#oerlikon bullets

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

"Perth Gunner Sprays Axis Sub," Ottawa Citizen. May 25, 1943. Page 2. ---- Ratings of H.M.C.S. Regina sprayed an Axis submarine's conning tower and after gun with 240 rounds of Oerlikon bullets. With the other Oerlikon, they shared honors in keeping such a concentrated fire on the sub's conning tower that its resistance was kept to a minimum. The U-boat's deck officers and gun crew were killed with Regina's small arms fire. Strapped to the gun is A.B. Verne Cavanagh, R.C.N.V.R., of Perth, Ont. His team mate is A.B. Byron Nodding, R.C.N.V.R., of Saint John, N.B. - (R.C.N. photo.)

#hmcs regina #world war ii #oerlikon bullets #sub chaser #perth ontario #royal canadian navy #royal canadian naval volunteer reserve #submarine warfare #battle of the atlantic #anti-submarine warfare #kriegsmarine #canada during world war 2

[dragonrajafanfiction]

Oral Tradition

It was a little past midnight as the weary-eyed students picked up their luggage from the jet. The entire back of the plane had lifted up and a conveyor belt rolled out the attack aircraft they would be using  for the mission. It was like the big Beluga whale plane was giving birth to a killer barracuda.

The jet was outfitted with high powered explosives. The outer shell was made of a material that would shatter and turn into thousands of razor blades, just like the Storm Torpedo had shattered Norton. Huge turrets were armed not with bullets but with thousands of needle-like projectiles like how the sky weapon had devastated Herzog. It was as if the Gear Department had taken all the technology that had been used against the dragons in recent years and put it all in one airborne package.

Brian stood, his duffle bag over one shoulder, watching Ru’Yi collect her things. She seemed sleepy but still bright and happy. He didn’t try to say hi. Their last encounter was humiliating enough. 

It has always understood that through training and learning, even the least of the Hybrids could excel in all sorts of missions in regards to dragonslaying. From the beginning, Brian had distinguished himself in that regard. But at the same time, it was understood that pedigree and bloodline could close the gap between lack of education and training.

He was sure she didn’t mean anything by it personally. She just laid out the facts to him. Ru’Yi’s father and her mother were confirmed slayers of Dragon Kings. She had a better pedigree than even the Executive Department head. Bloodline wasn’t everything, but it was one of the ways you were evaluated. Even though she was not nearly as skilled as the rest, the crowd around her couldn’t help but part now that she had so clearly conveyed to them who exactly she was. She wasn’t even aware of their reverence. She just smiled and nodded in surprise assuming they were being chivalrous when they offered to carry her bags.

He should have taken the hint from his friend Aaron but she definitely put him in his place in her own way. He had no right object any longer.

Aaron stayed next to him, grinning ear to ear.  He raised his face to the warm sea breeze and sighed. “You look like a kicked dog. Cheer up will you?”

He tilted his head to him. “Sure.”

A uniformed woman, tall, with turtle shell glasses, stepped in front of them all. A small smile graced her lips. Her skin was an exceptionally dark and silky ebony. “I’ll be taking you to your accommodations. Please follow me.” Without waiting for confirmation, she turned and started to lead them down a narrow staircase to a passageway below deck.

“Welcome to the Aido-Hwedo. For the unfamiliar, she is a Yorktown-class Aircraft carrier, staffed with 1,273 persons, not including yourselves. We sail for months at a time patrolling for any sign of dragon activity. We are currently carrying 76 aircraft: 10 Seahawk helicopters, 35 Hornets and 31 Super Hornets. Your fighter the Javelin will be making the entry into the weather anomaly but we are here to support you in any way possible. The goal of this mission will be maximum air superiority.”

Despite the age of the vessel, everything was new and state of the art. The halls were spacious enough for them to walk unobstructed even as it was bustling with people. “My name is Lieutenant Summer Hart and I’m going to be your main point of contact.” She turned on her heel to face them. “This cooperation is based on the association with Mr. Baldwin as well as on the goodwill furnished by Principal Anjou. You are representatives and ambassadors here. So don’t do anything to make Anjou sigh in heaven.” She paused a moment and then smiled. “Oh… who am I kidding, we all know he’s in Hell.”

A ripple of soft laughter came from the group. They all had no experience with Anjou in real life, but his reputation for ruthlessness outlived any other trait he had.

Lieutenant Hart continued walking down the hall. “Because you are guests here, we won’t hold you to the full responsibilities of a sailor, however, we are expecting you to be on your best behavior and to follow the schedule of the ship. You are to report at 6 am for roll call. Breakfast is at 8 am. Lunch at 12 noon and dinner at 5 pm. If you are in need of anything we do have a shopping area here on board. As a guest, you are not expected to pay but please…” She glanced behind her. “Do not abuse the privilege.”

“Part of your responsibilities will be keeping your living area clean and tidy. We do not have maid staff on this voyage. At 9 am, your sleeping area will be thoroughly checked for cleanliness and infractions will be reported. Any contraband will be confiscated.” 

The hallway came to an end and she swiped her card. The wall panel suddenly slid open and they were led to what appeared to be something almost like a hospital ward with white walls lined with art and fluorescent lighting.. “This is where you’ll be sleeping. It’s cramped I know but you won’t be here for very long. I know you’re tired from the journey.”

She suddenly turned to Ru’Yi. “Sleeping areas are strictly separated by gender so I’ll show you to the women’s quarters.” She gave the others a fierce glare. “No men are allowed in the women’s area. If you are seen there you will be thrown into the brig. The area is clearly marked.”

Ru’Yi gave a shy little wince. “I guess I have a room to myself?”

“Not really. We weren’t …” Lieutenant Hart paused, rethinking finishing that sentence. Then her smile returned. “We can discuss that later.” She raised her eyes to the rest of the group. “Do you have any questions?”

Shimoda Masato raised his hand. “This is my first time working with the West Africa Branch. Can you tell me a little about your history?”

Liutenant Hart gave a curt nod. “Hybrids have always existed in Africa. While Mesopotamia is traditionally held as the ‘cradle of civilization’, it was the African plains and low forests that birthed humanity itself. We have the oldest relationship and conflict with dragons and their kind.”

She continued. “Our oral history cannot be fully explained by your traditions of the Dark King and the Light King. Our Creation Traditions do have dual gods, Mawu and Lisa. They are Brother and Sister as well as Husband and Wife.  Mawu is Female and Lisa is Male.”

Ru’Yi rubbed her chin.  “Mawu and Lisa are the same Dark King and the Light King?”

Summer Hart shook her head. “We cannot make that assumption. There are too many differences that cannot be explained by Cassell’s traditional knowledge.”

Aaron had an eager expression, pushing to the front of the group.  “Can you give us a brief run down?”

Summer looked a bit tired but couldn’t resist such an enthusiastic and curious audience. . “It was Mawu who created the earth while riding the Rainbow serpent, Aido-Hwedo, sliding across the ground and creating the hills and mountains. After the creation was finished, Mawu felt that the Earth would sink under its own weight, so she tasked Aido-Hwedo to support the earth in its strong coils under the sea.”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “In Cassell tradition, there are two Dragon Gods over all dragons, the Dark King Nidhogg and the Light King Izanami. However, in our tradition, the creator duality itself has a parent: Minona. Our traditions are passed down from her, the Mother of the Earth’s creators. She taught us to use the palm tree to tell the future, that is… Alchemy. Minona herself is a twin, sister to the god Legba, which is consistent with draconic relationships and lore. Legba is the one who gave us our Soul Skills.”

The students were whispering and murmuring among themselves after receiving so much new information.

“So, what you’re saying is there are more than two dragon gods? Then how come we don’t read about them in other histories?” Aaron asked, with a puzzled frown.

Summer Hart gave him a kind but pointed look. “Because our traditions are oral, my dear friend. We did not write them down. There are no temples to explore, no ruins, no clay tablet to find.”

Aaron sighed mournfully. “I’m sure Anjou was really curious about it too. It’s a shame he didn’t get to know any of this. I would have loved to have taken a class.”

Summer didn’t respond to that. She simply turned back to the group. “Any other questions?”

Brian lifted his hand. “What sort of kit is on this ship besides the planes?

“The ship is equipped with 8 Mark 12 5"/38 caliber guns, 45 Bofor antiaircraft guns, 32 Oerlikon cannons. All are modified to deal with dragon targets rather than fighter jets. We’re running heavy with alchemy rounds.”

Aaron blinked in shock. He didn’t expect so much artillery. “From the gear department?” 

She shook her head. “We have our own engineers and alchemists to take care of our needs. But please do not be concerned. We pride ourselves on our alchemical prowess and we have a long history of dragon slaying.”

Aaron raised his hand again. “By any chance we could maybe learn more about your type of Alchemy and Soul skills?”

“I will have to ask the brass but… highly unlikely.” She checked her watch. “I will have to take our lone lady to her sleeping quarters. I suggest you get as much rest as you can.”

#Class of 2032 #Dragon Raja #Fanfiction

[esprit-de-corps-magazine]

Max Bernays: Courage in the face of devastating wheelhouse fire

It was August 6, 1942 and the wheelhouse area of His Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Assiniboine was on fire, pierced by explosive shells fired by German U-boat 210 during a fierce battle.

Max Bernays, a young sailor from Vancouver, was Assiniboine’s coxswain, a position usually held by a much older seaman.

Assiniboine, along with other allied warships, had been escorting a convoy in the North Atlantic when its radar picked up U-210 in the fog. Assiniboinewent in pursuit at full speed.

Visibility fell dramatically as the destroyer closed in.

For almost 40 minutes the two combatants played a deadly game of hide-and-seek in the murky haze. U-210 attempted to get within Assiniboine’s turning circle while Commanding Officer John Stubbs tried to gain position to ram the submarine.

Guns on both ships opened fire at close range in a murderous storm of bullets and high explosive shells. The U-boat’s guns pounded Assiniboine’s superstructure, causing a fire which swept across the deck and parts of the forecastle.

From Assiniboine’s after action report:

Surrounded by smoke and flames in the wheelhouse (a room located under the open bridge and containing the helm and engine telegraph), Acting Chief Petty Officer Max Bernays ordered the two junior sailors working as telegraph operators to get clear, leaving him alone at the helm and trapped by the blaze.

He executed all helm orders as Stubbs manoeuvred for position against the U-boat.

Bernays also carried out the work of the two telegraph operators, dispatching 133 telegraph orders to the engine room. Several bullets and shells penetrated the wheelhouse as the Germans concentrated their machine gun and cannon fire on the bridge.

 While the damage control crew tried to subdue the blaze, the duel continued unabated. The destroyer’s machine guns slowly began to make inroads against U-210. Bullets finally silenced the deadly flak gun and the range opened sufficiently for Assiniboine’s 4.7-inch aft gun to register a direct hit on the submarine’s conning tower, killing most of the bridge crew.

On fire amidships and riddled with shell holes, Assiniboine rammed U-210 twice and sunk it with depth charges.

One Canadian was killed and 13 wounded during the hard-fought battle.

Bernays miraculously survived the bombardment of wheelhouse and bridge, but shell fragments and splinters had reportedly struck him in the face, leaving a permanent memento of the action embedded in his temple.

Bernays was awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal for his heroic actions. He displayed such a degree of courage that a prominent flag officer in the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) recommended him for the Victoria Cross.

Rear-Admiral L.W. Murray remarked that “the manner in which this comparatively young rating remained at his post, alone, and carried out the 133 telegraph orders, as well as the many helm orders necessary to accomplish the destruction of this submarine, whilst the wheelhouse was being pierced by explosive shells from the enemy’s Oerlikon gun and his only exit was cut off by fire, is not only in keeping with the highest traditions of the service, but adds considerably to those traditions. I am proud of the privilege to recommend Acting Chief Petty Officer Bernays for the Victoria Cross (VC).”

The RCN's Honours and Awards Committee considered Murray’s recommendation and confirmed his selection of Bernays for the VC. However, United Kingdom authorities decided that the recommendation did not meet the standard usually required for the VC, and awarded him the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal instead.

In honour of a true Canadian naval hero who exhibited outstanding leadership and heroism in the face of danger, the third of the RCN’s new Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships will be named after Max Bernays.