Chapter 216: The Battle of Ghazara
But even then, the heroic French refused to surrender! They are determined to defend honor with their blood! Determined to cleanse the shame of the French campaign of 1940 with his life! Seeing the images of the battlefield transmitted back from Frenzen's FW190HSX, Rommel couldn't help but be in awe of this group of heroic French troops! He immediately ordered ten of the 60 FW190HSX to be used as a reserve, loaded with nerve paralysis shells, to attack the fortress in order to save the French army from undying resistance! The nerve paralyzing bullets dropped by the whizzing dive still killed three French soldiers, but saved most of the lives! The powerful nerve gas resulted in about 700 seriously wounded and 2,000 French prisoners! Another 700 French soldiers are laid to rest in this desert. The war has finally come to an end for them.
The brave General Kenig was respected by Rommel, and even then Kenig scoffed at the marshal who used "poison gas" to save himself, saying: "Marshal, you have violated the morality of a soldier!" You've used poison gas in a dastardly manner! All your fame, your so-called chivalry has disappeared in this battle! You have won a disgraceful victory, Your Excellency! ”
Despite Rommel's repeated explanations, Kenig was still indignant. He said: "Thank you for your kindness, Your Excellency Marshal. Know that we are ready to fight to the death! I think it's much better to die on the battlefield than to be a prisoner of war! So you can't expect me and my men to be grateful for your kindness. ”
Rommel was helpless in the face of such a stubborn old man, so he had to say boringly: "As a soldier, I admire your spirit of daring to sacrifice, but as a commander, I can't understand that you drive your subordinates to make senseless sacrifices!" We may have different understandings and treatments for the lives of our subordinates, but please forgive me for not fulfilling your dedication. Because for me, war is not about killing! Victory is not achieved by slaughter! ”
Let's end the boring conversation and get back to the battlefield. After the Germans conquered the fortress of Bir Hakim, they rushed to the next target, Bir Ahmat.
The elite Italian paratroopers from Malta, the elite "Fogel" division, were fighting fiercely with the British here, and the British fighters were nowhere to be seen in the air under the blows of the Afrika Air Force Group led by Josin Mathery, and they either flew to Egypt or stopped somewhere in the desert battlefield. The skies of the African theater have become much cleaner since the installation of new aircraft.
The Italian Fogel Division had landed at a British material distribution center, and the warehouses were full of military supplies. Here is located to the east of Tubruk, far from the front line. The British soldiers were on the defensive, but they did not expect the Germans to be so bold. The Fogle Division, which had descended from the sky, took advantage of the cover of night to capture this place cleanly. 40 FW190HSX attack aircraft supported them above them, and the British army had already lost their minds in the face of the attack of superior air firepower, and they were unable to fight any longer. Fogel divisions aren't your average Italian pie either, they're the hardest bones in Italy! A fist that can't be broken, can't be smashed! Even the average Wehrmacht is no opponent, let alone the old British! Can't break through their defenses, and see German tanks again! The German tanks turned into the first straw that broke the camel's back at this time, and they did not have the courage of the French to raise the white flag early!
A large amount of supplies in the war warehouse, gasoline, food, ammunition have become trophies.
Frenzen's attack aircraft group and 40 FW190HSXs from Italy flew towards Tubruk in one place.
Unfortunately, they encountered the British 1st and 7th Panzer Divisions, which were moving southward. And so a hunting race began! The planned mission of the attack aircraft was to destroy British artillery positions and provide fire support to attacking troops and airborne troops. I didn't think that a chance encounter ruined what was supposed to be a delicious meal for German tanks! Aircraft have an innate advantage in fighting tanks, especially if they have air supremacy! On the interphone, Frenzen ordered all the FW190HSX pilots involved in the attack tank to try not to attack ***, so as to stay in charge of the fortress of Tubruk. 30 guns or even 20 guns are good tools to uncover the tank Tianling cover, so the swooping planes and the frightened tanks all over the ground constitute a wonderful desert drama!
140 planes against less than 500 tanks, just less than half an hour! By the time the German tanks arrived, the battlefield was already littered with smoky tank wreckage. Poor British 1st and 7th Panzer Divisions were wiped out!
The German tank, which had not eaten anything, gloomyly passed through the wreckage of the battlefield and continued to rush forward! From the rear of the 150 Brigade of the British Army struck at him. One by one, they destroyed the carefully constructed fortifications of the British in the back.
About 10 of the fastest No. 4 tanks, following Rommel's orders, rushed towards Sallum, another British supply distribution center east of Adeem. Where there is an elite defense of a hundred battles, it is the Berkhardt Battalion, the 3rd Battalion of Rank's 1st Parachute Brigade. This is a team of professional veterans. Usually their task is to give lessons to other fraternal units - to demonstrate their extraordinary tactical abilities and combat skills. There are not many times when it is the turn of these veteran oils to fight, in order to keep these precious fires, so that they can train more elite paratroopers in the future. Rommel sent one of his few tanks No. 4 to protect them. There are also four attack planes hovering in the sky, providing them with early warning and support. The attack planes flew here in turn, as if they were standing guard in the air.
It stores 180,000 gallons of gasoline plus 90,000 anti-tank**. It's all flammable and explosive, and it's just a little bit of a fire! The veterans were rarely on guard, and they were on guard from afar. Don't even dare to put a fly in it!
All 200 of Frenzen's planes were dispatched to intercept the British in the air as they tried to flee eastward, and anyone who tried to do so would be mercilessly attacked by FW190HSX. This escape has become the road of death! Josin's 100 BF109HSXs joined the hunt, and the British found it impossible to find it to work.
At this time, the Italian 10th Army and the 21st Army in the north were defeated by the enemy in front of them with the help of aircraft and artillery, and the retreating British army was hit by the German tanks that had already detoured behind them. The northern end of the British line, from the Hafaya Pass to the south and all the way to Elout and Tamar, had been occupied by the German-Italian forces, and about 65,000 prisoners of war of all kinds were on the road leading to the prisoner of war camp. There was no expression on the face blackened by the gunpowder, and it was like this for the British, the Indians, the indigenous Africans, and the white South Africans. Only the black brothers walked happily and cheerfully, as if they were participating in the Victory Parade!
The battle was only halfway underway, and Tubruk had yet to be captured. In history, the Battle of Gazala was staged on the front line of Tubruk by Rommel using a truck to blow the wind and create smoke and dust, blinding the sight of the British army! The fortified fortress of Tubruk was also a port, and it was impossible for Rommel to obtain the port facilities intact and use them after they were captured, without the cooperation of paratroopers. As a result, the massive smoke and explosions perfectly concealed the fact that the British army had been defeated in less than six hours, and the communication facilities of the captured British were still working non-stop. It was none other than Xiao Afu, who was known as a skilled person, and his apprentices. Little Afu kept reporting the fictitious battle situation to the British commander Auchinleck, imitating Richie's tone and recording the fake battlefield noise. It feels like it's in the middle of a fierce battle!
"General, we have repelled another fierce attack by the Germans! Their plane is here again! Yes! Damn vultures are flying again, damn it! He dropped the bomb, oh! Poor Corporal James! The chaotic voice repeatedly showed that this little Ah Fu had clearly fallen into a panic, far from the tone of an English gentleman! It's no wonder how can he, who lives 1,000 years later, understand what a gentleman is? He knew nothing but technology.
Rommel simply deprived him of the right to speak, and instead used his intelligence officer to send telegrams. Continue to confuse the British!
It was only noon, and although the battlefield was full of killings, the sound of artillery had not stopped. But the battle is long over. Auchinleck just wanted to break his head, and he couldn't imagine that the German assault was so fast! Nearly 1 million grams **, no less than seven artillery regiments, at least 700 tanks of armored divisions. An army of more than 100,000 people, even 100,000 pigs, will be killed by Rommel for a day! Therefore, no senior command of the British army wanted to get it, and in fact the British army was completely annihilated!
In this assault, a large amount of technical equipment provided by Xiao Afu played a great role. Just like a tank bridge erection vehicle, it can erect a steel bridge 30 meters long and capable of carrying 60 tons in one minute. With it, the anti-tank trenches dug by the British simply could not stop the assault of German tanks!
Frentzen's fleet of attack aircraft also played a decisive role, and this time not a single German tank was lost. A large part of the credit goes to the FW190HSX, the 5-ton bomb-loaded aircraft has won the love of the majority of officers and soldiers with its thick armor, sensitive response, powerful firepower, and meticulous blows to the British army! They affectionately called the new aircraft the "side-worn machine gun". It means that you can get his support whenever you need it! The FW190HSX, which coordinated the attack, the tanks rushing on the ground, the artillery that was always ready to cover the fire, and the mobile infantry fighting vehicles that followed the tanks closely formed a new generation of German offensive system.
The Germans did not feel tired at all after the battle, and they looked forward to Rommel's new offensive orders.
At this time, Rommel was also refreshed, and many changes made him healthier than before. Among the matters that Bai Qi specially explained to Xiao Afu to pay attention to, the first is to reduce the burden on Rommel and ensure his health. Xiao Afu came up with a new design for him with a military uniform with body temperature regulation, traditional Chinese medicine massage, and bulletproof discoloration. In fact, this military uniform also has an important function, which is to monitor Rommel's health condition. There is a transmitter, a sensor system. Monitor Rommel's heartbeat, breathing, and other vital data at all times. Soon after, the oral liquid that was successfully extracted with complex polysaccharides, a variety of nutrients, and vitamins was given to military and political officials who were old, not in good health, and under great pressure. Guaranteeing their health is actually protecting the wealth of Germany!
Rommel gave the order to rest in place, and the German attacking units immediately set up their defenses and set up guards. It wasn't until late in the morning that the rumbling of the cannon gradually stopped.
The Germans were looking forward to the arrival of night, as the battle for the planned attack on Tubruk was about to begin in the evening.
The commander of the British army, Auchinleck, anxiously awaited the telegram from Little Afu, because all he heard from the stragglers who had fled back was the news that the British army had been defeated. He repeatedly asked Xiao Afu to determine the location of the troops, casualties, positions, and other details. Where did little Ah Fu know all this nonsense of military jargon, and he threw the telegram to Rommel's intelligence officer. I'm bored and walk away looking for other interesting things.
At this time, his eldest brother sounded in a hurry, and when he hurriedly looked, it turned out that the "Tiger King" prototype car that he begged Da Ah Fu to use his position to make came to Africa! An aunt airdropped this big guy of more than 50 tons from a height of 10,000 meters, and the reason why it weighed more than ten tons less than when it was designed was because of Da Afu's cutting corners. Because of a lot of materials: for example, titanium alloy he can't get. So he revised the initial design and built this also powerful "Tiger King". "Mailed" to little Ah Fu by plane.
But when Xiao Afu received it, he scolded him! Because he found that his tank had shrunk a lot, the titanium tracks he asked for were replaced by carbon fiber and composite plastic, and the black color of this material was comparable to the bright titanium alloy pull?
The 120 mm cannon he asked for was replaced with the 50 gun of the Leopard 3, and for the sake of visual effect, Da Ah Fu gave a 140 mm casing, and the black hole was very terrifying.
But even so, it's enough to save face with such a guy! So he couldn't wait to jump on the tank and drive quickly towards Rommel's command car!
Because it was in the rear, and there was a large cross on the tank, the curious German sentries still did their duty and did not leave their posts without permission to stop them. Seeing that no one cared, Xiao Afu drove faster!
When he got to Rommel's car, he slammed on the brakes! There was a loud "squeak", and the crawler that rubbed against the ground fiercely dragged out a shallow ditch!
The loud noise frightened a whole group of people, and Rommel was among them!
A frightened Rommel was taking a nap in the command car, and he was glad to think that the battle for Gazala was going so smoothly. The casualties of the entire German-Italian army were about 1,500 men, far less than he expected, and he was even happier to see the elated soldiers after the battle, to see his unscathed tanks, and to hear that the rich stocks in the British warehouses far east of Tubruk had been controlled by paratroopers. And a text message from Manstein was the icing on the cake, so that he, who has always been serious, couldn't help but put a smile on his face! This information is very interesting, in fact, it was reposted by Manstein from his confession, and everyone has their own opinions about where he got it
We are all sharpshooters
Kill an enemy with every bullet
We are all flying troops
Even if the mountains are high and the water is deep
On that high hill
Our campsites are everywhere
In that vast desert
Everywhere there are our good brothers
No food, no wear
The enemy has sent forward
No guns, no cannons
The enemy made it for us
Here we are
Every inch of land is ours
If the British want to take it by force
We'll fight him to the end!
Seeing this interesting little poem, coupled with the fact that the African army has always lacked supplies, every victory has been captured by the British in large numbers! It's really: no food, no clothes. The enemy has sent forward.
But Rommel didn't rejoice long before his good mood and his rare smile were interrupted by a loud noise!
Habitually touching the scars on his face, he pushed open the door to see what was going on.
When he saw what caused the loud noise, he couldn't help but be surprised! Seeing a huge chariot in front of him, the steel body was mighty and majestic, and a deep brake mark dragged the old elder behind the car, Rommel immediately concluded: The loud noise just now was caused by the brakes of this huge tank!
The tank is about ten meters long, and its heavy and solid body gives people a strong sense of security. In front of it, tanks No. 3 and No. 4 are nothing more than hounds in front of tigers! The stubby barrel on the same huge turret seemed to Rommel to have a caliber of more than 100 mm! If you take such a shot, it will turn into flying ashes. While Rommel was savoring this huge chariot, suddenly the barrel of the cannon turned rapidly, and the muzzle of the black hole pointed straight at Rommel! Rao is as brave and resolute as him, and he was also scared out of a cold sweat!