Chapter 341 France Don’t Cry 26
On April 21, 1940, an armored cluster collision of unprecedented scale was about to begin in the Arras area south of Calais Port.
At around 8:15 in the morning, one armored division (British 1st Armored Division), 3 light mechanized divisions (French 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Light Mechanized Divisions) and 1 motorized force of the British-French coalition that broke out from Belgium and marched westward. The huge armored group composed of the Infantry Division (the French 1st Motorized Infantry Division), and the German "Gross Deutschland" banner group (after the Battle of Stoney Town, the "Grand Deutschland" banner group immediately went north to fight with the 1st Infantry Division). The 7th Armored Division merged) and met head-on.
"Boom!" "Boom!" "Boom!"
The sound of the 75mm gun firing came from the front, and Rudolf Ribbentrop, who was dozing on the truck, was immediately awakened. Then he heard the company commander Captain Kruger shouting: "Get off the bus, get off the bus! Get ready to fight!"
"Everyone checks the equipment!" Platoon leader Second Lieutenant Schwarzenegger also woke up at some point.
"complete!"
"complete!"
"..."
Like a programmed robot, Rudolf Ribbentrop quickly checked his rifle, bayonet and the ammunition he carried with him, and then shouted "finished" like everyone else.
"Get out of the car!" Lieutenant Schwarzenegger put the helmet on his head and was the first to get out of the truck.
Rudolf Ribbentrop also followed out, and he found himself between a forest and a village. From the north came the sound of firing from a 75mm gun and another, possibly a 37mm gun. Apparently the No. 4 tank (belonging to the 7th Armored Division) that opened the way was exchanging fire with the enemy.
"11th Company, advance to the woods!" Captain Kruger gave the order at this time, "The 2nd Platoon will go up first, then the 1st Platoon, 3rd Platoon, company headquarters and other units will follow in order."
Second Lieutenant Gustav Schwarzenegger, who had been soundly asleep in the car a few minutes ago (the officers and soldiers of the "Grossdeutschland" flag regiment were very tired after many days of continuous marching and fighting) heard that there was going to be a fight, and he immediately Energized, he shouted loudly: "All 2nd platoon, battle formation, target woods ahead!"
The officers and soldiers of the 2nd Platoon of the 11th Company of the "Gross Deutschland" flag team encountered such scenes countless times on their way north from Sedan (on their way north, they did not encounter any major battles, but small-scale firefights occurred every day. Yes), so the soldiers spread out their formation very skillfully, and then ran towards the woods.
No French troops fired at the 2nd Platoon of the 11th Company from the woods. The woods were quickly controlled by the 2nd Platoon, and other units of the 11th Company followed suit. They began to dig foxholes and build machine gun and artillery bunkers in the woods. 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 six 37-mm guns, but in The 14th Company suffered heavy losses during the Battle of Stoney Town, losing almost half of its 37mm guns, and later received several 47mm guns captured from the French army).
While the 11th Company was stationed in the woods, the artillery battle ahead was still very fierce. Rumbling artillery sounds were heard in the distance. Several small groups of Junkers Ju87 dive bombers arranged in a V shape also quickly arrived to assist in the battle, making strange screams. , dive and drop bombs. There was also a fierce battle in the sky, first between the Fokker Zero and the Spitfire, and then several Bf-109s came to help.
After a while, the German trucks and half-tracks on the road next to the woods all turned around and drove away. Three No. 3 assault guns made a low roar, drove down the road, passed through the barren farmland, and rushed directly into the forest. The wheeled armored vehicles on the road drove into the village opposite the woods.
It looks like another big battle is about to begin! The veterans of the "Gross Deutschland" flag team in the woods immediately understood what was going on.
The No. 4 tank in front must have encountered a more difficult opponent, so the "Grossdeutschland" must take a defensive posture, hold on and wait for the main force of the 7th Armored Division to arrive.
…
"General, the 1st Armored Brigade encountered the main force of the German army in Arras."
In the headquarters of the Allied Forces in Belgium that had just been moved to the port of Zeebrugge, General Verrick was crossing his arms and looking anxiously at the sky outside the window - the weather was very good, and there were not even a few white clouds in the blue sky. If the Home Fleet comes to the port of Zeebrugge to pick up people now, it will definitely become a living target for German aircraft!
After hearing the report from Chief of Staff Major General Henry Bonnard, General Verrick said without looking back: "Tell Lieutenant General Brooke (Commander of the 2nd Corps of the Expeditionary Force, now responsible for commanding the 'Brooke' Armored Group), just Let’s go to war with the Germans in Arras and be sure to hold out for more than 7 days.”
Although the British 1st Armored Division and the French 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Light Mechanized Divisions (actually not light at all, with powerful S35 heavy tanks) were dispatched, General Wyrick was not sure of victory. Because these top-notch mechanized troops from Britain and France were defeated by the German armored forces on the Belgian battlefield. Under the repeated attacks of German aircraft and armored forces, they had already suffered heavy losses and their morale was very low.
"Henry, what's the news from the Navy?" Admiral Verrick asked.
"The main force of the local fleet has been dispatched, and we can start executing the 'Generator Plan' tonight."
According to the current "Generator Plan", the main force of the British Home Fleet will also participate in the withdrawal operation. The battleship formation of the Home Fleet will cruise at the eastern entrance of the English Channel to drive away the main force of the German High Seas Fleet that may approach - if two "Bismarck" class ships (actually only one can be used) come over, it will be a "Jutland"-style naval battle!
At the same time, starting from the night of the 21st, the cruiser and destroyer formations will enter the three ports of Zeebrugge, Ostend and Nieuwpoort to quietly transport the British troops retreating there. Transporting 80 million to 100,000 every night, 50,000 to 60,000 people can be transported in a week.
It turns out that this is a "Generator Plan" based on "smuggling". However, once the main force of the German army approaches Zeebrugge, Ostend and Nieuwpoort, it will be necessary to transport people at all costs. At that time, the British government will call on all residents of the southern coastal areas of Britain who own ships to participate in the rescue of the expeditionary force... This is how much can be salvaged.
…
“Marshal, the British Home Fleet has moved.”
The news of the British Home Fleet’s deployment quickly reached the German headquarters in Zossen—there were agents of the Central Security Bureau in several ports where the British Home Fleet was stationed, and there were also German submarines operating near those ports. Therefore, the deployment of the Grand Fleet was basically impossible to keep secret.
“The Home Fleet has moved?” At this time, Hessmann was looking at the photos (bombing effect photos) sent by General Kesselring himself. 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. “From the photos, the bombing effect is good.”
“There are three more ports in Belgium, Zeebrugge, Ostend and Nieuwpoort.” Halder reminded, “and destroying port facilities does not mean that the port is completely paralyzed.”
That is to say, some can always be evacuated! In the historical “Generator Operation”, the British originally planned to evacuate at least 30,000 people under the full attack of the German army—this was the worst plan.
"Tomorrow, arrange to bomb Zeebrugge, Ostend and Nieuwpoort!" Hessmann ordered without hesitation.
"Marshal, the Western Front headquarters hopes to retain these three ports." Kesselring said, "That is the starting point for attacking the British mainland."
The plan to land on the British mainland was made by Hessmann himself, and of course there must be ports to cross the English Channel. These three ports in Belgium, plus Calais and Dunkirk in France, and Antwerp in Belgium, are the starting points for the planned landing troops.
"Bomb them!" Hessmann said, "Bomb them all, it is impossible to land in 40 years."
"Okay." Kesselring nodded, "Then send out He-111 to attack tomorrow." He thought about it and said, "Should we keep a certain number of bombers and Fokker Zeros to deal with the main force of the British home fleet?"
Of course it is necessary! Because as long as the main force of the British home fleet is bombed, the world war will be won! Although such a chance is not great, we can't be unprepared.
"Leave this to the naval aviation," Hessmann ordered. "Starting tomorrow, the naval aviation will no longer participate in the bombing of enemy ground forces, and will all return to the Wilhelmshaven base to wait for orders."
"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 and show off its power again.
However, the strength of the British Home Fleet has also recovered a lot. The battleships/battlecruisers injured in the Scapa Flow air raid have been repaired, and the overhaul of the "Hood" has also been completed. If a fleet decisive battle is to be carried out, it is obviously not enough to rely on a Bismarck and a Gneisenau.
"It is better not to move," Hessmann said, "Wait until the 'Hindenburg' class is built and then go out and fight the British as soon as possible. This way it is more certain."
The "Hindenburg" class is the H class. The first ship and the second ship will be launched in June. The names have been selected. The first ship is named after Marshal Hindenburg, and the second ship is the "Ludendorff". By the time these two battleships (estimated to be in 1942) and the two Zeppelin-class aircraft carriers (Zeppelin and Moltke) were completed, the German High Seas Fleet should have been able to defeat the British Home Fleet... provided, of course, that no more existing battleships and aircraft carriers were lost.