Battle of Svalbard - Death of the HMS Steel

This extract is from the Battle of Svalbard I'm writing so this extract will be subject of change. 

The Bergen's firepower from her 15-ich guns was intense upon the Triumph and the Steel.  The Bergen's crew certainly knew what they were doing that was for certain. 

     "Her crew must have received special training!" Nelson shouted over the whistling shells has they splashed into the sea with white columns marking their landing spots. 

     "Port five degrees!" Captain Upturn commanded.  "Range?"

     "Twenty-four thousand yards sir!" Came the reply. 

     "Tell the guns to rain all they've got!" Upturn ordered Nelson. 

     "Aye sir."  Nelson replied before heading for the phone room behind the ship's bridge. 


     Upon the HMS Steel, things weren't so good, a shell narrowly missed the bow my metres, quickly followed by another three. 
     "It looks like they've got their range on us sir."  Captain Jameson, a mouse of sixteen years service, commented to Admiral Goodall.  It was to be the last comment he ever made, and no-one knew. 

     "That's too close for my comfort.  Fifteen to starboard!" Admiral Goodall, a fox of forty years service, ordered his captain.  It was to be his last order. 

     The order to shoot was sent to the guns followed by columns of smoke.  No hits except for the sea.  There will be no more shots from the Steel. 

     The Bergen fired back full.  There was the reigning sound of whistling falling shells. 

     From the HMS Triumph's view it happened so quick.  There was the shell's whistle, then a small column of smoke upon the Steel's port side, before it was engulfed by an inferno of fire and a column of smoke.  HMS Steel is dead.  

     All upon the Triumph looked on in surprise and horror, none more so than Commander Theodore Nelson who saw history being repeated before his very eyes.  His captain brought him back to attention. 

     "Nelson, make to Admiralty, tell them-" Upturn's words blocked up in his throat, but Nelson understood in a low voice, "Aye sir."  Nelson headed for the radio, looking away as the black smoke from the Steel rose higher into the air. 

I hope that you enjoy this extract of the Battle of Svalbard and I hope to continue and complete the story soon. 


The first picture is that the Bismarck, representing the Bergen, and the second is that of HMS Pathfinder, representing HMS Steel. 

The HMS Triumph

Extract from The Battle of Svalbard - A Captain Theodore Nelson Story


Bear in mind that all characters are animals not humans. 


     HMS Triumph is the oldest battleship in the British Royal Navy and she's set for retirement age.  She has done her duty to her country's navy fully and without fail.  But she's, sadly, now out of date.  Her large 10-inch guns means that she must get as close as 25 km from her target at best, ships of today can fire up to 36 km away from their targets. 
     Captain Upturn, a fox with fifteen years of naval service behind him, kept his eyes on the HMS Steel, the newest battleship of the British Navy, and rumoured to be the replacement of the Triumph, through his binoculars.  The last message from the Admiralty was to follow the Steel in the their hunt for the Bergen, the Norwegian Pirate Flagship.  Captain Upturn was convinced that with the HMS Steel, the HMS Triumph will have one last victory before her retirement from His Majesty's Royal Navy.  And with this last victory, this nine-year war in Scandinavia will end. 
     "And I will be glad of that."  Captain Upturn sighed to himself as he lowered his binoculars, deciding to get some forty winks before they face the Bergen. 


I hope to expand on this and this extract may be subject to change. 

Connection between Morpeth and The Fighting Temeraire

This is me attempting to connect Morpeth, a county town I used to grow up near by, and HMS Temeraire, a battleship from Trafalgar. 


Morpeth is changing
     Hard to believe at all
Scary of the thought
     I like the county town
I like it as it was
     I like it as I remember
Why must it change?
     Will change be good or bad?
Why can it not stay?
     Why can't be frozen in time?
Morrison's has moved
     New Bus Station and shops
Bookshop is closing by Xmas
     Only Clock Tower has its same face
It's hard to believe
     That Collingwood's Morpeth
Will have to change


I hope that Morpeth
     Will not be Temeraire
Old sail warship of greatest battle
     Pulled by steam tug for last berth
Last berth
     In line of duty
Last berth
     Before its scrapped


Morpeth will not
     Become like Temeraire
New has to come
     Shame that
I love old
     I lived Morpeth


I hope that you enjoy this poem.