Chapter VII
4:00 December 7th
Lieutenant General Christison's VIII Corps, which had remained in Cape Town after the annexation, boarded transport ships bound for Lindi, which was under siege by Field Marshal Montgomery's five Motorized infantry and Armor Divisions.
The additional two Infantry units, bringing fresh supplies, would enable the garrison to hold out long enough for the British supply stockpiles to finally run out.
The following day, on December 8th, three British Divisions had exactly this occur, as they were completely annihilated by lack of supply.
Numerous attacks were made on Lindi. The 47th "London" Motorized Division assualted at 2:00 December 7th. By 8:00 that morning, they had been defeated, driven out by the dug in and prepared Rhodesian troops.
14:00 December 8th found another assault on Lindi. Calvert-Jones's Homeguard HQ and the 47th Motorized remobilized against the garrison, however they were quickly defeated. However, at 10:00 December 10th, the Rhodesian Garrison launched a counter attack, driving the British from the region. Rather than split up the force though, they remained in Lindi, and the British retook Dar es Salaam.
December 20-28th
In Bulawayo, Stanley and his Cabinet made numerous trade agreements with various neutral countries for the supplies they so desperately needed. Portugal was a large supplier, as was Belgium and Austria. Japan, which was on the loosing end of the war with Britain and most of the rest of the world, sent what money and supplies they could spare in order to help Rhodesia, their last ally, tie up more British troops. They saw thirty starving British Divisions as less troops they had to deal with, and wanted to ensure Rhodesian victory.
With supplies and funds coming in, the Rhodesians were now in great condition. The Cabinet was no longer worried about being arrested for treason by the British Crown, and the soldiers were yet again confident in victory.
December 29th
The VIII Corps had arrived in Lindi, and began setting up their own defensive positions, as Field Marshal Alexander launched another attack. This assault was just as successful as his others had been, which was not at all. Lindi remained Rhodesian, and the British supply line remained cut.
At 10:00 that day, the Rhodesians launched their mass offensive, as British troops starved to death. The troops had little in the way of ammunition either, so they ran when the well equipped Rhodesians assaulted. At Lusaka, the 7th Armor under General Birks, 1st Polish Armor under Clarke, 15th Armor, 6th Undian Motorized, and 30th NG Divisions under de Guingand, and the 2nd West African Division under Evelegh were utterly destroyed, the survivors ran off, only to run into more Rhodesian Guerrillas in Kalabo. By January, the British and Allied lines had completely collapsed, sending their armies into dissary. Many units find their way to Ndola, where Field Marshal MacArthur plans his last stand.
Meanwhile, as Rhodesian troops push inward, the frequent assaults on Lindi continue, however they are defeated. But the troops are having more and more difficulty defeating the assaults as the days go by. Hopes for peace are high, as Yetta and Christison know that they cannot hold out forever...
Their fears were confirmed at 5:00 January 26th. Field Marshal Alexander finally had his victory, but it was too late, as it would take several weeks for him to reestablish supplies, long after all their troops would be dead.
Then, as February rolled around, the battle of Ndola commenced. Eight Rhodesian Infantry Divisions advanced on over thirty British, American, French, and Canadian troops, while they desperately tried to hold out. The battle lasted an hour. Utterly defeated, they tried to flee into nearby provinces, just to be ambushed by Guerrilla troops. It was a massacre, with thousands of Allied soldiers slaughtered.
And then, at 16:00, February 13th, 1946, two days before the anniversary of Rhodesian Sucession, a peace treaty was submitted to the British Government. The King accepted.
Stanley jumped out of his chair when he heard the news. Burgh sighed with relief as he knew it was over.
Rhodesia was finally independant.
4:00 December 7th
Lieutenant General Christison's VIII Corps, which had remained in Cape Town after the annexation, boarded transport ships bound for Lindi, which was under siege by Field Marshal Montgomery's five Motorized infantry and Armor Divisions.
The additional two Infantry units, bringing fresh supplies, would enable the garrison to hold out long enough for the British supply stockpiles to finally run out.
The following day, on December 8th, three British Divisions had exactly this occur, as they were completely annihilated by lack of supply.
Numerous attacks were made on Lindi. The 47th "London" Motorized Division assualted at 2:00 December 7th. By 8:00 that morning, they had been defeated, driven out by the dug in and prepared Rhodesian troops.
14:00 December 8th found another assault on Lindi. Calvert-Jones's Homeguard HQ and the 47th Motorized remobilized against the garrison, however they were quickly defeated. However, at 10:00 December 10th, the Rhodesian Garrison launched a counter attack, driving the British from the region. Rather than split up the force though, they remained in Lindi, and the British retook Dar es Salaam.
December 20-28th
In Bulawayo, Stanley and his Cabinet made numerous trade agreements with various neutral countries for the supplies they so desperately needed. Portugal was a large supplier, as was Belgium and Austria. Japan, which was on the loosing end of the war with Britain and most of the rest of the world, sent what money and supplies they could spare in order to help Rhodesia, their last ally, tie up more British troops. They saw thirty starving British Divisions as less troops they had to deal with, and wanted to ensure Rhodesian victory.
With supplies and funds coming in, the Rhodesians were now in great condition. The Cabinet was no longer worried about being arrested for treason by the British Crown, and the soldiers were yet again confident in victory.
December 29th
The VIII Corps had arrived in Lindi, and began setting up their own defensive positions, as Field Marshal Alexander launched another attack. This assault was just as successful as his others had been, which was not at all. Lindi remained Rhodesian, and the British supply line remained cut.
At 10:00 that day, the Rhodesians launched their mass offensive, as British troops starved to death. The troops had little in the way of ammunition either, so they ran when the well equipped Rhodesians assaulted. At Lusaka, the 7th Armor under General Birks, 1st Polish Armor under Clarke, 15th Armor, 6th Undian Motorized, and 30th NG Divisions under de Guingand, and the 2nd West African Division under Evelegh were utterly destroyed, the survivors ran off, only to run into more Rhodesian Guerrillas in Kalabo. By January, the British and Allied lines had completely collapsed, sending their armies into dissary. Many units find their way to Ndola, where Field Marshal MacArthur plans his last stand.
Meanwhile, as Rhodesian troops push inward, the frequent assaults on Lindi continue, however they are defeated. But the troops are having more and more difficulty defeating the assaults as the days go by. Hopes for peace are high, as Yetta and Christison know that they cannot hold out forever...
Their fears were confirmed at 5:00 January 26th. Field Marshal Alexander finally had his victory, but it was too late, as it would take several weeks for him to reestablish supplies, long after all their troops would be dead.
Then, as February rolled around, the battle of Ndola commenced. Eight Rhodesian Infantry Divisions advanced on over thirty British, American, French, and Canadian troops, while they desperately tried to hold out. The battle lasted an hour. Utterly defeated, they tried to flee into nearby provinces, just to be ambushed by Guerrilla troops. It was a massacre, with thousands of Allied soldiers slaughtered.
And then, at 16:00, February 13th, 1946, two days before the anniversary of Rhodesian Sucession, a peace treaty was submitted to the British Government. The King accepted.
Stanley jumped out of his chair when he heard the news. Burgh sighed with relief as he knew it was over.
Rhodesia was finally independant.
