Battle of the Third Reich Chapter 433: Crushing (continued)

How long does it take to completely annihilate an infantry battalion with 700 soldiers? The answer given by the fourth armored company is two hours and forty minutes. This is from the first shot until the last Italian soldier was captured. If you deduct the time wasted by infantry troops in combat, this record can actually become shorter.

There is no invincible person in this world. Of course, the Italian soldiers will not be invincible King Kong. The impulse for a time made the soldiers temporarily forget their fear, but soon the Germans awakened them with fierce firepower. Human memory.

Infantry is inherently at a disadvantage in front of armored vehicles. Before the two sides approach a dangerous distance, the infantry is only a target for the armored force. As for this distance, it depends on what kind of anti-armor weapons the infantry has. Unfortunately, these Italians have only some glass bottles containing a small amount of gasoline at the moment.

On this point, gasoline was finally obtained before the war began. After losing German assistance, Italy’s fuel reserves were nearly exhausted. At this time, most of the strategic reserves of fuel were transported to the front lines of Greece and the North African colonies for maintenance. Frontline operations and the normal operation of colonial forces.

I want to point out here that at least 200,000 tons of fuel has been lost in the Mediterranean because of the Royal Navy’s interception, accounting for almost two-thirds of the total transport volume. But the problem is that even if the loss is large, the Italians can only swallow it with blood. They must ensure the fuel supply in Libya, where the largest armored corps in Italy is now stationed there. Once the supply is cut off, these tanks and trucks will become one. Pile of scrap iron.

The African troops of Britain and France are now eyeing on both ends of Libya. What's more, it now seems that the enemy will add a newly formed African army to Germany.

The remaining strategic fuel reserves are in the hands of the Air Force and the Navy, but these two are also major fuel consumers, so at this time they have almost reached the point of exhaustion and the navy’s main ships have been connected for half. I haven't patrolled the sea for a month, just to save precious fuel just in case.

Col. Bernafini is an old-school stubborn Italian nobleman. He was supposed to be an arrogant and lonely figure. Unexpectedly, this old man was very popular in the army. Usually, this head is very enthusiastic, generous and in a good mood. From time to time, private money was paid to repay debts for his subordinates.

So when they saw the captain's death, most of the Italian soldiers who witnessed this scene were moved. They were full of grief and indignation, holding up their weapons and charging towards the Germans. At this time, they only wanted to avenge Lord Baron. .

But this kind of impulse inspired by anger is destined to be impossible to last. Human beings are naturally a creature that seeks advantages and avoids harm, and Italians who love to enjoy themselves are among the best. The German counterattack was extremely fierce, and the battlefield losses soon exceeded the critical point of psychological endurance by Italian officers and soldiers.

There were almost two hundred soldiers rushing out of the woods. They faced the firepower of two 20mm machine guns and seven machine guns on the right flank of the German army. The No. 3 tank in the main German army also joined. In this battle, many of these tanks were still early models with 37mm guns. This firepower might be somewhat weak against British and French tanks, but it was effortless to slaughter light infantry.

In less than a minute after the start of the war, more than 70 Italian soldiers were killed on the spot, and the number of casualties was almost the same. Then the Italian First Barracks suddenly collapsed. Just a few seconds ago, the Italian soldiers were extremely brave and violent, almost giving the Germans the illusion that the Italians would fight to the end. The Italian infantry on the battlefield began to turn around and retreat. Some fled eastward along the edge of the woods, while the rest slid back into the woods.

The most enthusiastic pursuit of the German army has begun, and the armored forces have an advantage in this regard. In this open plain area, it is impossible for infantry with two legs to escape under the pursuit of armored vehicles. The German army was divided into three groups in platoons. Two groups flared behind the forest from the right side, and one group was responsible for chasing down the infantry who fled along the edge of the forest.

The fourth company was performing a feint mission this time, so it didn’t have a motorized infantry company with it. Tank troops alone couldn’t eliminate the infantry in the woods. So the mission of entering the woods to destroy the enemy was handed over The two infantry companies were digging trenches on the other side of the road.

It is estimated that the firepower of the German army from the Italian army in the woods is currently hiding at least two to 300 Italian infantry. In fact, there are more than 500 Italian soldiers hiding in the woods at this time, but they lack machine guns and The mortar resulted in a misjudgment of the number of German troops.

Taking advantage of the time when the German infantry was formulating a search plan, three tank platoons surrounded this small woodland from three sides, and the commander planned to wait and see the turtles in the urn.

An armored platoon on the south side repelled the impact of three Italian infantry platoon-level units in succession. The tactics of the Italian infantry were somewhat similar to those of the German army. They also relied on machine guns to cover each other alternately. The problem was that these infantry were lacking at this time. With the support of heavy firepower, their medium mortars and heavy machine guns were all left in the barracks.

At this moment, the Italians only have some 45mm mortars known for their high-firing and precision. They cannot pose any actual threats to German tanks. What's more, they don’t carry much ammunition, mainly Some anti-infantry iron-clad grenades, and those shredded shrapnel that made the infantry demon, can only scrape off the shiny paint on the car body in vain at this moment, and clink the tank's armor.

The German armored platoon leader pointed out in the post-war report that in this case, the Italians needed smoke bombs that could shield the battlefield, but it was obvious that the Italians did not have such ammunition.

At this time, the Italian soldiers hadn't completely given up their hearts. They then launched several tentative attacks on the other side of the woods. The entire platoon of Italian infantrymen launched continuous assaults, seemingly indifferent to their own losses, in order to escape Heavens, they all showed great energy.

The excellent Italian shooters in the bushes caused some trouble to the Germans. These hunters carried Carcano short-barreled carbines. The 6.5mm round-headed bullets showed up within a combat distance of less than 200 meters. With its amazing power, once the bullet hits the head or torso, there is basically no need to save it.

For the next period of time, the German army did not progress smoothly. The stubbornly resisting Italian Sixth Army showed a very tenacious fighting will. The German army had to admit that these rookie infantry were acting like enemies outside the woods. Just as good.

The Italian infantry battalion did not carry radio equipment, and could not ask for help from their comrades in the city. They also knew that even if they called for help, it was impossible for reinforcements to come. However, these soldiers were still fighting hard, and no one proposed to surrender to the Germans.

Italian officers played a key role in this battle. It is because of their persistence that the troops can be reorganized from collapse in a very short time, and because of their calm attitude, the soldiers Forgetting the tension and fear, although in a disadvantageous situation, he still bravely aimed at the enemy and shot.

Soon the fourth company and the infantry were exhausted by this group of stubborn Italians. They have already lost 30 soldiers here. If this is delayed, they will become colleagues even if they win. The laughing stock in the mouth.

The division has asked whether it needs to mobilize artillery to support it, and apparently began to doubt whether the fourth company can end the battle alone.

After discussing with the commander of the infantry company, the Fourth Armored Company mobilized two No. 2 tanks to try to attack the forest. This petite armored vehicle can barely move in the jungle, but it must be With the cooperation and cover of infantry, it is easy to be ambushed by enemy soldiers and cause serious losses.

As the commander feared, the attack also ended in failure. The Italians had dug a large number of foxholes in the woods in the previous hour. They hid in these pits. Drop bombs and fire at all targets seen in the field of view.

The second tank only advanced 20 meters, and even hit five or six glass bottles. The Germans did not expect that the Italians would dare to use this thing in the woods where they were hiding. Could it be that they wanted to die with them? Two No. 2 tanks were put into reverse gear without saying a word, and fled the woods with a panic full of gasoline tanks.

The fourth company finally gave up the plan to attack, obediently waiting for the support sent by the superior. But what they didn't expect was that it was not a divisional artillery, but a team of Stuka bombers.

"All units are ready." Captain Mangels, the commander of the Armored Fourth Company, yelled with a microphone in his hand: "A squadron of Stuka has been transferred to us above!"

On the side of the company commanding the tanks, the non-commissioned officers of the ground guidance team were sitting in their radio communication vehicles, talking nervously with the coming Stuka formation.

The German troops on the periphery of the woods began to spread their 4D flags on the ground, revealing their identities to allies in the air. In fact, the target identification of this battle is not difficult. The bomber only needs to attack the woods. As for the target to escape from the woods, the fourth armor company, which has been suffocated long ago, can clean up by itself.

"See it." The deputy company commander, Captain Cowell climbed onto the command tank of the company commander, leaned on the spare parts box behind the turret, and handed a cigarette to the armored company commander with a serious expression. .

"What?" The company commander took the cigarette in confusion.

"They are wearing a 6th Army uniform." Cowell took out a lighter and lit a cigarette for Mangels.

"It's the 6th Army Air Force. I only heard it before. I didn't expect the formation to be completed so soon." Mangels took a puff of cigarette and touched the stubble on his chin.

"Red smoke bomb!" a sergeant from the ground guidance team turned and shouted at Mangels.

"Red, do you hear it? I immediately light the red smoke bomb." Mangels picked up the microphone and called out loudly.

"Look, they're on top." Cowell shouted, pointing to the top of his head.

"The trains are ready, and the Italians will be driven out soon." Mangels squinted and looked up at the sky, and then issued a preparation order.

The voice hadn't fallen yet, and Stuka's sharp howling sounded in the sky. The armored company commander looked up again, and saw three Stukas lined up in a neat triangle, diving almost perpendicularly toward the woods.

The dive bomber screamed and dived vertically, getting closer and closer to the ground. The German soldiers who witnessed this moment involuntarily held their breath.

Stuka was still diving. It seemed that these pilots weren't ready to pull up. Just at a height of less than 300 meters from the ground, the belly frame suddenly unfolded, and heavy bombs were thrown away by centrifugal force. The body, then the autopilot forcibly pulled up the body, and the motives roared frantically ~IndoMTL.com~ to drag these eagle birds painted in gray-green camouflage to the sky again.

The German tankers opened their eyes wide, and followed the bombs falling into the green woods. After a second, several huge fireballs rose into the air, even if they were two to three hundred meters away from the woods. The human body can feel that terrible shock wave.

"These Italians are dead, and the next two waves are using incendiary bombs." The sergeant of the lead group smiled and said to Mangels.

"Good job, thank these pilots for me." Mangels nodded in greeting.

"Understood, sir." The sergeant returned a beautiful military salute, then turned around neatly.

These German armored soldiers have personally verified the power of heavy solidification for the first time. Mangels felt that those Stuka had summoned the Hell of the Abyss to the world, and a series of incendiary bombs were erected in front of the Germans. After a fire wall of fifty meters high, the armored soldiers had to move their tanks backwards to avoid the scorching heat.

Soon Italian soldiers rushed out from the woods, and many people’s uniforms were lit, but no matter how these poor soldiers tumbling on the ground, they couldn’t extinguish the flames that seemed to come from hell.

Some Italian soldiers were scared. They wailed and cried, and ran towards the German defense line with their hands high. They thought they would be rescued by getting there, but they were greeted by the ruthless German bullets.

"They asked for it." Mangels turned his face and fixed his eyes on his deputy commander.

"Yes, they asked for it." Cowell raised his head and looked at the sky as he finished speaking. A pillar of smoke stood above the woods.

The German captain let out a sigh of relief and flew away the cigarette **** in his hand.

ps: Sorry for being late, but finally caught up.

Thank you for your support.