The British moved many of their anti-aircraft guns to the outskirts of London, where they built a strong defensive line to hold back the German attack. Pen? Interesting? Pavilion wWw. ｂiquge。 ｉｎfo

Due to the lack of anti-tank weapons, the British began to use anti-aircraft guns in their hands to attack German tanks.

The anti-tank power of large-caliber anti-aircraft guns can be clearly understood by looking at the German 88-mm caliber cannons.

It's a pity that this is completely to quench your thirst, because the anti-aircraft fire in London is weakened, and the German planes are even more unscrupulous.

THAT NIGHT, AT LEAST 100 LUFTWAFFE JU-88 BOMBERS VISITED LONDON AND DROPPED MORE BOMBS ON THE STILL BURNING CITY.

Tracer bullets kept rushing into the sky, but such a return fire could not stop the German planes from flirting like no one.

But on the night of February 16, the British Navy hit an impressive mini-climax.

More than 30 torpedo boats and gunboats rushed into the sea where the German transport ships were docked, sank more than 40 large and small ships in one go, and then flew away.

The huge losses reduced the German transport force on 17 February, and Portsmouth and the small ship bunkers in its vicinity became a major problem for the German sea-crossing force.

Unfortunately, no matter what method is used, there is no way to eradicate this scourge in a short period of time.

Therefore, the German top brass could only endure such huge losses, pretending that nothing was wrong, and continued to take risks to rush supplies to the British mainland.

On the morning of the 17th, the Germans attacked the main forces, and the units of the 1st SS Army advanced the front to a distance of 12 kilometers from the outskirts of London.

At noon, the British 2nd Panzer Division, fearing that it would be encircled, had to abandon Chatham, which had been defending for two days, and retreat to Rochester.

Rochester is only a little more than 20 kilometers away from London. Herman, commander of the 112th Division of the Western Front Expeditionary Force, finally took the target he should have taken yesterday.

The tragic advance on the ground is no longer a simple fight. The British were reluctant to take a step back, but they could only barely stop the German attack.

Casualties were the price, and British troops often had to use several times the losses to force the Germans to abandon the attack in order to protect their capital.

Dietrich signed the list of more than 700 soldiers killed in a single day, and he would have retreated from the front line if it had not been for the addition of new recruits.

Even so, in the afternoon, after advancing another 2 kilometers in front of the Germans, they had to really stop and begin to consolidate their defensive positions.

"On the map, we are only about 10 kilometres away from London. How about finding a way to give the Brits a taste of our awesomeness? The chief of staff stood beside Dietrich and pointed to the map and advised his commander.

Hearing the words of his chief of staff, Dietrich also realized that he was in a position where he could find a way to put some pressure on London.

So he turned his head to the side with a smile and ordered the officer who was on standby not far away: "Didn't you send 12 150 mm howitzers today?" Find a place, shoot a few shells to London, and tell them I'm coming! ”

When the officer heard this order, his eyes lit up, as if he were a naughty boy who had gotten permission from his parents to set off firecrackers in the cowshed.

After a day's hard work, the Germans managed to transport 12 real large-caliber support guns in their busy schedules.

Each of these guns was a treasure, and if it weren't for Dietrich's responsibility for attacking London, the enemy's defenses would have been too strong, and Liszt would not have been willing to support him with all these guns.

Now, the 12 150 mm SFH-18s are right next to Dietrich's headquarters, with a range of 13 kilometers just enough to get shells into the city of London.

"Cards!" Having received the order, the German artillerymen unfastened their guns and pushed a shell and barrel into the cannon's chamber.

After closing the upper bolt, the soldier responsible for adjusting the angle of the gun shook the handle, and soon the muzzle of the cannon was pointed diagonally towards the sky.

With an order, the gunner pulled the firing device, and the entire cannon let out a deafening roar: "Boom! ”

Then the second gun also opened fire, followed by the third and fourth. After all 12 guns fired a single shell, the position returned to its previous calm.

When these shells landed in the city of London, the chaos caused really alarmed many people. The observation posts of the garrison saw the explosions in the city, and the civilians of the suburbs, who were still laughing at the hapless people in the city center, could no longer laugh this time.

"An explosion has been heard in the southeast corner of the city, can you confirm what is happening?" On the phone, the commander of the Third Army asked.

He was responsible for the defense of the city throughout London and was also in charge of the British Expeditionary Force. That's right, he's John, Viscount Gott? Verrick.

He had stepped down from the British Expeditionary Force in 1940, but Sir Deere had the veteran in place when the 3rd Army was formed.

After all, compared to those new faces, this Viscount Goth has seen the battlefield anyway. It was precisely because he had a certain ability that the 3rd Army, which was later formed, was given the task of defending Gyeonggi.

Now, within his defensive zone, London was being shelled, much to the depression of Viscount Gott.

The 1st Army in front of him was passive, and he didn't have a good way to take over. After all, most of his hands were light infantry, and he could not engage the Germans head-on in the field.

"Sir! I also heard the explosion...... But all I could see here was smoke. Listening to the sound should be large-caliber artillery, and the air defense siren did not sound, which proves that the air force did not find a target. "Guarding the headquarters of an infantry division on the outskirts of London, a division commander reported to Viscount Gort.

"The Germans are bombarding London with large-caliber or artillery ......" Covering the telephone receiver, John? Verrick said to a frustrated Churchill beside him.

snatched the phone, Churchill ordered the division commander on the other side of the phone with a black face: "I am Churchill!" See for yourself what's going on! I'm waiting for your report here! Immediately, right away! ”

When the division commander heard this order, he hurriedly promised: "Obey the order." Then he led his men out of his headquarters and headed for the place where the explosion had been heard.

German shells rained down dozens of rounds and destroyed several buildings in the suburbs of London. Most of the shells fell on the streets, because the Germans really did not have the ability to aim correct.

Even with the means of aiming correction, the accuracy of the gun cannot be guaranteed at the extreme range. After a few casual shots, Dietrich did not intend to waste shells like this.

He was just showing off, showing off the proximity of his troops to London. He's just intimidating, intimidating everyone in the city of London.

By the time the hapless division commander arrived near the point of explosion, the German shelling had stopped. It's full of smoking craters and suburban dwellers fleeing with their luggage.

London had been bombed before, and very few bombs had reached the not-so-wealthy suburbs. So the people here are too lazy to migrate, and most of them are still in their own homes.

Now, the fighting has spread here, and the shells have ruthlessly destroyed the buildings. Without a home, people whose lives are threatened will of course choose to leave, and everyone will leave along the road with a soft heart.

Soldiers with weapons on their backs stood on both sides of the road and saw their division commanders standing up and saluting. The car drove to a stop next to a small crater, and the division commander stood in front of the crater and looked at the half-collapsed house in the distance.

Unlike the tall buildings in central London, the houses here in the suburbs are relatively small. The shells didn't destroy much, they just destroyed the confidence of the people who lived here.

The war has spread to their doorstep, London has become a dangerous place, and that is enough.

"Probably a 200 mm cannon." An officer came up and reported to his division commander.

The division commander had seen German artillery, so he shook his head and said: "This is a German 150 mm caliber gun, I have seen it in Dunkirk." ”

Of course, he had seen it, and less than a year ago, in Dunkirk, just across the Channel, what he feared most was the neighing of Stuka dive bombers, and the roar of this artillery.

He can still vividly recall the appearance of the cannonball falling on the beach, and the moment when he flew up with the stumps and broken arms of his comrades around him after the explosion is still a lingering nightmare for him.

"Oh my God...... Is the enemy already so close to us? A young soldier blurted out in surprise with his rifle on his back.

The division commander looked at this immature face, and said in a dejected manner: "Don't be afraid, face the intruder with the weapon in your hand!" We will be able to defeat them and defend our capital! ”

The young soldier was embarrassed at first when he heard the encouragement of the division commander, but finally he mustered up the courage to stand up and replied, "Yes!" ”

"I'll fight with you! Set up your defensive positions and strengthen your defenses with everything you can use! Once the enemy is here, we must not allow them to go any further. After the division commander finished speaking, he took the officer behind him and went back to call back to his life.

Churchill waited for confirmation that the chief of staff of the 1st Army reported on the breakthrough of the positions by enemy troops, and the Germans were now only 10 kilometers from London.

At the same time, news came from the 3rd Army that the Germans had attacked the suburbs of London with large-caliber artillery, and although the casualties were not large, the panic caused by them had spread.

"Viscount Gort...... You have the safety of the Imperial Capital on your shoulders! Death can't take a step back! Looking at his men, Churchill gritted his teeth and ordered.

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If nothing else, tomorrow Long Ling will start to make up for the debt.