I Became a Captain of the British Empire - Chapter 143



duck eggs

The Gulf of St. Lawrence, which separates the Canadian mainland from the island of Newfoundland, is an ocean from which the waters of the Great Lakes flow into the mouth of the river.

It made a great contribution to defending Newfoundland against the 2 million U.S. Army, which had swept most of the mainland.

The shortest stretch was just 100km from New Brunswick. But even that was enough to prevent Patton’s cavalry from trampling the soil of Newfoundland.

And today, the sea showed its majesty even toward the landing fleet that filled the water surface. Fireworks flashed everywhere with the momentum to cover the blue waves with graphite.

“Peter! Peter! Can you see that?”

Standing on the deck of the landing craft, Corporal Peter Browder looked back at his comrade shaking his shoulder. On the left and right of the fleet, countless high-speed boats were running through the waves.

“Raimi, it’s a torpedo boat. damn it! Could it be that torpedoes are not flying at us?”

“… Aren’t we safe because we’re the center?”

I couldn’t be sure. But they didn’t think about it anymore.

There’s nothing a mere soldier can do about worrying about approaching death.

While Peter looked around anxiously, the US Navy’s torpedo boats were fighting a bloody battle. Deadly torpedoes cut through the dense fleet, and tracers from the cannon pounded the fragile hull.

thud-

“sh*t! One has been caught!”

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Peter turned his head at the sound of the screams that accompanied the detonation. In the distance, a transport ship engulfed in flames sank in half.

“Is it safe here?”

“I don’t know. Air Corps bastards, what are you doing here?”

Suddenly looking up at the sky, a tangled web of contrails blocked their eyes,

The flight squad, which cast a shadow over the sky, couldn’t afford to take care of the lower ones because they were fighting among themselves.

Tracer bullets flashed, and the aircraft that occasionally hit the fuel tank turned into a ball of fire and crashed. One aircraft crashed into the sea only 10 meters away from the landing ship.

There wasn’t much to protect the fleet.

“Prepare the landing craft!”

“wait! When the shelling starts, rush in!”

At the commander’s command, everyone looked at the field artillery on top of the transport. Fierce gunfire roared across the sea, including cruisers supported by the Navy. Some of the soldiers seemed somewhat relieved by the overwhelming fire.

But for some reason, Peter couldn’t be too relieved. Soon the shore began to appear.

“Ready to land!”

The red lamp goes up, and the soldiers holding their rifles swallow dry saliva. The soldiers on the deck looked back at the horizon with dark eyes.

The sea was still littered with explosions and smoke.

Corporal Peter Browder grabbed the rope, went down, and boarded a boat waiting beneath the landing craft. Danjeong, which gained speed little by little, approached the shore.

But somehow, the fire still poured fiercely towards them.

“Damn it, what did the artillery do?”

“One fella!”

“oh my god. You’re alive and well, you bastards!”

From large-caliber field artillery to coastal artillery, mortars to machine guns.

As it got closer, all kinds of firearms were mobilized and pounded the landing craft. If you look closely, most of our artillery fire fell over the hill and into the empty field.

At this point, I just cover my eyes and say goodbye.

“Damn it… .”

I couldn’t turn the landing craft now. The soldiers merely urged the helmsman, hoping that their ships would not be targeted.

Some brave fighter-bombers dropped bombs and machine guns on the shore. Only then did an explosion sound heard near the barricade.

The cruiser approaching the shore also fired a powerful 6-inch salvo. It was the moment when the effect of the shelling appeared little by little.

thud-

The cruiser, which was chock-full of large-caliber coastal guns, swayed like a paper boat. The cruiser, which scattered fragments everywhere like firecrackers exploding inside the ship, twisted with a strange cry and slowly leaned to port.

“Don’t look! Focus on the front!”

The platoon commander frowned and urged the soldiers. But I couldn’t help but hear the noise of the cruiser being torn apart.

how much time has passed

Suddenly, the landing craft shook, and the front ramp tilted, revealing a white sandy beach. In the green fields beyond, the bombardment that had not yet ceased was blazing and scattering a smoke screen.

“landing! landing!”

“Rush in! Don’t stop!”

puck- puck-

Halfway across the field, I started hearing the sound of bullets going behind me. When he raised his head slightly, the bloody tracer stems crossed in front of Peter.

He immediately threw himself to the ground.

“Oh my God… .”

A colleague’s voice was heard nearby. A shrieking sound cut through the air, and screams rang out as if enveloping them in all directions.Make sure to read from noble mtl dot com

Peter barely turned his head, buried in the dust. Only then did he realize what his colleagues were seeing and despairing about.

“… Are we alone?”

Dozens of ships were sinking before their eyes.

* * *

After half a day of desperate fighting, Peter’s battalion had only 200 men left.

Suddenly, the door opened and a familiar silhouette approached them.

“It’s a tank!”

“Damn it, it’s too late!”

With a loud caterpillar sound, a tank belonging to the 2nd Cavalry Division ran through the shell pits to the shoreline.

M1917 light tank.

A licensed copy version of a Renault tank made during the last great war. The main force of the US Cavalry Division, with hundreds prepared during the interwar period.

While production of the new M2 tanks was slow due to the chaotic political situation in Detroit, they were able to be put into operation without problems.

Although outdated, the troop’s morale temporarily rose with the advent of the tank. Indeed, the sight of him advancing while lightly bouncing off machine gun fire was enough to be called a savior by infantry.

Until sharp arrowheads pierced the tank’s armor.

“… Wait, what is that?”

It was a moment.

Before the foot soldiers could shout at the rectangular shadows cast over the hills, the Renault tank was hit by darting fire.

With the sound of crackling steel plates breaking, the tank instantly turned into a ball of fire. Soon after, the foot soldiers fell into despair as they saw a huge silhouette appearing on the hill.

“It’s a tank! A tank has appeared!”

Of course, it was not an allied tank. No one in the field had ever seen a tank equipped with such a thin and long gun barrel.

The tank with a rectangular silhouette slowly climbed over the hill and came down with machine gun fire from the hull. The noise of steel cut through the trenches.

Tank guns roared and bullets covered the dirt floor.

Watching the iron beast accelerate down the hill, Peter quietly raised his hands. He is determined to end his war.

* * *

1 hour later

Newfoundland coast.

Between the tanks lined up on the roadside, a small armored car passes.

Colonel Erwin Rommel, commander of the 25th Tank Regiment, inspected the beach after the battle. The seaside, stained with smoke and pits, was stained with the blood that flowed from the sea.

“There is no such thing as hell. It’s stupid. What was the enemy commander thinking?”

Rommel pulled himself out of the armored car and looked around with bitter eyes. Tanks aimed at the shore were ready to block the enemy’s landing at any time.

Fortunately, however, the fleet no longer crossed the horizon. It was the same with other coastlines.

“I understand that an amphibious assault on a well-prepared shore is extremely difficult. And how important the tank is.”

Rommel nodded as he looked at the tank with its guns proudly raised. The tank company commander, who had approached his armored vehicle before he knew it, saluted and said.

“The new heavy tank has exceeded expectations. Not even their Renaults could stop our 3.7cm high-velocity guns. The armor protection is also excellent.”

“of course. It’s a tank made for that purpose.”

While nodding his head pretending to be calm, Rommel couldn’t hide his excited smile.

The US Army’s Renault FT-17 could not beat German tanks built for anti-tank warfare.

Of course, the US Army didn’t know that.

But they misjudged the size of the German tank forces.

The number of tanks caught in the enemy’s intelligence network due to the deception operation was only about 20, at best it was a quantity that could be seen as one armored battalion. However, the unit actually deployed in Newfoundland was one armored division.

“Section A has been cleared… Is the rest of the B block?”

“Yes, it is said that the front line is at a standstill with tank and machine gun emplacements that have now landed.”

“I must hurry.”

Rommel tilted his head toward the shore on the other side, where the gunfire was still roaring.

The armored units waiting inland as a mobile reserve performed their role as soon as the landings began. The performance of the troops led by Rommel was only a part of it.

“Leave the cleanup of the prisoners to the follow-up unit, and we move to compartment B. There are still many enemies left.”

“Are you talking about the enemy who will be surrendered?”

“Perhaps. Let’s hurry before the others ask.”

“yes! Solidarity, forward!”

With an earth-shaking noise, the Iron Slayer troops moved. The battle would be over soon.

* * *

An hour later, the entrance to St. Lawrence Bay.

Task Force Z flagship ‘Hood’.

A squad of battlecruisers waiting at the mouth of the bay.

We waited for the command to rush in, looking at the horizon where graphite rose.

Tension lingers on the bridge from the intermittent gunfire.

Adjutant Lieutenant Colonel Rich asked with a slightly nervous look.

“Will there be an order?”

“I don’t know. If MacArthur gambles a bit more, we’ll go.”

It probably won’t be much of a thing.

While I was waiting like that, a report came in on the bridge.

“Admiral! A call from the gun flagship ‘Rodney’!”

“Interpret.”

While Hood’s slow-moving communications officer listened to the call, I looked back at the fleet’s formation.

A task force consisting of the swift Mackensen-class battlecruisers, Hood, and Renaun.

In preparation for any additional landings, they were preparing to bombard the shore at any time.

No, personally, I want to push to the shore at this time and wipe out all the landing ships. That way, I won’t be able to dare to do this kind of operation again.

But apart from that, the communications officer silently read the telegram.

“Confirmation of retreat of current enemy amphibious fleet and suppression of remaining forces.”

What is it? Officers tilting their heads in anticipation.Make sure to read from noble mtl dot com

Perhaps conscious of everyone’s gaze, his voice stuttered.

“… Confirm the retreat of the enemy fleet. The Strait Break has been suspended. The fleet will immediately return to its respective home ports.”

brief content.

And the meaning was clear.

“Admiral… It’s a big win! The war has been won!”

Thunderous cheers filled Hood’s bridge.

The Battle of the Atlantic’s largest fleet, which took only two days to engage, ended like this.

“Long live His Majesty the King! Today will be the best day in the Royal Navy!”

“Long live His Majesty the King! hurray!”

The officers held high the banner of victory, and the sailors hugged each other and rejoiced.

Now Hood’s bridge must be in the most uplifting atmosphere since commissioning.

“Admiral?”

Except for one person.

“uh? what’s the matter?”

“Because you don’t look good. if… Is there anything that bothers you?”

Kirk, the orderly who brought coffee, looked at me anxiously.

“… No big deal. Good job. But the war is not over yet.”

Quickly, he waved his hand and got up from his seat. There is still something to be said.

“Let’s not let go of tension until the end. Fleet, join the main force as it is.”

“Yes, Admiral!”

Soldiers quickly return to their duties.

As befits the elite members, they showed a sharp appearance even in the relief of victory.

But for some reason, I didn’t pay much attention to it. Unconsciously, my eyes were staring at the horizon all the time.

Under the summer sun, on the blue sparkling water surface.

Why? The question remains whether it can really end like this. Is it because of the remaining aircraft carriers?

… Does it really take an aircraft carrier?

Leaving unknown emotions behind, Captain Hood turned the bow and moved away from the strait.

That evening, we returned to Newfoundland.