"The French army's follow-up troops are widening the gap, and the National Guards on our defense line cannot stop it!"
The staff officer's almost wailing report made Gott a little desperate.
Once the gap continues to expand, it will no longer be a crisis that this small amount of counterattack force can fill.
That could be a disaster!
"Commander!" The Chief of General Staff in the London Command boldly suggested to Gott with some urgency: "In this case, it is time to send the Prince of Wales's Royal Regiment in the London Theater to participate in the war!"
In terms of armor strength, the British army under the City of London still has a certain strength. The Prince of Wales's Royal Regiment, as mentioned by the Chief of General Staff, is already an absolute elite force.
It consists of an armored infantry battalion of the Queen's Royal Regiment Hamilton, originally attached to the 1st Mechanized Brigade, 3rd Division, a battalion of the Queen's Royal Hamilton Light Infantry, attached to the 3rd Infantry Brigade, 4th Division, and a battalion of the Queen's Royal Hamilton Light Infantry, attached to the 3rd Mechanized Brigade, 4th Division.
It was adapted from the Home Battalion of the Queen's Royal Hamilton Regiment, London Garrison Division.
This adapted tank regiment has 1 squadron directly under the regiment headquarters and 3 tank squadrons. Each squadron includes 52 "cruise tanks" and 10 reconnaissance vehicles, with 575 officers and soldiers. In addition, there are a total of 1,455 coordination personnel.
Infantry detachment in tank combat.
This is the strongest armored force in London, adopting the most substantial and complete super-strong organization. The officers and soldiers are well-trained and have first-class combat effectiveness.
Once this armored force is put into Greenwich, it will be an absolutely powerful weapon to deal with the French army that only relies on shipping to obtain some German assault guns and lacks tanks!
Moreover, the Three Kingdoms Allied Forces in the south did not have any armored units. Even if they were all infantry, they were at most infantry equipped with sufficient firepower and artillery. Even if the German paratroopers were added, it would not change their nature as infantry.
only......
"No! The armored force in London cannot be reduced!" Lord Gott resolutely rejected the support proposal from the Chief of Staff: "The main force of the German army landing at Portsmouth has a strong armored force of no less than one division. We must maintain sufficient armored force.
Deal with them."
"Commander, the main force of the German army has just captured Guildford, and it is still some distance away from us..." The chief of general staff still wanted to win.
"No! The other side has armored forces, and their advance will be very fast. They may cross the Thames River and appear in the west of London at any time. I must guard against them!" Gott stubbornly shook his head and said: "This German army has submersible tanks.
What's the secret? I don't know the specific situation of this tank, but if they have this tank, it may be easy to break through the Thames River."
"I couldn't wait until the Germans achieved a breakthrough to prepare, otherwise I would encounter another disaster like the one at Dunkirk!" Gott recalled painfully.
"Let Greenwich's newly formed 4th Division detach two regiments to counterattack from the left flank of the gap, and the 1st Armored Battalion of the Dorset Regiment to counterattack from the right flank of the gap. After they tightened up to seal the gap, the 3rd Division and the Devonshire Armored Battalion counterattacked
With our troops, we can annihilate the front of the French army that breaks into the defense line!"
Lord Gott once again increased the investment in the reserve team.
"But in this way, the entire Greenwich mobile force can be mobilized..." the chief of staff looked at Gott worriedly.
...
"Reporting that the two forward regiments of our army have advanced to a position less than 3 kilometers away from the ancient castle of Hestmonsoux."
In the joint command of the German, French and Norwegian forces, a French staff officer spoke to the French commander Weygand, the German commander Stuart, and the Norwegian commander Alfred.
This Alfred can be regarded as a good Norwegian general who has been on the battlefield and has rich combat experience (relatively speaking).
Alfred previously commanded the Norwegian Volunteer Battalion and participated in the Battle of Finland with the Nordic Allied Forces of Sweden and Denmark. He then led the troops back to China and participated in the counterattack against the British. In Norway, he is also considered one of the generals with the most combat experience.
.
As the original commander of the Norwegian 5th Division, Sundero, was promoted to Army Commander-in-Chief by Quisling, Alfred took over the position of commander of the 5th Division, the most elite division in the Norwegian Army. And his former adjutant, Marvin, was a natural fit.
He became the battalion commander of the reinforced battalion before Alfred.
Now Alfred came to British soil with the only main division of the Norwegian Army that was not defeated in the counterattack against Britain, plus the reinforced battalion that was equipped with German weapons after Marvin took over, and began the Norwegian war.
The battle of revenge.
It's a pity that even Norway's best generals, Colonel Alfred and his confidant Major Marvin, still can't see the direction of the battlefield.
The ones who saw through everything were the veteran French general Wei Gang and the German general Stuart who had gone through the military academy system.
"It seems that the British Lord Gott now only has three options left." Stuart said with interest as he looked at the combat diagram marked with red and blue arrows.
In his opinion, no matter which response method Gott chooses, the final outcome will actually not make much difference.
"I know quite a bit about Lord Gott, the homeland defense commander selected by the British army." Wei Gang, who had barely cooperated with Gott in the French campaign, said leisurely at this time: "He has certain qualities.
He has command level, but his level is very limited. Faced with this kind of situation, he will usually choose the most prudent and safe way."
A safe way? Is there a safe way for the British army today?
The truly prudent method only exists for the dominant side. If you have to ask the disadvantaged side what prudent approach there is, it can only be a dull defensive battle.
If there is no foundation for defense, create a foundation. For example, if the defense line is penetrated, block it immediately.
...
"Forget about the mobile troops. After closing the gap and annihilating the French vanguard, we will naturally be able to free up the mobile troops."
In the headquarters, Gott explained his response plan: solve the current troubles first, and then free up your hands to solve future troubles.
"Plug the gap, and then use the gathered National Guard troops to fill it up and replace our counterattack force." Gott's thinking is becoming more and more clear: "Leave at most one infantry regiment to assist in defense, and the rest
The counterattack force can fall back and become a reserve force..."
.......
"Are we also going to divide our forces and attack?
In Greenwich, Commander Bob of the newly formed 4th Division of the British Army was puzzled by the latest order.
The 3rd Division had just been sent out, and now his 4th Division was also asked to send 2 regiments to counterattack. Bob was a little confused, wouldn't there be only one regiment left in Greenwich as a reserve force?