The Rise of the Third Reich

"1000 meters away, keep to the left... Do you see those white houses? That's Knightsbridge." Lieutenant Ribbentrop lay behind a white rock and pointed to a village in front of the Grossdeutschland Brigade. Lieutenant Colonel Schonard of the 3rd Battalion said.

The 17th Company of the Grossdeutschland Brigade advanced to Knightsbridge, a key point behind the British main defense line, an hour ago. And 10 minutes ago, the 3rd Battalion of the brigade arrived in trucks and half-tracks. Along with them were 6 No. 3 assault guns from the 16th Assault Artillery Company and 5th Tank Regiment. 4 Panzer IV tanks.

Lieutenant Colonel Schonard of the 3rd Battalion of the Grossdeutschland Brigade was ordered to capture Knightsbridge before dark.

"That's Knightsbridge? I thought there would be a river and a bridge. Lieutenant, are you mistaken?" Lieutenant Colonel Schonard half-crouched next to Lieutenant Ribbentrop, holding a bag in his hand. telescope.

"You can't be wrong," Lieutenant Ribbentrop replied firmly, "That's it...there is indeed no river or bridge there, but it is Knightsbridge. There are at least 1,500 Indians guarding there, and there are several vehicles. Matilda Tank.”

"Matilda tank?" Lieutenant Colonel Schnard asked, "Are you sure it is this type of tank?"

"Definitely," Lieutenant Ribbentrop said, "There are at least two of them. Just now they rushed out and damaged two of my half-tracks."

Two damaged half-tracks were "lying" on the sand not far ahead, but they didn't seem to be seriously damaged and could probably be repaired. Several German soldiers were digging bunkers with infantry shovels.

"So what's the condition of their fortifications?" Lieutenant Colonel Schnard then asked.

"Very strong!" Lieutenant Ribbentrop said. "Those white houses have been carefully fortified by the Italians. They are actually fortresses."

The fortifications and garrison numbers were pried out from the prisoners' mouths, and were later proven to be true.

"Italians?" Lieutenant Colonel Schnard shook his head with a wry smile, "Why do I think they are doing us a disservice?"

In fact, it was a waste of time. The fortifications of Tobruk Fortress were also carefully built by the Italians, and the Italians also piled a large amount of supplies and ammunition there, all of which fell into the hands of the British intact - if not With these things, it is impossible for the British 8th Army to deploy defenses in Tobruk.

After shaking his head, Lieutenant Colonel Schonard said to himself: "It seems that a few more 'Wasp' self-propelled artillery are needed."

Then he said to Lieutenant Ribbentrop and Lieutenant Schwarzenegger: "You can just stay here. There is no need to participate in the attack... My people will take Knightsbridge."

…

With a "pop", little Hersman fell onto the hard ground - he fell from an altitude of 3,000 meters... Fortunately, he had a parachute, otherwise he would have died!

This was the second time his plane was shot down, and it was an old-fashioned "Swordfish" plane that shot him down. While he was chasing the aircraft and firing happily with machine guns (the ammunition for the 20mm cannon was all gone), the engine of his Fokker Zero was damaged by the opponent's rear seat machine gun, so he had to fly to Matt. He parachuted near Lu Airfield because the airfield had been occupied by German airborne troops a few hours ago.

The German 7th Airborne Division's raid on Matruh Airport was like poking a hornet's nest. British planes swooped over Matruh Airport in waves like wasps. There were all types of aircraft. "Fire", "Hurricane", P39, "Wellington", Gross "Fighter", F2A, "Blenheim", there are actually two torpedo attack aircraft such as "Swordfish" and "Mackerel". The bombs are flying.

But for little Hessman and his comrades, this was simply the British giving away their lives. From morning to now, little Hersman has flown three sorties and shot down a total of 4 enemy planes, with the result increased to 13. And just when he was about to reap his 14th victory, he was accidentally shot down.

"Don't move, raise your hands!"

Several German paratroopers carrying rifles ran toward little Hersmann at this time, and shouted in English asking him to surrender.

"I am a German!" Little Hersman shouted while raising his hands, "I am Second Lieutenant Rudolf von Heinsberg-Hersman! The squadron leader of the 2nd Squadron of the 9th Carrier Aircraft Group. "

Several German airborne troops also recognized that little Hersmann was wearing a Luftwaffe flight suit.

An airborne sergeant put away his rifle and asked, "Second Lieutenant, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Hersman Jr. said, "but I need to get back to the airport in Benghazi immediately."

The 9th Carrier Aircraft Group is currently stationed in Benghazi, where backup aircraft are stored. After little Hersman returned to Benghazi, he was able to fly another Fokker Zero and attack again.

"Second Lieutenant, there is a Junkers transport plane unloading cargo."

After the 7th Airborne Division occupied the airport (the British army did not have many defenders at the airport, it was quickly occupied by the German airborne troops, but the port of Messe Matruh is still under the control of the British garrison), there was immediately Transport planes took off from Benghazi Airport and delivered weapons, ammunition, various supplies and reinforcements.

Starting at 1 p.m., almost every 10 minutes a Junkers aircraft landed at Matruh Airfield, while an almost empty Junkers aircraft took off (sometimes carrying a few wounded and downed pilots). .

"Okay, take me there quickly!" Little Hersman closed the parachute in three clicks, and then limped along with these German airborne troops to a plane that was unloading cargo. When I got closer that day, I discovered that what was being unloaded from the Junkers aircraft were all 500 kilograms of aviation armor-piercing bombs!

He guessed that these bombs must be mounted on Ju87 Stuka dive bombers! This Matruh Airport is only 260 kilometers away from Alexandria, and is completely within the combat radius of Stuka dive bombers-these bombers that make ear-piercing screams when diving are not comparable to the Ju88 and Fokker 99. It was a real dive bomber, and it had a large bomb load. It could carry one 500kg and two 250kg aviation armor-piercing bombs (or one 1000kg bomb).

Once several squadrons of Ju87s and Fw-190s are deployed to Matruh Airport, the end of the Mediterranean Fleet will come!

…

The British Royal Navy is certainly aware of the bad reputation of the Ju87 "Stuka". This is the aircraft they fear most, no one! Compared with it, Ju88 can only be regarded as the second-ranked threat.

So after hearing that Matruh Airfield, only 260 kilometers away from Alexandria, had been occupied by German airborne troops, Admiral Cunningham immediately rushed to Wavell's headquarters.

"The fleet must leave!" Admiral Cunningham frowned and said, "At least 4 battleships and 2 aircraft carriers must leave, and they will leave tonight!"

In the past few days, he had been looking for opportunities to engage in night battles with the Italian fleet, but the Italians were very cunning. They only bombarded Tobruk with naval guns during the day and disappeared without a trace at night. After a few days, Cunningham finally understood that the "German God of War" Hessmann would never give him a chance to engage in a fleet battle.

Hessmann wanted to control the sea with air and use powerful shore-based aviation to deal with the British Mediterranean Fleet. The purpose of the Germans airborne to seize Matruh Airport, in addition to cutting off the traffic connection between Tobruk and El Alamein, was to find an airport for their most terrifying Ju87 Stuka dive bombers to attack Alexandria. . So the Mediterranean fleet must get away.

"Tonight?" Admiral Wavell's face was ashen, because he knew that once the fleet left, it would mean that Britain had lost the Battle of the Mediterranean!

Without the fleet, the control of the entire Mediterranean Sea belongs to Germany and Italy, and they can land anywhere! The British troops on the islands of Greece, Crete and Cyprus will immediately become alone.

The most terrifying thing is that Türkiye will soon fall to Germany! Once the Mediterranean fleet left, the Turks had no choice. The country's foreign trade was mainly conducted through sea transportation in the Mediterranean and land transportation in the Balkans. If the Mediterranean is controlled by Germany and Italy, then Turkey's foreign exchange routes will basically be controlled by Germany, unless they are willing to surrender to the Soviet Union... But this is impossible!

Therefore, Türkiye has no choice but to surrender to Germany!

"Admiral, I think you know what it means to withdraw the fleet?" Wavell was silent for a long time before speaking with difficulty. "Now the troops of the 7th Armored Division and the Indian 4th Division are urgently dispatched. In 24 hours, they will counterattack Matruh Airport..."

In fact, only a small part of the 7th Armored Division and the Indian 4th Division are being dispatched urgently now, and they are the troops stationed in Alamein. But the distance from El Alamein to Matruh Airport is 200 kilometers, and even mechanized troops would have to walk for most of a day - and that's without aircraft bombing! Therefore, Wavell himself was not sure whether the British army would counterattack Matruh Airport in 24 hours.

"I know." Cunningham said, "But not withdrawing means that there is a high possibility of losing the fleet...it will be lost within 24 hours! 4 battleships and 2 aircraft carriers, they are important forces to defend the homeland. We Can't take any chances with them."

"I understand." Wavell nodded, "Then let's jointly make a proposal to London... Only London can make such an important decision!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a staff officer rushed in anxiously, gave Wavell a military salute, and then reported loudly: "General, urgent report from the 8th Army, Knightsbridge has just been captured by the Germans!"

"Damn it!" Admiral Wavell looked back at Cunningham, "There is big trouble in Tobruk too... We are in big trouble now! The entire British Empire is in big trouble!"