Complaints are complaints, but the problem still needs to be solved. In order to treat the wounded soldiers of the expeditionary force, Martin gathered doctors and nurses from the three divisions and established a separate field hospital next to the expeditionary force headquarters.
This time we didn't dare to make a big show of it. There were actually more than a hundred doctors and nurses from the three divisions in total. However, they could only treat the wounded with minor injuries. The seriously injured had to be given up. This had nothing to do with morality. It was a part of war in the first place.
On August 9th, the battle entered a fever pitch. Ferenczi deployed all 12 divisions to launch a full-line attack on the flanks of the German First Army. All three divisions in southern Africa also entered the battle. At this time, tactics such as outflanking had lost their meaning.
The troops were too dense and there was no room for outflanking. Under the cover of artillery and machine guns, the soldiers launched a collective charge with rifles with bayonets in their hands. A battalion was wiped out in the blink of an eye, with an average loss of one regiment every hour.
The battle continued until noon, when the 105th Division and the 301st Division were completely disabled and had to withdraw from the battlefield, leaving only the 201st Division fighting alone.
Not alone, the British Expeditionary Force is also gritting its teeth and persisting.
"Gentlemen, hold on a little longer. We have suffered heavy losses. The Germans are not much better. They are already at the end of their game. They only need to launch another attack to defeat the enemy in front of us. His Majesty the King is waiting for our good news.
"Frenzi has become red-blooded. Before, Frenzi wanted to preserve his strength, but now he has paid such a heavy price to defeat the enemy in front of him. A hearty victory is Frenzi's only way to atone for his sins.
"We need more powerful artillery to suppress the enemy. With our current firepower, we simply cannot defeat the First Army." Haig, who had been strongly seeking a battle a few days ago, finally felt the combat power of the German army. The strength of the world's first army is indeed
Well-deserved reputation.
Haig's troops participated in the morning's attack, and indeed made some progress. They once captured the German position in front, but were recaptured by the crazy German troops.
Compared with the German army, the equipment of the British artillery force is not weak, but the quality of the artillery is far different from that of the German artillery, so it cannot achieve the desired effect. The French artillery with better quality loses in artillery caliber.
The Miss fire rate is fast, but its power is small at short range, and it does not pose a threat to the German artillery positions.
"Marshal, we can use all the artillery together to carry out key breakthroughs on the German positions. As long as we break through one point, we can penetrate the German defense line." Martin actively suggested that many exercises in southern Africa have proved that the artillery force is still
Use it intensively to achieve greater results.
"Yes, our artillery has not played its due role. We can achieve better results by concentrating all divisional artillery, moving the 18-pounder artillery positions forward, and using 4.5-inch artillery to concentrate attacks.
"Smith Dolin agreed with Martin's suggestion. The poor little British army was indeed unfamiliar with the current large-army operations.
"Our 12 divisions have more than 200 4.5-inch artillery pieces in total, which can definitely suppress the German artillery." Haig also agreed that the war has reached this point without any reservations.
His ability may be questionable, but his loyalty to the British Empire is not.
"Then do this, gentlemen, prepare your troops and start the attack at two o'clock in the afternoon." French agreed readily. Facing the powerful German First Army, the British Expeditionary Force finally united.
The French sun was blazing in September, and the weather was extremely hot. The generals in the headquarters had fans and cold drinks, but the troops on the front line couldn't even get a hot meal.
"Eat more, young man, we poor old men may not be able to eat the next meal." At the junction of the positions of the 201st Division and the British Fifth Division, a white sergeant of the Fifth Division took the time to eat canned food.
The can was found from an African soldier who had died. The unlucky man was hit by a stray bullet and died on the spot as soon as he jumped out of the trench. The body fell less than ten meters in front of the starting position. The sergeant used a bamboo pole to kill the unlucky man.
His backpack was hooked back, and there were four cans and two pieces of individual food in it.
"Southern Africa is really good to these guys, why don't we have these cans?" A bearded corporal also took the time to eat. The British Expeditionary Force's individual food actually included two boxes of cans, one for luncheon meat and one for peas.
However, in the individual food of southern African soldiers, canned beef and fish are included.
"The cans distributed by the military are purchased from southern Africa, so this is normal." The sergeant said thoughtfully. He still had a cigarette in his ear, which was also produced in southern Africa. The helmet he was wearing was also from just now.
It was ripped off that unfortunate guy's body.
The British Expeditionary Force also had helmets, but they were ugly ship-shaped helmets that were obviously less protective than the standard steel helmets in southern Africa.
The helmet worn by the sergeant has a groove formed by a bullet.
If this were replaced by a boat-shaped helmet equipped by the British Expeditionary Force, the helmet would definitely be shattered directly. The boat-shaped helmet can only protect against fragments generated by artillery shells or stray bullets with exhausted power, and cannot protect against the frontal impact of bullets.
In fact, the standard steel helmets equipped in southern Africa cannot protect against the frontal impact of bullets. Even if the bullets cannot break the helmets, the soldiers' cervical vertebrae will be torn off by the powerful impact of the bullets, and the result will be the same.
But if the bullet hits the side, or the upper dome of the helmet, the result is completely different.
"It seems that southern Africa is really good. If I can survive until the end of the war, I am going to go and see southern Africa. If it is as good as the second lieutenant said, I will immigrate to southern Africa." The bearded corporal's favor for southern Africa is increasing.
, Southern Africa is a British overseas territory and part of the United Kingdom.
"Why do we have to wait until the end of the war? When I was home, Southern Africa was what people called a remote country. But when we arrived in France, the Lee Enfields we used were produced in Southern Africa, and the bullets we used were produced in Southern Africa.
The individual food we eat, the cigarettes we smoke, and even our clothes are all made in southern Africa.” The sergeant opened the collar of the bearded corporal, and it turned out to be Madein.
"Southern Africa is also a British territory. It is normal for us to use products from southern Africa." The bearded corporal was not sure whether this situation was normal, but there is no doubt that the industrial capabilities of southern Africa are quite strong.
"These troops composed of Africans are equivalent to the National Guard in southern Africa. They have a lower status than the National Guard." The sergeant also did not understand the military system in southern Africa.
"Militia?" the bearded corporal guessed.
"Lower than the militia, the militia is at least white." Actually the sergeant wanted to say slave soldiers, but Britain had abolished slavery.
"That's the cannon fodder recruited temporarily, just like us." The bearded corporal said carelessly, not realizing there was any problem behind it. The same was true of France. After the war broke out, a large number of troops were mobilized from the colonies.
"How can it be the same? Haven't you noticed? All the soldiers in the southern African army are Africans. What does this mean?" the sergeant inspired.
"What?" The bearded corporal was confused. His brain cells were obviously not as developed as the hair system.
"It shows that Southern Africa only uses Africans as cannon fodder, and their officers are white. Did you notice during the battle in the morning? The white officers in Southern Africa do not charge with the troops. Only low-level African-American officers will join the troops.
Charge, do you still think we are the same now?" The sergeant's expression was filled with pity. He seemed to have forgotten that he was also very pitiful.
Only then did the bearded corporal "mmp" realize that he was just as cannon fodder as the African-American soldiers.
"If we are in southern Africa, at least we can be officers who don't have to charge with the troops." The sergeant laughed bitterly at himself. It is too late to realize this now. Let's survive this war first.
Behind the front line positions, the 4.5-inch artillery positions were finally deployed. Following Frenchi's order, more than 200 artillery pieces launched a saturation attack on the German positions.
"Everyone, stand up, mount your bayonets, and get your grenades ready. In hand-to-hand combat, a sapper shovel is more useful than a bayonet. After launching a charge, you have to run faster than a rabbit, preferably so fast that bullets can't even catch you.
Come on you, go up and kick the Germans' butts. I've prepared the best vodka for you. One bottle for each of you. Even if you are injured, it will be no problem. The big-breasted nurse in the hospital will take good care of you. If you die in battle unfortunately
, I will take your bodies back, and the Lord will take good care of your families and kill the Germans!"
On the nearby 201st Division position, a white officer was boosting morale. On the ground next to him were several large boxes full of vodka. Vodka was the best prize on the battlefield, making the soldiers forget all their fears.
"Kill the Germans!"
"victory!"
"Long live!"
The soldiers shouted, and the sergeant and the bearded corporal were dumbfounded.
"What the hell, I thought these people didn't know English." The sergeant thought carefully and found that he didn't say anything inappropriate in front of these African-American soldiers.
"Boys, stand up, assemble, and get ready for battle." The officers of the Fifth Division also began to mobilize before the war. These officers were more miserable and had to charge with the troops, even if they were nobles.
The company commander of the company where the sergeant and the bearded corporal belong is the son of a baron. He is now wearing a conspicuous dress and has a bright feather on his helmet. He is probably afraid that the German precision shooters will not notice him.
.
Compared with the Baron's son, the officers of the 201st Division wore the same clothes as the soldiers, and even the weapons were the same Lee Enfield. They also did not have polished riding boots and symbolic command knives, which ensured their safety to the greatest extent.
Not killed by precise sniping.
The British noticed this problem during the Second Boer War, and then the British troops changed to the current khaki uniforms.
However, the French army still retains the tradition of red trousers. Before the outbreak of the World War, the then Minister of War Messimi suggested that the French army change their red trousers. This suggestion was strongly opposed by the French generals. Minister of War Etienne
He believes that "it is absolutely impossible to cancel the red trousers, red trousers are France."
