3 - 10 July '40 - The breaking point of nations
"Tell the chaps help is on its way"
- General Brooke, replying to General Montgomery's request for assistance. July 1940 -
(London)
Bloody good to see you again, old boy! In these historical times a friendly face serves as a nice break from the tense and anxious atmosphere of the War Cabinet. Lord Halifax and Chamberlain are still vocal about their disdain of the trench war that we now find ourselves in. Churchill, Ironside, and Eden are pushing back. This is a necessary evil, and we are tipping the scale in our favour.
This week we might have won the war. At least the war against the Italians, and perhaps soon enough against the Germans.
It is July 10th and the war has lasted for 313 days.
GREAT AIR BATTLE OVER BELGIUM:
The French airforce desperate to keep the Germans from bombing us all to hell kept at it regardless of the decaying state of their forces. Most of our primary armies have now been outfitted with anti-aircraft brigades, so when the time comes for Jerry to bomb the Gort line in larger numbers, we should be able to fend him off. But I digress.
France lost: 50 fighters, and 21 bombers
Germany lost: 17 fighters, and 73 bombers
They are throwing tons and tons of men and material into these air battles. It must be raining metal upon the Belgian soil.
WESTERN FRONT:
GRAND COUNTER-ATTACK INTO MONS:
Our army in Lille came under attack last week by the strongest, well-planned German attack of the war. General Alan Brooke and General Alexander both launched their daring and necessary counter-attack into the heartland of Mons early this week. German Field Marshal Keitel was also reinforced. At the most this battle had 36 British and 40 German divisions clashing at the Gort line in order to halt the Huns invasion. Let me explain it to you, chap. there's around 1 million well-armed soldiers involved. It must have been Bedlam. only 250 miles from here. The peculiar General Montgomery in Lille managed to secure important strongholds and also tipped the battle in ever more our favour.
MOVING INTO BRUGES AND ASSAULTING BRUSSELS:
General Gort also issued a command to his army in Dunkirk, a rather uncharacteristic one. This week they moved out of the Gort line in order to secure the last bastion of the Belgium nation: Bruges. As it came under attack last week, and Gort believed a flanking maneuver would cause panic in the German army. They have 40 division locked down in Lille, and we throw 10 divisions into their right flank. Good thinking Gort! We stopped the smaller German assault, but it came with a cost. 14 000 men.
But the counter-attack and diversion did not end there. General Ritchie was ordered to attack hard into Arlon in the lone German division there. Hopefully we would either break through, or force the enemy to reinforce the province. Jerry did the latter. The boys were then called back into the Gort Line.
INITIAL GERMAN ATTACK REPELLED!:
Good news, old boy. They did it. The initial attack was halted. The Gort line withstood the first contact with the enemy. General Gamelin sent Gort a telegram apologising for earlier sentiments, congratulating the British for an initial successful operation, and thanking them for securing Bruges side by side with the French. We lost 45 000 young men to the battle. Some were captured, some wounded, and some will never again see the light of day. The Germans, thankfully took roughly the same losses.
Now begins the waiting game. The Germans will attempt another attack no doubt. where they will attempt to break through is hard to tell. Bruges is the immediate threat though, and we are ready to evacuate the Belgian city if the Huns attack in overwhelming numbers.
REINFORCEMENTS ARRIVE IN ITALY:
Originally the Gort Line reserve boys arrived in Parma, Italy early this week. What a bloody ragtag team they are! We have the Maoris from New Zealand upsetting the British boys with their sodding war chants! The Australians only laugh it off, and then there's the British Raj boys who have seen real battle ignoring them all. It's a bloody nightmare, none of them have standardised uniforms, equipments. The British have been forced to wing the whole operation...
But what better boy to wing it than General Paget; one of the boys who secured Norway. For them time being he has been put in charge of the situation. That is until we can send Ironside down there to stabilise and oversee the whole operation. The North front is proving rather unstable at the moment. Milan is under a large attack from German and Italian forces. They are waiting for the reinforcements to finish them off from Brecia. The South is splendid though. Livorno repelled a weak attack from Rome, and General Weygand with Indian forces are engaged with fascist forces outside of the capital.
SECRET NEGOTIATIONS WITH ITALIAN KING AS MUSSOLINI FLEES CAPITAL:
Speaking of which, The Italian King Victor Emmanuel III is ready to accept surrender on behalf of Italy. The Fascist leader Mussolini has fled the capital with his bodyguards, and the whole situation seems rather unstable. France has issued their demands to the king. Looks like the French are pushing for a future republic, and some colonial strength in Africa, those cheeky bastards.
CONDITIONS OF SURRENDER:
- Italy will be a democratic government under the French Republic, with Victor Emmanuell III as symbolic leader in the transitionary period. They will join the war on the Allies side, although they pledge no army.
- Britain vows to send supplies in order to mitigate starvation as soon as Italy joins alliance.
- Shkoder, Tirana, Vlore, Korce will not be a part of Italy, and may seek independence as nation.
- Kalymnos, and Rodos, is of military importance and will for the time being remain under French administration.
- Libya is of military importance and will be under French and British administration.
- Italian East Africa is of military importance and will for the time being remain under French administration.
If all goes well, then next week the King will issue the surrender of the Italian army, and the reforming of a new government. One on our side.
Back home in good old England, Beaverbrook, and our factory boys have made their output more efficient. The oil companies were the first to take advantage of the assembly lines. Further increasing our Industrial Capacity. This is damn good news, old boy! The allies should be able to outproduce the Germans. France and Britain, with the Commonwealth in support, and Italy out of the picture.
ADVANCED NAVAL INVASION:
This week we also started funding the creation of a real effective invasion doctrine. It will take some time, but with the help of the French we might soon have an amphibious force strong enough to land in Denmark, or wherever the fight might be in a year time. But one thing is for certain, the old way of doing it was not good enough.
AUSTRALIAN FLEET UNDER ATTACK:
The battle was waged in the air, and on ground. And of course the seas where no different; The Australian fleet came under intense air attacks from the Luftwaffe this week as they attempted to blockade Rome. They got out of the whole sordid mess with moderate damage. Unfortunately this forced them to set sail back to Alexandria for repairs. Looks like the Australian Navy will have to sit out the rest of the Italian war.
In order to further battle the Soviet submarine threat we have diverted more ships to escort duty. Their job now is to protect our supply lines in the vast seas, against the Red Wolfpacks. After last weeks disaster off the coast or Ireland It's imperative that we show the public that we're still in control of the seas.
2 AUSTRALIAN DIVISIONS ON ROUTE:
Last matter of the day. The small transport fleet arrived in Australia on the 3rd July. It then set sail for Alexandria with the last 2 Australian divisions. ETA August 9th. Not in time for the Italian war, but they can be used on the Northern front to secure the Alpes. But that is a month away, and as we know plenty can change before then.
Ah Ms. Darling! Thank you!
A double for our friend here.
Scotch! And what better to accompany it than a toast.
To days gone by, old soldiers,
a good bed, and the fall of Fascist Italy;
and may the sun never set on the British Empire.
Bloody good stuff, ey?