Bismarck

He looked at the remaining comrades around him. In addition to the Seafires that had been completely dealt with, there were five BF-109s that were now chasing the British carrier-based aircraft that had just taken off, as well as the attack team including himself: nine JU87s and five FW-190s.

The barrage of bullets flew past him at high speed, and the strong air resistance at a speed of nearly 500 kilometers per hour even caused the entire plane to tremble slightly. However, in the eyes of a super ace like Rudel, this injury was not a big problem...

After all, mine has always been very big.

"That's all we have! Brothers! Charge!"

Rudel shouted with gritted teeth, but he did not stop his hands. Instead, he tried his best to make a crooked and irregular dive route, and rushed towards his chosen target - the British Royal Navy's Indomitable aircraft carrier!

"Uncle Rudel has never sunk a capital ship!"

The distance had been shortened to the point where water-floating bombs could be dropped... and although their own plane was hit by several shrapnel and bullets from small-caliber machine guns, fortunately, it was not hit by the 40mm two-pound ping-pong cannon.

If you get hit by something as scary as that, there's basically no way back.

While desperately pouring fire from the two machine guns in front of the plane on the enemy ship to suppress the enemy's air defense position,

Rudel seemed to be able to see that a group of British Royal Navy officers and soldiers on the Indomitable aircraft carrier were already panicking as they tried their best to turn the rudder to avoid the situation.

"Hahaha, come on!"

The distance was close enough to see clearly what was happening through the glass windows on the bridge, those British commanders.

Rudel excitedly pressed the bomb release button.

Huge water splashes created by the bombs appeared on the sea.

A few seconds later, a loud bang erupted over the Mediterranean Sea...

Bomb, exploded instantly!

-------

"Report to the commander! Good news! The aircraft group of the Zeppelin aircraft carrier bombed the British aircraft carrier formation at 8:30! The Indomitable aircraft carrier was hit by two torpedoes and one bomb! The Hermes light carrier was hit by two bombs! Now the British fleet has begun to retreat eastward!"

In the headquarters of the Bismarck, which was bombarding the British positions on the shore, the communications staff rushed in, waving and shouting, holding a telegram paper.

The voice came before the person. Lütjens and Bismarck, who was leaning on a chair and seizing every moment to recover his energy, looked at the communications staff who ran in from the gate.

Seeing that the fleet commander was looking at him, the communications staff officer smiled embarrassedly and handed the telegram to Lütjens.

"The judgment is at least a heavy blow to the Indomitable and the God of Competition?" asked Lütjens.

"They are preparing to join us now. Including the time to collect the carrier-based aircraft, they are expected to arrive at the Gulf of El Alamein in five hours... There are still about thirty fighters that can be deployed... That's great!"

The captain took the telegram and read the detailed battle report. After reading it, he took the folder from the secretary ship and wanted to put the telegram in it. Bismarck, who was resting, saw the captain taking the folder and hurriedly wanted to help, but was directly pushed down by the captain.

"You take a rest first, I'll do these little things."

Lütjens persuaded the somewhat embarrassed Bismarck to stop, and while filing the documents, he instructed the communications staff: "...Well, tell Bonte to prepare a few dive bombers and use super heavy bombs to blow up the artillery batteries in Alexandria."

Bismarck certainly felt bad, but this was also Lütjens's good intention. She looked at the other people in the headquarters. Hmm... everyone was watching their noses, their mouths, and their hearts, and they were serious and not surprised...

"Have a good rest and don't think too much. The British still have a lot to deal with."

Putting the folder down, the captain patted Bismarck's hand.

"Thank you for your hard work now, but it looks like you have to hold on for a while longer, at least until Zeppelin comes back..."

"Um..." Bismarck nodded to indicate that he had no problem.

He looked up at the sky and saw twelve MC-202 fighters and twelve BF-109 fighters, divided into two echelons, patrolling around the battlefield. In the Tirpitz battleship nearby, even a Tirpitz was staring at the air radar display with gnashing teeth...

The pressure is indeed extraordinary.

Although it seems that the first wave of large-scale air strikes by the British, which concentrated all the airfields, has passed...Now, because the distance between the airports and the battlefield varies, the dispatch cycles of the fleets are also different. At least in two or three hours, the British should not be able to concentrate the second wave of large-scale air strikes.

Although on average every hour, there are still two or three groups of planes, about thirty or forty planes...

As he thought about it, Bismarck gradually fell asleep again...

Then take a break, there is still time.

------

The battlefield in the air has calmed down a bit, but the battle on land is still going on...

The attack on Hammam was not very smooth, after all, it was a key hub of the defense line, and the British positions were all behind it all the way to the Borg el-Arab Airport. In addition, the British 7th Armored Division, the Australian 6th Infantry Division, and part of the previously scattered 1st Armored Division and the Indian 4th Division had also completed reorganization, and then they pressed forward in a mighty force!

In the route from the Alanhafa Pass to the city of Hammam - Hammam is the starting point of the large lakes and swamps along the Port of Alexandria - which is less than eight kilometers wide, the British army deployed four divisions with more than 30,000 people, 180 tanks, 62 heavy artillery pieces, and 200 25-pound field guns!

The German and Italian troops here, the Trento Division, the Areete Armored Division, the 150th Armored Division, the 105st Armored Division, the 88th Light Division, the Grati Heavy Artillery Regiment... all added up, there were only less than 37 officers and soldiers, tanks, anti-tank guns, field guns, howitzers and captured howitzers, as well as seven mm anti-aircraft guns and mm machine guns, plus Cricket's several mine-clearing engineering vehicles and about trucks, that's all...

but…

"I didn't intend to attack that side. I just wanted to contain the British and make them expose their artillery so that they can be suppressed by the navy guns. That's all!"

The fox couldn't help but reveal a smile on his face.

There were only a small number of diversionary forces attacking Hammam, which were the remnants of the 15th Armored Division. The twenty or so long-barreled Type tanks looked intimidating, but in fact they were just meant to divert the attention of the British. The twenty or so modified Type tanks of the st Armored Division, as well as the Areet Armored Division with reinforcements, were riding in more than trucks and tanks along the coastal highway, chasing after part of the Indian th Division, which had just been reorganized and fell apart again under the sudden bombardment, and were rushing towards Alamein like sheep - thank God, the British still equipped the Indian th Division with some trucks. The Indians who climbed onto the trucks left behind their comrades who could not climb onto the trucks, and drove off in the direction of the port of Alexandria.

And the Trento Division? Under the supervision and command of the remnants of the 90th Light Division led by the Chief of Staff of the African Corps, they took a batch of defensive weapons - 150 anti-tank guns, 37 howitzers, field guns, trucks, and four mm anti-aircraft guns, and hid behind the shelter of Mount Alanhafa. Relying on the remaining fortifications of the British Army, together with the naval fleet, they used artillery fire to attack the flanks of the British troops on the southern wing.

By the time the British army, after paying a heavy price in casualties, finally rushed to the village of Hammam and joined the defending troops under the bombardment, the 15th Armored Division had already evacuated towards the coastal highway. Meanwhile, the Trento Division and the 90th Light Armored Division also sent light infantry to control the commanding heights of Mount Alanhafa while gradually evacuating towards Alamein.

Sitting in the command tank, Rommel leaned back with a leisurely look on his face, even crossing his legs.

Although there was still worry between his brows, his eyes were more like a gambler who had lost everything and was desperate and crazy...

"I don't have enough troops, so there's no need to leave any troops behind to guard the rear!"

If we further allocate troops to leave a retreat for ourselves, we will be seeking death.

The seawall road is only a few kilometers away from the Lütjens fleet, and even the 37mm machine guns can barely reach this side. So even if the New Zealanders in Alexandria Port ran out and wanted to rely on the narrow and long terrain advantage of the coastal road to stop him, it would be useless. The Fox's most basic goal is to control at least one dock, even one!

Even though he only carried enough ammunition and fuel to last for three days at most!

"Anyway, this is what I am left with now. Either I hold out until the main fleet of my Italian allies arrives, or we'll meet in the prisoner-of-war camp or hell!" thought the fox.

However, even though Fox was so crazy that he was determined to rush into Alexandria even if it meant cutting off his own retreat, he couldn't help but look behind him, at Mount Alanhafa and in the direction of Alamein...

"Chief of Staff, I leave you a total of 90 people from the th Light Division and the Trento Division, as well as all the extra supplies. I also leave you the equivalent of a division's artillery. You must defend the key point of Mount Aranhafa-El Alamein for me!" The somewhat worried Fox thought silently.

"All the British roads and railways heading west will converge at El Alamein - whether they come from Cairo or Alexandria! Together with Mount Alanhafa and the two small hills of Quarit-Aboud and Deir Aisha, which are defended by 1,600 people from the Trieste Division in the south, this place is enough for you to hold on for a while... Even if I am defeated and the whole army is wiped out, you should be able to hold on until the next batch of reinforcements arrive..."

Rommel sighed helplessly, grabbed the radio receiver, and began to issue the final advance order...

At the foot of the Aranhafa Pass, Nehring, the chief of staff of the African Corps, was also worried...

I watched as the last batch of Axis troops hurriedly laid mines and explosives to blast roads and railways, and then began to retreat in an orderly manner towards the town of El Alamein...

The wind was noisy today, but it couldn't hide the gloom and worry on the Chief of Staff's face...

Although the Chief of Staff had always had an opinion about Rommel's assault, he was even more dissatisfied with Rommel's desperate move... After all, in the eyes of an orthodox soldier who was trained step by step by the staff, this "way of being a general" was indeed no different from that of a gambler. However, as a soldier, at least he had to obey the orders of his superiors - even if the order seemed so... crazy!

Fortunately, it seems that the boss nicknamed Fox is actually a madman. Although he has risked himself as a bet, at least he is not too crazy. He has left the last part of strength for himself and the African Legion to "persevere if possible" in the next step...

Anyway, the Chief of Staff felt that it was hard to describe what this feeling was...

There was another locust-like buzzing sound in the sky. The chief of staff, feeling mixed emotions, couldn't help but raise his head and look towards the southwest. A large black spot was faintly visible under the sunlight, and it seemed to be drifting towards the coastal road from Hammam to Alexandria...

"Captain of the Legion... Although your actions are so crazy, but... for God's sake, I hope you can have a safe journey this time..."

The chief of staff tucked the blueprint bag under his armpit, turned around, walked past the last soldier who was covering up the traces of the mine, got on the back seat of a sidecar motorcycle with a radio and a radio operator, and drove towards Alamein...

(PS: General Walter Nehring, Rommel's chief of staff, was not very supportive of Rommel's crazy actions, but he still dutifully helped Rommel command the battle. After the Battle of El Alamein, because of "pessimism and disappointment in the war situation", he was transferred out of Africa on the eve of the Battle of Tunisia by the mustache, who rarely agreed with the officers in the field of personnel, and was replaced by his old classmate and old friend General Hans von Arnim. But it was a blessing in disguise. In the end, when the African Corps was completely wiped out in Tunisia, General Arnim, who replaced him, also took his place in the prisoner-of-war camp...)

Chapter 468: Returning to Hometown

The coastal road from Alamein to Alexandria is not an easy road to travel...

From the seaside to the edge of lakes and swamps, most of the area less than two kilometers wide is soil, and the soft soil is a headache for the marching troops.

On the only coastal highway, in front of the team, ready to fight at any time, behind the tanks lined up in a row, were cars towing trailers or artillery. These cars gathered together in twos and threes, forming a long queue. The long queue stretched for more than ten kilometers on the seawall...

The swamps and paddy fields south of the seawall road were only about three to five kilometers wide, and there were forts everywhere from Hammam to Borg el-Arab. The British officers and soldiers in the forts used the field artillery positions built in the fortifications to bombard the Germans with 25-pound howitzers and even American 105 and 155 howitzers!

Not to mention, the air raids seem to be getting more intense...

The only thing Rommel felt fortunate about was that he only had 4500 men, and they were scattered over a road of more than ten kilometers, which widened the distance between the convoys, so the losses in a single artillery and air raid were relatively limited...

Moreover, the seven 88 anti-aircraft guns and eight 37 anti-aircraft guns he brought with him had established positions on both sides of the seawall road. Relying on the fierce salvo firepower of the seven 88 anti-aircraft guns to disperse the large twin-engine bomber fleet, and then using the 4500 anti-aircraft guns with a range of up to 37 meters to cover each other's positions to disperse the scattered light bombers and fighters. In addition to the fighter planes that took off from Deba Airport and fought to the death in the sky, Rommel still had some confidence to persevere to the end.

After all, there are people flying in your own sky.

Although the seawall is only two kilometers wide on average, there are still a few villages and towns... The town of Abuser, which is 155 kilometers away from Alexandria and even within the range of mm howitzers from Hammam, is right under Rommel's nose and is now fighting...

The New Zealand 2nd Division, originally stationed in Alexandria Port, has moved here. While taking in the defeated Indian soldiers, they are relying on the preset positions in the town to defend it!

Although for some unknown reason, no landmines were stepped on. This town was not very big, and it was confirmed that there was only one reinforced battalion of troops in the town. However, in this narrow terrain with a width of only two kilometers including the beach, the 25 modified Panzer IV tanks of the 21st Armored Division were barely enough to deploy...

Moreover, on the right wing, a small path in the swamp area of ​​the lake leads to the direction of the Arab Fort. We have to allocate some troops at any time to prevent the British from attacking from both wings...

The bombardment never stopped. Although Bismarck was seriously injured, she was still suppressing the British officers and soldiers in the field with the remaining high-explosive shells from her last four 380mm main guns. At the same time, she also used several 105mm anti-aircraft guns to shoot at the British aircraft in the sky.

The battleship Tirpitz was moving around, desperately suppressing several artillery positions of the British fortress on the side and rear - God knows why her artillery fire was so accurate... Even the other two Italian cruisers were pouring their shells at the targets on the shore with the greatest efficiency. Of course, the power was definitely not comparable to that of two large battleships, but it was still enough to deal with the army.

Soon, under the cover of artillery fire, the British defense line was quickly destroyed, and Rommel's own tanks and infantry rushed into the town together... Soon, cheers in German and Italian were heard in the town, and the swastika flag was raised.

"Huh... I finally managed to chew it..."

I looked at the watch. It was ten o'clock.

Rommel waved his hand, and the follow-up troops assembled outside the town rushed in and began to chase the British army forward in the same way.

Although it is conceivable that the town of Sidi Koriya, 30 kilometers away, and the town of Virag, 20 kilometers away, must have stronger defenses, which is almost beyond imagination, and the British reinforcements should be arriving soon...

But now, there is no other choice but to charge all the way to the end. Apart from this, Rommel has no other choice...

However, I heard that there are British heavy artillery batteries in the port of Alexandria, which is a rather tricky issue.

but…

"Captain! Urgent telegram from the Mediterranean Fleet! Their flagship Bismarck is too badly damaged, maybe... maybe..."

"What did you say?!" Rommel was stunned for a moment when he heard the sudden report from the communications officer. This must be followed by bad words.

Not only was Rommel caught off guard, but even the staff officers present showed surprised expressions.

The reason why they kept charging was because they had three warships supporting them from behind.

Without the support of battleships, he wanted to capture Alexandria with just his few soldiers...

Rommel thought that his luck couldn't be so bad.

Besides, wasn't Bismarck fine just now? How come he suddenly...

-------

Rommel didn't know that the reason why he was not affected much by the bombing was that, in addition to the full coverage of the air force overhead, there was another very important reason, which was that the main force of the British Air Force was concentrated on bombing Bismarck...

In other words, Bismarck accidentally became a substitute for Rommel to attract fire.

In the previous battle, the entire ship was hit by twenty 381 main gun shells, and was hit by three bombs before that. It can even be said that the Bismarck was fighting hard. If the Bismarck was there, the battleship would have been paralyzed long ago. It is a miracle that it can hold on until now.

This time, the British seemed to have reacted and began to concentrate on bombing the Bismarck!

Just like a group of sharks smelling blood, they surrounded and bit the already wounded Bismarck.

A large group of sixty or seventy aircraft appeared like locusts in the sky that was dyed gray and yellow by the dust!

Except for the British escort fighters that were delaying the German and Italian fighters, the remaining fifty or so bombers rushed up in a swarm!

It is not so easy to stop an air raid, especially since the Bismarck was already badly damaged. Anti-aircraft guns, as exposed parts, could be easily destroyed in battle. The same was true for Bismarck. The more anti-aircraft guns were destroyed, the more likely it was that the air defense capability would be weakened.

The right propeller was destroyed, the right main shaft was damaged, the steering gear was damaged... The Bismarck, whose maneuverability had plummeted, had little chance of evading the aircraft... and the Tirpitz's anti-aircraft shells were almost gone!

Even though there were still German and Italian fighter planes desperately trying to intercept them in the sky, even under the cover of smoke and anti-aircraft guns of other warships, and even though the Mediterranean Fleet relied on its own and Tirpitz's remaining anti-aircraft firepower and the assistance of Italian cruisers, it actually shot down more than 20 bombers, but...

There are just too many British planes!

Even if more than twenty bombers were shot down, there were still more than twenty bombers!

This kind of saturation attack really cannot be completely stopped by a single battleship, even if it is a VT bomb, even if it is operated by a Bismarck...

Moreover, these British people also use low-altitude, high-speed sea-skimming bombing, and even use water-skimming bombs! Water-skimming bombs are actually not a secret. The great powers in World War II all have records of using water-skimming bombs to bomb the sea, or at least issued training specifications, so the British will do it too.

"Sink the Bismarck, and the honor belongs to the Royal Air Force!"

"understand!"

The radio channels of the swarming bombers were filled with the wild laughter of the British pilots! And amidst these wild laughter, accompanied by several loud bangs, two tall water columns suddenly appeared on the side of the Bismarck battleship!

Water bomb attack!

Not to mention that the superstructure also suffered two heavy bombs!