Battle of the Third Reich

"Woo......boom!"

Another large-caliber grenade hit the division command post. The whole ground shook a few times first, and then a blast of hot air brought various fragments and sand and mud from the shelter's lookout hole. The staff watching there slammed down on the ground.

"God, forgive me."

Montgomery looked desperately at everything in front of him, his heart full of guilt and anger. Everything started at 10:30 yesterday evening.

Montgomery's army led by his interest rate finally arrived at the scheduled position within the time specified by Gott. He has confirmed from the reconnaissance report of the reconnaissance unit he sent earlier that there is no German police within 10 kilometers. Now he can finally put the doubt in his heart aside and devote all his energy to the attack that is about to be launched.

Montgomery first ordered the troops to immediately build the offensive field fortifications according to the positions arranged in the previous plan, and set up their respective frontier command posts. All artillery was placed two kilometers behind the offensive position, protected by a regiment of infantry. He did this in order to ensure that his vanguard can get the maximum firepower support during the attack, and ensure sufficient firepower. After all, their ammunition is insufficient. If these 25-pound guns are placed separately, it is difficult to achieve the firepower density required for the attack.

After all this was arranged, Montgomery sent a telegram to the Expeditionary Command that he had arrived at the starting position on time. Then he took his staff to the forefront to observe the situation of the German army.

Such a large force cannot cover its tracks, and now the Germans on the other side obviously already know the arrival of this force. The entire city of Arras was shrouded in darkness, and only a dark outline could be seen under the bright moonlight. In addition to faintly hearing the short command sounds of the German army in the distance, the whole city was like a dead city quietly. This strange atmosphere made people feel cold in the back.

"Why can't I hear the voices of the residents in the city, even the barking of dogs. The city feels bad to me, like... like..." A staff officer frowned at Montgomery.

"Don't say that word because I have the same feeling. Is it unusual? Did the Germans move all the residents here?" Montgomery interrupted the staff. He also felt that the atmosphere of the city gave People suffocated.

"Go, go to the frontier command post. I want to see what the Germans have prepared for us."

Indeed, he hasn’t seen anything of value here for a long time, and he feels very depressed, so he plans to launch a small-scale trial attack, at least as the first fire reconnaissance.

Montgomery led his men into the frontier command post. He picked up the telescope and looked at the dark city.

"First send a regiment of troops to conduct a tentative attack on Arras, I want to know the strength of the other party."

"Follow the order, general."

The forward commander picked up the phone and began to deploy troops. After a while, he reported to Montgomery.

"General, the troops are ready, they will attack from three positions, the fifth division, the fifty division and the third division will each send a battalion, and the artillery is also ready for artillery cover."

"Okay, let's get started."

With the order of Montgomery. The entire British frontier position immediately turned into a boiling cauldron, and various light and heavy weapons swarmed towards the German position and opened fire. The flares were all over the sky, illuminating the German positions. The tracer flares up into a huge net in the night sky and covers towards Alas. They are like sharp electric whips lashing back and forth across the trenches of the Germans.

With a piercing roar, the first round of 25-pound shells exploded on the German position. Exploding fireballs and smoke with splashing dirt turned the entire German position into an erupting volcano. The shocking and destructive scene made all British officials express heartfelt admiration.

The Germans appeared to have been beaten up by the sudden attack by the British army, but they did not respond. The entire German position was silently subjected to the ravages of British artillery.

After three rounds of artillery strikes against the German forward position, the artillery extended the artillery fire towards the depths of the German position. The first batch of British infantrymen jumped out of their trenches, carrying a bayonet rifle and shouting toward the front of the German army. Montgomery and his staff stared nervously at the German position.

The infantrymen had dashed halfway, but the German position was still silent, showing no signs of counterattack. For a moment, Montgomery even wondered if the artillery fire in front of him was too fierce. The soldiers on the German frontier position may have been wiped out. But he immediately overturned his point of view. That situation was impossible. He had seen more terrifying artillery fire during World War I, but he failed to treat the Germans. What kind of tricks the German is doing, an ominous hunch filled his heart.

The infantrymen had rushed to within 500 meters of the German position. The infantrymen were also puzzled by the reaction of the Germans. They held the rifle tightly and stared at the position. Suddenly, a sharp whistle sounded from the Germans, and countless steel helmets emerged from the trenches. The British soldiers burst into excitement with a louder roar, and they accelerated their pace while shooting and rushing towards the Germans.

Suddenly, countless tongues of fire were sprayed from the entire German frontier position. Along with the heartbroken burst of mg34, the British soldiers in the first row fell to the ground, then the second and third rows. The shells of the mortar and infantry artillery exploded continuously in the procession, and fragments of corpses and guns flew in the air. The British infantry were still on the charge, but the terrible scene has deeply shocked their hearts. As the front-row soldiers fell down in batches, the soldiers in the back uncontrollably slowed down. The officers were thinking about whether they should let the soldiers lie down or simply retreat. But more terrifying things fell on the heads of the British infantry.

A dull whistling sound rang above their heads.

"Shelter! Concealed!"

An officer shouted loudly. A second later, a shell exploded beside him. With a violent explosion, the soldiers within a radius of 50 meters were torn into pieces by shrapnel, various shapes of human body fragments and internal organs, guns , Military uniforms, backpacks were thrown up and were 30 meters high, and then scattered in different trajectories around the infantry team. The shells left a big pit with a depth of 5 meters and a diameter of about 10 meters on the ground.

"God! Heavy artillery." Montgomery looked dumbfounded in the command post.

How is it possible that the other party is just two ordinary infantry regiments, how could it be possible to have such an army-level heavy artillery. The largest artillery of the Infantry Regiment is the 105mm caliber infantry artillery, but the shells it sees now are at least 150mm. Then something more shocking happened to him. The Germans' large-caliber shells began to fall into the infantry group like rain.

"They have at least ten or so heavy guns!" Montgomery exclaimed.

"This is a trap. The Germans have already prepared. Contact the headquarters immediately, and I will personally report this to General Gott!" he yelled at the dazed staff. "Immediately let the infantrymen withdraw, and then order the frontal positions to reinforce the fortifications immediately. The trenches should be deepened by three to four feet. The artillery was ordered to cover the enemy's frontal positions. We will find the position of the German artillery position by sending scouts. "

"Follow the order, General!" The staff members only woke up and picked up the phone and shouted orders to the various formations.

Montgomery rushed out of the frontier command post and ran towards his division command. He wanted to report to Gott as soon as possible about his situation here. Judging from the German's unusual firepower, solid fortifications, and accurate and terrifying shelling, the other party was already prepared. Those all indicate that all this is a trap. If the infantry continue to attack now, the unarmored troops will use up the last drop of blood here.

Montgomery was anxiously circling in his headquarters, the telegram had been sent for an hour, but Gott had not responded. The regiment was still unable to withdraw. One of them was destroyed by German artillery in the middle of the battlefield. The scouts have not yet found German artillery positions, but there are signs that the artillery was fired from Alaska. The Germans must have concealed their artillery in the urban area, which explains why the reconnaissance aircraft failed to find them during the first two days of reconnaissance.

And from the current situation, they also have other artillery of various calibers. At least in the previous attack, the Germans used four different caliber heavy artillery. Various artillery of different ranges completely blocked the regiment. On the battlefield. The Germans also have ample ammunition, which can be seen from their shooting method of the artillery shells. They are even sporadically bombarding their front positions, but because they are still at night, their bombardment is not very accurate, so they have not caused much casualties. But in a few hours it was dawning, and his position was exposed to the eyes of the German artillery observer without any cover. What should I do then?

"Report, General Gott's call back, General." A communications soldier ran into the command post.

"Hurry up to me!"

Montgomery snatched the telegram from the soldier's hand.

"The British Empire sent its headquarters in the French Expeditionary Force to Bernard, the third division of the British Army. Law. Major General Montgomery.

It is now indicated from various intelligence sources that the German army opposite your ministry really has only two regiments. And they only have very few cannons, and the command is very suspicious of your report of having heavy artillery to the enemy.

Even if the other party does possess that kind of artillery, it proves that the Germans attached great importance to Arras and strengthened his defensive ability. It is not yet proven that this is a trap for our army.

Therefore, the command requires you to continue your offensive to break through their defenses. If you can't do this, you must find ways to consume the opponent's ammunition and strength. You must persevere. The headquarters believes in your commanding ability. You are now the key to our plan. The second and fourth divisions are also approaching you.

In the end, the headquarters ordered that your ministry should not retreat under any circumstance, and you must insist on the arrival of friendly forces. You have to understand that it is worth any price to win. If your troops evacuate positions without authorization, you will be subjected to the harshest military trial!

British Expeditionary Command. "

Montgomery was furious when he read the telegram.

"What is meant by only two regiments, no heavy artillery. Why can't the idiots of the headquarters listen to what is the thing that hit the position? Is it possible that there are two regiments with such cannons?"

Montgomery angrily crumpled the telegram and threw it out of the command post. His staff watched his commander silently scolding the bureaucrats of the headquarters.

Montgomery vented for a while and finally calmed down. He looked down at the map on the table and wondered how he could get rid of his current predicament.

At 5.30 in the morning on the 27th, the Germans finally stopped sporadic artillery bombardment. The British position finally gained some peace.

The soldiers quickly took advantage of this precious gap to repair the damaged positions and trenches.

"They don't fight anymore, it's my turn to fight and order the artillery to harass the enemy positions."

Montgomery decided that even if he could not break through the opponent's defense line, it would at least drag down the opponent's energy, and his artillery's counterattack could also reinvigorate the morale of the troops.

The artillery carried out his orders faithfully, and the rumbling of artillery fire was heard from the rear of the position, and then heard the 25-pound shells roaring over their heads, and finally heard the huge explosion on the German side.

Suddenly, a more dull whistling sound rang from the direction of Arras, and then the whistle passed by quickly over the command post, and all the staff members raised their ears to distinguish the direction of the shells.

"It flew towards the position behind us." one of the staff shouted.

"No, our artillery position!" Montgomery jumped up and ran out of the command post quickly, looking towards his rear.

Just a moment after he ran out, dozens of fireballs were continuously raised on the rear artillery position, and then a thunderous roar passed through, and even a strong shock wave was felt here.

"How could this be! How did the Germans know where our artillery positions were, although it was almost dawn, it was still in the night." A staff officer cried with tears on the side.

Montgomery looked at the artillery position that was constantly exploding, and there was no expression on his face. Only a careful staff found that the commander's hand was shaking violently now.

"Order troops! Prepare for retreat." Montgomery turned back and ordered.

"But the command of the headquarters is..."

"Regardless of what the Commander-General said, I bear all the responsibilities alone. I can't watch it as a trap and let my soldiers die in vain."

;