Chương 188: Chapter 266 The French Doomsday (36)
The British have peculiar names for many weapons and equipment, different from other countries, giving a unique flavor. For example, artillery has long been distinguished not by the millimeters of caliber but by the weight of the shell in "pounds". Tanks are no exception, as they have long been classified into "infantry tanks" and "cruiser tanks".
Infantry tanks were tanks primarily used to support infantry operations in the 1930s. They were characterized by slow speed since they were mainly meant to support infantry and didn't require high speed, just enough to keep up with infantry's advancing pace. The second characteristic was thick armor, providing cover for infantry. Of course, tanks themselves also had strong firepower, offering fire support to infantry.
Typical representatives include the "Matilda" infantry tank, "Valentine" infantry tank, and "Churchill" infantry tank.
As for cruiser tanks, also known as cavalry tanks, they were tanks used for reconnaissance and flanking maneuvers in the 1930s. Their tactical position was somewhat similar to cavalry. Cruiser tanks and infantry tanks had opposite characteristics, cruiser tanks had thinner armor but stronger mobility, suitable for mobile warfare. The concept of cruiser tanks was similar to naval cruisers, having high maximum speed and strong cruising speed, demonstrating high maneuverability. They were mainly equipped with machine guns and small-caliber cannons, serving as reconnaissance and assault forces to support fast mechanized units in combat.
During World War II, the British "Crusader" tank and "Cromwell" tank were typical representatives of cruiser tanks.
The British tactical thinking might seem outdated, but rather, it was ahead of its time. This strategy of "infantry tanks supporting infantry in breaking through + cruiser tanks for deep breakthrough" was essentially the same as the later Soviet tactic of deep penetration with heavy tanks and T-34s.
However, during the early stages of the war, both battle tactics and tank design details were not mature enough, and they were caught off guard by blitzkrieg tactics. As a result, these tanks, which were designed based on the pre-war concepts, turned out to be ineffective. It wasn't until they understood how to properly design a reliable main battle tank, from the construction details to sending it to the battlefield, that they achieved success with the Cromwell in 1943 and the Centurion in 1945. But now, in 1939, most of General Lumsden's 1st Armoured Division still consisted of Matilda I, Mk I (A9) cruiser tanks, Mk VIB light tanks, and a small number of Matilda II tanks.
The Matilda I only had a 12.7mm machine gun as its weapon, making it ineffective against German tanks. To stop German tanks, they had to rely on Mk I (A9) cruiser tanks equipped with the new QF 2-pound (40mm) high-velocity gun and the Matilda II tank with the same 40mm tank gun.
General Lumsden, after some effort, managed to assemble 50 Mk I (A9) cruiser tanks and Matilda II tanks, leaving only a tiny amount of fuel. He also kept twenty Matilda I tanks, drained their gasoline tanks, and distributed them to the retreating tank units. Finally, he ordered the twenty Matilda I tanks' crew to follow the main force in retreat, as they wouldn't be of much help here. Perhaps they could serve as cannon fodder, drawing enemy fire, but General Lumsden was unwilling to add unnecessary casualties and ordered them to withdraw.
Now that the tanks were available, the problem was how to use them.
General Lumsden estimated that their tanks would need to get within about 300 meters to penetrate the German tank armor, while the German tank guns could pierce their tanks' armor from about 500 to 600 meters. Closing this gap of two to three hundred meters posed a significant problem.
His deputy suggested, "Why don't we try a feigned surrender? This should make the Germans lower their guard, and we can open fire suddenly..."
Before the sentence was finished, General Lumsden gave him a fierce glare and sternly reprimanded, "We are soldiers of the mighty British Empire, how can we stoop to such despicable actions!"
Soldiers differ from ordinary civilians; soldiers prioritize honor above all else. Typically, regular armies would rather die on the battlefield than surrender, and they are often criticized for pretending to surrender. If someone truly surrenders, they risk losing their honor within the military. For instance, the German army explicitly prohibits feigned surrenders in its laws.
Encouraging soldiers to feign surrender could eventually lead to actual surrenders, and it's unpredictable when that might happen. If a soldier initially chooses genuine surrender but their unit ultimately wins, they might claim to have feigned surrender. Conversely, if their unit loses, others may perceive their surrender as genuine. This practice significantly affects a military's combat morale and, in severe cases, can lead to a decline in morale and impact overall combat effectiveness.
Another crucial point is that if you feign surrender, the cost can be severe. While you might succeed, if such actions become frequent, no one will believe you when you genuinely surrender. At that moment, they would hesitate to kill you immediately to prevent any counterattacks.
It's either death in battle or surrender, they have no third option. In the traditions of the British Empire, surrendering when unable to match the enemy's strength is not considered shameful. However, feigned surrender breaks with tradition.
Ignoring the deputy's ashamed expression, General Lumsden continued contemplating. After a while, he suddenly spoke, "We've lost quite a few tanks on this journey, haven't we?"
The deputy nodded with a frustrated expression. "Almost a hundred, I believe."
General Lumsden clapped his hands, his face showing excitement. "Have the Germans become accustomed to it?!"
The deputy's eyes lit up. "Are you suggesting..."
"Exactly." General Lumsden's plan was straightforward. "We'll pretend to be abandoned tanks. If the Germans fall for it, that's great; if not, we'll have to fight to the death." This tactic could be considered an ambush, but it wasn't feigned surrender, so General Lumsden didn't feel any psychological burden.
Soon, fifty tanks were arranged in various positions in the fields on either side of the road. General Lumsden personally gave instructions one by one. "Pay attention to the tank guns. Don't point them all in one direction; that practically tells the enemy it's an ambush! Turn them around!" Although pre-aiming at the direction the Germans were coming from would facilitate shooting and increase accuracy, having fifty tank guns all pointing in the same direction would clearly reveal the trap. Therefore, he had the tank guns pointing in various directions, leaving only five of the best-performing Matilda II tanks with their gun barrels aimed at the approaching Germans. These five tanks were spaced far apart, making them difficult to notice without careful observation.
Having completed these preparations, a scout arrived to report that the German vanguard was already ten kilometers away.
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