Libya, Port of Sirte. Pen? Interesting? Pavilion wWw. ｂiquge。 ｉｎfo

It was originally a small port with little name, but today it has become an important port.

Italian and German engineers and local migrant workers worked hard to build this place, trying to build it into a modern port that could dock 10,000-ton giant ships.

On the one hand, because Tripoli is too far away, it is impossible to give full play to the advantages of large volume in shipping, and on the other hand, it is also making final preparations for the future strategy of Egypt.

Originally, the Germans suggested using the port of Benghazi, which was in better condition, but Benghazi was too close to the front line and was vulnerable to bombing by the British, and at the same time, it was somewhat off Malta, and the route was more dangerous.

So in the end, the Italians themselves began to build Sirte, and the Germans had to compromise and chose the relatively safe route of Sirte.

On the small cement pier that had just been laid, a ship laden with supplies docked. Local workers on the dock helped tie up the fixed freighter, and the people on board couldn't wait to get off the ship's side.

Breathing in the sea breeze of the air, the people who have just arrived here look relaxed one by one.

There is no such thing as the brutal air battle over London, England, and there is no tension of war. Because the frontline area for war is Benghazi, which is closer to Egypt, the supplies here are all constructive materials for the oil fields.

Of course, since they had not yet participated in the preparations for the Italian invasion of Egypt, most German military personnel would choose Tripoli and Sirte if they went to Libya.

Because it's either more prosperous and convenient for them to live in, or it's closer to the oil field facilities, which makes it easier for them to work.

Dressed in his general's uniform, Rommel stepped off the transport ship with a tired look on his face, and he watched as the crane lifted the equipment one by one below.

Local workers, under the guidance of German and Italian workers, slowly unloaded the ship's equipment.

These are equipped with oil pipelines of Italian production, as well as some ordered equipment from Germany and France.

Although the Vichy government in France did not support the expansion of the Axis powers and had reservations about cooperation with Germany, this did not prevent them from doing business with Germany.

A lot of civilian and military equipment, as long as the Germans are willing to pay for the purchase with reparations, French companies are willing to sell it.

Including large-caliber howitzers, as well as equipment for oil extraction reserves, which are now urgently needed in Italy and Germany.

"Victory! Monarch! The two German officers, who had greeted Rommel, stood upright in front of his adjutant and raised their arms.

"Victory! Monarch! Rommel returned a military salute, then raised his head and continued to look at the crane in the distance, which was lifting a car down.

The 15th Panzer Division, which he commanded, was still mostly training in southern Italy, and it was clear that the Italians were not willing to allow Germany to intervene in the North African campaign now.

Mussolini hoped that Italy would attack Egypt and win the entire campaign in North Africa. So that he could monopolize North Africa instead of sharing the fruits of victory with the Germans.

So the speed of the south, including the 21st Panzer Division, was not fast. On the one hand, it is because of the relationship between organization and training, after all, these two divisions are expanded and reorganized troops.

On the other hand, there was the passive cooperation of the Italians, and a large number of Italian transport ships were requisitioned to transport the Italians' own troops to Benghazi.

The remaining transport ships, because of the influence of the Libyan oil fields, are also transporting some construction materials at full capacity, and there is simply no time to transport the weapons and equipment of the German armored divisions.

Now, the German troops transported to the port of Sirte are all transport troops, and they have been transported to Libya one after another under the pretext of helping with the transportation.

Although these German transport units are subordinate to the German Afrika Korps, they are now only doing the work of transporting supplies, and in terms of combat effectiveness, even the local Waffen-SS are stronger than them.

Anyway, the SS had a large number of 88 mm anti-aircraft guns, while these convoys under the command of Rommel had only light weapons for self-defense......

"How long will it take for those No. 3 tanks to get here?" Rommel asked, looking at two of his men from the 15th Panzer Division, who had come to greet him.

"In three days, 10 tanks will be delivered here, and we will get 10 more armored vehicles in the name of trucks." One of his subordinates replied helplessly.

The Axis powers did not have the same powerful transport capacity as US imperialism, and even with the cover of Malta, an unsinkable aircraft carrier, Italy's transport capacity could not catch up with one-tenth of that of the United States.

At this rate, it is estimated that the 200 No. 3 tanks owned by Rommel's 15th Panzer Division will all be in place, and it will be delayed until at least two months later.

Of course, the Afrika Korps was historically strengthened, and in addition to the 15th and 21st armored divisions, this time it was directly accompanied by an infantry division.

This infantry division is relatively easy to transport and is tasked with the task of building a temporary corps, so the speed of transportation is relatively fast, and one regiment of troops has already arrived at the location of the oil field and is helping to construct the oil reserve facility.

So, now Rommel was at least a commander at the level of a division commander, he had about an anti-aircraft artillery regiment of the Waffen-SS with dozens of 88 mm caliber anti-aircraft guns; There was also an infantry regiment and a convoy of almost 100 vehicles.

If one more tank regiment armed with tank No. 3 joined, he would dare to use these units to trouble the British.

However, now he did not have tanks, and his troops were still scattered in many places, so it seemed a little reluctant for him to join the attack sequence at once.

"Find a way to get one of your tank battalions here as soon as possible!" Rommel saw the car in the distance, which had been hoisted off the boat, landing safely, and commanded his men.

He pointed to the car in the distance and continued: "It will take time for our soldiers to adapt to the climate here, and the same is true for the equipment...... It will take time, and these details need to be done as soon as possible. ”

Fighting in the wilderness of Libya is not at all the same thing as fighting in the prosperous regions of Europe.

Even on both sides of the road in Europe, there may be buildings and trees that can be used to shelter from the wind and rain.

But Libya is different in that there are few decent roads and no decent infrastructure. There is a lack of water and sand, and the climate is very different from that of Europe.

In such a situation, the German soldiers who came from afar really had to adapt. After all, the Italians colonized this place a long time ago, and they have accumulated experience in fighting and living here, but unfortunately the Germans did not ......

"I heard that in order to adapt to the desert climate, the No. 3 tank we got has been modified." Looking at the scene in front of him, Rommel asked his adjutant.

In a city like Sirte, which is next to the coastline, he rarely sees green. There seems to be only the mainstream yellow, the yellow of sand.

The local buildings are the same earth-colored walls, and the streets are covered with the same colored roads, and the few trees are decorated with them, all of which have a gray smell of sand.

It seems that even green is a luxury here, and here there is only an endless earthy yellow that spreads all the way to the end of the distant line of sight.

"Yes, a sand filter was installed, and some practical storage boxes were welded to the body." The adjutant had seen that improvement and replied to Rommel.

This improvement was made by adding side armor plates to the No. 3 tank, although it was said to be armor plates, but in fact it was a thin box welded into thin iron sheets.

The thin chest looks very thick, but in fact the level of defense is not very high, and its main function is to provide a decent load capacity in the desert.

The box could be filled with tents or other rags, and a few infantry could sit on it - practical little things that made Tank 3 look a little stronger.

Such improvements can only be implemented in the Afrika Korps, which is also a solution to the difficulties of transportation and supply in the desert, and as for the main forces in Europe, because of the excellent logistical supply, there is no need for such a superfluous move.

Another large-scale improvement in the desert environment is that all armored vehicles are painted in desert yellow camouflage before they arrive.

Originally, what Germany has been using on a large scale is the familiar German gray today. This gray with a hint of greenish is a good monochrome camouflage in Europe.

But this kind of camouflage is completely useless in Libya, Africa, and the yellow is mixed with a little greenish gray, so it is better to tell the enemy directly that I am coming......

So the Afrika Korps wore khaki paint throughout, and the soldiers were given cooler shorts instead of the fat traditional army trousers and leather boots.

"If I can, I want to go to the oil fields to have a look, after all, if the tank troops arrive, important oil supplies will depend on these small oil fields." Rommel said to his adjutant.

"Of course, General! As the commander of the Afrika Korps, you certainly have the right to visit the oil fields. The adjutant replied with a smile.

Rommel nodded and said with satisfaction: "I hope that this oil field in Libya is as good as the Führer hopes, so that I can have enough supplies to conquer the whole of Egypt!" ”

Accompanied by two officers who greeted him, he walked out of the port area and rode in an ordinary military barrel car that had been waiting there for a long time, enjoying the sea breeze of the port, and drove quickly through the streets of Sirte.

With so many Italians and Germans here, it's clearly much more prosperous than before, and new houses are being built on the outskirts of the city, showing its vibrancy.

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The 4th is now available!