Chapter 272: Retreat
On the other side, Montgomery was engaged in a heated discussion with Major General Burton.
"What do you mean...... This German individual anti-tank equipment can destroy our tank at a distance of a hundred meters? Montgomery asked.
"Sure, General!" Major General Bolton replied: "The 7th Panzer Brigade has already lost fifty tanks under the attack of such anti-tank equipment!" β
"Then why haven't you stopped attacking yet?" Montgomery asked, "Do you know what that means?" Their infantry can easily destroy our tanks by hiding in craters or sand piles! β
"I know, General!" Major General Bolton replied: "But they think that the Germans are the only infantry regiment equipped with this anti-tank weapon, otherwise they should have used it in the attack on the Germans last night!" β
"Them?" Montgomery asked, "Who are they?" β
"Colonel Colin, and my staff officer think so too!" Major General Bolton replied.
"That's why you're going to surround this infantry regiment?"
"Yes, General!"
"I have a question, Major General!" Montgomery asked: "Even if what you said is right, the German 15th Panzer Division didn't have time to equip this equipment last night, but what if they airdropped it through transport planes and urgently equipped it?" Are you planning to have all our tanks thrown into battle the first time they are annihilated by the enemy? β
"But the generals......" said Major General Bolton, "they did not ......"
At this moment, a correspondent reported to Major General Bolton: "General, the Germans are airdropping equipment!" β
Major General Bolton was so surprised that he was speechless for a long time.
"I hear you!" Montgomery said.
"General!" Major General Bolton said: "What they airdropped was not necessarily that anti-tank equipment!" β
"But it's likely, isn't it?" Montgomery said: "You wonder if it is, very simply, if it were, the Germans would have stopped retreating and switched to a counteroffensive!" β
Major General Bolton couldn't help but turn his gaze to the staff officer, who hurriedly asked the front line for confirmation through the radio, and after a while the staff officer nodded at Major General Bolton.
So Major General Bolton had no choice but to admit defeat.
"You're right, General!" Major General Bolton said: "They have indeed turned to the counteroffensive!" β
"So, withdraw your troops!" Montgomery said, "Now! β
So the British withdrew, including the 7th Panzer Brigade in front of the 1st Infantry Corps.
Colonel Slane put down his binoculars, sat back in the trench, took out a cigarette from his pocket and threw it to Qin Chuan, and said, "Okay, you successfully deceived them!" β
The soldiers couldn't help but cheer loudly, and occasionally a few soldiers hugged each other excitedly.
Qin Chuan knew that Montgomery would be fooled, the reason was that Montgomery was a conservative person, and he liked the situation on the battlefield to develop the way he imagined, if something happened in the middle...... Then Montgomery would have lost faith in the whole battle.
A person without faith is like a frightened bird, all you have to do is make it hear the strings pulled...... Even if there were no arrows on the bow, it would be enough to scare him away.
Of course, the British did not retreat on all fronts, but retreated a few kilometers to Jehaso and built a new defensive line.
In this way, the British army advanced thirty miles in the direction of the Germans in the southern section, which was also a lot of victories for the British army, especially since the German 15th Panzer Division was almost routed last night.
It was more than an hour before the troops of the German 15th Panzer Division took over Jhaso again.
Qin Chuan and the others saw DΓΌrer again.
But when he saw it, DΓΌrer avoided Qin Chuan and Werner's eyes and pretended not to know.
"What's wrong with him?" Werner asked.
"Let him go!" Qin Chuan said: "There's no need to embarrass each other! β
Werner nodded as if he understood something.
In fact, DΓΌrer didn't need to be ashamed at all, if Qin Chuan or Werner and others encountered this situation, they would also choose to run away. One of the most important reasons why they didn't do this was knowing that they had a bazooka in their hands to stop the enemy's tanks.
"Thank you! Thank you! General Groh greeted him and shook hands with Colonel Slain, then with a few soldiers, and said, "With your help we have held our ground, but ...... As you know, the British will attack at any time, and I hope you'll stay here a little longer until we're armed with bazookas and learn to use them! β
"Of course!" Colonel Slein said, "That's what we're here for!" β
But in fact, this concern of General Groh is unnecessary, because with the traditional and conservative style of the British army, at least Montgomery is so...... Without detailed data or thinking they had found a suitable way to deal with the bazookas, it was unlikely that they would attack again.
On the other hand, Qin Chuan knew that Rommel would never allow a commander like General Gro, who had lost his confidence, to stay in this position any longer.
Sure enough, unexpectedly, Rommel landed on his plane in Gehaso in the evening of the same day, personally presiding over the overall situation, and appointed Adjutant Major General Jonas as commander of the 15th Panzer Division, and General Groh was transferred back to Berlin to recuperate...... Although it was a recuperation, everyone knew that General Groh would have a hard time in the future, because Germany has always been waiting to see generals who retreat from battle, no matter what the reason.
As a token of his appreciation for the First Steps, Rommel invited several officers of the First Steps, to dinner. Qin Chuan is of course one of them.
"Gentlemen!" Rommel looked at the bread and potatoes on his plate and said, "I'm sorry, I don't have any food to share with you, but I believe ...... The most worthy of sharing is this victory and your courage, cheers to the first step of the Corps! β
"Cheers!"
β¦β¦
The officers raised their glasses and greeted each other.
One of Rommel's charms is that he is not as high as other aristocratic generals, but more often than not, he is like a junior officer who directly commands the soldiers.
Therefore, the officers talked and laughed casually while eating.
"Ensign!" Rommel asked Qin Chuan while chewing bread: "I heard that the method of scaring the British away this time came from your hand?" β
"So to speak, General!" Qin Chuan said: "But I must affirm that this is on the basis of us destroying fifty tanks of the British, otherwise I would not have been able to do this!" β
"Of course!" Rommel replied: "But ......"
Saying that, Rommel raised his glass towards Qin Chuan and said, "I think your idea is even more remarkable, because you didn't use a single soldier to make more British troops retreat!" β