allonlinenovel Chapter 266 Battle in the Desert
Chapter 266 Battle in the Desert
After receiving Wedemeyer's call, Kuang Zhengqi quickly ordered the 34th and 43rd Divisions hiding in the semi-desert area to advance towards Ouzaibai Pool. The 44th Division and the 2nd Division defending Shuaibai also set out urgently and rushed to Ouzaibai Pool.
Shuaiba is approximately 150 kilometers from Uzaibachi, and the fastest Chinese troops would need three hours to reach it. The 3th Army, traveling from Kuwait, would also need about two hours. Currently, the defense of Uzaibachi relies entirely on a single British garrison.
The US and British air forces arrived first, launching a fierce offensive against the Germans. However, the Germans were well prepared, deploying numerous anti-aircraft batteries throughout their columns. These included the "Tornado" quadruple 20mm Flak 38 anti-aircraft guns, modified from Panzer IV tank chassis. These guns posed significant challenges to the swooping Allied air forces. In less than half an hour of combat, 331 of the 17st Air Wing's more than 155 aircraft were shot down or damaged. The accompanying US th Group was forced to drop bombs at medium and high altitudes, significantly reducing their effectiveness against the Germans.
The delaying attacks by the US and British air forces also bought some time for the defenders of Ozabaichi. This motorized infantry regiment strengthened its position, especially with its anti-tank firepower properly deployed. Wedemeyer even personally called the regimental commander and ordered him to hold out for at least an hour and wait for reinforcements.
An hour later, the Germans arrived at Uzaibaci, leaving only one grenadier division, supported by several tanks, to attack the defenders. The remaining troops split into two groups, circumventing the enemy from both sides and charging directly toward Kuwait, completely ignoring the Allied forces in Basra. The Germans' objective was clear: to capture Kuwait City as quickly as possible, seize the port, and cut off the Allied forces' retreat.
"Boom boom boom--", after a burst of intensive artillery fire, the counterattack force of the British Corps defending Ozabaichi immediately weakened a lot. This German rapid assault column was composed of the 1st Tank Army, the 3rd Armored Army and two SS Grenadier Divisions, namely the Hohenstaufen Division and the Prince Eugen Division, which were the notorious German SS ace grenadier divisions. For this operation, they were secretly transferred from the 25th Army and joined the 1st Tank Army. The purpose was to use their powerful combat power to quickly capture towns in urban street fighting and improve the assault power of the column.
The attack on Ozabaichi was led by the Prince Eugen Division, composed entirely of elite troops from the Soviet-German battlefield. Their artillery fire was particularly precise and well-aimed. In less than half an hour, they had destroyed most of the defenders' counterattacks. Two battalions of grenadiers had already penetrated the city, pushing the British troops into a narrow area south of the city. At this point, the vanguard of the US 7th Light Armored Corps arrived. After a bloody battle, they suppressed the German offensive. The two sides engaged in a fierce battle at Ozabaichi, centered in the town center.
The Allies, sensing the battlefield situation through their air forces, shifted all but the lead element of the US VII Corps to the west, where they soon encountered the German III Panzer Corps, where a fierce battle ensued. Both the US and British forces were aware of the German objective. Capturing the port of Kuwait would mean the loss of the Allied supply line and the complete encirclement. Consequently, both the US and British forces engaged in a desperate, unleashing a reckless display of force. Although primarily composed of light armor, the VII Corps remained firmly embedded within the German lines, decisively engaging the Germans in close combat and disrupting their plans for a rapid advance on Kuwait City and the port.
On the eastern flank, the 44th Panzer Division and the 2nd Anti-Tank Division, receiving the order, finally intercepted the German 30st Panzer Corps 1 kilometers south of Raudhatain. The encounter between these two enemies was a frenzied one. Without hesitation, the 44th Division's over 120 tanks and tank destroyers charged forward, while the 2nd Anti-Tank Division's over 70 anti-tank destroyers seized a hillock and launched a frenzied attack on the German tank and armored columns. Both the 44th and 2nd Divisions were undermanned at this point, totaling only 1.7 men. The German 1st Tank Corps, with over 4 men, primarily tanks and armored vehicles, held a commanding advantage in both manpower and weaponry. From the outset, the battle reached a fever pitch. Within this area of less than 50 square kilometers, the roar of artillery and the blaze of flames filled the air. Destroyed tanks and other vehicles on both sides exploded, creating towering mushroom clouds.
Lieutenant General Li Zongfang, commander of the 47th Army, personally led the 44th Division into the front lines. His tank, No. 278, had its tracks destroyed by a German Panther tank in the first round of action. Forced to withdraw from the tank, Li Zongfang was hiding in a low depression. His communications officer kept calling out, ordering his troops to close in. The commander and a crew member of the No. 4 tank had already rushed forward, using the damaged tank as cover to launch a surprise attack on an approaching Panzer IV tank.
At this critical moment, a commando unit from the 2nd Anti-Tank Division arrived. Lieutenant Ma Kuofa, the commanding officer, immediately split the unit into two groups. One group, led by Second Lieutenant Zhu Jie, covered the general's retreat. Ma Kuofa himself led a dozen commando soldiers to reunite with the crew of tank number 278. While they were rescuing their own crew members from the destroyed tank, they also attacked the enemy tanks and personnel.
A German Panther and a Panzer IV tank charged alternately, a standard high-low configuration. Based on German combat experience, the Panther G tanks would engage enemy tanks head-on, while the Panzer IV tanks would quickly maneuver and attack the enemy's flanks and rear. This tactic was always successful, creating considerable trouble for the Allied tanks. At this point, the 44th Panzer Division already had few tanks, and this German configuration was even more targeted, causing the 44th Division's tanks and armored vehicles to dwindle at a noticeable rate.
"Go!" Lieutenant Zhu Jie, who was in an assault group hiding under the ruins of a tank that exploded, growled. Two soldiers holding a heavy anti-tank mine and a cluster grenade quickly ran towards the German Leopard G tank. The German tank was paying attention to an M6B1 tank destroyer in front. Just now, it suddenly appeared and blew away the flanking Type tank with one shot.
The commander of the German Leopard G was furious. The destroyed Panzer IV had been his partner for more than a year. The two sides had experienced many large-scale tank battles in North Africa and destroyed many Allied tanks without fail. However, he did not expect that he would lose his best partner in a battle with such a great advantage.
The Leopard G moved slowly. He knew very well that the M6B1 was very fast and could load shells faster than himself. He had to respond with caution. The commander had made up his mind to defeat the M6B1 and avenge his comrades!