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

Chapter 292: The Mobile Defense Ring

At 3:30 a.m. the next morning, Captain Hersing guided the U-21 submarine into position off the western coast of the Dardanelles.

In theory, he didn't need to arrive so early. Hersing had carefully tracked sunrise times: the sun would rise around six o'clock, with first light gradually moving earlier by about ten minutes each day. He estimated that the enemy's attack would likely begin around 5:50 a.m. But Captain Hersing believed that arriving early would give his team an advantage.

In his cramped submarine office, Hersing held a pencil in one hand, circling areas on the map of V Beach, as he briefed his deputy on his plan.

"The French battleships generally have 305mm main guns, with a range of about ten kilometers, and secondary 138mm guns with a range of eight kilometers," he said. "To provide effective fire support for their landing forces, I believe they'll close to within eight kilometers, putting them in this area here."

The deputy nodded in agreement. "French warships always seem to charge ahead. It was the Gallia, wasn't it, that destroyed the Ottoman ammunition depot earlier?"

"Yes," Hersing said, a smirk playing on his lips. "They seem eager to prove themselves, even if it means risky close-range engagements."

"That makes sense," the deputy added. "They're desperate to match the British. That's probably why Charles is here, don't you think?"

Hersing gave him a knowing smile. "Charles isn't here by choice, Otto. He was pushed into this by the French parliament."

Turning back to the map, Hersing refocused on the mission. "Since we know where the enemy is likely to be, we don't need to wait for them to arrive to make our move. We'll get into position early, then submerge and stay hidden until they come to us. It'll be safer that way."

The deputy, with a smirk, remarked, "Aren't you worried we might surface right in front of them and get rammed?"

It was a legitimate risk. Submarines of the time didn't have sonar; they were essentially blind underwater, with no way of knowing if a ship was passing directly overhead. Even the smallest collision could cripple or sink the vessel.

Hersing responded calmly, "Risk and reward, my friend—that's Charles out there."

…

By the time U-21 reached its position, Hersing climbed up to the conning tower, binoculars in hand, scanning the tranquil sea. Under the moonlight, the water was a silvery gray, with soft waves lapping against the submarine, rocking it gently. In the distance, the Helles Point of the Dardanelles jutted out like the head of a serpent, with V Beach as its tongue stretching toward the sea.

Satisfied with his assessment, Hersing returned inside, securing the hatch. He gave the order to submerge, and the U-21 slowly descended, disappearing beneath the water like a phantom.

…

Once submerged, Hersing allowed himself a short nap, resting on his desk. For him, there was no safer place in the world than being deep under the water, hidden from sight. Aside from underwater rocks, he couldn't think of anything that posed a real threat to them.

At 5:20 a.m., the deputy woke him precisely on time. Hersing rubbed his eyes, accepted a cup of coffee, took a few sips, and then issued a series of orders:

"Engines on!"

"Maintain course and full speed ahead!"

"Ascend to periscope depth!"

If his calculations were correct, the U-21 would rise right in front of the enemy fleet, neither too close nor too far.

But when Hersing raised the periscope, he was momentarily taken aback by what he saw.

The enemy fleet had advanced to within just five kilometers of V Beach, engaging in close-range bombardment. The battleship's position was clear—it was in the center of the fleet, firing toward V Beach, with muzzle flashes and smoke plumes illuminating the night like a beacon, perfectly marking the target.

Meanwhile, Ottoman artillery from V Beach returned fire, filling the sea with towering water columns from near-miss shells. The air was thick with smoke, steam, and exhaust fumes from the ships.

Hersing had a nagging feeling that something was off. Had it been any other commander taking such a risk, he wouldn't have questioned it. But this was Charles. Could he really be leaving his ships so vulnerable, disregarding the threat of submarines?

Upon closer inspection, Hersing noticed an unusual formation: nine destroyers circling the battleship at various distances.

"Quite the clever tactic," Hersing muttered with a nod. "Nothing less than I'd expect from Charles."

The circling destroyers created an invisible defensive barrier far more effective than a torpedo net. Any submarine attempting to approach would risk being detected or rammed by one of these patrolling vessels.

This left Hersing with two options: either retreat quietly before being detected or launch a torpedo from beyond this "mobile defense ring."

But the closest he could get would still leave him two kilometers from the target—too far for an accurate torpedo strike.

After a brief pause, Hersing gave his orders: "Maintain course and speed, and dive!"

As they descended, Hersing pulled out his pocket watch, carefully noting the time. His plan was to perform a daring maneuver, calculating the exact time needed to rise up just inside the defensive ring, at a mere 500 meters from the target.

Inside this inner circle, with only a few destroyers to contend with, he would have a clear path for an attack.

What Hersing didn't realize was that these inner-circle destroyers were precisely the real danger. Charles had meticulously crafted this trap:

The battleship was drawing heavy fire from Ottoman forces on V Beach, creating an irresistible target for any lurking submarine. The outer ring of destroyers served as bait, effectively herding the submarine into a closer range.

And the three destroyers circling in this inner perimeter? They were the modified vessels Charles had brought from France, each one equipped and primed with depth charges, waiting for the U-21 to make its move.

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