On April 21, 1940, an armored cluster collision of unprecedented scale was soon about to unfold in the Arras region, south of Calais.

At about 8:15 a.m., a large armored group consisting of 1 Panzer Division (British 1st Panzer Division) and 3 Light Mechanized Divisions (1st, 2nd, and 3rd Light Mechanized Divisions of France) and 1 Motorized Rifle Division (French 1st Motorized Rifle Division), which had broken through from Belgium and advanced westward, met head-on with the German "Greater Germany" flag team (the "Greater Germany" flag team went north immediately after the battle of Stoney Town to join the 7th Panzer Division).

"Boom!" "Boom!" "Boom!"

The sound of 75mm guns firing came from the front, and Rudolph, who was dozing off on the truck. Ribbentrop was immediately awakened. Then he heard the company commander, Captain Kruger, shouting, "Get out of the car, get out of the car!" Get ready for battle! ”

"Check all the equipment!" The platoon commander, Second Lieutenant Schwarzenegger, did not know when he also woke up.

"Done!"

"Done!"

“……”

Rudolph. Ribbentrop quickly checked his rifle, bayonet, and ammunition as if he had programmed it, and then shouted "Done" like everyone else.

"Get out of the car!" Second Lieutenant Schwarzenegger fastened his steel helmet to his head and was the first to roll over the truck.

Rudolph. Ribbentrop followed, and found himself between a forest and a village. From the north, the sound of 75mm guns and another possibly 37mm gun firing was heard. Apparently Tank 4 (belonging to the 7th Panzer Division), which had opened the way, was engaged in an exchange of fire with the enemy.

"11th Company, head into the woods!" Captain Kruger then gave the order, "The 2nd platoon will go up first, then the 1st platoon, the 3rd platoon, the company headquarters and other units will follow in order. ”

A few minutes ago, he was still asleep in the car (the officers and men of the "Greater Germany" flag team were already very tired after many days of marching and fighting). As soon as Ensign Schwarzenegger heard that there was going to be a battle, he immediately came to his senses and shouted loudly: "All 2 platoons, battle formation, the woods in front of the target!" ”

The officers and men of the 2nd Platoon of the 11th Company of the "Greater Germany" Banner Corps had encountered such a scene many times on the way north from Sedan (on the way north, major battles were not encountered, and small-scale firefights were held every day), so the soldiers were very skillful in spreading their formation, and then running towards the woods.

No French troops opened fire from the woods at the 2nd Platoon of the 11th Company, which was quickly controlled by the officers and men of the 2nd Platoon, and then the other units of the 11th Company followed. Foxholes began to be dug in the woods, machine guns and artillery bunkers were built. About 30 minutes later, two platoons of the 14th Anti-Tank Artillery Company entered the woods with three 37mm anti-tank guns and one 47mm anti-tank gun (the two anti-tank gun platoons should have had six 37 guns, but the 14 Company lost almost half of its 37mm guns during the Battle of Stoney, and then received several more 47mm guns captured from the French).

In the process of the 11th Company entering the woods, the artillery battle in front was still very fierce, and the rumbling sound of artillery was heard in the distance, and several Junkers Ju87 dive bombers lined up in a V line also quickly came to help, making strange noises and diving to drop bombs. There was also a fierce battle in the skies, with first the Fokker Zero and Spitfire grappling, and then several Bf-109s rushing to help.

After a while, the German trucks and half-tracks on the road next to the woods turned and drove away, and with a low roar, three No. 3 assault guns drove down the road, overwhelmed the barren farmland, and rushed directly into the woods. Wheeled armoured vehicles on the road drove into the village across the woods.

Looks like another big battle is coming! The veterans of the "Greater Germany" flag team in the forest immediately understood what was going on.

The No. 4 tank in front must have encountered a more difficult opponent, so the "Großdeutsche Banner" had to take a defensive stance, hold on and wait for the main force of the 7th Panzer Division to arrive.

……

"Admiral, the 1st Panzer Brigade met the main forces of the German army in Arras."

In the Belgian headquarters of the Allied Army, which had just been moved to the port of Zeebrugge, Admiral Verrick was holding his arms and anxiously looking at the sky outside the window - the weather was fine, there were not even a few white clouds in the blue sky, and if the home fleet came to the port of Zeebrugge to pick up people now, it would definitely become a live target for German aircraft!

Heard by Chief of Staff Henry. Major General Bonnard's report, Admiral Verrick said without looking back: "Tell Lieutenant General Brooke (commander of the 2nd Army of the Expeditionary Force, now in charge of commanding the 'Brooke' armored group) that you should start a war with the Germans in Arras, and you must hold out for more than 7 days." ”

Although the British 1st Panzer Division and the French 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Light Mechanized Divisions were sent (in fact, they were not light at all, with powerful S35 heavy tanks), Admiral Verrick was not at all sure of victory. Because these British and French first-class mechanized units were defeated by the German armored forces on the Belgian battlefield, they had already suffered heavy losses and their morale was very low under the repeated blows of German aircraft and armored units.

"Henry, what's the news from the Navy?" Admiral Verrick asked.

"The main force of the home fleet has been dispatched, and the implementation of the 'generator plan' can begin tonight."

According to the current "generator plan", the main forces of the British home fleet will also participate in the withdrawal operation. The battleship formations of the Home Fleet would cruise at the eastern entrance to the English Channel, driving away the main force of the German High Seas Fleet that might approach - if two Bismarck-class ships (only one could actually be used) sailed over, it would be a Jutland-style naval battle!

At the same time, from the night of the 21st, cruiser and destroyer formations would enter the three ports of Zeebrugge, Ostend and Niupult, quietly transporting the retreating British troops there. 810,000 a night, 50,000 or 60,000 a week.

It turned out that this was a "generator plan" based on "smuggling". However, as soon as the main German forces approached Zeebrugge, Oostend and Niupulte, it was necessary to carry people desperately. At that time, the British government will call on all the inhabitants of the southern coast of Britain who own ships to join the rescue of the expeditionary force...... That's how much you can fish.

……

"Marshal, the British Home Fleet has moved."

News of the departure of the British Home Fleet soon reached the German headquarters in Tsosen, where there were agents of the Central Security Service in several ports where the British Home Fleet was stationed, and German submarines were active in the vicinity of those ports. Therefore, the dispatch of the Grand Fleet is basically impossible to keep secret.

"The home fleet has moved?" At this time, Hersman was looking at the photo (bombing effect photo) sent by Admiral Kesselring himself, and when he heard the news, he immediately thought of the "generator", he looked at Kesselring and Halder, "The British are going to run, and the home fleet is here to pick them up." ”

"We have destroyed the port," Kesselring said. "Judging by the photos, the bombing worked well."

"There are three more ports on the Belgian side, Zeebrugge, Ostend and Niupulte." Halder reminded that "and the destruction of port facilities does not mean that the port is completely paralyzed." ”

That is to say, you can always withdraw some! In the historical "Operation Dynamo", the British were prepared to withdraw at least 30,000 men under the all-out attack of the German army - this was the worst-case scenario.

"Tomorrow arrange the bombing of Zeebrugge, Ostend and Niupult!" Hersman did not hesitate to order.

"Marshal, the headquarters of the Western Front wants to keep these three ports." "That was the starting point for an attack on the British mainland," Kesselring said. ”

The plan to land on the British mainland was made by Hersman himself, and to cross the English Channel, of course, there must be a port. The three Belgian ports, together with Calais and Dunkirk in France and Antwerp in Belgium, were the starting points for the planned landing force.

"Blow it up!" Hersman said, "If you blow them all up, it will be impossible to land in 40 years." ”

"Okay." Kesselring nodded, "Then send He-111 to the air attack tomorrow." He thought for a moment, and then said, "Do you want to keep a certain number of bombers and Fokker Zeros for use against the main forces of the British Home Fleet?" ”

It's certainly a must! Because as long as the main forces of the British home fleet are blown up, the world war will be won! It's not a big chance, but it's not unprepared.

"Leave this to naval aviation." Hersmann commanded, "Starting tomorrow, naval aviation will no longer participate in the bombing of enemy ground forces, and all will return to the Wilhelmshaven base to stand by." ”

"Does the High Seas Fleet need to be dispatched?" Halder asked again.

Now that the High Seas Fleet has a very powerful battleship, the "Bismarck," it seems that it can go out again to show off its might.

However, the strength of the British home fleet has also recovered a lot, the battleships/battle cruisers damaged in the Scapa Bay air raid have been repaired (the three fleet aircraft carriers are of course finished, they have been secretly scrapped), and the overhaul of the "Hood" has been completed.

"It's better not to move," said Hersman, "and when the 'Hindenburg' class is completed, it is more certain that we will go out and fight the British as soon as possible." ”

The "Hindenburg" class is the H-class, the lead ship and the No. 2 ship will be launched in June, the name has already been chosen, the first ship is named after Marshal Hindenburg, and the No. 2 ship is the "Ludendorff". By the time these two battleships (estimated in 1942) and the two "Zeppelin" class aircraft carriers (Zeppelin and Moltke) were completed, the German High Seas Fleet should have the strength to defeat the British Home Fleet...... The premise, of course, is that the existing battleships and aircraft carriers can no longer be lost. (To be continued.) )