Australian Storm 1876 - Chapter 1064

Chapter 1064 Three minutes of gap

After the full-scale artillery bombardment was launched, the German long-range artillery positions began to counterattack after ten minutes. These were all German large and medium-caliber heavy artillery guns hidden in the artillery bunkers. There were about four or five hundred guns, and the counterattack was not strong.

From this point of view, the 11-day aerial bombardment of the previous phase had a significant effect, destroying most of the German artillery.

The Germans are not fools. After losing air superiority, they used perfect reinforced concrete artillery bunkers and camouflage protective nets to deceive the aerial bombardment and still retain some artillery strength.

After more than two hours of artillery bombardment between the two sides, the air bombardment began again after waves of densely packed aircraft groups flew from behind the Allied positions.

Marshal Li Shuanzhu’s three-axes are not as simple as one move and then a second move, but a superimposed effect.

At the same time that the ground artillery bombarded the whole line, the aerial bombardment was also launched. The purpose was to clean up all the fish that slipped through the net of the German army and dealt a heavy blow to the German counterattack force.

This time, instead of 25-pound and 50-pound small bombs, a small number of bombers hung a single 120-pound heavy aviation bomb, which was equipped with the latest delayed passivation fuze, high-strength alloy warhead, and reinforced concrete fortifications and Command all strong lethality.

A 120-pound bomb dropped from the air can break through a one-meter-thick concrete layer by virtue of inertia, and then explode inside, forming the accumulation of “cavity effect” and “transfer effect”, enough to collapse the reinforced artillery reinforced concrete bunker .

Such heavy bombs, the “Farmer” bomber can only hang 6 bombs at a time, and the “Hercules” bomber can hang ten bombs at a time, focusing on killing reinforced concrete positions, hidden departments, and command posts.

In the four special “Hercules” bombers, equipped with radio stations for short- and medium-range communication, heavy radio equipment filled the cabin, and an additional artillery observation commander was carried.

Such special planes are called artillery calibration planes. They can observe the effect of artillery shelling in the air, adjust the range and distance of shelling in real time, and carry out precise strikes on German positions with the cooperation of the flag soldiers.

Therefore, the artillery coverage tactics of the Ocean Empire were not random bombardment by the British and French coalition forces, but precise strikes under the guidance of advanced technology.

The same artillery fire coverage tactic has completely different strike effects and effects, and the effectiveness is more than doubled.

Ocean Empire aircraft, which controlled the air supremacy, raged over the Somme River, bombing railways, roads, bridges and other German targets in a radius of nearly 100 kilometers, preventing German reinforcements from entering the Somme River area, and causing heavy damage to it.

For the exposed German artillery positions, the bombers carried out precision bombing tactics.

The specific tactics of    consisted of dozens of bombers mounted with 20-pound and 50-pound bombs, taking the lead in carrying out medium-altitude bombing of the target and clearing the surrounding anti-air defense forces.

Then, several bombers carrying 120-pound heavy bombs entered along the low-altitude bombing route and carried out precision bombing tactics on the target. Finally, the fighters in the group followed and observed the bombing effect.

If it is not ideal, call the next bomber group to bomb again in the air to destroy the hidden German targets, including the fortified artillery position bunkers, underground command posts, medium and large military shelters and ammunition depots and other targets.

As such, the most sturdy target will be destroyed.

This is the superposition of effects in Marshal Li Shuanzhu’s tactics. It does not rely solely on ground artillery or army aviation, but in joint operations, each with its own focus.

After ten o’clock in the morning

Marshal Li Shuanzhu led the senior officials of the Anglo-French coalition to leave the front-line command post and return to the rear headquarters.

It is about 30 kilometers away from the front line, and it is in the safe rear.

Unlike the Germans who were severely bombed by the air, the expeditionary army headquarters was set in a strong French castle building in the town of Spikes. Most of the buildings here are intact, and many local French civilians live here.

On the other hand, several towns within a radius of more than 200 square kilometers behind the German defense line have been bombed into ruins. There are hardly any intact buildings, and there are ruins everywhere.

“Gentlemen, I would like to thank God for allowing us to sit in front of a warm fireplace and enjoy hot coffee on this cold winter day. May God bless you!” Marshal Li Shuanzhu said with a toast, and took a sip of coffee.

“May God bless the Kingdom of Great Britain!”

“God bless France!”

Marshal Li Shuanzhu glanced at Lord Gaff and Admiral Michelet, and there was a flash of clarity in his eyes.

Just from the echoes of the two commanders of the British and French armies, he could hear a lot of things. The British and French armies have fought side by side on the Western Front for more than three years, and the gap is still deep.

On the battlefield of the Somme River, the main force was the British 3rd and 4th Army, and the auxiliary force was the French 6th Army, with a total strength of about 620,000 people.

On the battlefield of the Somme River, where fierce fighting broke out, the main force was the Ocean Empire Expeditionary Force, and the auxiliary forces were the French General Michelet’s 10th Army and the British Lord Gaff’s 5th Army, with a total force of more than 670,000 people.

Among them, the Ocean Empire Expeditionary Force has 300,000 people, while the British and French have suffered losses in the fighting so far. All 38 divisions are dissatisfied with the formation. There are more than 10,000 people, and only 6,000 or 7,000 people are less. The others are either killed or injured. .

The total strength of the Allied Powers reached more than 1.3 million, while the opponent’s German First and Second Army Groups were less than 720,000 (the numbers after suffering heavy blows), an almost 2:1 advantage.

If the situation changed after the Imperial Expeditionary Force arrived on the Western Front, the British and French coalition forces had nearly one million troops against 790,000 Germans, and the advantage was not great.

At this time, you can see the effect of the continuous bombardment in the air, which interrupted all the railways, roads and bridges that the German reinforcements had sent to the front.

One trades off and the other grows, and the strength of the two sides changes rapidly.

In some areas of the southern front where the attack was the most violent, the ratio of the forces of the enemy and us has reached 3:1 or even 4:1, creating a very good environment for the assault of the armored group.

“Gentlemen, we can’t be too optimistic about the temporary advantage. According to the established battle plan, artillery fire will be used at night to block the key nodes of roads and bridges where the German army mainly sends troops forward. I ask that the artillery fire should not be stopped for more than three minutes.

During the daytime, our Royal Army bombers will take over the battlefield, bombing and strafing any army columns that appear on the road, blocking German reinforcements. This is the key to winning the final victory. ”

Marshal Li Shuanzhu tapped **** the directions of several key roads on the map to show his attention.

In the daytime, when the Germans were ravaging the air force, it was impossible for the Germans to massively reinforce the front line. The endless plain was an insurmountable death zone.

His exhortation is very reasonable. The artillery units gathered on the battlefield of the Somme River, a total of 13 artillery divisions, plus 21 artillery regiments, most of which belong to the British and French coalition forces, and many of them are from the Somme River. The line battlefield was transferred to strengthen the firepower.

The actual command of the    artillery is in the hands of the British and French forces.

The independent command right that Marshal Li Shuanzhu has won is limited to the established battlefields of the Ocean Empire on the Somme River Front. The British 5th Army and the French 10th Army, which are assisting the attack, are not included, which are friendly forces.

was obliged to cooperate with the attack in accordance with the battle plan, but did not obey the orders of Marshal Li Shuanzhu. It was not a relationship between superiors and subordinates.

Thinking about it with your toes, you know that both the British and the French have their own imperial pride, and it is absolutely impossible to hand over hundreds of thousands of troops to a foreigner. That is completely unimaginable.

Therefore, the accurate execution of the relevant operational plans must rely on the cooperation of friendly forces.

Regardless of whether the British or the French, with a discount, the German army who finally slipped through the artillery blockade will become a big problem for the Imperial Expeditionary Force. This is the coordination problem of the multinational coalition.

“Three minutes, I’m afraid this is very difficult?” British Lord Gaff’s 5th Army.

At present, the British artillery is the main force. If a certain section of the road is blocked, several artillery units must take turns fighting.

Due to the frequent change of artillery positions, under the current backward communication conditions, it is impossible to communicate with each other by telephone lines. It is necessary to formulate very precise plans and strong execution.

“Your Excellency Lord Gaff, Your Excellency Admiral Michelet, the irregular three-minute interval between shelling is necessary to block the advance of German reinforcements at night. If this is not possible, I will consider alternatives. “Marshal Li Shuanzhu’s tone was very tough, his uncompromising gaze glanced at the two military leaders present, and he tapped the map with his hand and said; “If this is not possible, too many German reinforcements will be put in, which will lead to the attack.” Troops have suffered heavy losses, and their success has been lost, and the Empire will reconsider its plans for reinforcements in Europe. The consequences of all this will be borne by the two of you.”

“Wat, your Ocean Empire is in charge of the main attack, but I have to bear the final defeat. What’s the reason?” Lord Gaff was angered by the tough attitude of Marshal Li Shuanzhu, and looked over with a gloomy expression, full of arrogance of the British aristocrats.

French Admiral Michelet was not so arrogant, but his tone was not good. He said with a reserved expression; “Li, this joke is not funny.”

“It’s not a joke. After successive weakenings, the total number of face-to-face enemies in our expeditionary force is about 140,000 to 150,000. After several days of continuous artillery coverage and bombing, it will be further reduced. A situation conducive to our armored group assault is formed. .”

Li Shuanzhu was handsome and vigorous, looked around with an irrefutable attitude, and continued: “If you put a German division in your artillery defense line, our odds of winning will be reduced by one point, and we can’t relax at such a terrible time. Otherwise, all the previous achievements will be lost. I will never allow such a thing to happen. When necessary, I will directly submit to His Majesty the Emperor of the Empire to request that this attack be cancelled. Anyway, this is not our war, and it is the French who are unlucky to drag it down.”

“You…” Lord Gaff stood up angrily, but couldn’t say a word.

And the French Admiral Michelet was dumbfounded, and his head was covered in black lines.

This grandfather in front of me is not easy to serve, maybe he can really pick up his son.

(end of this chapter)