Redemption of WWII

Chapter 34Tanks

This unidentified team is of course the team led by Liu Qi. On the way from the Indian 4th Division's base to 'Ah Lehman', thanks to the cooperation of Major General Matthew and Major Baker, a team of convoys passed smoothly. Several checkpoints. 【】

The convoy didn't stop again until the last checkpoint at the headquarters of the British Army Group in 'Ah Lyman'.The reason is very simple. Liu Qixiang saw 4 'Matilda' 2 tanks parked at the checkpoint.This is about to go to Meng Ge's lair.Liu Qi didn't expect that a little major general Matthew would be able to cover himself and break through the heavily guarded army headquarters.So it is necessary to seize these 4 'Matilda' 2 tanks as assault weapons.

The 'Matilda' 2 tank is a good thing. 'Matilda' is the only tank in the world named after a woman. The characteristic of the "Matilda" 2 tank is that the turret is equipped with a 2-pound gun with a caliber of 40 mm, the action part has side guards and mud drains, and the armor thickness of each part has also been enhanced.The armor thickness of each part of the car body and turret is 75-78 mm for the main parts, and 25-55 mm for the secondary parts, and some parts adopt frame structure to increase the rigidity.

In terms of internal structure, another feature of the "Matilda" 2 tank is the use of two engines, its advantages and disadvantages are obvious.The disadvantage is that the volume of the power unit is increased, taking up valuable space in the car, and there is also a problem of synchronization and coordination when the two machines work.The only advantage is that when one engine is damaged or fails, the other engine can drive at a low speed and maintain a certain combat effectiveness.In World War II, the Soviet Union's t-2 light tank and su-70 self-propelled artillery also adopted a dual-engine arrangement.It is suspected that the dual-engine arrangement on the tank has more disadvantages than advantages, and it obviously has traces of improvisation.Tanks do not emphasize the safety of empty flight like airplanes.After World War II, there was basically no dual-engine arrangement on tanks.

The main weapon of the 'Matilda' 2 tank is a 2-pound gun with a caliber of 40 mm and a barrel length of 52 times the caliber.Although the caliber is small, this vehicle-mounted artillery was a powerful tank gun of the British army on the eve of World War II.It can fire both armor-piercing and grenades.The drug base is 93 rounds.

When fighting in North Africa, basically the German tanks and anti-tank guns were also effective in front of the Tin Lady.Only Rommel's killer 88mm anti-aircraft gun could penetrate its armor.Its unrivaled armor earned it the nickname 'Queen of the Battlefield'.It is undeniable that the 'Matilda' 2 tank is a heavy tank that Rommel is very troublesome in the African battlefield.

Don't think the 'Matilda' 2 tank is very powerful, but Liu Qi sneered at him.For a person from later generations who has seen the American m11 tank and the Russian t90 tank, the 'Matilda' 2 tank is like a child's toy.But under the current situation, Liu Qi is not allowed to pick and choose.

This checkpoint was made up of a battalion of troops, one of which was a battery of battle defense artillery.A 'Matilda' 2 tank detachment was also reinforced.For such a composition, if it is usually an infantry regiment's force to attack, it may not be able to win quickly.

But Liu Qi has his cheating golden finger, which is Major General Matthew.A major general of the British army is like a star in the sky to ordinary British soldiers, out of reach.When Major General Matthew met Liu Qi's request, the supreme commander of this checkpoint, a captain.

The captain couldn't help being a little annoyed when he heard the major general's team about to assemble the checkpoint, thinking that the old guy had so much nonsense.But when facing the shining Venus, I really can't muster the courage to resist.Immediately the whistle for assembly was blown.So except for a few soldiers who were still standing guard on the road, everyone was assembled in the open space aside, and even the tankers of the 'Matilda' 2 tanks got out of the tank one after another.Stand in the middle of the line.

Seeing this, Liu Qi waved his hand, and the German and Italian soldiers in British army uniforms all jumped out of the vehicle one after another, and stood around the British army with guns.And Cage led a few people to the position of the sentinel on the road.

Then Liu Qi and the doctor brought Major General Matthew to the front of the team.Major General Matthew said with a bloody face, "Brave officers and soldiers of the British Empire, you are proud of your courage to fight for your country. What I want to tell you is, put down your weapons now. For you, the war is over. In the future, you will no longer have to face the German army and make fearful sacrifices."

When the general in front told them to lay down their weapons, the British soldiers were in a mess.And the commanders of these British troops became anxious and said to Major General Matthew, "General, what's going on, why do we have to put down our weapons."

Matthew glanced at Liu Qi and said nothing.Liu Qi said calmly, "Mr. Captain, please pay attention to your attitude when talking to the general."

The captain quickly said to Matthew, "I'm sorry, General. It's my fault, but you can't ask me to put down my weapon. But you must know that this place is only a dozen kilometers away from the Army Group Headquarters. We are the last line of defense protecting the Headquarters." .So I refuse to carry out this order of yours."

Liu Qixin said that he had seen stupid people but never seen such stupid ones. Was this guy's head kicked by a donkey or something? Why is he so clueless?So he said to the captain, "Captain, I forgot to introduce. I am Hans and Andrei, the German SS military academy. You have been surrounded, and you are surrounded by our soldiers. If you don't give an order within 1 minute If you surrender your guns and surrender, I will order my troops to shoot at you. Alright, let’s start the timer now.” After speaking, Liu Qi raised his watch, and raised his other hand high in the air.Just waiting for the time to order to shoot together.

The German and Italian soldiers next to them also raised their weapons one after another, aiming directly at the British soldiers in the field.Just wait for Liu Qi to give the order to start attacking.

Only then did the British captain realize that this team was pretended by the German-Italian coalition forces.But facing hundreds of long and short guys around him, the captain wisely took off his gun.Then he said to Liu Qi, "Mr. Xiao, don't think about my surrender." Even Liu Qi was incredulous at that refreshing energy.

The book implies that the officers of the British army have always had an attitude of happy destiny.There is not much shame in being captured at all.

In the early years of World War II, there were a large number of British officers captured by the German army in France.After they were captured, they did not have the consciousness of being prisoners of war at all.Instead, they kept asking for this and that from the German officers and soldiers guarding them.The German defenders were extremely annoying.It was like vacation for these captured British officers

In particular, some staff officers of the British army would stand on the street in front of the house and talk and laugh loudly, without feeling uncomfortable at all.The only thing that bothered them was that the German propaganda agencies and other officers and soldiers took pictures of them one after another, which made them somewhat uncomfortable.Those staff officers are all serious officers of the army, all of them are well-educated, and their families are well-off. They are the real upper class in the country.

But fortunately, Hitler also gave considerable preferential treatment to the captured personnel of Britain and the United States.The living supplies allocated to them even exceeded that of ordinary German soldiers who were still fighting on the front line.

In this way, British officers were not afraid of being captured at all.Especially in North Africa, the personable Rommel even ordered that all surrendered prisoners of war should not be abused.Basically, what the German soldiers had, the British captured soldiers had, except of course weapons.What's more, in the case of extreme water shortage, the German army would rather not drink it by themselves than to ensure the water for the captured personnel.Speaking of the war in North Africa, except for Churchill and a few British officials, they all think that it is not a shame to lose the battle with Rommel.Some officers even considered it an honorable thing.

Even military strategists and politicians after the war commented that the war in North Africa was the cleanest war in military history.The two armies at war are like the knights of the century.They are all fighting for their country and their beliefs.At bottom, the Germans respect the British just as they consider the Anglo-Saxons to be a branch of the Germanic race, and the British seem to hold the same view.

Both sides are pure soldiers, with Rommel and Montgomery as typical representatives.The German army has no SS, except of course Liu Qi.As for the British army, let alone, they have always been gentlemen.There is also a story circulating between the two armies. After an armored patrol of the German army ambushed a British army, it immediately rescued the injured British army and gave the extremely precious water to the British army.Apart from confiscating cigarettes and weapons from the British, nothing was taken and they were released immediately.The British returned with a solemn military salute.

Very smoothly Liu Qi got all the heavy weapons of this battalion, including the 4 'Matilda' 2 tanks.One cannot fail to admire the quality of soldiers of the German and Italian armies.Obviously they are not tank drivers, relying on their experience of driving tractors in their hometown, they were able to start these 4 'Matilda' 2 tanks in a short time.Although the tank always runs in a zigzag route.But the general route can still be consistent with the team.

Liu Qi asked his men to destroy all the communication tools at this checkpoint, and then took away all the belts, shoes and weapons of the British army.Then no one was sent to escort them, so they were allowed to rest and wait in the tent at the station.After doing all this, he pulled the only four 4mm anti-aircraft guns on the checkpoint position and drove directly to Ah Lehman.