I was a tycoon in World War I: Starting to save France - Chapter 615

Outside the city of Namur, the German defense line in the wind and snow.

This line of defense was originally defended by Lieutenant General Nicolas’s 21st Army in order to prevent the breakthrough and pursuit of the Belgian army and the Charles 1st Armored Army.

However, this elite force was transferred to Antwerp to attack, and the garrisoned troops were replaced by the 37th Army, which had just finished resting in Berlin.

The so-called “rest and recuperation” means that the troops have been severely beaten on the front line and are transferred to the rear to rest. At the same time, a large number of new recruits are recruited and then transferred to the front line again after a little training.

It is not the habit of the German army for new recruits to go directly to the front line. They usually organize the new recruits into reserve units and perform some low-intensity combat tasks to allow them to adapt to the battlefield before entering the front line.

But now that the war has started, fighting on several fronts has resulted in a severe shortage of troops, and they can no longer take care of so many.

Colonel Ralph stamped his feet in the trench, shivered nervously and moved around for a while, then stepped onto the step stack and carefully poked his head out to observe the enemy’s defense line on the opposite side.

There was nothing, it was too quiet.

In the vast expanse of white, even the corpses and blood were covered up and disappeared.

When Colonel Ralph withdrew his head, staff officer Peter stepped forward and asked: “What are you worried about, Colonel? A Belgian attack?”

Ralph didn’t answer.

The nearby German soldiers responded confidently:

“Don’t worry, Colonel. Although our troops have many new recruits, they are still more than enough to deal with the Belgians.”

“Yes, Colonel, we know the Belgians. They bought their rifles and artillery from us. They can’t even try to defeat us.”

“If we have no combat experience, the Belgians have almost the same.”

…

Colonel Ralph replied with a stern face: “You seem to have forgotten that in Namur, in addition to the Belgian army, there is also a unit of the Charles, the First Armored Corps.”

These words instantly silenced everyone, and a cold wind seemed to blow in the trench, instantly extinguishing the soldiers’ newly ignited fighting spirit.

After a long time, Peter replied: “But Colonel, Charles’s First Armored Corps will be transferred to Brussels soon.”

The soldiers all echoed:

“Yes, everyone knows that the First Armored Corps is going to attack Antwerp.”

“Our troops are out there beating up the British who are running around like monkeys, and Charles must go and save them.”

“No, it should be supplies. Coastal cities are important supply points for the Allied Powers, and Ciel has to save them.”

…

Colonel Ralph didn’t answer. The soldiers made sense, but he still felt something was wrong.

If it was true that the Charles had to save Antwerp as they said, then the Charles tanks should have been shipped to Brussels long ago.

But Colonel Ralph heard nothing about this.

In other words, Charles’s troops are probably still in Namur, and his goal is not necessarily Antwerp.

Suddenly, Colonel Ralph’s expression changed and he ordered: “Shut up, be silent!”

The soldiers stopped talking one after another. Even the soldier who was cleaning his rifle stopped what he was doing. Everyone turned their doubtful eyes to Colonel Ralph.

“Listen,” Colonel Ralph whispered, and then asked, “Do you hear anything?”

The soldiers listened carefully, and some even took off the cotton masks and hoods covering their ears.

Peter stood up and nodded slightly. Colonel Ralph was right. There seemed to be something different in the biting cold wind.

Like a whimper, like a wolf howling, like…

No, that’s the roar of the engine.

“It’s a tank.” Peter exclaimed, turning back to look at the soldiers.

Shock and fear instantly appeared in everyone’s eyes, including Colonel Ralph.

The Belgian army does not have tanks. Another meaning of tanks is Charles’s troops, the First Armored Corps that is attacking them.

“This is impossible!” someone shouted, his voice trembling. He obviously felt that something was wrong, but he just didn’t want to face the reality.

The sound is getting louder and louder, and you can even hear the “rattling” noise when the tracks collide with the ice and snow.

Colonel Ralph quickly lay down at the edge of the trench and raised his telescope. The figures of pitch-black tanks ruthlessly tore through the snow curtain and jumped into the aperture of the telescope, densely packed everywhere.

Although it’s very vague, you don’t have to think that it is definitely a “Shire A1”, and there is also an armored bridge erecting vehicle.

“Alarm!” Colonel Ralph shouted back: “Ready for battle…”

Before he finished speaking, a bullet came through the air and accurately hit Colonel Ralph’s head. It left a bloodstain on the back wall of the trench, freezing Colonel Ralph’s life at this moment. His body fell straight down. On the ground, like a stake.

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The soldiers instantly became confused. They shouted and rushed out of the trench to set up their rifles on the edge. The machine gunners also followed and entered the position.

However, before they could understand what was going on, the bullets knocked them down in a pool of blood as if they had eyes.

The German recruits who followed and prepared to follow up were frightened by this scene. They gasped and watched all this in a daze. This seemed to be different from the battlefield they knew.

Veterans have told recruits more than once:

“The enemy will fire artillery before every attack. This is called artillery cover.”

“Then the enemy will attack and all you have to do is raise your gun, aim and pull the trigger.”

“Don’t worry, there will be no danger in the defensive battle. You just need to follow the veterans!”

“Think about the Battle of the Somme. We killed 100,000 British in one day. Defensive warfare has geographical advantages.”

…

However, the recruits watched the veterans being beaten back one by one as soon as they showed their heads. Almost all of them died in front of them with their heads shot and their brains bursting.

There was no artillery preparation, and we couldn’t even see the shadow of the enemy. We only heard the gunshots, and they were so accurate!

What’s going on?

Can we still show our heads?

Will we end up like the veterans if we show our heads?

Some brave recruits showed their heads, and the result was indeed the same as the veterans, with their brains bursting and dying on the spot. The machine gunner fired randomly and was immediately taken away by a few bullets.

The recruits were so scared that they squatted in the trenches with their guns and shouted, not knowing what to do. Some tried to recall what the instructors taught them, but found that their minds were blank. No one had ever mentioned this situation.

Charles used ambush warfare.

Snowy days are the best cover. Soldiers tie white cloth to their rifles, wear white cloaks and take advantage of the night to crawl to a distance of 100 meters, 50 meters or even closer to the enemy and hide.

As long as they lie still for half an hour or an hour, the snow and wind will cover all traces.

At dawn, thousands of soldiers will lurk in front of the enemy’s trenches and point their black muzzles at the enemy, but the enemy knows nothing about it.

(Note: This is a common tactic used by our army, in order to fight close combat and hand-to-hand combat with the enemy without firepower advantage. Martyr Qiu Shaoyun died heroically during the lurking process in order not to be discovered by the enemy and not to affect the combat plan.)