() That night, the German army launched an attack on the bridgehead controlled by the 82nd Airborne Division. The Germans first violently bombarded the bridgehead with 150mm howitzers and 88mm anti-aircraft guns, but the bombardment did not last long.

This may be due to the effect of American and British night bombers constantly dropping bombs on any location that emits a flash.

Because the U.S. military was well prepared and the artillery preparations were not sufficient, even the barbed wire fence could not be destroyed too much. In addition, after nightfall, the U.S. military kept firing flares toward the front, causing the engineers sent by the German army to fail to complete the minefield survey.

mark. Therefore, the landmines laid by the US military could not be cleared. As a result, the US military easily repelled the first round of German attacks. After that, the Germans launched two more attacks, but the Germans also failed to do a good job.

Full preparation. As a result, these two attacks were repelled.

Compared with the situation of the Americans, the problem of the British is much more troublesome. Due to omissions in advance intelligence, German garrisons were everywhere near the place where the British landed. These German garrisons were not large in size, usually only one battalion.

It was only a large force, but it made the British move very difficult. Until night, the British army had not reached their target, but the British army, which was already very tired, naturally could not continue to attack the target, so they had to stop and build fortifications and prepare

They spent the night, and the Germans took the time to build fortifications.

These series of delays made it more difficult for the British 1st Airborne Division to capture the Anheng Bridge. The British's hope of capturing the Anheng Bridge by surprise attack was gone, and now they could only rely on a force attack. The Germans had already established a stronghold at the bridgehead.

As a result, when the British arrived at the bridge the next day, they only sent out scouts to take one look, and then gave up the idea of ​​taking over the Anheng Bridge in one go. Then, a group of mosquito bombers conducted an hour-long attack

After preparing firepower, the British launched the attack.

The Germans dragged out several Type 41 150mm 6-barreled rocket launchers that were ambushed on the other side of the bridge and fired a salvo at the British paratroopers, causing the British to lose nearly a company of troops. Although after that, the British

The Typhoon attack aircraft successfully suppressed these rocket launchers, but the momentum of the British attack was curbed. As a result, after about an hour and a half of attack, the British airborne troops, who lacked heavy weapons, had to temporarily retreat in order to

Awaiting support.

…

When the British airborne troops were in trouble due to the lack of heavy weapons, the British 30th Army, which had a lot of heavy equipment, was also worried. Originally, the British thought that the German troops on this road would only have some armored personnel carriers or something like that.

It was impossible to stop their progress. But unexpectedly, in the first town they arrived, they encountered unexpected problems.

There is no German garrison in this small town. Early in the morning, the town just woke up from its sleep. Some residents opened their doors and walked out to start their new day. I don’t know who was the first.

Looking outside the town, they saw the troops of the British 30th Army heading towards the town along Route 96.

Because the distance was too far, the residents of the town could not tell which troops were coming. Therefore, the cautious residents quickly returned to their homes and closed the door. However, in the attic, under the curtains hanging

Behind the window, pairs of eyes were full of expectation, looking at the approaching troops.

The leading troops of the British army are getting closer and closer to the town. The residents of the town can already clearly see the Union Jack flying on the British tanks, as well as those sitting on motorcycles and riding Bren machine guns.

British soldier.

"It's the British! The British are coming!" a citizen cheered.

"Ah, it's the British! We are liberated!" More citizens cheered.

Like a magic trick, in front of the British eyes, the originally empty streets were suddenly filled with happy people, singing, dancing, and speaking to the British soldiers in a language they could or could not understand.

Cheers. Route 69, which has only two lanes, was immediately blocked by the happy crowd. The Churchill tanks of the 30th Army could only slow down and finally stopped.

As soon as the happy citizens saw the British tank stopped, they immediately climbed up, inserted flowers into the barrel of the tank, and put emergency garlands on the heads of the soldiers. Some citizens also took some

I bought some fine wine from my collection and invited British tank crews to share it together. As a result, some tank crews got drunk and drove their tanks into ditches on the march.

The happy citizens held the British army back for half an hour, and this was just a small town.

Of course, it was not just the enthusiastic Dutch people who blocked the British army, but also the strong resistance of the German army.

The first time it was blocked by the German army was in a very ordinary Dutch town. Route 96 passed through the center of the town. When the town appeared in the British sight, everything seemed so ordinary, except for the small town.

There are no crowds in town, everything is normal. In fact, there is nothing strange about it.

Yes, because when the common people can't see clearly who is coming, they will always hide in the house and not come out. As soon as the British approach, the Dutch common people will see clearly that the coming is their great savior.

--British Army--They'll be in the streets right away holding a carnival.

Under such speculation, the British relaxed their vigilance. Their leading motorcycle had already entered the town, and their tanks had also arrived at the entrance of the town. At this moment, a sudden change occurred.

There was a wooden shed on the left side of the entrance to the town, and there was a cattle pen next to it, and there were two cows in it. There was a loud noise suddenly from there, and a siding on one side of the wooden shed immediately exploded.

There was a big hole. An armor-piercing bullet passed through this big hole and hit the side of a Churchill tank that was walking at the front.

It turned out that there was a Pak-40 75mm anti-tank gun hidden in this shed! The distance between this gun and the Churchill tank was only about 150 meters. At this distance, even if it was to shoot the Churchill tank

The Pak-40 anti-tank gun can easily penetrate the Churchill tank from the front, let alone fire from the side.

With the sound of the cannon, the entire town immediately became a hell of flames and bullets. From the windows of the houses on both sides of the road, gun barrels protruded, and the mg-42 machine gun made a chainsaw-like sound.

The sound started. The motorcycles that entered the town first were immediately overturned.

On the ground, most of the crew members were shot and died immediately. There were also a few British soldiers who were lucky enough not to be hit. They hid behind the motorcycles and tried to fight back with their Bren light machine guns. But at this time, the Germans

Grenades were quickly thrown, and the resistance in the town ended immediately.

At this time, a fire also flashed from a house where debris and fodder was piled about 500 meters away from the British army on the right side of the entrance to the town, and then a Firefly tank responded from the British army.

There was an explosion, and the turret with the long barrel even flew straight out. Then a tank knocked over the wooden planks and fence in front of the utility room and rushed out - the long tank with a muzzle brake

The gun barrel and the sloping front armor are exactly that of a Panther tank.

The Panther tank fired another shot before the British tank turned its muzzle. This shot accurately hit a "Firefly" and turned it into a burning torch. At this time, the people on both sides of the road

German figures also appeared in the fields. These Germans were wearing camouflage military uniforms, their bodies covered with weeds, holding Iron Fist rocket launchers in their hands, and launched another round of attacks on the British marching column.

In this round of attacks, several more tanks and armored vehicles were destroyed. But the British army finally reacted at this time, and some tanks that had not been hit fired back. Several tanks found a road and

Where there was a small height difference on the ground, they even drove off the road and tried to launch a roundabout attack.

The wooden shed where the Pak-40 anti-tank gun was first fired had been hit by several artillery shells. The wooden shed collapsed and the cannon inside also misfired. Those British soldiers who had slowed down had

Soldiers also began to use Lee Enfest rifles

, Sten submachine guns, and Bren light machine guns opened fire at the German soldiers who fired Panzerfaust rockets at their tanks. Those German soldiers had just fired their rockets and were often hit by several bullets before they could take cover, knocking them down.

land.

Only the Panther tank had several shells falling on its front armor. But these shells, whether they were the 75mm shells of the M4 tank or the 57mm shells of the Churchill tank, were all on its thick front armor.

Jumped away. But this unscathed Panther tank still played a roll call of death against the British tanks one by one.

At this time, the several M4 tanks that drove down the road began to outflank them. The German Panther tank also saw them. The Germans knew that the Panther tank had obtained

It surpassed the frontal defense capability of the Tiger tank, and the only method it relied on was to demolish the east wall to repair the west wall. Its sides are extremely weak, even worse than the T-3485 tank, which is 10 tons lighter. Once it is attacked

A side attack would be very dangerous.

So the Panther tank began to reverse quickly and turned the turret to the right - that was the direction of the detouring M4 tanks.

The Panther tank turned its turret towards the M4s and fired, but because it was reversing, the shot did not hit. At this time, a 57mm shell suddenly fired from the front, hitting the Panther tank

On one side of the track, the track on one side of the Panther tank immediately fell off. And on the other side, the track fell off immediately.

The track on one side was still rotating, so its side was automatically exposed... nbsp; The British relaxed their vigilance under such speculation. Their leading motorcycle had already entered the town, and they

The tanks had also arrived at the entrance of the town. At this moment, a sudden change occurred.

There was a wooden shed on the left side of the entrance to the town, and there was a cattle pen next to it, and there were two cows in it. There was a loud noise suddenly from there, and a siding on one side of the wooden shed immediately exploded.

There was a big hole. An armor-piercing bullet passed through this big hole and hit the side of a Churchill tank that was walking at the front.

It turned out that there was a Pak-40 75mm anti-tank gun hidden in this shed! The distance between this gun and the Churchill tank was only about 150 meters. At this distance, even if it was to shoot the Churchill tank

The Pak-40 anti-tank gun can easily penetrate the Churchill tank from the front, let alone fire from the side.

With the sound of the cannon, the entire town immediately became a hell of flames and bullets. From the windows of the houses on both sides of the road, gun barrels protruded, and the mg-42 machine gun made a chainsaw-like sound.

The sound started. The motorcycles that entered the town first were immediately overturned.

On the ground, most of the crew members were shot and died immediately. There were also a few British soldiers who were lucky enough not to be hit. They hid behind the motorcycles and tried to fight back with their Bren light machine guns. But at this time, the Germans

Grenades were quickly thrown, and the resistance in the town ended immediately.

At this time, a fire also flashed from a house where debris and fodder was piled about 500 meters away from the British army on the right side of the entrance to the town, and then a Firefly tank responded from the British army.

There was an explosion, and the turret with the long barrel even flew straight out. Then a tank knocked over the wooden planks and fence in front of the utility room and rushed out - the long tank with a muzzle brake

The gun barrel and the sloping front armor are exactly that of a Panther tank.

The Panther tank fired another shot before the British tank turned its muzzle. This shot accurately hit a "Firefly" and turned it into a burning torch. At this time, the people on both sides of the road

German figures also appeared in the fields. These Germans were wearing camouflage military uniforms, their bodies covered with weeds, holding Iron Fist rocket launchers in their hands, and launched another round of attacks on the British marching column.

In this round of attacks, several more tanks and armored vehicles were destroyed. But the British army finally reacted at this time, and some tanks that had not been hit fired back. Several tanks found a road and

Where there was a small height difference on the ground, they even drove off the road and tried to launch a roundabout attack.

The wooden shed where the Pak-40 anti-tank gun was first fired had been hit by several artillery shells. The wooden shed collapsed and the cannon inside also misfired. Those British soldiers who had slowed down had

Soldiers also began to use Lee Enfest rifles

, Sten submachine guns, and Bren light machine guns opened fire at the German soldiers who fired Panzerfaust rockets at their tanks. Those German soldiers had just fired their rockets and were often hit by several bullets before they could take cover, knocking them down.

land.

Only the Panther tank had several shells falling on its front armor. But these shells, whether they were the 75mm shells of the M4 tank or the 57mm shells of the Churchill tank, were all on its thick front armor.

Jumped away. But this unscathed Panther tank still played a roll call of death against the British tanks one by one.

At this time, the several M4 tanks that drove down the road began to outflank them. The German Panther tank also saw them. The Germans knew that the Panther tank had obtained

It surpassed the frontal defense capability of the Tiger tank, and the only method it relied on was to demolish the east wall to repair the west wall. Its sides are extremely weak, even worse than the T-3485 tank, which is 10 tons lighter. Once it is attacked

A side attack would be very dangerous.

So the Panther tank began to reverse quickly and turned the turret to the right - that was the direction of the detouring M4 tanks.

The Panther tank turned its turret towards the M4s and fired, but because it was reversing, the shot did not hit. At this time, a 57mm shell suddenly fired from the front, hitting the Panther tank
Chapter completed!