Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 2:04:08-2:05:18

Could Ramillies engage both German raiders?

Independent fire control let the battleship divide her turrets between targets, while the attack geometry could also expose one raider at a time.

Convoy EscortFire ControlHMS RamilliesNaval Gunnery
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Question

Would Ramillies be able to engage both German ships, or could she fire on only one?

Short answer

Her independent fire control could divide the main battery between targets, and the attack geometry might also let her fight the raiders one at a time.

Notes

Ramillies was not limited to firing one undifferentiated broadside at a single target. Her forward and after turrets could use independent fire control against different ships. If Scharnhorst and Gneisenau attacked from opposite bearings, she could instead concentrate on the ship currently closing the convoy before shifting to the other. Smoke, merchant silhouettes, and the Germans' limited radar identification further complicated their attempt to isolate the battleship.