Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 4:17:55-4:20:15

Fast 9.2-inch cruisers could trap Goeben

A squadron of 28-knot 9.2-inch cruisers could overtake Goeben, damage or slow her, and hold the battlecruiser until additional British forces arrived.

Ernest TroubridgeMediterranean TheatreRoyal NavySMS GoebenTiger Cub Cruiser ConceptWorld War I
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Question

How would fast 9.2-inch 'Tiger cub' cruisers affect Admiral Troubridge's attempt to stop Goeben?

Short answer

Four could catch and damage Goeben, slowing or holding her long enough for additional British forces to make escape far less likely.

Notes

The proposed cruisers combine nearly 28-knot speed with enough 9.2-inch firepower to threaten a battlecruiser in numbers. Goeben could defeat one, but a pack of four would be much harder to destroy before their shells damaged her machinery or reduced her speed. Their real value is as fast rally points that can maintain contact and allow other cruisers to join. Repeated orders alongside Lion, Princess Royal, and Tiger could place as many as a dozen such force-multiplying ships in service by World War I.