The Greek Navy set about to acquire a battlefleet to protect itself from an increasingly beligerent Turkey. Greece bought two pre-dreadnoughts from the U.S. to tide them over until new ones could be built (see Rhode Island). Germany built the Salamis for Greek hard cash right after WW I, but used American 14" guns. Greece bought the old French Lorraine, too, freeing up that name for a new French battlecruiser. Both Greek ships were away in Alexandria harbor when German Stukas bombed Piraeus harbor and sunk the British Iron Duke that was about to become the Greek Zeus. Coaxed by the British into sailing beyond the Mediterranean, Salamis and several Allied warships spread out over the waters off East Africa to intercept the Japanese battleship Kii as she made her way from Germany to the Orient. Salamis had the misfortune to encounter Kii, and without any other Allied assistance fought one-on-one with the leviathan until 18" shells hit her magazine. Several 14" hits from Salamis had slowed Kii, however, and the engagement stalled Kii's progress enough for Allied bombers to beat Japanese defending fighters to the scene and dispose of Salamis' nemesis.