The Spanish moved inhabitants, built fortifications, and fortified railways around Gibraltar with great fanfare, but naturally could not hide from the eyes and ears of the British Empire. Pen "Fun" Pavilion www.biquge.info

"The next target for the Germans is definitely Gibraltar!" Inside the British Cabinet War Command on King Charles Boulevard in London, Sir Deere, Chief of the Imperial General Staff, told Churchill with great certainty. "And the Red Sea and East Africa are not too risky for the time being."

It is clear that even without the fanfare of the Spaniards, the British Imperial General Staff would have come to such conclusions. Taking the Red Sea and East Africa, Germany simply opened up shipping lanes into the Indian Ocean. And by taking Gibraltar, the Italian and French fleets would be able to break out of the Mediterranean and meet the German fleet in the Atlantic.

The Royal Navy of the British Empire would then be forced to fight a decisive battle with the German, Italian, and French fleets near the English Channel. Given the strength of the German and Italian shore-based aviation, as well as the superiority of the number of super-battleships possessed by Germany, Italy and France (2 Bismarck, 2 Veneto, 2 Richelieu), the British Royal Navy could well have suffered a fatal blow.

"So we have to defend the fortress of Gibraltar, it's about the survival of the British Empire!" Winston. Churchill made his decision immediately.

"Admiral," said Churchill to Sir Dill as he smoked his cigar, "the fortress of Gibraltar is the strongest in the world, and it once stood in the way of Emperor Napoleon, and now it must be able to hold back the so-called German god of war, Hersmann, right?" ”

Admiral Dill wrinkled his face, shook his head slightly, and said, "Prime Minister, Napoleon didn't have planes and 420mm cannons at that time. ”

The British Chief of the General Staff did not know that Germany had 800mm caliber Gustav cannons, but he knew that Germany had 420mm caliber "Big Bertha". Moreover, the "Big Bertha" is still a product of the First World War, and now Germany must have even more terrible cannons.

"And the terrain of the Gibraltar peninsula is actually not very conducive to defense." Admiral Diere's words were far from Churchill's expectations.

"How is that possible?" Churchill laughed, "It's the most dangerous fortress in the world, I've been there." Gibraltar is a long and narrow peninsula, most of which is limestone hills, especially steep and narrow at the northern entrance, which is a natural fortress. ”

Admiral Dill shook his head and said, "But the airport in Gibraltar is on the north side of the rock peak of Gibraltar, close to Spanish soil, and as long as there is 1 battalion of 150mm howitzers, the airfield can be blocked." ”

Churchill was stunned, and a terrible map of the fortress of Gibraltar appeared in his mind.

The Gibraltar Fortress is, of course, strong and treacherous, with bomb raid and trenches to and to the left and right of the Gibraltar Rock. On the northern section of the Rock Peak is the Wind Mill Plateau, 95-125 metres above sea level, where three very fortified batteries were built, with a number of 6-inch cannons and a large number of anti-aircraft guns, with enough firepower to block the northern entrance to the Gibraltar Peninsula. On the southern side of the three batteries, near the edge of the Mediterranean, four other large armoured batteries were built, with 9.2-inch coastal defense guns.

To the south of the Wind Mill Plateau is a smaller Europa Plateau, which is located at the southernmost tip of the Gibraltar Peninsula at an altitude of only 15-30 meters. There was a small valley between the two mesas in which four batteries were built, three of which had 9.2-inch cannons and one with 6-inch cannons, and around which many anti-aircraft guns were also deployed.

In addition to these fixed batteries, the Gibraltar Fortress also had a number of 6-inch howitzers and anti-aircraft guns that could be maneuverably arranged.

It can be said that the entire Gibraltar Peninsula is an unsinkable battleship full of 9.2-inch shore defense guns, 6-inch howitzers/cannons, and various anti-aircraft guns.

But there really was no safe enough place on this "unsinkable battleship" to lay a flight deck. A large airport was built on the flat ground north of the Rock Peak of Gibraltar, which was located on Spanish territory. If Spain had remained neutral or allied with the British, the fortress of Gibraltar would certainly not have been captured.

But once Spain was directed to Germany, the Gibraltar airport would be exposed to enemy fire, and it would be impossible to deploy aircraft.

Once the fortress of Gibraltar loses the ability to deploy aircraft, its air defense will be greatly weakened, and it will have to rely on anti-aircraft artillery to protect itself from enemy air raids.

Moreover, the attack power of the fortress of Gibraltar, which had lost its airfield, was greatly weakened, and its firepower coverage was the range of the 9.2-inch cannons deployed on the peninsula, although it could block the Strait of Gibraltar and prevent Italian and French battleships from approaching, but it could not attack the large-caliber long-range cannons and train guns that were placed on Spanish territory at a distance.

"There's no way we can hold the fortress?" Churchill looked at Admiral Dill with some disappointment.

Admiral Deere, Chief of the General Staff, and Field Marshal Pound, First Sea Lord, glanced at each other, and Field Marshal Pound took over the question.

"Prime Minister, it is very difficult to hold on to the fortress of Gibraltar without the support of air power. The Germans had a lot of large-caliber heavy artillery, which was always able to destroy the defenses of the Gibraltar fortress. So, it's only a matter of time before we lose the fortress! ”

"There will really be a loss of fortresses...... "Churchill bites the butt of his cigar smoke, "and then the fleets of the Italians and the French will rush out of the Mediterranean!" Is it? ”

"It is not necessarily impossible to hold it," said Marshal Pound, "but it cannot be defended by the strength of the fortress of Gibraltar alone. ”

"Do you want to use the home fleet?" Churchill suddenly looked anxious. After the Battle in the Mediterranean, the balance of Anglo-German naval power was changing. Britain's overwhelming superiority was gone, and as France was becoming increasingly pro-German, the British Home Fleet was likely to be at a disadvantage overnight.

In this case, if the home fleet suffers another setback, then the next battle will most likely be fought on the beaches of England!

"Not only must the home fleet be used," said Marshal Pound, "but the Canary Islands and Madeira must first be taken as support points."

The Canary Islands belong to Spain, while Madeira belongs to Portugal. Both archipelagos are located in the Atlantic Ocean, with the Canary Islands to the south, near French Morocco in Africa, and Madeira a little further north, almost directly opposite the exit from the Strait of Gibraltar.

"The Canary Islands and Madeira are both more than 1,000 kilometres from the Strait of Gibraltar in a straight line." "We can deploy bombers and torpedo bombers there to support the Gibraltar operation," Marshal Pound said. ”

"Is that okay?" Churchill shook his head and said, "We don't have an escort fighter like the Fokker Zero." ”

"We can use aircraft carriers," said Marshal Pound, "and the carrier-based aircraft of aircraft carriers can not only escort bombers taking off from the Canary Islands and Madeira, but also cover the approach of battleships to the Strait of Gibraltar and support the defense of the Gibraltar Peninsula with large-caliber naval guns." ”

"How many aircraft carriers do we have available now?" Churchill asked immediately.

"If we don't count the three aircraft carriers in the Indian Ocean, we now have three aircraft carriers, the Ark Royal, the Baenya (the aircraft carrier of the Free France) and the Dreadnought. The Victory and Indomitable will also be completed soon and are expected to join the Royal Navy in May. In addition, two more Revenge-class aircraft carriers will be commissioned next year. ”

After the Scapa Bay raid on 3/09/39, the British aircraft carrier construction also accelerated due to the loss of 3 aircraft carriers. The two Revenge classes, which had been slowed down due to the shortage of raw materials, also received enough materials to be able to enter service in 1942.

"In addition, the Royal Navy has a training aircraft carrier, the Retaliation," Marshal Pound continued, "as well as an escort aircraft carrier, the Pretoria, which has just been converted from a cruise ship to an aircraft carrier, and the escort carrier 'Daring', which will soon be refitted." These three aircraft carriers can also be incorporated into the fleet to participate in decisive battles at sea when necessary. ”

Churchill listened to Pound and calculated in his heart that the Battle of Gibraltar would not necessarily begin immediately, and there should be a lot of preparatory work. Maybe it can be dragged to service with the Victory, Indomitable and Daring. So that the home fleet will have 8 aircraft carriers at its disposal!

"That means the home fleet will soon have 8 aircraft carriers at its disposal, right?" Churchill asked.

"Yes," replied Marshal Pound, "we will have eight aircraft carriers by June at the latest." ”

"How many aircraft carriers did the Germans have at that time?" Churchill asked again.

"2," replied Marshal Pound, "according to current intelligence, they have only 2 aircraft carriers at their disposal." ”

The intelligence of the British was accurate that Germany now had 2 ships of the "Seydlitz" class in service, and 2 ships of the "Zeppelin" class being outfitted and would not be commissioned until 1942. There are still 4 "Zeppelin" class ships that have only recently started construction and will not be commissioned until 1943 at the earliest, and there are 5 "Blue Ribbon aircraft carriers" that are being refitted, which will not be commissioned until 1942.

"That is," Churchill pondered, "that at the moment we have an overwhelming advantage in aircraft carriers? ”

"Yes, Prime Minister!" Marshal Pound nodded, "And we still have the two trump cards of Madeira and the Canary Islands!" The aircraft deployed on these two islands and the carrier-based aircraft on 8 aircraft carriers will definitely give a hard blow to the Germans and Italians! (To be continued.) )