Battle of the Third Reich Chapter 210: The destruction of the empire (6)

The defensive line of Lambeth Bridge was breached, which dealt a heavy blow to the usurpering forces of Prince Henry's line. ●⌒novel,

Most of these hard-core royal party members have aristocratic roots, and they have received elite education since they were young. Of course, they also include various war courses and military training. They would not fail to know the importance of the Lambeth Bridge in the Westminster defensive circle. This bridge is located at the waist and abdomen of the Thames defensive line. German troops can enter the Whitehall area as long as they cross this bridge. Go straight to the heart of the British Empire.

So they also strengthened the defensive force of Lambeth Bridge and put the most elite Welsh Guards in their eyes to this key position. This Guards Regiment, like the Scottish Guards, retained an infantry battalion on the mainland, and the other battalion, as the face of the royal family of the British Empire, is now blocked in the fortress of Gibraltar.

As the only old foundation of the old guards in the mainland, the Welsh regiment is of course regarded as a humerus by the royal family, and special attention is paid to it when reorganizing. It is a pity that the foundation of the Welsh Guards was not very solid. The new Guards, which was formed in 1915, was originally a guise to win over the Welsh people. After the beginning of the First World War, this unit was there in the first month. They were incorporated into the expeditionary force and went to the French battlefield. The War Department knew that this unit was very soft, so they didn't let them go directly to the front line to fill the crater. In the end, they survived the four-year war without danger.

After the end of World War I, this unit continued to serve as a symbol of Wales’ loyalty to the royal family. Most of the day’s day was spent performing royal ceremonial tasks, such as performing the changing of the guard and arranging military parades in Buckingham Palace Square. Because they have appeared in front of the royal family more than any guards, and the military appearance revealed after long-term training in platoon exercises looks really mighty and majestic, so that it leaves the impression of an elite division in the hearts of the royal family members. .

This time, the Welsh Guards were transferred to the first line of defense. It was also for this reason. In the eyes of the royal family, all the veterans of the Welsh Regiment are elite. The end result is that they put a semi-professional guard of honor on the front line.

What's even more incredible is that the officers and soldiers of the Welsh Guards held the same views as the royal family. Because they have been sought after by the media for a long time, they have long regarded themselves as elite British troops. The Welsh people may have some difficulty in counterattacking enemy-occupied areas, but it should be no problem to resist the German attack. As a result, the two sides just touched. The Welshman was stunned by the German army.

It was the 1st Infantry Division of the German Army who slinged the Welsh. The commander of the division, Colonel Ravi, was eager to fight, and failed to control the speed of the troops when he turned. As a result, the order of the march was chaotic and the friendly operations were also affected. Colonel Ravi was sternly scolded by Manstein on the phone. He never knew that the well-mannered chief of staff could be so vicious.

Because this is indeed his mistake, he has no reason to explain or refute it. In the end, the anger and anger can only be vented on the head of the hapless Welshman. In Ravi's view, all the troubles were caused by the group of idiots on the opposite side. If it weren't for their messy mutiny, he wouldn't have been scolded in vain.

What’s more serious is that this incident will definitely leave a bad impression in the mind of the picky chief of staff. He will definitely write this incident in his legendary notebook. If this When the incident reaches the head of the state, maybe his career prospects may be affected.

To cut a person's wealth is like killing a parent, and a person's future is like killing a whole family. How can this tone be tolerated, even without Manstein's order. He also wants to teach the Brits on the opposite side a lesson they will never forget. Ravi knew very well that his career was in crisis, and now only the shining merits and the blood of the enemy can wash away the stain and shame on him.

The 1st Infantry Division did not conduct any trial or feint at all. Ravi personally commanded the front line, and the German infantry directly launched a frontal assault on the British positions.

The Thames has a ninety-degree turn in Southwark, and the river near Lambeth Bridge has turned north-south. The German infantry under the cover of wheeled armored scout vehicles is facing the Welsh regiment’s bridgehead position on the east bank. Initiated repeated shocks, the British soldiers waited for a fight before realizing the big gap between imagination and reality.

This area is different from the complex environment of Waterloo Railway Station. There is a large green area around the bridgehead. The German infantry first surrendered the British skirmishers in the surrounding buildings from house to house. In the end, it turned into the German army relying on the cover of the building, using crossfire to suppress the shooting of the British soldiers in the position.

Ravi was not satisfied with the German advancing speed. He knew that the 7th Armored Division encountered a stubborn resistance from the British at Waterloo Station, although he knew he should not think about it like this. He still thinks that this is an opportunity God gave him. As long as he can tear open the enemy's defense line before other troops and open a breakthrough for Cypress, then the previous erroneous records will be scattered with the wind.

After repeatedly checking the position of the British army, Ravi decisively ordered the mobilization of infantry artillery and mortars belonging to the regiment's artillery to launch the bombardment because there were no historical buildings nearby. It is in full compliance with the command of the High Command regarding the use of artillery in London.

It is conceivable that only a small part of the soldiers of the Welsh Guards have recruited the veterans of World War I who have experienced heavy artillery bombardment. So far, others have only heard the sound of artillery coming from a distance during the outer battle. , There is no concept of shelling at all. As a result, after the first round of shells fell, the Welsh people on this position immediately resumed their business and all of them went to herding sheep.

The so-called defeat in the army is also about the scene in front of you. In fact, there is a more vivid analogy, the scene is like an ant nest watered by boiling water. The two rifle companies and one logistics company garrisoned at this large bridgehead position add up to almost 400 people. Excluding those who were killed and injured before, there are at least more than 300 guns left after one round of shelling. Both the officers and the soldiers threw away the guys in their hands. They climbed out of the bunkers and positions they were holding, rushing to the Lambeth Bridge behind the position, spreading their legs and rushing towards the other side of the river.

Ravi was also taken aback by the reaction of the British. Are these people not the so-called elite British troops? How could they not even the militiamen of the National Self-Defense Corps they encountered before entering the city?

The quality of the German front-line officers was very high. Before Ravi could issue a pursuit order, some swift infantry platoons had already rushed out of their positions and spontaneously pursued the Welsh. Ravi was very satisfied with the performance of his subordinates in mastering the fighters. He immediately ordered the armored reconnaissance company and the divisional guard company's half-track vehicles to join the pursuit, and strive to win the British position in the West Bank.

On this famous bridge over the Thames, the Welsh Regiment’s soldiers were mercilessly slaughtered by the Germans. The Germans used rifles and machine guns to overturn the running British soldiers on the bridge. A section of sandbag barricades near the West Bank used to block German attacks has become a ghost gate. The Guard soldiers blocked here were killed like livestock by the Germans. The twisted bodies of the Guard soldiers piled up here into a low wall. .

Some desperate Welshmen turned their heads and rushed towards the Germans with bare hands, only to be tipped to the ground with bayonets by the German infantry without hesitation. A group of German infantrymen was chasing too quickly, and rammed into the rear group that broke the British army. The German soldiers who had empty their guns had no time to reload at this time. They strode forward directly with their good bayonet rifles. Mixed with the British army and fought hand-to-hand combat.

The hand-to-hand combat at Lambeth Bridge became very famous after the war~ IndoMTL.com~ Every time you mention the Battle of London, the cold-blooded killings that took place on this bridge will be repeatedly mentioned, all because of a German war reporter. The recorded photos taken on-site left a deep and unforgettable memory for a lifetime.

In the photo, a man in a British infantry uniform was lying down on the sidewalk by the bridge railing. He opened his mouth and stretched out his hands forward, seeming to beg his opponent to spare his life, and in front of him stood a heavily armed The German soldier, he was turning his elbow and raising his bayonet rifle ready to go. Judging from his powerful posture, the next moment must be a standard and swift assassination.

The shadow of the brim of the M35 steel helmet blocked the eyes of the German soldier, and only a strong nose and sharp-angled chin were visible. The corners of the soldier's mouth were slightly tilted, revealing a chilling grin.

"Has this German soldier stabbed?" It has been the focus of controversy for decades after the war, because the unknown war reporter wrote a line in English "to survive or to destroy" in the corner of the photo.

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Something happened at home, it was late today, sorry. (To be continued.) SJGSF0916