Chapter 678 Closed 5

Allied Southwest Fleet (Australia) Command.

"According to the information we have received so far, there are a total of 26 ships in the Xinhua Fleet attacking Nouméa, including 2 large carriers, 3 light carriers, 1 battleship, 2 heavy cruisers, 3 fire support ships, 6 light cruisers and destroyers. According to Major General Mel, the coastal defense firepower of Nouméa has been basically blown up by the enemy. He has ordered all troops to retreat to the second line, and he hopes that we can send a fleet to support as soon as possible.

"5 motherships!"

After hearing the deployment of the opponent's troops, Seymour couldn't help taking a cold breath, and his head began to ache again.

This is the sequelae of the last injury. Although the body recovered after more than 2 months of healing, the brain may have accumulated hematoma because of a violent impact before, so this unbearable pain often occurs.

Compared with headaches, the existence of five motherships makes him even more chilled. Now as long as the naval generals of the Allied countries hear the name of Xinhua's aircraft carriers, they all have a headache to hide. From the Battle of Falls Bay to the Battle of Singapore to the Gulf of Panama not long ago, the huge advantage and terrible attack power of the Xinhua mother ship Many people have been desperate.

There is a saying that the enemy who knows is not terrible, but the enemy who knows but can't deal with it is more dangerous.

The Allies have done their best. Britain, the United States, France, Italy and other countries have joined forces to accelerate the development of new aircraft and motherships, but so far they still can't find comparable aircraft, which makes it necessary for all the Allied warships at sea to consider how to carry out their tasks in the face of endless bombardment.

"Tony, are you sure this is the whole force?" The introduction made Clarkston next to him frown in an instant.

"What? What's wrong?" After hearing the meaning of the words, Seymour asked.

"There's something wrong." Clarkston nodded: "Last month, we got the news that two more Guam-class battleships were delivered to the Xinhua Navy in Ryukyu, but recent intelligence shows that the two battleships did not go to the scheduled Luzon base, and the current two motherships should also belong to the Xinhua South Sea Fleet, so I think they are not It is often possible that it has arrived near Nouméa.

"Two Guam-class ships?"

Seymour recovers a lot, but it's not that he doesn't know the external situation. What's more, he almost let himself die and buried the Guam-class battleship of Bernice and Australia. This demon has become the biggest killer second only to the Xinhua mother ship. If they really swim nearby, it will be terrible.

"I have sent the mother ship Campania to set off. If I'm not sure if they are nearby for a day, I can't make a decision. You should know that even if we use the night to avoid the mother ship, we can't avoid the battleships, so we must determine whether they are nearby."

"But Noumé is in urgent need of our support, we can"

Seymour was in a hurry to say a few words. Clarkston stretched out his hand to stop him, and then waved to the staff around him. After a moment, there were only two of them left in the room. This move made Seymour, who had just returned to work, know that something big must have happened, and hurriedly asked, "What's wrong? Wall (Clarkston)."

"I've got the order to get out of here!"

"What!"

Semore suddenly stood up. He couldn't believe his ears and left here? Could it be?

"This is the order I just received." Clarkston took out a telegram from his pocket and handed it to Seymour: "The intelligence has confirmed that Lenin had held the so-called Central Committee meeting five days ago. Although the specific content cannot be known, it can be seen from the return of their representatives to Brest that Russia is very likely to agree to sign a contract to withdraw from the war. The Northwest Xinhua Army can free up more than 1 million elite troops. According to the headquarters, their next target is likely to be the west coast of our country!"

"Is Russia really going to withdraw?!" Seymour held the intelligence in his hand, and his face suddenly became gloomy. He didn't expect that the almost humiliating contract concocted by Germany and Xinhua would be possible to pass. Is it possible?!

"Moore, if Russia withdraws, both Xinhua and Germany can empty millions of troops, so that they have enough troops to carry out a large-scale combat mission, and recently they have begun to accelerate the dispatch of troops here. The front line has sent back messages and found at least five numbers that have never been seen before. The new army.

"No." Seymour threw the telegram on the table fiercely and shouted, "Wal, we can't leave. If we leave, the army will face a two-line attack, and it will be impossible to hold on for a long time!" We must be responsible for more than one million soldiers!"

In the face of the angry Seymour, Clarkston didn't know how to explain it. In fact, from the bottom of his heart, he didn't want to leave. Seymour was right. Even if he could escape smoothly, Australia would fall. After nearly two years, it was really unacceptable to leave at this most critical time.

What's more, he knows very well that if he leaves the fleet in Port Jackson, it will become a rootless duckweed. Once it is found to be intercepted, it is likely to be another Panama Bay-style fiasco.

After a few words of roaring, the anger in Seymour's heart also dropped a lot, and his voice was low, "Wal, I know you are eager to return to San Diego, but Australia is equally important. Without here, we will have nothing!"

"I know." Clarkston nodded and said, "Moore, do you think I'm willing to leave? Although we, the United States, are likely to be attacked, since I have come, I will help Australia wholeheartedly, and there are hundreds of thousands of our troops here.

But have you ever thought about it? How could Xinhua send a mother ship at this time? They wanted to take Numea in one fell swoop, but gathered five motherships, which was too powerful for Numea! So I'm sure it's aimed at us!

They want to attack Australia from both sides and speed up the end, but to complete this tactic, they must defeat us first! So if we continue to be in the harbor, we may never be able to leave.

I don't know if I should obey the order, but at least I have to leave the harbor now. I can only keep the fleet, otherwise I will only wait to die if I stay here!"

"But."

Semore still wanted to argue, but was interrupted by Clarkston again and walked to the door: "Moore, I know it's a difficult choice, but it's a necessary choice, so no matter what choice you make, I will respect your decision!"

The door slowly closed. Facing the empty office, Seymour not only felt a headache, but also his heart was like a knife, because more than a million Australian army soldiers would depend on this decision.

Leave?

Or so.

====== Falling to the west.

The afterglow is reflected in the microwave rippling Gulf of Jackson Harbor, with countless dizzy spots, and the masts are like guns on the ancient battlefield, piercing the sky.

The cold steel beasts lay quietly. Originally, they should have devoted themselves to this era of rapids like their opponents, but now they are trapped by circles of lightning nets, which makes them scared, just "little flies" that appear in the sky from time to time.

The sailors are still working hard, but they always look at the northeast from time to time. The comrades-in-arms thousands of miles away are suffering from the enemy's artillery fire, but they have not been ordered to leave for a long time. This kind of suffering is more sad than the artillery fire.

Since the Battle of the Gulf of Panama, the proud beast seems to have suddenly turned into scrap iron. From India to Sydney, from Panama to San Diego, a fleet had to nest in the harbor in front of the haunted enemy, and then trapped itself with layers of lightning nets.

The cruiser set sail quietly, but always came back with injuries, and even couldn't come back at all. Occasionally, it was just afraid that the machine would rust and did not dare to go too deep.

In one night, the Pacific Ocean became a racecourse.

What's going on?

Fletcher sat quietly on the deck and couldn't figure it out.

Although he is already a major gun commander, he has no clue like ordinary sailors. The Battle of the Gulf of Panama has become a watershed for the U.S. Navy. If the previous U.S. Navy was due to lack of technology, then the current Navy can hardly see any sharpness. If this situation continues, It's really worrying.

Especially on the Australian side, due to the failure on land, the Xinhua Army has occupied more than half of South Australia. It is about to enter the key state of New South Wales, so that people are panicked, so many of the partners who came with him are unwilling to stay here. They would rather return to the United States and return to the top of San Diego. With the enemy's planes and cannons.

In fact, in his opinion, it was still early for the United States to lose the war, and now is the most anxious stage of the war. After paying huge casualties in the early stage, General Pershing gradually stabilized Panama by numerical advantage. The main force of the Xinhua Army was still trapped in the northwest, and he had to take care of deterring India and the Persian Gulf, so he invested in Australia. Leah's army knows that it has only begun to increase recently.

But even if they are strong and well equipped, it is impossible to get tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of trucks in one night, and it is impossible to repair the fragmented Australian railway in one night. Therefore, in the face of the long supply line arriving here from Northwest Australia, God can't fight it without a year and a half!

That's why they are eager to attack Nouméa, trying to use it as a springboard to open the gap in Eastern Australia, and then enter the three Eastern Australian states, including New South Wales, from the sea to accelerate the end of the war.

The current Australian fleet is indeed in a weak position, and does not have any technical advantages, but as long as it stays here, even if it takes Nouméa, Xinhua will not easily kick open the gate of East Australia, especially the current port of Jackson, which is not so easy to attack. After tasting too many bitter fruits, it is finally set up here. With more than 200 fast-fire anti-aircraft guns and machine guns, coupled with the anti-aircraft firepower of the fleet, it has the initial ability to fight against enemy fighters.

In addition, there are three fixed and mobile lightning nets on the periphery of each warship, and there is almost no chance for the small torpedoes projected close to the torpedo machine, so Xinhua has not attacked for a long time.

"Maybe this kind of day will continue for a long time."

Fletcher stretched out. As soon as he got up and was ready to go back to the cabin, he was almost hit by his oncoming partner. He quickly asked, "Hey, what's wrong?"

"Fletcher? Didn't you get the notice? We're leaving!"

"Let's go?" Fletcher turned his head and found that there were already figures flashing on the warships around him. Heavy anchors were rolled up, columns of water spewed out of the bow, lightning nets were put away, and silk smoke rose from the chimney.

"Where to go? Why are you leaving now?

"I don't know, but I think I'm probably going to support Nouméa." The partner raised his fist and said fiercely, "No matter where it goes, this damn day is finally over!"

"Aren't you happy? Fletcher."

"Happy?!" Fletcher opened his mouth and moved his mouth. It's really happy to have something to do, but is there any difference between going to Nouméa now and looking for death?

"Corinth, do you know where General Clarkston is?" After thinking about it, Fletcher clenched his teeth.

In the dull eyes of his comrades-in-arms, Fletcher walked firmly towards the flagship. Behind him, there was a long-lost whistle over Jackson Harbor, and warships began to formation.

On the evening of July 7, the Australian Grand Fleet set off.

(to be continued)