Free Kirov II: Cauldron Of Fire (Kirov Series) by John Schettler

amiable smile. “How’s the new radar kit?”
    “Well
enough, sir,” said Stanton, “A bit limited in range but more than suitable for
low level sea search.”
    “I must say
we had rather a different experience on our flight,” said Melville-Jackson. “I
made a visual sighting of my target before we ever got a peep on the radar. Thought
my mate was sleeping at first, but he swears his scope was clear until we were
right on top of the damn thing.”
    “Ah, yes,”
said Park. “This big Italian cruiser you reported… Latitude 39.00, Longitude 11.16
from your report. Some two hundred miles east of the Cagliari, on a heading of
225 south by southwest.”
    “Yes sir.
Came up on it all of a sudden. Odd disturbance in the sea as well. Thought it
was a submarine blowing tanks until I saw the disturbance was much too big, and
the contact as well. It was definitely a warship, sir, though I must say we
haven’t had much of a look at the Italian Navy just yet, so I can’t be more
specific other than to say this was at least a cruiser—most likely a heavy
cruiser at that.”
    Park was a
crisp and thorough officer, with a penchant for details and a good
understanding of all the new technology that was impacting the war effort,
particularly the new radar sets. “Well Jackson, you’ve only arrived yesterday
from Coastal Command, and yes I dare say the Italians are not too fond of
sailing that far west, but do have a look at ship silhouettes before you fly
out again this afternoon. The waters in these regions get fairly busy, and
you’ll want to know exactly what you are shooting at next time around.”
    For his
part, Park knew well what he was talking about when it came to air operations.
A New Zealander and First World War flying ace, he soon rose through the ranks
to become a commander in the RAF. He was also well versed in naval matters,
having gone to sea at the early age of nineteen on a steamship where he earned
the nickname “skipper.” He later fought at Gallipoli, and the battle of the
Somme where he learned firsthand how valuable good aerial reconnaissance could
be to the outcome of any military conflict. In fact, he had flown old Bristol
fighter recon planes in the First World War, biplanes then, and had many kills
against German fighters for his effort. When the second war came Park was an
air vice Marshal taking part in the defense of London with Number 11 Group, RAF.
He had fought in the skies over the city, and taken part in the planning and
briefing in the Battle of Britain bunker at RAF Uxbridge. After a stint in
Egypt, Malta seemed the perfect place to post a man like Park, for it was enduring
its own daily struggle with the Luftwaffe and his experience fit hand in glove.
    “You say you
took gun camera footage of this ship?”
    “Yes, sir,”
Jackson replied. “Gave them a taste of my cannon as well. Caught them flat
footed, it seems. They never fired a shot before I was over them and gone. Yet
I thought the better of trying to come round for a second pass after waking
them up. A cruiser that size is a job for the full squadron.”
    “Indeed,” said
Park. “Well, we’ll have a good deal to do over in the Ditch these next few
days.” He was referring to the underground cave sites beneath the city of
Valletta where the island’s fighter defense was coordinated. “I was going to
send you out to hit Comiso on Sicily this afternoon. We need to pound their
airfields there as well before things get so hot with this convoy that we’re
thrown completely on the defense. But seeing that you’ve jumped on something
here, we’ll give that mission to 235 Squadron with the Mark I Beaus. You’ve a
couple newer planes in 248 Squadron, and two with these new radar sets. So it
looks like your job will be to hunt north for this contact and ascertain her
position and intentions. Admiralty indicated that the Italians have their 3rd
and 7th Cruiser Divisions operating in the Tyrrhenian Sea, and they