Chương 266: 266
Episode 266: The Road to Destruction (8)
Around the time Buckhill's defense line was breached, 60 additional Pershings crossed the Atlantic and arrived in England.
However, upon arrival, Britain was already on the verge of defeat and the Allies were busy retreating.
Pershing, who had gone through all sorts of hardships across the sea, could not be sent back on a ship.
The front line immediately needed tanks to block the German army's advance, and transporting troops and refugees to nearby Iceland was a priority.
When the Pershings arrived in England, they were immediately put on a train and headed to the front line to stop the German army's advance.
After arriving at the front line, Pershing was deployed to each major area and was tasked with blocking the advance of the German army.
"Enemy tank at 1 o'clock! Distance 720, armor-piercing bullet!"
"Loaded!"
"Aim complete!"
When the command to fire came from the tank commander's mouth, the gunner stepped on the firing pedal with all his might.
The sound of sharp metal sounded, and a tank soldier crawled out of the hatcher, which had a hole in its frontal armor.
The Hatcher had excellent armor and firepower relative to its weight, but the interior was narrow, so the crew had to be crowded together, and if it was penetrated by an enemy bullet, the crew was often wiped out.
The driver, gunner, and gunner were killed by an armor-piercing round, and only the tank commander escaped alive.
The Hatcher's 75mm main gun was not enough to penetrate the Pershing's frontal armor. The Pershing's gunner loaded the next shell, listening to the sound of enemy shells hitting the tank's armor.
"Loaded, fully-"
The moment an armor-piercing round was pushed into the chamber and the shutter was about to close, a shock was transmitted to the tank.
Sparks and debris flew everywhere, and thick smoke filled the inside of the tank.
"Haha!"
"Escape, escape!"
The battered tank soldiers opened the hatch and got out.
The driver and front gunner were unable to get out of the tank because they died immediately as soon as the shell penetrated the armor.
"Hit!"
"I got one!"
The crew of the Panther, which defeated Pershing from the front, cheered.
Even with the same 75mm caliber, the Panther's main gun was able to penetrate the front of the Pershing's hull at a distance of 1km.
Tiger was also able to sufficiently penetrate Pershing's armor if it approached within 500m or used light armor-piercing rounds.
-Quaaang!
"We caught him!"
Kramer shook his fist as he pointed at the Pershing, whose frontal armor had been pierced and the ammunition had exploded, causing the turret to separate from the hull.
Karius chuckled and praised Kramer's contribution.
"Yankees aren't a big deal, are they?"
The Pershing, which the US military brought to England as a counterpart to the Panther and Tiger, was clearly needed by the US military, which desperately needed a tank with high firepower and heavy armor.
However, although it was a very useful product, Pershing had many shortcomings in many ways. Especially that damn engine.
"The enemy is turning to the right!"
"Back up!"
"More, faster! "Are you crazy because you want to die?"
"This is the maximum, Sergeant!"
The tank commander grabbed the driver at a speed that felt like his suit was about to explode.
But the pilot also had something to say. This is the maximum speed, so what can we add here?
While Pershing was moving slowly, Panzer 4, which was more mobile than Pershing, quickly moved to Pershing's side and fired a shell.
Pershing, who had been pierced through the side, collapsed, spewing fire as usual.
Although the 4th Panzer was no match for the Pershing in terms of both armor and firepower, it was able to defeat even the Pershing if it used its mobility to target the flanks.
Although the performance of the tank is important, the skills of the tank soldiers driving the tank were also very important in tank warfare.
No matter how great a tank is, if the crew driving the tank lacks experience and training, the tank's performance cannot be fully utilized. However, even if the tank's performance is somewhat poor, if the crew's skills are high, the difference in performance can be reversed.
In 1940 and 1941, German tank crews fought with skill and achieved victory even while riding tanks whose performance was inferior to that of the enemy, and in the Battle of Arracourt in 1944, American tank crews riding Shermans achieved a landslide victory over Panthers driven by young German soldiers. reaped
In particular, the German army's specialty was mobile warfare using armored power.
The American soldiers were trapped in the German army's siege without their knowledge and were attacked from all directions and were either destroyed or abandoned their tanks and fled.
When the Pershing's engine broke down and stopped during maneuver, the tank crew abandoned the tank without any hesitation.
There was no time to leisurely repair the engine, and leaving the repair of the unfinished engine to tankers who had only learned a few simple maintenance skills at a training center on the mainland could not yield meaningful results.
Of course, there were not only cases where the tank was abandoned due to engine failure.
Even if the engine was intact and there was enough fuel and ammunition, there were many cases where intact tanks were abandoned because they could not handle the advancing front lines.
In principle, if a tank was abandoned, it was to be destroyed so that the enemy could not capture it and use it, but there was no way that such a principle could be observed when soldiers retreated and abandoned even intact tanks.
"Look at this. "The Yankees left us a gift again."
"You idiots. "Are they the ones who came for war?"
Every time they encountered tanks, trucks, artillery, and piles of ammunition abandoned by the U.S. military, the German soldiers laughed loudly and mocked the U.S. soldiers.
***
August 19, 1943
port william england
Gunner Sergeant Joe Eakins' Firefly was lying in ambush in the orchard.
The Canadian and Polish troops on our left flank had been fighting for some time.
The fierce gunfire and the sound of gunfire proved the intensity of the battle.
No matter how much he thought about it, Eakins couldn't shake the feeling that his company had been thrown around as meat shields.
Of course, it is very important to protect the rear of retreating allies and block the enemy's advance.
If you retreat without a blocking line at the last line, you will be caught up by the pursuing enemy and will be slaughtered.
The morale of the soldiers was at a low level because there was a strong feeling that the war had already been lost.
This morning, two deserters occurred from the company next door. One was even a captain. The officer who was supposed to command the soldiers deserted.
The army of the British Empire, which once dominated the world, was in disrepair.
Even if they achieve a miraculous victory here like in a Hollywood movie, it will not change the result.
Nevertheless, he did his best in his duties.
He knew that if he gave up his mission and ran away, more people would die, so he couldn't back down.
After a while, a German tank appeared in front of him.
"It's coming."
At the words of tank commander Sergeant Gordon, Eakins also swallowed his saliva.
The guy who appeared in front of us was the infamous Tigger. According to the operation plan, the Shermans of the 11th Company, ambushed nearby, opened fire all at once.
However, despite being hit by 75mm and 76mm shells, the Tiger rolled on a huge trajectory as if it was not affected and moved forward in the direction from which the shells were flying.
"Now is the time, fire!"
At Sergeant Gordon's command, Eakins opened fire. When the 17-pounder armor-piercing round hit the side of the Tiger's hull, flames erupted from the engine.
"It's a hit!"
"Shoot one more shot!"
When the gunner loaded the shell, Eakins fired the main gun as soon as the load was finished.
The fire in the engine slowly grew and soon covered the entire tank. As the last shot exploded, the hatch flew away and a pillar of fire rose up.
"Tiger defeated."
There was no time to rejoice. As soon as one Tiger was defeated, others appeared.
Those who appeared behind kept a distance from the Shermans stationed at the edge of the forest and opened fire.
Several Shermans were hit by 88, causing explosions. A 76mm Sherman was hit directly by the turret, causing the gunner and tank commander's upper bodies to separate from their lower bodies.
Shells also flew into the orchard where Eakins was ambushed. The apple tree was hit by a shell and shattered, hitting the turret of the Firefly on which Eakins was riding.
The apples hanging from the branches suddenly broke, and leaves and branches covered the observation window and gunner's sight.
"I can't see anything!"
"Driver! "Back up!"
As I backed up and left the spot, the tree branches that had blocked my view fell from the tram, opening my view again.
"Move to the right! Hurry!"
"If you go to the right, you will be clearly visible to the enemies… … ."
Eakins said hesitantly. But Sergeant Gordon's resolve was firm.
"If I stay here, neither porridge nor rice will work. "When the Jerrys' attention is diverted, we maneuver as quickly as possible and move to their rear."
The driver moved to the right as instructed by the tank commander. As the Shermans and Tigers exchanged fire, the sound of metal penetrating through armor rang out.
"Aaaah!"
"help me!"
"Kyaaaaa-!!!"
Eakins' back was damp with sweat. His heart pounded like crazy at the thought that he, too, could be one of those many, many screamers.
But if you don't catch those monsters, those monsters will eat you.
You cannot live without dying, and in order to live, you have no choice but to risk death.
"stop!"
Sergeant Gordon's prediction was correct. The German army made the mistake of neglecting rear guard as they were busy fighting the Shermans at the front.
Eakins' scope was filled with Tigers.
"Take care of the guy on the far left first! "Load armor-piercing bullets!"
As the gunner pushed in the armor-piercing shell, the closure closed with a clanging sound.
"Aim complete!"
"launch!"
The shell fired by Eakins hit the rear of the Tiger's hull. The engine was destroyed, preventing the tank from moving.
Tiger, noticing an attack from the rear, hurriedly turned the turret. However, the Tiger's turret had a slow rotation speed, and to make matters worse, the engine was shattered and the hull could not be rotated.
"Loaded!"
"One more step! Aim for the turret this time!"
"All right!"
Eakins followed Sergeant Gordon's instructions and aimed for the side of the Tiger's turret.
Just as he was about to pedal as hard as he could, a shell flew from the right and tore his entire body apart.
"Good job, Ball. "If we had been just a little bit late, our comrades would have missed the goal."
"Isn't this a piece of cake?"
If Wittmann had noticed Firefly's appearance just a little later, it would have been a disaster. Who would have expected a Firefly to jump out from behind?
It was good to take advantage of the friendly forces' concentration on the front and move at high speed to cover the rear, but on the other hand, the British troops also made the mistake of neglecting their flank guard.
That mistake led to their death.
An endless procession of German soldiers continued next to Eakins' Firefly, whose turret had been blown off and only the hull remained.
***
August 20, 1943
Loudham, England
After the fall of London, the German army hurriedly marched north, leaving the rearrangement to the Allies.
The Axis forces were stationed in the rear, defending important points such as railways and bridges from attacks by the Resistance, and were in charge of mopping up the remnants of the British army that were lucky enough to escape and not be annihilated during the advance, encirclement, and annihilation.
Nevertheless, British troops in small platoons and large battalions were scattered throughout England and played a game of tag with the Axis forces.
The company that Graham belonged to was one of the units that successfully managed to get stuck in the middle of the chaos.
While the German army was pushing forward from London to Birmingham, from Birmingham to Manchester, and from Manchester to Glasgow, the company remained quietly holed up in a corner of the countryside, avoiding the Germans' eyes.
Occasionally, surprise attacks were launched against major targets such as stations, railways, and bridges, but most of them ended in failure or achieved only minimal results.
Since we avoided fighting as much as possible, there was no shortage of ammunition, but food was a different story.
Fortunately, for the first time, we did not have much trouble thanks to the support of nearby residents, but as the residents also ran out of food, support soon stopped.
So they attacked the Axis supply caravan. However, this only happened once or twice, and soon, as the Axis forces' escort forces strengthened, it became impossible to even dare.
It is said that the German army has now reached the tip of Scotland. The government is said to have already fled to Canada, and Churchill was captured by the Germans.
At this time, when Churchill was a prisoner of the German army, Attlee, now Deputy Prime Minister, was the Prime Minister of 'Britain'. At a broadcasting station in Ottawa, Attlee issued a statement saying that the British Empire would never surrender to Germany and that one day they would join forces in a great counteroffensive and retake Britain, but few people believed him.
What kind of recapture do you mean when you can't protect the land you are in right now and have fled all the way to Canada? It's so absurd.
The Axis forces distributed leaflets every three days, urging British soldiers who had not yet surrendered and were hiding to surrender.
The war is over. Stop your meaningless resistance and surrender. Wouldn't that be the only way to go back to my hometown?
hometown. Those two letters pierced Graham's heart like an awl. He heard that heavy fighting broke out in Liverpool, his hometown, and the city was devastated.
All Graham could do was console himself that his family would have escaped safely before the battle broke out.
He wanted to run right away to check if his family was safe, but since he was a soldier, he held back and obeyed orders and continued his life as a fugitive with no hope of ending.
They held on with hope. The hope was that American forces would defeat the Germans and counterattack and drive them from Britain.
But now that hope was gone, he had no reason to fight anymore.
Graham looked down at the gun one last time. When he first enlisted, the sounds his instructor made were still vivid in his ears.
Treat your gun as if it were your body. Do not miss your gun under any circumstances.
"As you live, moments like this come."
Hopkins said as he disassembled the gun and cut into pieces one by one. Graham nodded his head too.
"I don't know if I'll ever get to hold this gun again."
"It may sound like a traitor, but I wish I didn't come. "One war is enough in one's life."
Hopkins said. Graham neither confirmed nor denied.
"When you're done, let's leave."
Graham held up a white flag made by tying a prepared white tablecloth to a wooden stick. Forty soldiers lined up behind him as he walked holding a white flag.
***
On August 24, 1943, the last remaining British troops surrendered, completely ending the battle in Britain.
On this day, the Wehrmacht declared the end of the 'British Campaign'.
The fighting in Britain was over, but the war was not over.
American President Wallace and British Prime Minister Attlee declared that this did not mean the end of the war and that the war with Germany would continue; in fact, fighting in the Atlantic between the German and Allied navies continued.
However, it was also true that the crushing defeat in England inflamed the anti-war atmosphere prevalent throughout the United States.
Protesters raised their voices, asking how long they plan to go to war when Britain is in such a state.
Naturally, the White House remained silent in response to the voices of protesters calling for a peace treaty, but it was unclear how long they would be able to push forward with the same strategy.
German cities were in a festive mood.
In the joy of finally defeating Britain, their most powerful enemy, and in relief that the war was over, people took to the streets, waving German flags and enjoying their victory to the fullest.
"Sieg Heil! Sieg Heil!"
"Heil Hitler!!"
Among the people intoxicated with the joy of victory, someone sang a German song in a loud voice, and everyone sang along.
Soon the entire population of Berlin began singing German songs passionately.
-Germany, Germany reigns over the world.
Even when defending and attacking, they stand together like brothers.
From Mas to Memel
From ecchi to belts!
Germany, Germany reigns over the world... … .
I went down the stairs leading to the basement while listening to the Berliners singing German songs. The singing gradually became quieter and soon stopped sounding as if it had been cut with scissors.
"Oh my, it's my first time seeing you."
When I smiled, the man sitting across from me glared at me as if I was going to kill him.
Look at your eyes. Even if you were your parents' enemy, they wouldn't look at you to this degree.
"Oh my, you're so scared… … Do you think I will say that? I?"
As I laughed, Churchill's already red face turned even redder. The veins also protruded on my forehead.
But what should I do with this? It's not scary at all.
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