Operation Thunder (Chapter 9)
The Libyan Egyptian border May 1941
GeneralOberst Von Manstein surveyed the hastily assembled airborne troops about to launch their surprise attack against the British rear positions on the Egyptian border.
They were young, energetic and had high morale. Manstein was proud and sure they would bring him victory.
You are going to cut off our main opposition. I expect and demand your very best. This one battle will give us Egypt. For Fuhrer, For Reich, For Volk! HEYA SAFARI!
The parachutists shouted back HEYA SAFARI and threw their rimless steel helmets in the air. They boarded their machines for a dawn drop
Manstein desperately wanted to accompany the leading glider troops and be at the decisive point of the battle. His staff correctly forced him to cancel any such plans. He was needed far too much to make vital command decisions all along the front. Manstein hated to admit it but the Luftwaffe generals all seemed confident and full of piss and vinager they should do fine.
At 0430 hours the front along the frontier erupted. Hundreds of artillery pieces, tank guns, anti tank guns, mortars, and rocket launchers began a systematic smothering of the front line positions of the 7th armored division, 4th Indian division and 6th Australian. German and Italian bombers guided by the fires added their cannons and payloads to the destruction.
The British were stunned by this whirlwind of fire but were even more overwhelmed when they heard the roar of hundreds of aero engines whining above them as the ponderous JU-52 Iron Annie tri-motor transports flew overhead to cut them off. Hundreds of parachute canopies opened as the veteran infantry of the 7th air division floated down towards the soft sand. Normally they would have been cold meat for British anti aircraft guns, machine guns and light armor but the parachutists were well covered.
A specially detailed group of 50 Me-109 fighters and 36 Stukas prowled over the landing areas intimidating opposition and bombing any recognized enemy positions. A flight of 6 Hurricaines put up a fight but were chased away by the ever dangerous 109's. The gliders and parachutists landed safely rapidly sprinting to their weapon canisters to retrieve rifles, sub machine guns, and mortars to consolidate their hold along the Via Balbia.
A battle group from 7th armored massed to try to crush the parachutists in the open. They fell pray to repeated air strikes which demolished soft skinned supply vehicles and made the highway a dangerous place to travel. The 7th air division and 22nd air landing sprayed light automatic fire at any Briton who showed themselves. They made excellent use of their many mortars which proved adept at knocking the tracks off the British cruiser tanks or setting them ablaze.
One group with 30 tanks however slipped forward during a brief sandstorm and crashed into the center of the paratrooper positions creating a critical battle situation that threatened to overrun the lightly armed airborne men. That's when the Italian second cruiser squadron under Admiral Camponi showed up.
Zara and Fiume were given precise targeting coordinates by circling ME-110 fighter bombers launched for this purpose. They thundered away with their 8 inch guns while the 4 escorting destroyers concentrated on the mobile artillery following behind the tanks. The Italians sailors desperate to help their land counterparts drove themselves to intense efforts to maintain a high rate of fire. The barrels of their shipboard guns glowed a hot red as their paint peeled off. Over 400 heavy rounds fell amongst the battle group within 30 minutes utterly decimating them. The parachutists remarked that the area around the highway looked like the moon after the cruisers had let them have it.
Meanwhile 100 kilometers further west Herman Balck sat atop his command tank waiting for H-Hour at 1000 hours. His watch ticked over and like Manstein in front of Tobruk, Balck thrust his fist forward three times PANZERS MARCH!
to be continued
sorry for the delay between chapters. the next few should be out rather quickly
The business end of the cruiser Zara who helped support the 7th parachute division
