by gerald hall
Convincing the Admiralty to adopt higher pressure boilers and turbines was probably the most difficult task that I had to overcome. They have traditionally been quite conservative concerning their ships’ propulsion. But theKing George Vclass was able to take full advantage of my success there. I’m sure that you knew about this already since the power plant for this ship was manufactured in your factory, Harold.”
“Yes, I did. What did the designers of this powerful warship do with the savings in weight that resulted from the use of my engines, Sir?”
“It is my understanding from talking to the designers of this new battleship that they took the tonnage that was saved from using your engines and put it into additional armor protection, more electrical generators as well as supplemental fuel storage. The latter, in combination with the improved fuel efficiency of your engines will give theKing George Vand her sister ships a considerably greater radius of operation than originally projected. That will be very important while hunting German raiders.
The designers also left available additional weight and space for two pairs of heavy torpedo launchers onKing George V’s deck near the aft main battery turret. These torpedo launchers would use the same heavy 24.5-inch torpedoes thatRodneyandNelsonemploy in their underwater torpedo launchers. The deck armor at the locations where those torpedo tubes would be located has been specially reinforced to reduce damage in the event of a hit detonating the torpedo warheads.
The provision for the torpedo tubes was made because a few commanders still have reservations about the ability of the BD Mark II mounts to fend off a cruiser attack. It was also felt that the torpedo tubes would be helpful in a close quarter attack against an enemy capital ship.”
“Is this ship the only battleship being constructed at this yard, Winston?” Harold asked while changing the subject. He knew from the historical accounts of all of the capital ship battles of the Second World War that the concerns that Churchill had mentioned never proved to be a major factor. It was much more likely that the weight and space for the torpedo tubes would end up being used for additional antiaircraft guns eventually.
“Yes, the other four ships in the class are each being built in a separate shipyard. The Admiralty wanted to speed up the rate of completion and also spread out the workload. The shipbuilders all needed the work to stay in business. We will need every one of them if the war that we anticipate does erupt.”
The group of men stood there watching the commissioning ceremony of the new battleship for nearly an hour before Churchill pulled Harold to the side.
“Please come with me, Harold. I have a couple of other things that I want to show you. I’m sure that you will appreciate them.”
They walked over to another part of the shipyard while Churchill smoked one of his trademark cigars. They stopped at another construction slip where a pair of relatively small cruiser-sized hulls were in their final stages of completion.
“Come look at the first two ships of the newDido-class anti-aircraft light cruiser. They are very close to the concept that you had originally described to me.” Winston explained.
In many ways, these two ships resembled the AmericanAtlanta-class anti-aircraft light cruisers, Harold noticed. Like theAtlanta’s, theDido’swere armed with twelve dual-purpose guns in twin, superfiring turrets on the centerline. Only theDidoused the same BD Mark II 4.5-inch gun turrets as King George Vinstead. The resulting ship had a somewhat lower profile than anAtlantabecause the BD Mark II turrets were not as tall as the 5’/38 mounts that theAtlantaused. TheDido’salso only had a single trunked funnel, unlike the two funnels of theAtlanta.
On theDidothat Harold saw was closest to completion, he noticed also that the cruiser was armed with a triple 21-inch torpedo tube mount on either side amidships in addition to six quadruple ‘pom-pom’ mounts and several multiple heavy machine gun mounts.
“These ships here will not only be providing for the fleet against enemy aircraft, they will also serve as squadron leaders for destroyer flotillas. They are also using higher-pressure steam propulsion units so that the space and weight saved can be put into expanded command facilities, more fuel for longer range as well as the latest in radio detection technology.” Churchill proudly explained.
“What about the construction of more aircraft carriers for the Royal Navy? You know how important that they will be in future battles.” Harold asked.
“I know, Harold. All four of theHawkins-class cruisers have now been converted and placed into service as light fleet carriers. Mind you, not everyone in the Royal Navy is happy about that. I’ve heard a few complaints about the size of the flight deck. But we have four more aircraft carriers now to work with our other ships in the fleet. In addition, the treaty tonnage that was made available by the reconstruction of theHawkins’from cruisers to light aircraft carriers made it possible for the Admiralty to increase the number ofDido’sby another six ships. That will give us a total of twelveDido’swhen they are all completed. I am told that all of theDido’swill be commissioned by 1940.
We are continuing to construct additional units of theIllustrious-class of aircraft carriers with armored flight decks. However, I am concerned that we will not be able to produce enough steel armor to be able to complete several of them at this time.
But I have convinced the Royal Navy to purchase forty of your Dragonfly fighter aircraft from your partners at Miles Aircraft Limited. These aircraft will be operated in detachments aboard the Hawkins-class carriers alongside their Swordfish torpedo bombers. The others will be flown from some of our other aircraft carriers likeArgusandEagle.”
Harold was very pleased to hear that the Dragonfly would be used by the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm. The fighter would be substantially superior to the Blackburn Skua that had been used as both a shipboard fighter and dive bomber. The net result would be that the carriers would be more survivable as would the naval formations that the carriers would be protecting. Harold imagined that the Mills Brothers would have to quickly upgrade their production facilities and staff to accommodate this order of aircraft also.
Harold knew that he had played a major role in all of the historical changes here as Churchill resumed talking about the new cruisers in front of them. But Harold was still far from certain about how it would all end up. Harold believed that the Royal Navy, at least, was going to be in better shape to face the Germans when the war begins. There was still the issue of escort vessels. There didn’t appear to be a lot of additional work being done to construct any destroyers at the Vickers-Armstrong yard. Possibly there were other ships being produced at other British shipyards, but Harold couldn’t be sure. Information simply wasn’t as readily available in 1938 as it had been in the early twenty-first century.
If the Royal Navy did not soon step up the construction of escort ships, it would once again pay a very heavy price in both transports and warships sunk by German U-Boats. That much was certain. There were also the issues of the readiness of the British Army and Royal Air Force. Churchill had less involvement with those services than he had with the Royal Navy where he had previously been First Lord of the Admiralty. So Harold could not influence changes as easily there.
Harold knew that he would have to continue to work, observe and adapt as necessary. He could not be sure what America would do or that his own country would take all of the necessary steps. There were just too many variables to rely upon a single act or a single solution to prevent the future war that would end humanity.
Harold was still thinking this when he heard Winston ask.
“How is your lovely wife and the rest of your family doing, Harold?”
Immediately, Harold’s thoughts went to Dorothy and their children. His entire family had accompanied Harold this time to England. While Harold went to the shipyard and various other industrial sites, the rest of his family had traveled out to the English countryside.
“They are all doing very well, thank you Winston. They are taking advantage of a vacation from the s
ummer heat back home.”
Churchill chuckled for a moment.
“That’s right, your seasons are reversed from ours here in the Northern Hemisphere. With as much travelling that you do, you probably don’t get to see your family as much as you would like, Harold.”
“I’m afraid that is all too true. That is another one of the reasons why I brought them with me on this trip.” Harold replied, thinking about how correct Churchill was about the lack of time that Harold got to see his family, except for one thing. That was Dorothy’s unsung involvement in extracting critical information from Harold’s portable computer. Harold and Dorothy spent a lot of hours together in the secret room as a result of that work.
“How long do you plan to be here? I know that I had dragged you out here to see the shipyard. But you probably are going to take care of some other business while you are here in England, I would imagine.”
“We will be spending a couple more days here in England. But after that, we will have to travel back home to get back to work. But then we will be flying back home to spend Christmas and New Years.”
“As much as I love it here in England, I have to admit that I am looking forward to getting back to our home is Australia. I have gotten very accustomed to our life there. There is also the fact that you will also be smelling much better when back home.
I can always tell whenever you have been visiting Mister Churchill, Harold. Your clothes smell like you have been standing over the top of a chimney because of those awful cigars of his. I am certainly glad that you never partook of that particular habit.
Let’s get you out of these clothes and into something fresh so that I can take these filthy things to be laundered.” Dorothy said as she wrinkled her nose at the odor.
Harold and Dorothy’s Home Derby, Western Australia December 31, 1938
Harold and Dorothy’s children had all already gone to bed as the clock neared midnight and the beginning of the year 1939. Harold’s family had all gotten back home to Derby aboard a Cavalier flying boat little more than a week earlier.
“Do you realize that I am already fifty-seven years old now, Dorothy. I would have never imagined that I would be in this position, much less someplace back in history. I just have so much to do, but I don’t know how long I have left to set things on the right course.” Harold said morosely as he looked at the clock.
“Well, you don’t look a day past forty, Sweetheart.” Dorothy said while giving Harold a light kiss on the cheek.
“I do worry still. My father and mother both died in an aircraft accident when I was in my early twenties. So I don’t know how long they would have lived otherwise. My grandparents lived until their mid-seventies. But the medical care was far better than what is available now and will be available for the next forty years or more. So I might have another ten to twenty years left if I am fortunate enough.”
“That is a bit of a morbid thought for just prior to the beginning of a new year, Harold.”
“I know. I apologize. It’s just knowing what is to come has me thinking very introspectively at the moment.”
“Let’s think more pleasant thoughts for the moment, shall we?”
“Indeed.” Harold agreed.
Harold and Dorothy then opened up a bottle of champagne that Harold had specially shipped from France on the most recent Cavalier flight from Europe. Harold poured a glass for each of them before proposing a toast.
“To a happy and peaceful New Year, for as long as we can enjoy the peace that we have.” Harold said. The couple touched glasses for a moment then drank from them just as the clock struck midnight.
“You know, I do understand how these times can lead to some dark thoughts. If I remember correctly, the war is going to begin soon, isn’t it?” Dorothy asked after putting her glass down.
“Sometime later this year, I’m afraid. I don’t know if it will happen on exactly the same date in September as before. But yes, all of the signs remain pretty much the same. The start of the Pacific war will be less certain though. If we can keep that report about Singapore’s defenses out of Japanese hands, that will certainly change things. But it won’t prevent the Japanese from attacking us or the Americans eventually, I am certain.”
“What about in Europe? Will they go to war just like they did in your original time?”
“Everything there is happening pretty much like what happened in my history. I dare say that France and the Low Countries are going to fall to the Nazis just about as quickly as before. Then the British and French armies will find themselves trapped on the beaches of Dunkirk at the mercy of the Germans’WehrmachtandLuftwaffe. By a miracle on those beaches, thousands of those troops were able to escape to England. But tens of thousands more were either killed or captured because we lacked the means of getting large numbers of personnel and vehicles off of a beachhead.
The French fleet will be neutralized at port, partially at great political cost by the Royal Navy. Eventually, the French themselves will have to scuttle their own ships. I just wish that we could somehow save more of the French fleet to help us out in the Pacific.”
“That sounds like a terrible fate for all of those soldiers and sailors. I wonder if we could come up with a solution to help them and their ships escape. Maybe your friend Mister Churchill can help with the French?”
“Maybe so. I will have to contact him and ask. I do have a few ‘suggestions’ that he might consider.”
“I imagine that you do, Sweetheart.” Dorothy said with a sly smile.
“How is your little project going, my dear?”
Dorothy had gone from being an occasional relief pilot of Harold’s flying boats to becoming an instructor pilot for dozens of Harold’s own neophyte aviators.
“It’s going a lot better since you got those new aircraft. I could get the pilots through the basics with our Gypsy Moth trainer. But to get them ready for larger, more powerful military aircraft, I needed some planes a lot closer in performance.
I don’t know how or where you got those four Swordfish torpedo bombers, but they have been incredibly helpful, not to mention the other aircraft that you bought.”
“One of our British partners is affiliated with Fairey Aviation Company. So I worked out a deal with him to obtain the Swordfish.”
“What about the other aircraft? I have been wondering where you got the others. Most of them have only one aircraft of the type, but they seem to have come from all over the world.”
“They actually only come from England, America and the Netherlands. But the aircraft were from a variety of different manufacturers. The Skua dive-bomber was produced by Blackburn and can also serve as a fighter. The Fokker Mark XXI fighter was produced in the Netherlands. The two P-36 Hawks were produced in America by Curtiss. As you are also well aware, I was able to get a single example of a Bristol Blenheim bomber as well as one of a Hawker Hurricane fighter.
I was able to obtain the majority of the aircraft as demonstrators for possible purchase by the Australian military with a little help from Billy Hughes. We might be able to purchase more if necessary. I am already making arrangements to purchase a pair of the new Whirlwind heavy fighters from Westland. They are being shipped here in a partially-assembled condition since I am going to have our aeronautical engineers modify the aircraft to use the Twin-Wasp radial engines that we produce here in Australia. The wings on these aircraft will have to be substantially modified for the new engines, to add additional fuel storage and reduce landing speeds. The Whirlwind is still undergoing flight testing in England, but I believe that we will end up with a better aircraft in the long run.
This is what we told the leaders of the Royal Australian Air Force when we proposed the modified Whirlwind to them earlier as well. But the generals have not yet made up their mind still. ”
“Those aircraft are all going to be very interesting to fly. There are, of course, those wonderful Dragonfly tandem-wing fighters of ours and those little Damselfly two-seat tandem-wing trainers
. I already enjoy flying in both types very much.” Dorothy said with a smile of pure delight on her face.
“The Dragonflies and Damselflies were a lot easier for us to get since we paid for their development in the first place. I had the Miles Brothers license the production of the smaller aircraft to us in addition to the Dragonfly. Of course, the Damselfly was based on the original tandem-wing prototype that we had contracted for. I simply asked that Miles Brothers rename the smaller aircraft, the Damselfly, to differentiate it from the Dragonfly fighter.” Harold explained.
“Well, Sweetheart. They are incredible, both the Damselflies and the Dragonflies. After only a few hours in the Damselfly, I was able to not only fly a Dragonfly, but also perform extraordinary aerobatics in it.”
The thought of Dorothy flying aerobatics in a brand new high-performance fighter that had barely gotten out of the factory wasn’t exactly comforting to Harold. On the other hand, the Damselfly that she had flown earlier was smaller, somewhat slower and had a less powerful Bristol Perseus sleeve valve radial engine powering it. But the Damselfly was still quite capable in multiple realms as well as being extremely agile.
Since the Damselfly was also intended to be a combat trainer capable of light attack missions of its own, it was armed with a pair of .303 machine guns in the nose. It could also carry over three hundred kilograms of ordnance on its belly and wing hardpoints.
“Please, let’s leave the aerobatics to our test pilots for now. They are still exploring the Dragonfly’s operational capabilities and flight parameters. What I am interested in at the moment is how your trainee pilots are doing right now?”
“Oh, they are doing splendidly, Sweetheart.” A smiling Dorothy answered.
“Now, how are they feeling about taking flight instructions from a woman? You and I both know that there are very few female flight instructors at this time. ” Harold asked.