Chapter 60: The Supplies
The troops then split into two groups to carry out separate missions:
One group was tasked with expanding the breakthrough along the defensive line's flanks until the entire line was captured.
This was essential because it was foreseeable that soon the main British forces from Mechili would arrive to reinforce Tobruk. If the German forces hadn't fully captured the defensive line and established a defensive system by then, the British could easily break through and defeat the Germans.
Colonel Schleyn entrusted this task to the 2nd and 3rd Battalions. It wasn't a difficult mission... At this point, the Germans were attacking from within the defensive line, and the British engineer troops, who already had little will to resist, were even more vulnerable.
The situation proved this to be true: before the Germans even arrived, the British had already abandoned their positions and fled... So, rather than attacking, it was more like the Germans were simply taking over.
The other group headed straight for Tobruk Port.
This was the core of the battle because the port stored supplies brought in from Egypt and British colonies. In desert warfare, supplies were crucial... In fact, supplies are vital in any war, but in desert warfare, they are even more so. For example, water—without it, there's no need to fight in the desert; you'd either die of thirst or surrender, with no third option.
Historically, Rommel's two attempts to attack El Alamein ended in failure, underscoring this point.
In the First Battle of El Alamein, Rommel failed to capture Tobruk Port, forcing the Germans to transport supplies from the far end of the desert, which eventually led to logistical problems and a forced retreat.
In the Second Battle of El Alamein, although Tobruk Port was captured, the Germans had shifted their strategic focus to the Eastern Front against the Soviet Union (Note: The Germans invaded the Soviet Union in June 1941, redirecting their air power from North Africa to the Soviet front), giving the British absolute air superiority in the Mediterranean. This allowed the British to blockade the Mediterranean with aircraft and warships, rendering the capture of Tobruk Port meaningless for the Germans.
But what if the Germans had captured Tobruk Port during the First Battle of El Alamein... what would have happened then?
With this question in mind, Qin Chuan and the soldiers of the 1st Infantry Battalion, led by Colonel Schleyn, rushed towards Tobruk Port in captured vehicles and armored cars.
As for the captured tanks... those were too slow, with a top speed of 24 kilometers per hour, and barely managing 10 kilometers per hour in reality. This was far too sluggish for the German military, which valued speed and efficiency, so they simply left them near the defensive line for defense.
Tobruk Port was in chaos. From a distance, Qin Chuan saw several early 20th-century steamships docked near the port, with their massive smokestacks spewing black smoke like volcanic craters. Every now and then, a long whistle would sound, as if urging people on shore to board quickly.
But they weren't going anywhere, as the German convoy had already plowed into the crowd, causing screams of panic.
Colonel Schleyn was riding in a British Beaverette light armored reconnaissance vehicle. This vehicle was open-topped, essentially a car with a layer of thin armor wrapped around it.
Sitting inside, Colonel Schleyn proudly raised his MP40 and fired a burst of bullets into the air, terrifying the people on the docks into scattering and hiding.
The cars and armored vehicles following closely behind drove up one after another and stopped around the area. The soldiers quickly jumped out, using the vehicles as cover, and set up their guns. Qin Chuan chose to take cover behind the car's tires because he had seen a video in the modern era that showed the tires were actually the hardest part of a car to penetrate... As for the doors, they could only stop bullets in TV shows and movies.
"Gentlemen!" Colonel Schleyn shouted through a loudspeaker, "I am honored to inform you that Tobruk Port is now under our control. Everything here is at my disposal. Believe me, as long as you follow my instructions, I will ensure your safety and interests..."
It was only then that Qin Chuan noticed that most of the "passengers" trying to board the ships were wounded soldiers.
It made sense when he thought about it. Wounded British soldiers from the front line would be sent to Tobruk and then shipped back to Egypt or a British colony to recuperate. Of course, there were also nurses, medics, and some local laborers hired by the British.
Qin Chuan initially thought these wounded soldiers posed no threat, but soon noticed an officer lying on a stretcher pulling a pistol from under a white sheet, aiming it at Colonel Schleyn...
"Bang!" A gunshot rang out.
A bullet from Qin Chuan's rifle hit the British officer squarely in the face... The bullet passed through his eye and exited the other side, turning his eye into a bloody hole. His hand, holding the gun, went limp, and the pistol fell to the ground.
Screams erupted once again. Colonel Schleyn turned to Qin Chuan with a look of approval, then continued speaking through the loudspeaker, "As you can see, my soldiers are capable of handling any threat, so I advise you not to make any foolish moves. It would not be a wise choice!"
Perhaps shaken by Qin Chuan's shot, the British wounded and medics became very compliant. Even the massive steamships were seized by the Germans... The Germans controlled their mooring lines, so the ships had no chance of escaping.
Colonel Schleyn wasted no time, immediately leading the Germans to the port warehouses... Beforehand, Colonel Schleyn had done some intelligence work and knew the locations of these warehouses.
These warehouses had been guarded by British troops, but they had long since fled. Later, when interrogating British prisoners, it was discovered that many of them had tried to blend in with the wounded soldiers to escape by ship.
They didn't even have the courage to destroy the fuel and munitions stored in the warehouses before leaving, fearing German retaliation... This starkly contrasted with the Germans at Tengefer, who had no trouble leaving behind a unit to carry out a "last mission."
When they pried open the warehouse doors, everyone was stunned by what they saw—there were supplies of every kind: food, ammunition, machine guns, cannons... and fuel barrels stacked like a small mountain.
Most importantly, these supplies were stored in underground warehouses, meaning they were safe from enemy airstrikes.
"Soldiers!" Colonel Schleyn raised his hands in excitement and shouted, "We are now the richest people in this land!"
The German soldiers couldn't help but erupt into cheers.
Colonel Schleyn was right. In the desert, wealth isn't gold or silver; it's the supplies stored in these warehouses.
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