Battle of the Third Reich Chapter 432: Crushing (below)

"I was on the left flank of the team, and I didn’t even notice where the Italians came from. When Lieutenant Dane in the second platoon ordered to fire, I realized that the Italian infantry was on the right flank of our tank and The armored vehicles charged.” The German armored sergeant Rudolf Kozel recalled after the war.

"There was a small forest three hundred meters on the right side of the road. There were some shrubs over one meter high on the outside of the forest. I also judged that the Italians might have been in ambush in the woods a long time ago. Of course, this was not the case afterwards. What's going on." Lieutenant Dorman, the third platoon leader, wrote in his diary.

"You asked me what I was thinking? This question is difficult to answer (laughs). To be honest, there was nothing in my mind at the time. I just thought that I had to block the Italian infantry and not let them break through the outer defense line. Enter the company’s array. Fortunately, we have enough mg machine guns and 20mm machine guns. After the war, we found unlit [] beside the bodies of many Italian infantrymen. Do you know what it is? Well, it seems that I don't need to explain it specifically." Sergeant Major Schönberg replied in an interview with Berlin TV.

The German army has a very detailed record of the battle that was born in the outskirts of Verona, which provides a wealth of information for scholars who will study the [Nine Day War] in the future. It is regrettable that there is a lack of testimony from Italy. At that time, the first battalion that participated in the battle, only a handful of people survived in the end, but all of them remained silent on the matter. No matter what they were doing, they kept silent about the battle. People could only suffer from their fear. In the eyes, I felt the tragedy of the [Bloody Day].

The seven hundred and twenty people were grouped according to their squads and formed into six skirmish lines. This was once the most popular infantry strike formation, but it was only in the last World War. There is no other way. The Italians did not have the slightest preparation. At this time, there were no even the most basic trenches. The troops lacked weapons and ammunition, not to mention any supplies and reinforcements.

At this time, apart from rushing out to fight, they only had to retreat into the city and fight street fighting. No matter what choice they made, Verona would definitely fall.

Colon Bernafini never considered the issue of surrendering to the German army from the beginning, which is related to the honor of an old Italian nobleman, and at the same time he could not afford to destroy Verona. This is an ancient city that has stood at the foot of the Alps since the first century AD. It carries the history of Italy for two thousand years. It is the hometown of Romeo and Juliet in Shakespeare's works. It is the holy place of love in the hearts of Italians and even all Europeans. Good wishes.

Bernafini knew that once street fighting broke out, this ancient city would definitely be destroyed. Although the Germans paid attention to monuments, it did not mean that they would be soft on the resistance. Bernafini didn’t want to change the stigma of “Verona Destroyer” after he died, so the colonel of the 6th Army decided to lead the attack himself, hoping to die in the early stages of the battle. On the battlefield, this not only preserved his reputation, but even if the whole city was destroyed by war, no one could blame him.

Bernafini didn’t get any useful information. He didn’t know which German army was the attacker, nor did he know how strong the enemy was. The villagers who came to report only said that the Germans had many tanks, but they couldn’t. Make it clear what the specific number is. Bernafini preliminarily estimated that this was just a forward of the German army. It should be a battalion-level combat unit with a few armored vehicles and tanks. From here, it can be seen that the colonel's vision is still somewhat unique. The forward of the whole army is indeed the German army. A battalion-level unit. It's just that this enthusiastic villager rushed into the city to report the situation, and did not see the mighty German follow-up armored unit.

The four companies of the 1st Battalion of the 33rd Armored Regiment of the German Army have gathered three outside Verona, and a medium-sized armored company is now guarding the motorized of the 102nd Artillery Regiment. The First Artillery Battalion and the 47th Heavy Machine Gun Battalion rushed to the front.

The task of the First Armored Battalion is to occupy favorable terrain outside the city, block the city’s external traffic, surround the city before the main force arrives, and wait for the large forces to arrive, and then make a final decision.

Of course, the troops in charge of the encirclement can also play some feints to test the defense arrangement of the opponent and the morale and combat determination of the guards. If the current enemy's resistance is not strong, the feint attack can immediately become a formal attack. This has already had countless successful cases in the past tactical use of the German army.

The task assigned to Silian is to carry out some feints on the west side of the city, to investigate the defensive arrangements on the periphery of the city. If conditions permit, you can enter part of the city. Access.

This light armored company is equipped with a total of 22 tanks and four armored platoons under it, each with four No. 3 and one No. 2 tanks. At present, there are many armored units in this configuration in the German army. It is said that this is only a transitional organization, which makes the German armored soldiers full of expectations for the future.

Because of the low requirements of the road, the No. 2 tank was arranged in the wilderness on both sides of the road to undertake the reconnaissance and guard tasks on the two wings of the marching column. The No. 2 tanks also belonged to the 9th Investigation Battalion. Of six six-wheeled medium-sized armored reconnaissance vehicles. This reinforced armored reconnaissance platoon happened to not receive a new mission, so it was pulled by the armored regiment.

Bernafini did not expect to encounter German tanks. His original target was the German infantry on the other side of the road. Two infantry companies from the first battalion of the 2nd Regiment of the 9th Brigade were building construction there. Holding defensive positions. The Italian colonel was prepared to take advantage of the fact that these German troops were not firmly established, and the raid would teach the Germans a profound lesson. Perhaps the Italian infantry battalion would suffer heavy losses, but it was also expected. He did not expect to rely on these light infantry to defeat the powerful. enemy.

The Italian colonel's tactics should be considered successful in the early stages. They maneuvered to a place less than one kilometer away from the German position, and the Germans didn't even know this at this time.

The Italians lined up the skirmish line and strode through the woods, but after the soldiers stepped out of the bushes, they found that the road not far away was lined with German tanks, and they were horizontally in the field. Several of the wheeled armored vehicles were less than two hundred meters away from them, and they could clearly distinguish the vehicle number and the iron cross emblem.

At this time, the Italians had exposed their whereabouts, and the German scouts, who maintained a high degree of vigilance, hurriedly turned the machine gun tower on the reconnaissance vehicle, and fired a few short companies to warn the large troops.

A No. 2 tank that had driven too far also began to turn its body, aiming its frontal armor at the woods. Who knows if these unidentified enemy forces carry anti-tank weapons? The armor of the No. 2 tank is too thin. Reluctantly withstand heavy machine gun shooting.

At this time, the Italian officers and soldiers at the edge of the jungle, including Colonel Bernafini standing in the first row, were all stunned by the sudden situation in front of them. They were stuck on the edge of the bush like wooden stakes, not knowing that they should retreat now. Go ahead. As a result, the Germans couldn't tell what happened, so the two sides didn't react in the first few seconds, and they confronted each other with big eyes and small eyes.

It was Bernafini who broke this stalemate~IndoMTL.com~ He regrets now that he hasn't sent a cutting-edge soldier, and he has fallen into this embarrassing situation. These are genuine tanks, not street trams. The angular armor reflects the cold in the sun. He can even see the German soldier's face on the machine gun tower of the armored reconnaissance vehicle. The young and immature one is nervous. With a particularly hideous face, Bernafini estimated that his current expression would not look much better than the other.

"Charge! Long live Italy!" Bernafini raised his commanding knife and pointed forward, then rushed towards the German armor group first.

"This is the ending I want!" The old colonel dashed forward with his saber. He saw the German machine gun that was facing him constantly spitting flames, and the bullets flicked out of his ears. With a sharp scream, death is approaching, but his heart is extremely quiet at this moment. Isn't this the moment he was looking forward to, dying on the battlefield like heroes in tragedies?

The Italian infantry first stared blankly at their regiment’s charge, and then watched the brave old man being shot over the lawn by the German machine gun. The blood was scattered like flames. Bright red.

"Go ahead! Long live Italy!"

The German No. 2 tank began to shoot at the Italian infantry. As the comrades around him fell one after another under the rain of German bullets, the inevitable despair and anger towards death occupied the soldiers’ minds, and the tyrannical flames filled the soldiers’ minds. With their chests full, the Italian infantry roared frantically. They danced the Carcano rifles in their hands, tightly held the ones just made before, and made the final charge towards the Germans.

ps: Sorry for being late today, thank you for your support.

Thank you. (To be continued.)

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