I Became a Tycoon During World War I: Saving France from the Start

Chapter 291: U-21 Submarine

In the end, Vice Admiral Robeck enlisted General Guepratte's help to smooth things over, finally prompting Charles to set a time for the offensive.

"Five o'clock tomorrow morning," Charles announced, pointing to a location on the map. "We'll strike at V Beach."

"And the battle plan?" asked General Guepratte.

"There is no battle plan," replied Charles. "All we need is fire support from the Gallia and her Sixth Squadron."

Robeck interjected cautiously, "I don't think that's wise, Colonel. Triumph was sunk at dawn by an enemy submarine, as you know. At dawn, it's nearly impossible to spot a periscope peeking out of the sea—putting the Gallia in serious danger."

Charles responded coolly, "Then what time would you suggest? Only by striking at dawn can we ensure a full day's advantage for the assault."

Robeck fell silent. He knew this to be true; they had previously encountered this problem when a promising assault had to be called off at nightfall. Troops who'd made it ashore were then forced to withdraw, as they would have been surrounded and overwhelmed by the enemy under cover of darkness.

In the end, Robeck stormed off, muttering under his breath in English, "Let them taste battle firsthand, then maybe they'll learn that war is no simple feat. Attacking without a plan? They'll suffer for that."

What Robeck didn't realize was that Charles's true aim for the next day's operation was not merely to take V Beach but to lure out the German submarine. The Gallia, in fact, was the bait.

…

In the dark waters of the Aegean Sea, the German submarine U-21 crept forward, slowly cutting through the waves. Captain Otto Hersing hadn't shaved in nearly a month; his beard bristled around his gaunt face, showing the strain of extended submarine operations.

Over the past month, U-21 had forged a legend of its own. It had departed from Wilhelmshaven in Germany, stopped for supplies at Cape Finisterre in Spain, and then set off for the Dardanelles.

To maintain secrecy, their superiors had arranged for German merchants in Spain to supply them with fuel and lubricants under cover of darkness. But when they arrived, Captain Hersing discovered, to his frustration, that the merchants had provided the wrong fuel type, unsuitable for a submarine.

With no other choice, the U-21 pressed on without refueling, Captain Hersing devising every trick to conserve the last precious drops. He cut through the most efficient routes, took advantage of ocean currents, and kept to an economical speed. Finally, after an 18-day voyage, they reached the Dardanelles—with only 1.8 tons of fuel left.

Hersing later remarked to his crew, "I may forget all other numbers—my own age, even my birthday—but that figure will forever be engraved in my mind."

Hersing's gamble paid off. The U-21 went on to sink the British battleships Triumph and Majestic, causing such panic among the Allied forces that they now hesitated to send any battleships to support the landing forces.

Ottoman commander General von Sanders openly praised U-21, declaring, "You've single-handedly turned the tide against the entire Allied fleet!"

Over the past few days, Captain Hersing's tension had only grown. He'd recently received a critical communiqué: "We have learned that the Frenchman Charles is leading a force to reinforce the Dardanelles. His convoy has already arrived. Sinking him would deal a crushing blow to the enemy's morale."

"Charles?" Hersing paused, holding up the telegram for his crew to see. "Charles himself is here."

The news instantly lifted the spirits of the crew.

"Really? Is he here on inspection?" one crewman asked.

"I wish I could see him," another chimed in. "I heard someone spotted him on Christmas Day at the front lines."

"Yes! My friend Paul even managed to get his autograph!" added another, smiling.

This scene was unprecedented. Though Charles was a sworn enemy of Germany, he had somehow gained a dedicated following among his opponents, even though he had never met any of them.

Captain Hersing allowed the excitement to settle before speaking again, this time with an edge to his tone. "He's not here for an inspection. He's here to fight. Our mission is to sink him."

Silence fell as the crew, visibly shaken, absorbed the news.

Hersing nodded gravely, his voice ringing with conviction. "I know what you're thinking. I don't want to do this either. But gentlemen, this is war—a fight to the death."

His words cut through the tension. "I know many of you admire Charles. His life is a legend, true enough. But we are duty-bound to go all out, for that is the soldier's calling."

The crew sat in silence for a moment before one after another began to respond:

"Yes, Captain, we'll do it."

"If Charles were in our place, he wouldn't hesitate to sink us."

"That's right. It's a soldier's duty."

Captain Hersing, satisfied, gave orders to inspect the submarine's equipment and torpedoes, ensuring that U-21 was in optimal condition for the mission. But despite several days of patrolling, the U-21 encountered no suitable targets.

In reality, Hersing had already crossed paths with Charles's convoy on multiple occasions without realizing it. Seeing what appeared to be a convoy of transport ships with minimal escort, Hersing had dismissed them as unworthy targets, letting them slip past without firing a single torpedo.

Had he known that his target was aboard one of those transport ships, he would have cursed himself for missing the chance.

Soon after, however, another message reached U-21: "Reliable intelligence indicates that Charles's fleet will lead a landing assault at V Beach early tomorrow morning."

Hersing's spirits soared, and he rallied his crew with excitement, "Gentlemen, a big fish is about to take the bait. Prepare yourselves. The moment we've trained for is here!"

What Hersing didn't know was that this "reliable intelligence" was precisely what Charles had intended him to receive. Charles had instructed Tijani to send a message to the French Minister of the Navy: "Tomorrow at dawn, we'll launch the assault on V Beach. Expect good news."

The Navy Minister, smirking, read the telegram and muttered, "Arrogant man. He really thinks he can secure a victory with ease—that on the same beach the British failed to capture."

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