the new Fairey Gannet turboprops. Most of the Gannets onboard will be submarine hunters, but three of them are equipped with a powerful sea and air search radar to help extend our task force’s surveillance range. Finally, Ark Royal will also be carrying several rotary-wing aircraft for a variety of missions.”
“Aren’t you concerned about the status of the Sea Venom, Sir? It seems to be outmatched by what we have already seen flying from the German aircraft carriers. Our Sea Venoms only has very modestly swept wings unlike most of the first line jet fighters and even bombers of other nations, especially the nations that could be in conflict with. I’m sure that you still remember what happened during the Suez Crisis.”
“I understand your concerns, Captain. Our latest requirements for a new naval fighter-bomber have already been released for bid. Supermarine, de Havilland and Hawker have already submitted bids to the Admiralty to replace the Sea Venom. Granted, all of these companies are desperately trying to win the contract to avoid being forced into a merger with one of the rivals under less favorable conditions by our current Labour government.”
“What about Miles Aircraft, Sir? Their jet-powered Dragonfly-J has been used in limited numbers by the Fleet Air Arm already as well as being the primary naval fighter-bomber of the Royal Australian Navy. It is my understanding that this fighter-bomber still has superior performance to the Sea Venom. I have even heard that Miles is already testing a new design that is significantly better.”
“There have been some concerns over the Miles design, I’m afraid. Granted that the Dragonfly already has superior performance over the Sea Venom, there have been a number of pilots who have difficulty operating an aircraft with its unique tandem wing configuration.
There has also been considerable pressure from Parliament and Whitehall against awarding additional contracts to Miles for more of the jet-powered variant of the Dragonfly. There have been several senior government officials and affiliated politicians who have complained that we should be purchasing domestically designed and produced aircraft for our military instead. They are claiming that the Dragonfly is a foreign design competing against domestic companies.”
“That is completely ridiculous, Sir. Miles Aircraft is just as much a British corporation as Hawker or any of the others. The Miles Brothers are the ones who designed the original tandem wing design for the Dragonfly in the first place.”
“I know, Captain.” Mountbatten said in a quiet voice. “But Harold Cavill was the driving force in getting the Dragonfly into Fleet Air Arm service. The new Labour government is not particularly fond of the Cavills, especially since they were so closely allied with former Prime Minister Churchill.
On the other hand, the Royal Navy simply has no other viable alternatives to the guided missile systems that Cavill Industries has designed. We either have had to purchase them for installation in our warships or not have any viable antiaircraft missile defenses on our ships at all. None of our other companies are even close to fielding an effective antiaircraft missile in spite of our expertise in radar technology.
At the same time, the Cavills have managed to keep their partnerships with the shipyards doing the refitting of our ships fairly inconspicuous. The government knows of the stake that the Cavill’s have purchased in certain of our shipyards, of course. But the politicians have chosen to turn a blind eye to it for fear of costing the jobs of tens of thousands of British shipyard workers. If those workers were to lose their jobs, it would be disastrous for Labour in the next election for sure. The politicians have already destroyed enough jobs in the aviation industry. It is utterly foolish to force so many companies to either merge or be dissolved.
However at the same time, Labour has decided that they could afford to purchase a less capable aircraft instead of sending additional money to an Australian industrialist’s bank account.”
“Bloody politicians don’t give a damn about those of us in uniform when there isn’t a shooting war underway. The Cavills have never done anything inappropriate concerning their dealings with us. If anything, they have given us superior equipment at a very affordable cost, compared to some of the equipment that other manufacturers have given us, Sir.”
“Maybe so, Captain. But there are a lot of whispers at Whitehall. They are ill at ease about the Cavills, even after the death of Harold Cavill. There was just something uncanny about how he appeared out of nowhere and somehow just happened to be in the right place, at the right time with a technological development that no one else was even close to.
They don’t like it at all. I even got the feeling that some of the ministers were actually afraid of Harold Cavill. That fear has been transferred now to his children.”
“Is that because of the German rocket scientists working for Cavill Industries now, Sir? The Cavill space rocket program has been absolutely astounding with all that they have already achieved. Australia is also still part of the Commonwealth. We have no reason to fear it or anyone living there. We should be celebrating what they have accomplished and pushing to have a larger role in it instead.”
“I don’t disagree with you, Captain. But you and I both know that politicians have their own priorities. We also remember that the war ended once again in an armistice, not a victory, as least not in Europe. France is still in the process of rebuilding a shattered military. Italy is doing much the same thing. Both of those nations are recovering from the war with new leadership that is still uncertain as to the paths that they will take in the future.
The Low Countries are also still in the midst of recovering from the effects of the war. In fact, most of their military equipment that they operate now was purchased from our war surplus. It will probably be years before they are in the market for new military equipment. Until then, they have to focus on rebuilding their industry along with the rest of their economy.
Then, there is Germany. Even if they have reduced the size of their military by three-quarters, we cannot afford to ignore them. This is especially true with the continuing advances in their military technology that you alluded yourself to. Who knows what they are developing behind the closed doors of those big underground factories of theirs. In spite of having suffered so much destruction and loss of life, their economy has made a remarkable recovery.”
“Sir, that is even more reason for us to make each of our carriers and our other warships as capable as possible. We are down to only four fleet carriers now that we have sold Victorious to Brazil and Indomitable to Argentina. We haven’t had so few aircraft carriers since before the war. The Suez Crisis demonstrated just how incredibly important the aircraft carrier remains in modern warfare.
We have quietly expanded our naval aviation capabilities with the addition of small flight decks to our new fleet logistics ships. While they cannot carry the jet fighters that Ark Royal operates, these ships can carry helicopters for troop transport and antisubmarine warfare operations. If what I have heard is correct, there are some experimental vertical takeoff and landing jet fighters under development. If they are produced, then they could add more offensive capability to the fleet without significant investments.”
“All that you have said is true, Captain. But aircraft carriers are also incredibly expensive to construct and operate. The politicians in Parliament are loath to spend a lot of money on our military, especially when there are hundreds of thousands of people demanding that the same money be spent on their social benefit programs instead. That is also why we have not invested any substantial funds towards space programs like what the Cavill industrial machine has been doing. We just don’t have the money or, perhaps more importantly, the popular support.”
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“I suppose that is what always happens to those of us who wear the uniform when there is not a war raging, Sir. We become forgotten until the guns begin to roar once again.”
“Yes, Captain. I’m afraid that you are right. The people all too quickly begin to ask how something directly benefits them today after the guns have gone silent. Tomorrow is something that they are not thinking about at the moment.” Mountbatten sadly opined.
“That is a shame indeed, Sir. But in the meanwhile, I am utterly fascinated with what is being done in Australia by Harold Cavill’s children. Their work with the large rockets that they have been launching into orbit is surely going to change the world, hopefully for the better.”
“The fact that Werner von Braun is working at something other than sending ballistic missiles loaded with high explosives at cities full of innocent civilians is already a positive point in my eyes. There was little that was as frightening as not knowing when one of his damned rockets was going to land and blow up an entire city block at random.”
“But there are quite a few nations who are not happy at all about those Australian satellites flying over their heads and taking photographs of all of their secrets, Sir. The Americans are also less than pleased with the Australian space communications network, especially the people who run their Bell Telephone and Telegraph communications network. The growing number of Australian communications satellites in orbit have given the Cavills’ telecommunication company a significant advantage.”
“I suppose that is why the Americans have increased their spending for their own rocketry program.”
“Yes, Sir. But the Australians are still years ahead of everyone else, even the Germans. I don’t know how they have managed to make such strides in the past few years. It even seems more than what I imagined that von Braun could accomplish.”
“I’m not surprised that you think that way. Our intelligence has indicated that the Cavill children actually have two separate rocket programs. One of them is led by Doctor Werner von Braun. The other Cavill rocket program is the more advanced program, it appears. It is the division that has produced their heavy rockets and even the manned space station that the Australians placed into orbit. ”
“That is hard to believe that a private company could accomplish so much, so quickly, Sir. I know that Harold Cavill left a considerable fortune to his children. What I did not realize was that it was enough to finance such a large and expensive program. They have so many business and technological ventures underway at the same time.”
“They all seem to be profitable too, don’t they?”
“Yes, they are, Sir. Even that atomic fission power station that they have constructed, is making money for them. It’s like the Cavill’s have all of the teething problems already solved before they even begin a project. They are working with the Australian government to construct more of their atomic power plants elsewhere in Australia now. They have already started building one of those new atomic power stations near Sydney that is supposed to be capable of powering the entire city and surrounding area. The others are planned to be constructed along the coast near other major cities also.
Even so, many Australians have wondered how the hell Harold Cavill has managed to be that successful for all of these years. Now, this unnatural degree of success appears to have been passed along to his children also.”
“I have been wondering for a long time what their secret is for all of their success.” Lord Mountbatten wistfully noted out loud.
“Sir, I have been wondering about that myself. Whatever it is, I am bloody well glad that that the Cavills have also been putting so much of that success to work helping Great Britain and the rest of the Commonwealth defend themselves. Our defense situation after the war was quite dire, especially since we were forced to reduce our military forces so drastically due to a shortage of funding.
Anyway, Sir. I better get back to my ship to see what the yard dogs have done to it today. Newfoundland is supposed to be getting her new antiaircraft missile launcher sometime this week. It is going to be very interesting to see how she looks with it.”
“I am sure that you will be very pleased with what has been done with your ship, Captain. The cruiser refits so look a trifle unusual for those of us who are accustomed to traditional warships festooned with scores of guns. But their new capabilities are quite extraordinary now.”
“As you said, Sir. The Cavill’s designed these new weapons that Newfoundland has been equipped with. I served in the Pacific during the war as a junior officer and saw the effectiveness of the weapons, ships and aircraft that the Australians had purchased from Cavill Industries. I have a great deal of confidence in whatever the Cavill’s have built, Sir.” Captain Collingsworth firmly responded.
Lord Mountbatten smiled. It was very good to know that his captains were ready and willing to take these refitted ships into battle.
“That’s good. Southhampton already has her new kit fitted and ready to go to sea. So she will be going with King George V, Ark Royal and a bevy of escorts for a very special mission in the near future. You will learn the details about it in due time, of course, Captain.”
Chapter Thirty-Six:
Royal Navy Base
Portsmouth, United Kingdom
December 26, 1957
The crowds along the piers and in scores of small craft cheered as they watched the procession of Royal Navy warships leaving Portsmouth Naval Base. Leading the line of vessels was one of the latest Royal Navy fast frigates, followed by a pair of newly refitted guided missile destroyers. Next was the guided missile cruiser HMS Southhampton before the majesty of the refitted guided missile battleship HMS King George V slowly cruised out towards the ocean, her decks lined by her sailors in their finest dress uniforms. For many of the onlookers who had seen the same ships sailing out during the war, the appearance of the ships with their new weapons, forests of radar antennas and relative lack of guns was a bit of a shock. But the battleship still maintained her two forward main gun turrets, each with three massive fifteen-inch naval rifles. Those weapons still gave HMS King George V a very intimidating appearance to the many onlookers. Aboard the battleship flew the flag of Rear Admiral Thaddeus Harris, the overall commander of the task force.
Following HMS King George V was the fleet aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal, much of her flight deck taken up by several dozen Sea Venom jet fighters and a small contingent of Sea Gannet submarine hunting aircraft. Invisible to the public was another two squadrons of Dragonfly-J jet fighters and the trio of Gannet radar surveillance aircraft inside of Ark Royal’s hangar. Lord Mountbatten had insisted on the Dragonfly-J’s being loaded aboard Ark Royal, but kept out of sight in case a politician who had a grievance against the Cavill’s was watching.
Almost as an afterthought, two lightly armed Royal Navy fleet support ships followed the great carrier. But these fast diesel-powered ships were far different than the vessels that had supported the Royal Navy during the Second World War. The vertical support beams that provided the strength for the cranes that lifted supplies from one ship to another also supported a short flight deck. In many ways, these ships duplicated the functions of the light escort carriers that had helped win the Battle of the Atlantic.
While below the flight deck, these ships were like any other support vessel with cargo holds full of food, ammunition and spare parts as well as fuel tanks loaded with thousands of gallons of fuel for the ships of the task force. But on the flight deck of each of these floating warehouses, there were eight tandem-rotor helicopters and a pair of tilt-wing transport aircraft. These aircraft would not only assist with transferring supplies to the various ships of the task force, but would also be used to search for any submarines that could pose a threat.
Finally another guided missile destroyer and a pair of frigates brought up the rear of the formation. It was the largest, most powerful task force that the Royal Navy had deployed since the Suez Crisis.
“All of those warships sa
iling out together are an incredible sight, don’t you think?” One of the onlookers said to another man standing next to her on a nearby dock.
“Yes, Ma’am. I do. But I still think that it was a bloody expensive way to send the Heir to the Crown on a world tour on what is left of the Commonwealth.”
“Someone in London obviously doesn’t think so. But Prince Charles isn’t the only dignitary travelling with this task force. The Prince’s uncle will also be coming as well.”
“The First Sea Lord will be traveling aboard Ark Royal?”
“Yes, he is. So they will all need to be on our toes during this mission, I’m sure.”
Onboard Ark Royal’s bridge, her captain and first officer were having a similar discussion while their warship slowly sailed out of Portsmouth harbor.
“I really wish that we hadn’t been picked for this particular mission. I want to strictly focus on training for war, not playing nursemaid for VIPs, even if one of them is the First Sea Lord.” Ark Royal’s captain growled.
“Perhaps so. But the orders come all the down from Number 10, Downing Street, Sir. We are not merely showing the flag or providing a ride for dignitaries. The First Sea Lord wanted to ensure that we could show the real power of the Royal Navy even after we scrapped all of those Japanese prize ships that we really didn’t need. It wouldn’t surprise me if some of the steel for those new frigates and the refit of Ark Royal actually came from those scrapped warships.” Commander Timothy Collins, Ark Royal’s First Officer commented.