Nanyang Storm 1864

Chapter 301 Early Morning Artillery Battle
The British and French allied forces' major landing in the Johor Strait today has long been noticed by the hidden Yebushou.

The Chu State Singapore Expeditionary Force sent out hundreds of spies, who almost seamlessly monitored the dense forests and coastal waters around Singapore, day and night.

The news was quickly passed back to the command center located not far from the Chinatown intersection in Singapore. The command center was located in a two-story white Victorian building of the former British Straits Governor's Court, with a large courtyard at the back.

In the lobby on the second floor

There is a large sand table in the center of the hall. It is a sand table that closely resembles the terrain of Singapore and the surrounding waters. On the Malay Peninsula side of the Johor Strait, a conspicuous wooden fence camp is marked with 19 red puppet figures inside.

A red puppet represents 1000 troops, and a blue puppet represents 100 troops.

In the vast blue sea next to it, small flags representing 71 sailing warships are dotted around, 68 of which are British and only three are French.

"In the evening, the main force of the British warships moved here and here...

In summary

After completing the task of transporting troops ashore, the British and French allied fleets formed a two-sided siege of the Channel, demonstrating their aggressive and aggressive nature.

The nearest few British warships approached to within 1800 yards of the entrance to the Western Channel, intending to deter us.

After our Wugong Island fort fired warning shots, the British warships pulled away, temporarily abandoning their plans to enter the strait. It seemed this was merely a probing move...

But the arrow is on the string and must be shot.

Comprehensive opinions from all parties
Within these three days, the Anglo-French invasion fleet will take the action of forcing its way into the waters of the Channel, engaging in a fierce battle with our artillery batteries and making a direct provocative act of war. A fierce battle is imminent.

Our forts and batteries have been fully prepared, ammunition is sufficient, and the morale of the officers and soldiers is high..."

Colonel Fu Hongyu, commander of the fort, held the command pole in his hand and gave orders on the sand table. He seemed much calmer and more composed than when he first took office three weeks ago.

The forts were busy during this period, conducting various artillery tests, demarcating shore artillery strike zones, and conducting combat drills. The Singapore Strait area was filled with the rumble of artillery fire, with the occasional gunshot or two.

Based on the effectiveness of the bombardment, the fortress mobilized more than 60 field guns and more than 2100 officers and soldiers to garrison, and also deployed gunners and fortress officers to strengthen the defense and eliminate the gaps in defense.

Now everything is ready, waiting for the guests to arrive.

After Colonel Fu Hongyu's introduction, Major General Phelan Williams, commander-in-chief of the Ironclad Fleet, deployed the planned combat plan, which was a joint shore-ship combat plan.

After the British fleet invaded
The coastal artillery batteries will fire back in succession. At this time, Major General Phelan Williams, commander-in-chief of the ironclad fleet, will lead the ironclad warships headed by the "Taishan" to attack, and deploy in a single column along the southern coastline of Singapore.

The Ironclad Fleet's route was from southwest to northeast, patrolling along Singapore's southern coastline.

Specifically, it is from the Wugong Island Fortress Battery to the Changi Fortress Battery in the Eastern Fortress Group.

Between these two points, they patrolled back and forth, always fighting with their backs to Singapore's southern coastline.

If any British enemy ships come within the range of the naval guns, they will be bombarded with concentrated fire, cooperating with the fortress batteries to repel the enemy.

Do not pursue, do not fight to the end, and guard the first-line defensive positions of the fort coast.

The reason for this combat deployment is that the enemy is strong at sea and we are weak.

Especially the heavily armored battleship "Taishan", its four 180-inch main gun turrets are all semicircular rotating turrets, with only the -degree front of the turret having semicircular armor protection, while the rear is completely unprotected.

If you are caught in a pincer attack by enemy ships, the consequences will be disastrous.

When the ironclad fleet was patrolling and fighting along the southern coast of Singapore, the four main gun turrets of the "Taishan" ironclad ship could rotate their muzzles, and the four main gun turrets were facing the southern waters on the side, which was the direction of the British fleet's invasion.

Then, with your back to the coastline, you can hide your biggest weakness.

The heavily armored fleet assisted in the defense of the fortress batteries, which could greatly enhance the defense capability, making the British Royal Navy fleet like facing a hedgehog, unable to do anything.

After the introduction of the naval fleet and artillery batteries, the surrounding army officers nodded frequently to show their understanding.

This was the last high-level military meeting before the war, mainly to introduce each side's combat plans so that the commanders of the army and navy would have a clear idea of ​​the plan and cooperate well.

Major General Ho Ruolin, Commander-in-Chief of the Singapore Expeditionary Force, senior officers of the command and eight regimental commanders all gathered around the sand table, listening to the combat deployment with serious expressions.

The Chu Navy's ironclad fleet and forts were responsible for the defense of southern Singapore. This was because the forts built by the British had their guns pointed towards the southern waters.

Most of the coastlines on the east and west ends of Singapore do not have the basic conditions for landing from the sea due to the towering plateaus, dense reefs and shoals, and the strong tides and rough waves that converge here.

the only possibility

That is the Johor Strait at the northwest end, which is also where the Chu State Singapore Expeditionary Force landed.

The navy fleet is powerless to defend this place, so the army needs to defend it with all its strength.

about this
Major General He Ruolin simply reported that the army had prepared the "Wujiang Operation" to give the British and French forces a big surprise, and that it had been approved for execution by the superiors.

As for what the specific "Operation Wujiang" is?
Due to the extremely high level of confidentiality, except for the main officers of the 2st Regiment of the nd Expeditionary Division who were responsible for the execution, the other officers of the expeditionary force were all unaware of it, and the navy was even less aware of it and was kept in the dark.

Seeing Major General He Ruolin's mysterious attitude, Major General Phelan Williams, commander of the heavy armored fleet, just shrugged with a little regret, and hurried away with Colonel Fu Hongyu, commander of the artillery fortress.

After informing the navy that the combat deployment is complete, they cannot stay here any longer and must immediately return to their command positions to prevent a fierce battle from breaking out at any time.

Walking towards the corridor outside the command center, Major General Phelan Williams said with some dissatisfaction;

"Hey, man, these army officers are keeping secrets from us. It's a damn thing!"

"Everyone should do their job. If we can't defend the south, it's our problem. If we can't defend the north, it's the army's fault. Don't try to blame us. Now we can only take care of our own things. I hope they can hold on." Colonel Fu Hongyu didn't say much, and it was obvious that he felt a little uneasy.

okay?

Now we are all brothers fighting in the same trench to defend Singapore. We cannot live together, but if we lose, we will surely die together. Do you still have a trick up your sleeve?
What? Don’t you trust our navy brothers?
"Honestly, man, seeing the massive Royal Navy formation covering the entire ocean, I doubt if we can hold out this time. God bless us!"

"Sir, we have no way out."

"That's all we can do. Hopefully, luck is on our side."

"Take care, sir."

"Ok, God bless you!"

The two naval commanders saluted, looked at each other deeply, and then got into different carriages with their officers and drove off in two directions of the street.

The next time we meet will be when the war is won.

If you fail, you will be a fellow traveler on the road to the underworld, and there will be no chance for us to meet again.

In the lobby on the second floor
The military deployment meeting of the Singapore Expeditionary Force was still ongoing, and the lights remained on until very late. After the ministers had some midnight snacks, they hurriedly left.

After the room was empty, Major General He Ruolin rubbed his brows with a tired look, took out the Swiss gold watch in his arms and looked at the time. It was already 2:30 in the morning.

He said to the deputy division commander, Colonel Zheng Jiahui, "Deputy Commander, I'm going to the northern defense line for the next two days. I'd like to trouble you to stay at the command center and coordinate the operations of all parties."

Colonel Zheng Jiahui, deputy commander of the 37nd Expeditionary Division, was the former lieutenant colonel commander of the "Xin" Regiment. He was promoted to the position of colonel deputy division commander for his merits. He is a veteran who has experienced many battles. He is 4 years old, four years older than Major General He Ruolin.

He said calmly and exhortiously;

"Commander-in-Chief, the numerous and complex matters concerning the expeditionary force all depend on you, and you must not stray from the center. I will go to the northern defense line. Report any situation immediately. Now that the telegraph line has been laid, communication will be convenient."

"No, Operation Wujiang is of paramount importance. I must be on the front lines, able to adjust deployments at any time. This is the most important military operation right now. As long as the northern defense line isn't breached, Singapore will remain as secure as a rock."

"In that case, I obey your command."

"Well, headquarters, please make the arrangements. The carriages and horses are ready outside. I will leave immediately." "Is it so urgent?"

"Just in case. No one knows what the British and French forces might do. I rushed over early to take charge, and I feel at ease."

"Well then, I wish the General Manager success and that all his hard work will be worthwhile."

"I hope so. Man proposes, God disposes. Now I'm leaving. Please take care!" Major General He Ruolin raised his hand solemnly, saluted, and turned away in a hurry.

He arrived at the entrance of the command center, where three carriages were already waiting quietly.

"Let's go to the northern defense line." Major General He Ruolin gave an order as he got on the carriage.

The guards quickly closed the carriage door, and the other accompanying officers also got on the carriage.

The three carriages, protected by the guards' cavalry, quickly rushed into the dense darkness. Not even their shadows could be seen, only the faint sound of hurried horse hooves could be heard...

Early next morning
September 29th, 2025

At daybreak, the British Royal Fleet, which had been hovering near the strait, launched an attack, entering the strait from both ends in an attempt to surprise the Chu defenders.

The strength of the British Third Battleship is not to be underestimated. The fleet is equipped with 16 sailing battleships, 9 of which are armored battleships, all of which were converted from newer sailing battleships.

This strength is enough to dominate the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.

The French Far East Fleet, which was said to be the second strongest navy in the South Pacific region, consisted of only three sailing battleships, of which only one was the armored battleship "Phobin".

It was also sunk by the Chu State's "Taishan" in the Saigon River. It was truly a tragedy that it died with regrets.

If it had not been stuck in a narrow river fork, the armored battleship "Fubin" would never have suffered this fate, as its defense far exceeded that of wooden battleships. Even if it could not win, it could still escape.

When I talk about it now, I shed tears of sadness!

On the sea in the morning light
It can be clearly seen that the British Royal Navy's sailing fleet is entering from both ends of the strait, with all the black gun ports on the side opened, and the three-layer gun deck launched a fierce bombardment on the opposite shore, like a sea monster spewing fire.

The British warship in front was the powerful armored sailing battleship, which led the bombardment of the fortress.

The fort's artillery was not to be outdone, and it opened fire at full capacity, launching round after round of fierce bombardment at the British fleet on the sea.

The rumbling sound of cannons echoed on the sea and spread far away.

The artillery batteries on Wugong Island and Changi Fort at both ends of the strait opened fire one after another, firing black shells that rained down on the British naval warships.

The secret artillery shells fell into the sea, splashing a high forest of water, more than ten meters high.

The huge body of the British sailing warship was passing through this jungle of water. From time to time, shells hit the ship and then exploded violently.

A huge ball of fire, accompanied by a blast of air, roared across the area. The British officers and soldiers manning the artillery on the deck were instantly knocked over, blood flashed, and severed limbs flew into the air.

The British Royal Fleet's artillery fire was extremely fierce. The flagship sailing battleship "Pearl of Calcutta" alone was equipped with 148 guns of different calibers, divided into three gun decks.

The broadsides opened fire simultaneously, meaning 74 guns roared at the same time, raining down shells on the fortress's artillery positions.

Can see clearly

Artillery shells rained down on the area around the fort's artillery position, and then explosions flashed with fire, and the dense explosions turned into a sea of ​​fire, cracking the earth and rocks, and large clumps of mud and broken tree branches flew into the air. The power was quite astonishing.

The large-caliber artillery on both sides fired bombardment shells, that is, iron shells filled with explosives, which would explode secondary after being fired, causing more serious damage.

Small-caliber artillery mostly fires round solid bullets, which have less lethality.

The fleet and the fort fort's artillery bombarded each other. The equipment level of both sides was at the same level, which was world-class. The difference was that one was on the shore and the other was on the sea.

The unprecedentedly fierce artillery battle lasted for more than half an hour, and the difference was obvious.

Even with the powerful strength of the British Royal Navy, when the fleet's firepower rained down on the fortress, the fortress's firepower also caused substantial and huge damage to the fleet.

Comparing the two, the fleet obviously suffered a great loss.

Must admit

The fort fort built by the British at a huge cost of tens of millions of pounds is extremely strong, especially the middle and lower levels of the fort firepower, which are covered by a thick layer of rock and soil shaped like a hat.

Even if the British Royal Navy's 68-pound heavy guns were used for bombardment, it would be difficult to cause substantial casualties unless one was lucky enough and the shells hit the circular firing ports of the coastal fortress's artillery batteries.

This is not the case with coastal artillery. The British Armstrong coastal gun, also with a 68-pound long barrel, not only has a long range but also high accuracy. The explosion and damage caused by hitting enemy ships are a deadly threat to the British Royal Navy fleet.

After repeated hits, the violent explosions of the bombardment shells not only killed a large number of British soldiers who were firing on the deck, but also destroyed the sail pulley, ignited the sail, and even broke the mast.

Some shells exploded after breaking through the poop and the deck, causing considerable damage to the officers and soldiers in the cabin and the lower decks. The scattered corpses and the broken hull confirmed the huge losses suffered by the fleet.

Even in the face of an unfavorable situation, the British Royal Fleet still withstood the dense artillery fire from the fort's batteries and madly poured fierce firepower on the batteries for more than an hour before reluctantly retreating.

The armored battleship of the British Royal Fleet that was rushing in the front was riddled with holes in the side of the fort's artillery fire, but fortunately, the worst-case scenario of being penetrated was avoided.

Only from this point of view
It can be seen that the British Royal Navy fleet has rich experience in naval warfare and has a very good grasp of distance in artillery bombardments.

Basically, they are controlled at a distance of about one thousand to one thousand two hundred meters from the coastline. This range is basically the limit of the naval gun range, and the goal is coverage and killing effect.

British naval warships moved in a zigzag pattern, which further increased the difficulty of accurately hitting the fortress artillery.

At this distance
The sea surges generated by the bombardment between the two sides will cause the ships of the British Royal Navy fleet to roll and sway severely, which will also seriously affect the effectiveness of the ship's gun fire coverage and the accuracy of the artillery fire.

The British and French forces were pursuing coverage and killing effects, and a slightly lower accuracy was acceptable.

The coastal artillery has a long range and is not affected by surges or the maneuvers of surface warships. It can bombard the British fleet from a high vantage point, so its accuracy is naturally much higher.

However, at a distance of one thousand meters, the heavy bombardment shells fired by the 68-pound coastal artillery hit the side of the British ship. Due to the depletion of potential energy, they were completely unable to break through the armored side of the ship and could only leave holes of various sizes.

If the shells had landed on the deck of the British ship or exploded at the stern, it would have been a lot of fun.

The 68-pound shells were filled with a lot of black powder, and when they exploded they swept across a large area, making them an absolute weapon for harvesting enemy lives.

More than 90% of the heavy losses suffered by the Anglo-French fleet were caused by this, which was like kicking a stone wall.

As the rumbling sound of artillery on the sea gradually subsided, the thick and lingering smoke clouds gradually dissipated under the sea breeze, and the results of the battle on the sea became roughly clear.

The Wugong Island Fort Fort and the Eastern Fort Fort Group, especially the area around the Changi Fort, have become a charred mess with large and small shell craters connected to each other.

The trees ignited by the fire were still burning, and more than a dozen wisps of black smoke rose up, gathering into a choking smell of smoke. The position was suffering from the crazy ravages of sea artillery fire.

It looks like a mess, but the damage is actually not serious.

The situation on the sea was quite different. Among the retreating Anglo-French fleet, three warships had clearly tilted and sunk, one of which was the unfortunate French patrol sailing ship.

The three sailing warships had obviously suffered fatal damage. There were corpses lying on the decks, their masts were broken, and their sails, torn by shrapnel, were like rags, fluttering in the sea breeze.

In addition, more than a dozen warships suffered varying degrees of combat damage, including several British main sailing battleships that fiercely bombarded the frontal artillery fire of the coastal fortress batteries.

Some of the stern compartments were punctured with large holes, and the damage caused by the violent explosion turned the stern compartments into a mess.

Some of the upper decks were broken, and the bombs fell into the lower decks and exploded. The broken limbs and bloody flesh all over the ground were shocking. There were even more sails torn apart by the shells. The damage was serious.

Fortunately, the hull did not suffer fatal damage and the main battleship's strength remained intact, which was a blessing in disguise.

(End of this chapter)