Chapter 128: Three Days in May (8 to 10 May 1941)
Chapter 128: Three Days in May (8 to 10 May 1941)
Prologue
The battered defenders of Timisoara attempt to recover from their recent exertions – they are too tired and busy to feel any real elation after their epic feat of arms. In Lipova, the badly worn 6 Inf Div hopes the Axis do not attack again any time soon, while the exhausted troops that have previously retreated to the next line of defence in Lugoj and Faget try to reorganise and dig in. The effort to defend Timisoara has left few fresh reserves for Inönü to draw upon: 1 Cav Div in Lugoj and the two divisions (3 Cav and the Soviet 156 SD - victors of Saudi Arabia) in trains heading north to the Balkan Front.
Before he headed to bed the night before, the President had left new orders for his military researchers in his War (Armament) Ministry. They would finish research, due to mature soon, on improved TAC and fighter pilot training, but on advice from the experts, Blitzkrieg research has been put on the back-burner, replaced by the more relevant Mass Assault, which should help improve morale in the infantry arm. Improved Infantry Support Weapons and Infantry Warfare Doctrine were also considered and may be pursued when the air doctrine effort is done – within the month.
---xxx---
8 May 1941
Before the Milli Şef can even turn in, however, on the stroke of midnight he is briefed about a new threat by a staff officer.
“Gürler reports a strong attack by Italian armour in Lipova. He has counter-attacked their assault in true style but as you had feared, General, they have not had time either to fully re-establish their entrenchments nor to recover organisation after their recent counter-attack to save Timisoara.” The duty officer pauses in his report to allow his commander, who has subtly raised a finger in a gesture of pause, to ask a question.
“Does he believe he can hold?”
“General, alas no. Unfortunately, for some reason the provision of supplies to Lipova has broken down, severely hampering their defence. They are short of ammunition in particular. And despite 6 Inf Div’s brave and effective counter-attack, they have been caught in open country, not fully entrenched, by a fresh Axis tank division. Their organisation had barely recovered from last week’s exertions. They cannot hold out for long.”
“Very well, countermand 1 Cav Div’s previous order to move to Timisoara: they should head to Faget instead: the defenders there are badly underdone and will soon find themselves on the front line.”
“Ah, yes, of course General. But I must also advise you that the same supply shortage has affected 1 Cav Div. They have virtually run out of fuel and their advance has slowed to a crawl.”
Inönü’s face drains of colour but he maintains a stoic disposition.
“I see. Issue the order anyway. I will be at the CP shortly.”
Not long after arriving, the land line from Timisoara rings. It is the famed MAJGEN Namut, who has assumed command in the beleaguered and almost levelled city, even though his 5 Inf Div has barely recovered from its recent ‘victory’.
The remaining troops trying to consolidate in Timisoara will no longer be getting the hoped for 1 Cav Div reinforcement, delayed first by supply problems and then by the renewed armoured attack on Lipova. The green 14 Inf Div would have to try to bear the lion's share of the fight: all other bolts have been shot. This coordinated enemy attack is going to be hard to deflect.
By 4am, Gürler’s 6 Inf Div was in big trouble, but still holding on. Given the as-yet paper thin defence in Faget, they were still ordered to hold on for a bit longer, but their odds were worsening by the hour.
As Italian air strikes resume in Timisoara, by 10am, with daylight and no supplies coming in, the situation is becoming dire in Lipova [now 160.7% attack vs 97.7% defence] Inönü ordered them to retreat to Faget. With casualties still relatively light (though organisation precarious), 6 Inf Div had given the defenders behind them a little more time to prepare. But would it be enough?
The rest of the day brought no significant changes in the front at Timisoara. But that evening, in Zurich, an important appointment had been made. Colonel Mike Ceylan, son of the late Ambassador Vatan ‘Vito’ Ceylan, had received a cable from Foreign Minister Aras in Ankara: he would follow his father as Ambassador – and head of both S.I.T.H. and conventional intelligence operations in Western Europe.
“Ambassador.” The traditional S.I.T.H. acknowledgement of total loyalty. Polat ‘Fat Pete’ Cumali looks on as Mike’s bodyguard moves to close the door to his office. S.I.T.H. business must be discussed.
As the day ends, Namut’s superior tactics keep the enemy at bay in Timisoara, with their lead division taking significant casualties. Miraculously, this has kept both 5 Inf Div and 1 Mot Div in the line, though they are barely hanging on. The notional odds for the battle have improved a little for the defenders – though the troops on the ground may not be seeing it that way. Enemy numbers are significant in Senta – and what is the German 4th Leichte Division doing? While to the north-east, allied Soviet and Romanian formations seem to be back-pedalling: the situation in western Romania becoming more precarious.
---xxx---
9 May 41
At midnight, a flash cable is received at the Foreign Ministry in Ankara – Aras is alerted with a hasty phone call: the Japanese have conquered Mongolia. Their government has gone into exile. Those units that were fighting on Soviet territory continue to do so (a cavalry division of two brigades, a militia division with three brigades and a couple of HQs). A black day for the Comintern.
The line in the Far East has not dissolved and at least some free Mongolian units remain in the field, to continue the fight for freedom.
At 2am, word comes through from Kanatli that his division has broken – they are retreating to Faget. They have fought valiantly for days but can do so no more.
An hour later, Namut is on the field telephone again with more bad news:
Two hours later, Italian armour occupies Lipova, while their 30th Division reinforces in Timisoara. The vice tightens inexorably.
At 7am, 5 Inf Div have had enough and break, fleeing to Lugoj [AI selected, but I would have chosen the same]. 14 Inf Div are now alone in their defence.
A German soldier captures a rear guard member from 5 Inf Div, caught in a shallow foxhole outside Timisoara as his exhausted comrades flee south to the next line of defence. German propaganda photo, 9 May 1941.
As if things weren’t already hard enough in Timisoara, the partly-recovered SS-Verf Division joins the Axis reserve for the attack from Senta at 1pm. 14 Inf Div still fights on bravely, but the pressure is starting to tell on them.
---xxx---
London: 2pm, No 10 Downing Street. That afternoon, Churchill’s Head of Intelligence [Sir Robert Menzies, erstwhile Australian Prime Minister, according to the game] is briefing his leader.
Churchill and Robert Menzies, London, early May 1941.
“Prime Minister, our 'asset' in Turkey has advised that our recent discovery in Cagliari will be of some interest to our Turkish ‘friends’.”
“You mean ‘the Thorn’, Menzies?”
“Yes, Prime Minister. Even I don’t know his name – only his MI6 handler does. Need to know basis.”
“Yes, very good. I would deem it an honour to meet him after all this is over. He has done great service to King and Country.”
“In the unlikely event he survives this war, we shall surely arrange it. But for now we will cable Ankara with this possible lead from Cagliari and will see whether they wish to follow it up, and if so how. And then observe their actions to see what we may learn ourselves.”
Menzies has brought his own trusted detachment of Australian WRAAF telegraphers to London with him to handle his most sensitive cable communications at the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6).
The game's Sir Robert Menzies should of course have been Colonel (later Major General Sir) Stewart Menzies (b. 30 January 1890), who took over from Hugh Sinclair as head of the British Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) when the latter died in November 1939. Colonel Stewart Menzies was a nephew of Robert Menzies. [Let’s imagine him in charge of actual British Intelligence operations from here on, rather than Robert Menzies.]
The contradiction is made worse by the fact the game now has Robert Menzies (with a different photo and name representation) as Australian Foreign Minister. Can’t do both of these roles at once - not in different hemispheres! And I’ll complain again while I’m at it about the game’s constitutionally impermissible representation of the Governor General Sir Isaac Isaacs as both Head of State and Head of Government (ie Prime Minister).
Zurich: 6pm, Turkish Embassy. That evening, the information from MI6 has made it from Ögel in Ankara to Mike Ceylan in Zurich via a coded telegram. There is little specific information – just an offer that Turkey can send an agent to Cagliari in the British-occupied enclave in Sardinia if they wish, to follow up a potential lead that they have uncovered there. Mike has been instructed to do so.
“Cumali, send word to Cennet in Monte Carlo. We are not yet ready for our ‘cold dish’. She is to use one of her alternate identities to make the trip to Cagliari. She will fly to Lisbon, where she will rendezvous with a British escort officer. They will get her from there to Gibraltar and then via a submarine to Cagliari. We don’t know what she will find there – but can use her discretion as to what action to take. She will know if she needs to seek guidance from us or Ankara.”
“Sure, Boss. I’m on to it. No problems.”
Ambassador Mike Ceylan ponders the cryptic message from their British co-belligerents. He trusts them no more or less than they would trust him. Which is not at all.
---xxx---
That night in Kraljevo, Inönü looks at the latest reports from 14 Inf Div in Timisoara and dispositions in Lugoj and Faget – where the Soviet 133 SD is headed (whether they will stay or pass through is unknown).
“The 14th has done everything they can and that honour demands. I hate to do it after the price we have paid to hold Timisoara for the Romanians, but enough is enough. Tell them to execute an orderly withdrawal to Lugoj while they still have the organisation to manage it and not be completely spent when they get there.”
“Yes, General,” replies the Chief of Staff, with a resigned look.
“Tell them: ‘I will return!’”
The enemy have again been made to pay dearly, but Inönü had no more rabbits to pull out of his hat. Soaked in the blood of Turkish heroes and now indelibly etched in the annals of Turkish military history, the cry ‘Remember Timisoara!’ would be used whenever a desperate defence against the odds was called for.
The President is brought a map showing the impact of the Mongolian surrender, with the remainder of the country being ceded to Japan – though some pockets of foreign troops (mainly Soviet and Romanian) are still retreating north from Mongolia.
10 May 1941
As his units retreat from the abandoned front line in Timisoara and Lipova, Turkey formally removes them from the list of requested allied defensive objectives. In coming hours, other objectives in Romania would be rationalised to reflect recent retreats across the front.
---xxx---
At the Grand Casino in Monte Carlo, Fredo is somewhat lackadaisically overseeing the construction and fit out of the new Turkish Consulate – which, somewhat quaintly, will be located within an annex at the Casino!
The Turkish-owned Grand Casino (and Consulate-Designate) in Monte Carlo, 10 May 1941.
Late that morning, Cennet – who has been gracing the tables under cover in recent days – has finished packing and is heading out shortly on her mission. Fredo has not been told anything of it.
“Seeya, Fredo. I’m off to Lisbon for some sightseeing.” Then, in a quieter voice and with a tight smile, “Give my regards to Kelebek, won’t you?” Fredo blanches and scurries away. He will be doing no such thing. Cennet just smiles to herself. It is not a soft smile. There is serious business to do in this war – and Fredo will never be capable of doing it. Especially not when he remains subserviently in Mo Green's pocket.
Cennet boards her Swissair flight to Lisbon, from nearby Nice. She is intrigued to find out what is going on in Cagliari – her last visit there was sad and desperate, ending with Luca Brasi's murder and a French invasion. Now it was the British. [Cagliari certainly seems to exert a fatal attraction in this ATL!]
A DH89 Dragon Rapide, operated by Swissair between Nice and Lisbon since 1937: Cennet’s transport for her latest mission.
[The airline apparently had a fleet of three of these aeroplanes which they flew on their routes into Austria. In this ATL, they also fly it to Lisbon from Vichy Nice.]
Something of an Axis build-up has occurred on the southern section of the Yeniçeri Line in recent days. The line there has long been thinned as far as it can. The gradual increase in Axis troop levels there mean a withdrawal to depth lines will be just that more difficult and dangerous if it is called for.
1 Mot Div arrived in Faget at 4pm. They are very badly exhausted and it is uncertain how much they will be able to contribute to a defence of the new Lugoj-Faget defensive line, if it comes to it. But the defence there is so thin they are not sent further behind the lines to recover.
The desperate race to stabilise the line south-east of Timisoara may eventually be aided by the arrival of the strategic reserve – 3 Cav Div and 156 SD – whose destination has just been changed from Beograd to Mehadia. From there, they could be sent to the front line (if it still exists) or to depth positions in the Romanian mountains should a general withdrawal eventuate.
The dreaded moment arrives when German troops occupy Timisoara. Its importance is more symbolic than strategic, but nonetheless it pains the Turkish Army to see Nazi scum and their Axis lackeys treading its streets.
Not that there are many streets left to tread freely in Timisoara, after so much fighting during the last months, culminating in the devasting, unrelenting street to street combat of the last few weeks. May the Germans choke on the brick dust!
OTL Event: Scotland. Deputy Führer Rudolf Hess flies a Messerschmitt Bf 110 to Scotland on a solo peace mission, parachuting into Eaglesham near his objective of Dungavel House after running out of fuel.
British personnel inspect the wreckage of Rudolph Hess’s Me Bf 110 in Scotland on 10 May 1941 in OTL.
But in this ATL, Hess (for now, anyway) remains the much-derided (in Turkey) Deputy Fuhrer of Germany and supposed Head of Government. And von Neurath persists as Foreign Minister – that even worse toady and buffoon, Ribbentrop, has not (yet) risen to the top. Perhaps he will, as scum rises to the top of the sewage pit.
News Report: Belgium. The Strike of the 100,000 begins in Nazi-occupied Belgium. It was led by Julien Lahaut, head of the Belgian Communist Party (Parti Communiste de Belgique or PCB), even though the Nazi—Soviet Pact was still in force. The object of the strike was to demand a wage increase though it was also an act of passive resistance to the German occupation. The strike originated at the Cockerill steel works (Cockerill Fonderie) in the industrial town of Seraing, in eastern Belgium. [The date marked the first anniversary of the German invasion of Belgium in OTL: we will take this event to have happened in-game and will see how it transpires. What will the occupiers make of it?]
A couple of quick updates, showing territorial changes since 1 May (green line) and (dashed arrows, as usual) any changes in the last three-day period.
The Patriotic Front has not changed much, with the Soviets in the Southern Sector largely holding or even pushing back, with the most ground lost in Romania.
In the Far East, the fall of Mongolia (new front line in yellow as at 2300hr on 10 May 1941) is the only significant recent development.
---xxx---
Coming Up: Can the Comintern recover from the hammer blows in Romania and Mongolia over the last three days? Will Inönü eventually have to enact one of the intermediate fall-back plans? Or can the Soviets maintain enough pressure in the South and Romania to offset the Axis switch of emphasis to the Balkans? Where the Turks have certainly drawn the lightning after their earlier Spring Offensive. As Mike Ceylan grows into his new role as Ambassador and S.I.T.H. ‘capo’ for Western Europe, will Sal Terzi go through with his treacherous plan to side with Marco Bianchi and assassinate him? What is the significance (if any) of the new Turkish Consulate in Monte Carlo? Will it figure in Mike's planned cold buffet revenge banquet? What mystery awaits Cennet in the haunted streets of Cagliari? Will Hess pull the same silly stunt in this ATL as he did in OTL? And WHO IS THE THORN!?
Prologue
The battered defenders of Timisoara attempt to recover from their recent exertions – they are too tired and busy to feel any real elation after their epic feat of arms. In Lipova, the badly worn 6 Inf Div hopes the Axis do not attack again any time soon, while the exhausted troops that have previously retreated to the next line of defence in Lugoj and Faget try to reorganise and dig in. The effort to defend Timisoara has left few fresh reserves for Inönü to draw upon: 1 Cav Div in Lugoj and the two divisions (3 Cav and the Soviet 156 SD - victors of Saudi Arabia) in trains heading north to the Balkan Front.
Before he headed to bed the night before, the President had left new orders for his military researchers in his War (Armament) Ministry. They would finish research, due to mature soon, on improved TAC and fighter pilot training, but on advice from the experts, Blitzkrieg research has been put on the back-burner, replaced by the more relevant Mass Assault, which should help improve morale in the infantry arm. Improved Infantry Support Weapons and Infantry Warfare Doctrine were also considered and may be pursued when the air doctrine effort is done – within the month.
---xxx---
8 May 1941
Before the Milli Şef can even turn in, however, on the stroke of midnight he is briefed about a new threat by a staff officer.
“Gürler reports a strong attack by Italian armour in Lipova. He has counter-attacked their assault in true style but as you had feared, General, they have not had time either to fully re-establish their entrenchments nor to recover organisation after their recent counter-attack to save Timisoara.” The duty officer pauses in his report to allow his commander, who has subtly raised a finger in a gesture of pause, to ask a question.
“Does he believe he can hold?”
“General, alas no. Unfortunately, for some reason the provision of supplies to Lipova has broken down, severely hampering their defence. They are short of ammunition in particular. And despite 6 Inf Div’s brave and effective counter-attack, they have been caught in open country, not fully entrenched, by a fresh Axis tank division. Their organisation had barely recovered from last week’s exertions. They cannot hold out for long.”
“Very well, countermand 1 Cav Div’s previous order to move to Timisoara: they should head to Faget instead: the defenders there are badly underdone and will soon find themselves on the front line.”
“Ah, yes, of course General. But I must also advise you that the same supply shortage has affected 1 Cav Div. They have virtually run out of fuel and their advance has slowed to a crawl.”
Inönü’s face drains of colour but he maintains a stoic disposition.
“I see. Issue the order anyway. I will be at the CP shortly.”
“This is Namut. We have been attacked again, with a German infantry division leading from Arad, backed up by a Hungarian division attacking from Sânnicolau Mare. Both are fresh. We have their measure for now and I am delaying their assault to good effect. While the 14th is fresh, my men and 1 Motorlu are almost spent. Our entrenchments are still only rudimentary. Once day breaks things will get harder for us.”
“Hold them for as long as you can. The 5th and 1 Motorlu are only to retreat when forced to. We still need more time to solidify the line to the south-west. Keep me posted.”
“Vur ha!”
The remaining troops trying to consolidate in Timisoara will no longer be getting the hoped for 1 Cav Div reinforcement, delayed first by supply problems and then by the renewed armoured attack on Lipova. The green 14 Inf Div would have to try to bear the lion's share of the fight: all other bolts have been shot. This coordinated enemy attack is going to be hard to deflect.
“Ambassador.” The traditional S.I.T.H. acknowledgement of total loyalty. Polat ‘Fat Pete’ Cumali looks on as Mike’s bodyguard moves to close the door to his office. S.I.T.H. business must be discussed.
As the day ends, Namut’s superior tactics keep the enemy at bay in Timisoara, with their lead division taking significant casualties. Miraculously, this has kept both 5 Inf Div and 1 Mot Div in the line, though they are barely hanging on. The notional odds for the battle have improved a little for the defenders – though the troops on the ground may not be seeing it that way. Enemy numbers are significant in Senta – and what is the German 4th Leichte Division doing? While to the north-east, allied Soviet and Romanian formations seem to be back-pedalling: the situation in western Romania becoming more precarious.
---xxx---
9 May 41
At midnight, a flash cable is received at the Foreign Ministry in Ankara – Aras is alerted with a hasty phone call: the Japanese have conquered Mongolia. Their government has gone into exile. Those units that were fighting on Soviet territory continue to do so (a cavalry division of two brigades, a militia division with three brigades and a couple of HQs). A black day for the Comintern.
The line in the Far East has not dissolved and at least some free Mongolian units remain in the field, to continue the fight for freedom.
At 2am, word comes through from Kanatli that his division has broken – they are retreating to Faget. They have fought valiantly for days but can do so no more.
“The Axis have reinforced their attack – Panzer IVs from 11 Pz Division have been sighted attacking from Senta. They have not fully recovered from the previous attack, but apparently enough to rejoin the fight. The Italian 30th Infantry has also been spotted joining their reserve from Arad. My division cannot last much longer – the 14th remains fairly strong, but with no permanent commander will be at a further disadvantage when I am forced to leave. Milli Şef, I must be frank: without some miracle, Timisoara is lost.”
“I understand Namut. Keep fighting as long as you can and direct the 14th to do the same after you are forced to withdraw. I have now instructed 1 Cav Div to hold in Lugoj. We can only hope the Soviets actually help us to defend Faget, as we had previously requested. We need all the time we can get to try to stop their next assault after Timisoara is surrendered.”
A German soldier captures a rear guard member from 5 Inf Div, caught in a shallow foxhole outside Timisoara as his exhausted comrades flee south to the next line of defence. German propaganda photo, 9 May 1941.
As if things weren’t already hard enough in Timisoara, the partly-recovered SS-Verf Division joins the Axis reserve for the attack from Senta at 1pm. 14 Inf Div still fights on bravely, but the pressure is starting to tell on them.
---xxx---
London: 2pm, No 10 Downing Street. That afternoon, Churchill’s Head of Intelligence [Sir Robert Menzies, erstwhile Australian Prime Minister, according to the game] is briefing his leader.
Churchill and Robert Menzies, London, early May 1941.
“Prime Minister, our 'asset' in Turkey has advised that our recent discovery in Cagliari will be of some interest to our Turkish ‘friends’.”
“You mean ‘the Thorn’, Menzies?”
“Yes, Prime Minister. Even I don’t know his name – only his MI6 handler does. Need to know basis.”
“Yes, very good. I would deem it an honour to meet him after all this is over. He has done great service to King and Country.”
“In the unlikely event he survives this war, we shall surely arrange it. But for now we will cable Ankara with this possible lead from Cagliari and will see whether they wish to follow it up, and if so how. And then observe their actions to see what we may learn ourselves.”
Menzies has brought his own trusted detachment of Australian WRAAF telegraphers to London with him to handle his most sensitive cable communications at the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6).
The game's Sir Robert Menzies should of course have been Colonel (later Major General Sir) Stewart Menzies (b. 30 January 1890), who took over from Hugh Sinclair as head of the British Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) when the latter died in November 1939. Colonel Stewart Menzies was a nephew of Robert Menzies. [Let’s imagine him in charge of actual British Intelligence operations from here on, rather than Robert Menzies.]
The contradiction is made worse by the fact the game now has Robert Menzies (with a different photo and name representation) as Australian Foreign Minister. Can’t do both of these roles at once - not in different hemispheres! And I’ll complain again while I’m at it about the game’s constitutionally impermissible representation of the Governor General Sir Isaac Isaacs as both Head of State and Head of Government (ie Prime Minister).
Zurich: 6pm, Turkish Embassy. That evening, the information from MI6 has made it from Ögel in Ankara to Mike Ceylan in Zurich via a coded telegram. There is little specific information – just an offer that Turkey can send an agent to Cagliari in the British-occupied enclave in Sardinia if they wish, to follow up a potential lead that they have uncovered there. Mike has been instructed to do so.
“Cumali, send word to Cennet in Monte Carlo. We are not yet ready for our ‘cold dish’. She is to use one of her alternate identities to make the trip to Cagliari. She will fly to Lisbon, where she will rendezvous with a British escort officer. They will get her from there to Gibraltar and then via a submarine to Cagliari. We don’t know what she will find there – but can use her discretion as to what action to take. She will know if she needs to seek guidance from us or Ankara.”
“Sure, Boss. I’m on to it. No problems.”
Ambassador Mike Ceylan ponders the cryptic message from their British co-belligerents. He trusts them no more or less than they would trust him. Which is not at all.
---xxx---
That night in Kraljevo, Inönü looks at the latest reports from 14 Inf Div in Timisoara and dispositions in Lugoj and Faget – where the Soviet 133 SD is headed (whether they will stay or pass through is unknown).
“The 14th has done everything they can and that honour demands. I hate to do it after the price we have paid to hold Timisoara for the Romanians, but enough is enough. Tell them to execute an orderly withdrawal to Lugoj while they still have the organisation to manage it and not be completely spent when they get there.”
“Yes, General,” replies the Chief of Staff, with a resigned look.
“Tell them: ‘I will return!’”
The enemy have again been made to pay dearly, but Inönü had no more rabbits to pull out of his hat. Soaked in the blood of Turkish heroes and now indelibly etched in the annals of Turkish military history, the cry ‘Remember Timisoara!’ would be used whenever a desperate defence against the odds was called for.
The President is brought a map showing the impact of the Mongolian surrender, with the remainder of the country being ceded to Japan – though some pockets of foreign troops (mainly Soviet and Romanian) are still retreating north from Mongolia.
As his units retreat from the abandoned front line in Timisoara and Lipova, Turkey formally removes them from the list of requested allied defensive objectives. In coming hours, other objectives in Romania would be rationalised to reflect recent retreats across the front.
---xxx---
The Turkish-owned Grand Casino (and Consulate-Designate) in Monte Carlo, 10 May 1941.
Late that morning, Cennet – who has been gracing the tables under cover in recent days – has finished packing and is heading out shortly on her mission. Fredo has not been told anything of it.
“Seeya, Fredo. I’m off to Lisbon for some sightseeing.” Then, in a quieter voice and with a tight smile, “Give my regards to Kelebek, won’t you?” Fredo blanches and scurries away. He will be doing no such thing. Cennet just smiles to herself. It is not a soft smile. There is serious business to do in this war – and Fredo will never be capable of doing it. Especially not when he remains subserviently in Mo Green's pocket.
Cennet boards her Swissair flight to Lisbon, from nearby Nice. She is intrigued to find out what is going on in Cagliari – her last visit there was sad and desperate, ending with Luca Brasi's murder and a French invasion. Now it was the British. [Cagliari certainly seems to exert a fatal attraction in this ATL!]
A DH89 Dragon Rapide, operated by Swissair between Nice and Lisbon since 1937: Cennet’s transport for her latest mission.
[The airline apparently had a fleet of three of these aeroplanes which they flew on their routes into Austria. In this ATL, they also fly it to Lisbon from Vichy Nice.]
Something of an Axis build-up has occurred on the southern section of the Yeniçeri Line in recent days. The line there has long been thinned as far as it can. The gradual increase in Axis troop levels there mean a withdrawal to depth lines will be just that more difficult and dangerous if it is called for.
Not that there are many streets left to tread freely in Timisoara, after so much fighting during the last months, culminating in the devasting, unrelenting street to street combat of the last few weeks. May the Germans choke on the brick dust!
OTL Event: Scotland. Deputy Führer Rudolf Hess flies a Messerschmitt Bf 110 to Scotland on a solo peace mission, parachuting into Eaglesham near his objective of Dungavel House after running out of fuel.
British personnel inspect the wreckage of Rudolph Hess’s Me Bf 110 in Scotland on 10 May 1941 in OTL.
But in this ATL, Hess (for now, anyway) remains the much-derided (in Turkey) Deputy Fuhrer of Germany and supposed Head of Government. And von Neurath persists as Foreign Minister – that even worse toady and buffoon, Ribbentrop, has not (yet) risen to the top. Perhaps he will, as scum rises to the top of the sewage pit.
---xxx---
A couple of quick updates, showing territorial changes since 1 May (green line) and (dashed arrows, as usual) any changes in the last three-day period.
The Patriotic Front has not changed much, with the Soviets in the Southern Sector largely holding or even pushing back, with the most ground lost in Romania.
---xxx---
Coming Up: Can the Comintern recover from the hammer blows in Romania and Mongolia over the last three days? Will Inönü eventually have to enact one of the intermediate fall-back plans? Or can the Soviets maintain enough pressure in the South and Romania to offset the Axis switch of emphasis to the Balkans? Where the Turks have certainly drawn the lightning after their earlier Spring Offensive. As Mike Ceylan grows into his new role as Ambassador and S.I.T.H. ‘capo’ for Western Europe, will Sal Terzi go through with his treacherous plan to side with Marco Bianchi and assassinate him? What is the significance (if any) of the new Turkish Consulate in Monte Carlo? Will it figure in Mike's planned cold buffet revenge banquet? What mystery awaits Cennet in the haunted streets of Cagliari? Will Hess pull the same silly stunt in this ATL as he did in OTL? And WHO IS THE THORN!?
Last edited:
- 1