Chapter 715： Dispatched the 6th Royal Armored Regiment

Tubrug.

This is an important port city, and for the United Kingdom, this place has outstanding significance!

What's the point? Open up land channels!

The Middle East is one of Britain’s most important overseas colonies, providing Britain with a large amount of raw materials, including oil.

But now, Gibraltar has been attacked by the shameful Spaniards. When the rice flag on Gibraltar landed, it marked the western gate of the Mediterranean and closed.

Subsequently, Spain set up a patrol fleet in Gibraltar to check the cargo ships passing by day and night. Because of the rapid decline in naval power, the British navy was unable to retake Gibraltar for the time being.

In this case, the materials in the Middle East can only detour around the southern tip of Africa and walk a large circle, which has expanded the distance several times! For Britain, this is intolerable.

If the sea is temporarily unable to get through, then you can only consider land. If the British occupy Libya, it will be connected with the French colony to the west, and as long as the support of the governor there is won, the entire North Africa will belong to the United Kingdom. Yes, even if it does not go by sea and by land, Britain can continue to be connected with the Middle East.

For the British army in the Middle East, attacking and attacking again is their only choice!

At the same time, another aspect, of course, is the oil base in Libya.

The German war machine is inseparable from oil, and the main source of German oil is Libya! As long as Libya is occupied, Germany will lose its most important oil resources!

As for the shares that the United States has acquired in it, it is easy to deal with it. The big deal is to change to a joint venture with British Petroleum and give more shares to American oil merchants. They will definitely be willing. The most important thing for merchants is profit.

And these all require military victory!

In order to open up the situation in North Africa, the British also took out their possessions. In addition to the original British troops in Africa, the British also mobilized a large number of troops from other colonies, such as Australia and India.

The start was very good, and the Italians were screamed. After occupying Tubrug, an important port in western Libya, the British commander-in-chief, General Wavell, took command of Tubrug himself.

And their good luck ends here.

"Our Australian troops on the outer guard came into contact with the German armored troops, and they all died." Tobrug Fortress Commander Klopp said to Wavell.

On the periphery, German armored troops appeared!

"How many do they have?" Wavell asked.

"There is only about one battalion of troops. We suspect that this is their vanguard." Klopp continued: "German troops have begun large-scale landings in North Africa."

The most reluctant situation has arisen. The Germans have begun to land in North Africa on a large scale!

How to do?

"It seems that we have to eat this pioneering force in Germany." Wavell said: "The Germans have just landed in Africa and are not used to the environment here. We took advantage of the Germans to eliminate this force. To boost our morale."

Morale is the most important thing. The British troops in the Middle East beat the Italians all the way and fled in embarrassment. Their morale is booming. It would be even better if they ate the leading German troops!

At present, the war situation in Europe is not optimistic. Only a victory on the battlefield in North Africa can boost the morale of the local people!

"But, how do we deal with the Germans?" Klopp asked.

German tanks are simply invincible in this era!

Even if the British military industry is rapidly developing new tanks, until now, there is no mature plan.

"Send the 6th Royal Armored Regiment." Wavell said.

"Let them go and die?" Hearing Wavell's words, the commander of the British Eighth Army, Alan Gordon Cunningham, couldn't help asking back.

Although the British mainland is deploying a new tank unit to strengthen the British in the Middle East, they are still at sea so far, and they have not rushed to Africa at all. Montgomery’s feet have not yet stepped on the African desert. .

The 6th Royal Armored Regiment is the only British armored unit in the Middle East. Although they use newer Crusader tanks, this type of cruise tank with a weight of 20 tons cannot compete with the main force of Germany. Tank confrontation.

The origin of this cruise tank must start with the "covenant" tank.

Historically, the "Covenant" cruiser tank was designed in 1937, and the design was finalized in 1940. It was similar in appearance to the A13 cruiser tank, equipped with a 2-pounder gun and a caliber of 40 mm. The suspension device is obviously a Christie suspension device, and the large-diameter road wheels are very eye-catching.

This tank has good maneuverability, but its armor is thinner and its firepower is weak.

And now, the progress of the British is also ahead of history. After all, a year or two ago, the European continent was already full of war clouds, and it is urgent to improve the performance of the "Covenant" tanks.

The "Crusade" cruise tank is improved on the basis of the "Covenant" tank It is jointly manufactured by several companies under the leadership of Nuffield. The development progress is very fast, and it has not caught up with the equipment for the British Expeditionary Force, but has caught up with the present.

The tanks were produced, part to defend the British mainland, and part to be transported to the Middle East and equipped to the regiment in the Middle East.

The British naming this tank the Crusader has a profound meaning.

However, this still can’t change the facts. It’s okay to bully the Italians. Fighting against the German main tanks is absolutely impossible. After all, even with a 57mm tank gun, it cannot penetrate the German tank’s main armor. how to spell?

Therefore, even the commander of the Eighth Army, the main force of the British army, is asking if they want to send them to death?

"We have no choice." Wavell said: "Are we going to give up here? We have to wait for the Germans to hit Egypt, hit our Suez Canal, and drive us out of the Middle East? We can't go back. Everyone knows Germany’s offensive power, and we must resist it!"

Wavell looked further, and now, it was a turning point, the most critical point of the entire Middle East war, they had no choice.

"It's not to die completely. The Germans came all the way. Their tanks may already lack fuel and can't start. For us, this is a good opportunity." Wavell said: "This opportunity, we must seize this opportunity. Live, otherwise, we will become sinners of the times!"

Up to now, the German team has simply created the invincible myth. If this myth of the Germans is broken here, these people in Egypt will create a miracle! Maybe this will be the turning point of the whole World War II?

"We can't play head-on, but we can go behind the Germans! As far as the familiarity with the terrain is concerned, that is definitely our advantage."