AAR and screenies from the Sealion Mission Pack, missions 3 & 4. (Missions 3,4 are in testing, for release next week). All screenshots taken from in game flyable sorties within the two Day 2 'single mission' files.

21 September 1940: Operation Sealion, S-tag Minus One, afternoon
This morning the Luftwaffe began operations in response to Reichmarshall Goering's 16 September directive to resume attacks on RAF fighter bases and production facilities. Ju88s hit Brooklands Hawker factory but in general it was a quiet morning. Hit and run raids by small formations of enemy aircraft attacked both Kenley and Biggin Hill aerodromes but these were met by fighters from Kenley, Biggin Hill and Croydon. 238 Squadron had accounted for one destroyed while the Spitfires of 602 and 611 Squadrons accounted for one each destroyed. One Do17 damaged by 802 Squadron managed to get back to the French coast, but crashed at Landerneau killing all on board. However reconnaissance of the French coast indicates significant shipping movements at the ports of Le Havre, Calais and Dunkerque. Further reconnaissance was ordered and confirmed German shipping was marshalling off the French coast, including freighters, converted barges and car ferries.

21 September 1940: Operation Sealion, S-tag Minus One, evening
Further recon indicated a large fleet was being assembled off Calais for a possible night crossing, in calm and clear conditions. British GHQ put all forces on full alert with codeword 'Cromwell' indicating 'invasion imminent'. Bristol Blenheims of 23 Squadron and Wellingtons of Bomber Command 2 Group, flying from Ford airbase hit the fleet at dusk, destroying several ships, but losing 8 out of 11 Blenheim and 4 out of 8 Wellington aircraft in the attack. Luftwaffe Bf109s of Lehrgeschwader 2 at Calais and Bf110s of ZG76 out of Abbeville claimed the downed bombers, while Spitfires of 64 Squadron were also engaged, claiming 3 Bf109s and 1 Bf110 destroyed without loss. During the night, Bomber Command and Coastal Command conducted further raids on the German fleet, without significant effect. Admiral Raeder's Kriegsmarine and Luftwaffe FW200s mined the Eastern approaches to the Channel, while intercepted radio traffic indicated a second invasion force was being prepared in Norway for a possible landing near the Thames estuary. German heavy guns concentrated fire on Dover, indicating a possible second landing zone.

22 September 1940: Operation Sealion, S-Tag, Dawn

The first wave of a planned 330,000 men hit the English beaches at dawn. Rather than land at Dover or the Estuary (these were diversions) 4 divisions of Army Group A land between Folkestone and Rottingdean (near Brighton), XIII Army Corps under General Der Panzertruppe Von Vietinghoff gannant Scheel, 17th and 35th infantry division together with VII Army Corps under Generaloberst von Schobert, 1st Mountain Division and 7th Infantry Division. In addition 7th Paratroop Div land at Lympne to take the airfield.

Further West the 9th Army made shore between Bexhill and Eastbourne. 2 Divisions of the XXXVIII Army Corps under General von Mannstein, 26th and 34th Infantry Divisions, and from the VII Army Corp under General Heitz, the 6th Mountain Division, 8th and 28th Infantry Divisions.

Opposing them on the British GHQ stop line are the rebuilt forces of the VII Corps (1st Armoured Div, 1st Canadian and elements of 2nd Canadian Div, elements of New Zealand Army Corp Inf Div and the recently arrived Australian 9th infantry division diverted from Africa), Strategic Reserve centred on Surrey and North Hampshire, and the XII Corps (1st London Div, 45 Inf Div, 29 Inf Brigade, 1st Tank Brigade) based in Kent and West Sussex.

At first light, Blenheims make a run on a beach-head a Folkestone


Ju88s sweep across the battlefield to hit British reserves in the rear




German 7th Paratroop division attacks poorly prepared defences at Lympne as 111 Squadron scrambles to get their machines away





Gunners on German car ferries cover the beach as the armour unloads under fire from British defences





LG2 109s and 64 Sq Spitfires in a deadly dance



22 September 1940, S-tag, afternoon: West of Folkestone (flyables, as above, plus Bf109E4bs and Bf110C7s of Erpro 210)

German troops of the 17th and 35th infantry divisions supported by the 8th Panzer division have established a beach-head west of Folkestone and are driving through the town of Hythe for the Port. Their objective is the bridge over the Canal. The land battle is taking place house by house, street by street, as British mobile reserves throughout Kent are mobilised. A second invasion fleet has been spotted leaving ports in Norway. Large numbers of German fighters and bombers are sweeping the coast, and attacking naval forces in the Channel.

64 Sq Spitfire scramble from Hawkinge in their third sortie of the day


British forces are caught on the bridge at Hythe as German troops, with motorcyle borne MGs in the vanguard, race to take the crossing


British light armour reinforcements, on the move to strengthen the GHQ stop line, while British anti-tank guns lie in wait in the grass outside Hythe



Anarchy on the beachhead west of Folkestone as Blenheims strike and freighters collide



Erpro 210 moves in to hit British land and sea forces around Hythe




German armour and troop carriers advance on the village, as the concealed British anti tank guns hit back




Erpro 210 strikes British positions along the canal



While in the air, the defenders and attackers tangle

Continued . . .

British armoured forces reach the front line and engage the Panzer force in the village





But are beaten back, and the village and bridge are taken




While at sea, Erpro 210 despatches a British destroyer which has penetrated the mine cordon





So starts the invasion of Britian...

Sweet AAR and screenshots Heinkill.


Wheels

A most excellent read! Beautiful screenshots.

22 September evening: Margate

Throughout the night of 22 September and the next day, Kriegsmarine Minensuchboot have been mining the shipping lanes at either end of the Channel to prevent the Royal Navy from entering the Channel to attack the invasion fleet. The British Home fleet, with its cruisers and battleships, is the primary threat, and is currently steaming south past the Thames Estuary. Luftwaffe FW200 aircraft have also been mining ports such as Dover to prevent shipping there from sallying forth. The British 11th Destroyer Flotilla, comprising HMS Vimy, HMS Walker, HMS Warwick, HMS Whirlwind and HMS Winchelsea has steamed ahead of the main fleet to engage the Kriegsmarine mine layers. RAF 11 and 10 Group squadrons are heavily engaged further west between Folkestone and Brighton assisting with the invasion defence. Luftwaffe fighter units are providing cover for the German ground forces, while the Erpro 210 experimental ground attack unit is harrying British merchant and naval shipping up and down the coast. At 1330 hours a British hospital ship made a desperate escape from Folkestone harbour and is now steaming for the Thames Estuary.

In the poor evening light, Blenheims locate the Kriegsmarine Minensuchboot fleet and attack





64 Squadron takes off to cover the destroyer flotilla, their 5th sortie of the day



Erpro 210 Bf109e4Bs attack the Royal Navy 11th Destroyer Flotilla, steaming south to disrupt the mine laying







Destroyers and mine layers clash





Stukas of StG 3 take off for a low level hit and run raid on Manston



A British hospital ship steams into the danger zone



Spitfires of 64 Sq arrive at the scene, better late than never! They outnumber the 109s, but are outclassed







The Stukas close on Manston as 111 Squadron arrives





A British gun emplacement is shelled by heavy guns on the Minensuchboot fleet





The Stukas strike Manston







Manston burns



As the Kriegsmarine mine layers head to Davy Jones Locker...



if you have Cliffs of Dover, you can get the Operation Sealion missions here: www.bobgamehub.blogspot.com

Wow, great AAR and some awesome screens! Thanks.

More (please)!


Hint: There's a typo in the link to the missions.

Thx all! Next installment...


23 September, morning, Folkestone falls

During the night, British forces retreated from Folkestone Port, and Lympne airfield. Large numbers of civilians remain trapped behind enemy lines due to the speed and surprise of the attack. German ships are now able to unload directly to the docks at Folkestone and an air bridge has been established at Lympne to ferry Luftwaffe aircraft and supplies to this new Luftwaffe base in England. British reconnaissance indicates further German forces massing at Cherbourg and British land forces have been diverted to the South-West to counter this anticipated second landing. The German XXXI army corps is en-route to Lympne, while British long range artillery targets the airfield. Overnight the Blitz on London continued unabated.

In the hills overlooking Folkestone, AT guns dig in and wait







At the captured port, an invading army pours ashore



The 8th Panzer breaks out of Folkestone and begins a push on Hawkinge.





But the British line holds...as long as they can hold the ridge.





111 Squadron scrambles from Manston, while Blenheims of 212 and Spits of 64 squadron close on Folkestone







The newly arrived LG2 lifts off from their new base at Lympne





While JG26 escorts an air train of fuel and ammo laden He111s bringing in vital supplies





Erpro 210 wheels above the British lines, striking with fury







While the Blenheims drop their noses for the port - their targets, the massive heavy cranes



And they miss...the AAA driving them wide



In the sky above, fighters wheel











While the wounded stagger home

Another good one Heinkill.


Wheels

Seems to be an interesting campaign. I wonder how it'll end.

Who knows...it is, after all, alternative history...

S-tag +1, 23 September, afternoon, the Tank Park

So far the Luftwaffe has flown 1200 fighter, and 800 bomber sorties. The British response has been concerted and desperate, even using jury rigged Tiger Moth aircraft to drop light bombs. Luftwaffe fighters are still hampered by having to fly most missions from bases on the European mainland, while the captured Lympne airfield is under constant attack and short on fuel and ammunition. So far the Luftwaffe has lost 165 of 732 fighters, and 168 of 724 bombers. The British have lost 237 aircraft out of 1048 (167 fighters and 70 bombers). The first British counterattacks by 42nd Division have halted the German 34th Division in its drive on Hastings. Meanwhile, the Australian AIF (diverted while en route to Egypt) is engaged with German forces trying to take the port of Newhaven. New Zealand troops preparing a counterattack on Folkestone were surprised by an attack in their rear by the German 22nd Airlanding Division. Cautious after losses in Norway to air attack, and early losses in the Channel, Britain is keeping its Home Fleet Battleships and Carriers out of range of the Luftwaffe, but squadrons of destroyers and cruisers have successfully engaged German shipping, causing heavy losses in the Channel, while armed motor boats are inflicting significant losses closer inshore.

At the captured Lympne airfield, the Luftwaffe continues to ferry men, fuel and ammunition in to the newly landed Luftwaffe fighters and fighter bombers.





The RAF harries them all the way...







On Killingwood Ridge, British troops hold fast against wave after wave of German attacks





While British artillery pounds the distant invasion beach head





Overhead, Bomber Command Wellingtons close for a strike on Lympne. "The enemy reports that he has captured Lympne," thunders Churchill in an address to troops on the GHQ Stopline, "I say to him, Sir, by the end of the day, you will be sitting atop a blazing ruin!"









British scouts radio in a report of German armour massing in Kiln Woods, East of Lympne



High flying recon finds nothing. In desperation, the call goes out for volunteers for a suicide mission. The objective...approach the woods at treetop level, find the German tank park, if it exists, and get home with the location. All available combat aircraft are already committed, so the task falls to 2 instructors from the No 5 Elementary Flying Training School in their Tiger Moths. They use Lympne as the landmark to start their recon, watching as the bombs of the Wellingtons lay waste to the airfield.





Approaching the woods, the sky erupts with flak, and one of the machines is swatted from the sky



It only makes the surviving pilot more determined. He swings around for a low level pass, hugging the treeline...In the distance, the funeral pyre of his comrade marks the spot where he guesses the tanks must be...





At the last minute he pulls back on the stick and swoops over a clearing...there they are!



He dives away and turns for Hawkinge, only five minutes away.



But it is under attack from Bf110s as he arrives.



He must get down with his information. Ignoring the strafing 110s, he slams his Tiggie into the turf.







As the 110 pulls away, he dashes for the nearest trench.



The Tommy next to him smiles, "You should have stayed up there mate, it aint much fun down 'ere"

The Tiger Moth pilot grimaces, "Oh, this is nothing old chap. I just passed about a hundred Panzers in the woods west of here, and they all had their noses pointed in this direction."

I know. But will it be an alternative "Homeguard Heroes" ending or rather "Grossengland"...?
That's what I'm wonderin' about.

Ah, you want to skip straight to the last page...

Honestly? It could go either way depending on how the missions play out!

Heinkill, my hat is off to you.

You almost convinced me to buy this game!
I really lked all of your previous writing, but this is really something else.
Please, keep up!

Who doesn't?



"Either way"?
Does that mean the campaign is (semi-)dynamic?

I haven't delved into the last part of your post yet, but I think it's better suited for the "My politics better than your politics!" part of the forum.

True. I hereby retract...



It's actually from a campaign that I am building myself, writing the AAR as each mission is added. So although I have a plot outline, the way the missions play out is also in itself driving the storyline...

On with the story...(apologies in advance that some of the screens are quite dark, but it is a night mission!)

S-tag +1, 23 September 1300

At 1300 the British High Command convened at Chequers for a briefing on the invasion situation. It quickly became clear that GHQ Stop Line was holding at Bexhill and Eastbourne, and that an expected landing by German forces at Southend was a feint to draw British forces north. However the main German push was developing in the Folkestone area, aided by the capture of both Lympne, and Folkestone, and there was a significant risk the British lines would collapse. If this happened, the Fighter Command airfield at Hawkinge and the city of Canterbury would lie open. German forces could then isolate Kent, the SW of England, and quickly secure the port of Dover and Manston airfield to provide a reliable supply line between the European mainland and Britain. The first part of the conference had been spent debating the wisdom, and necessity, of committing the heavy ships of the British Home Fleet to disrupt German resupply shipping, without first having secured air superiority over the Channel.

"With German fighter bombers flying out of our own damned airfields, we would be sending our capital ships to their certain doom!" argued Admiral Dudley Pound, First Sea Lord. Pound was still smarting from the loss of nearly a dozen destroyers and the Cruiser Curlew from air attack during the Dunkirk evacuation and the crippling damage delivered to other heavy ships such as the Cruisers Gloucester in July and the Liverpool in October. While his intelligence officers told him the risk of losses to German AP bombs was low, bitter experience had taught him otherwise. Nonetheless, he was ordered by Churchill to commit the Home Fleet to the disruption of German resupply lines in the Channel.

The British PM then turned his attention to the air war. He pored over the situation map, then jabbed the butt of his cigar down on Lympne. But his first question was not to the Air Chief Marshall, it was to the Chief of the General Staff, Marshall John Dill, "Hmmm...General...how do you rate your chances of taking back Lympne?"

Dill hesitated, "Less than spectacular, Prime Minister," he traced his finger along the line of hills and wooded country from Folkestone to Hythe, "We are barely holding the German main thrust along this line. To pull any of my forces out for an attack on Lympne could weaken the line irrevocably."

Churchill considered this, then waved at a unit marker behind the line, "What is this unit?"

Dill peered, "That is a small mobile reserve unit Prime Minister, a detachment of the 1st Tank - a handful of Valentines and motorised troop transports. It is, in fact, our only armoured reserve along that section of the line," he warned.

"Send it against Lympne," Churchill decided. "We have one chance to unseat the Luftwaffe from British soil and it is now. If you do not succeed," he turned to the Air Marshall, Charles Portal, "...if you do not succeed John, then Charles, I want Bomber Command to reduce Lympne to a blackened and fallow field by morning light." Both men nodded gravely.

Churchill returned to the map, squinting at a large red counter placed over Kiln Wood, where Tiger Moth pilots had reported German Armour was being marshalled in Brigade strength. "Hmmm...the main thrust appears to be developing here. Gentlemen, if this be Herr Hitler's Armoured Fist, then I would dearly love to rap his knuckles tonight." His eyes glinted, "Let us turn our minds to how."


S-tag +1, 23 September 1930

As darkness closed at 1930 hours, volunteers from the British 3rd Commando Battalion finished placing incendiary charges around the German armour encampment at Kiln Wood, checked their watches and their weapons, and chose their targets. They knew very few of them would survive the next half hour. At 1933 hours, they detonated their explosives, and opened fire on German positions within the clearing.





Above them, circling and waiting for the incendiaries to signal the start of the operation, newly commissioned cannon armed Beaufighter night fighters of 25 Squadron banked for their attack run, then swooped on Kiln Wood leaving mayhem and destruction in their wake.




Circling protectively, Spitfires of 64 Squadron watched both the fight on the ground, and skies above. At 19:45 hours precisely, Wellingtons of bomber command began their ingress, using the spreading fires in the German encampment to guide their run.







To the West, a detachment of the British 1st Tank Battalion, barely company sized, raced toward the German defences at Lympne. 2 miles short of the field, a German 88mm gun thundered and the British column scattered in panic.





The 64 Sq spitfires now turned their attention to Lympne, strafing parked aircraft to try to sow confusion among the defenders, the boom of tank cannons in the west now mingling with the wail of air raid sirens.





Sitting at readiness on the field at Lympne, Bf110s of ZG76 rolled quickly into the sky, and were soon set upon by the 64 Sq Spitfires.





Underestimating the sting of the Bf110s rear gun, one of the Spitfires took several rounds in his engine, and with his machine overheating decided his only option was to bail.





His arms flailing, he tried in vain to open his parachute. The sea swallowed him with barely a splash.





The Valentines had quickly flanked the German 88 cannon and silenced it, but not before most of the troop transports had been lost. Under fire from light arms, the tank commander decided to press on - at the very least, they could bring a halt to night time operations at the German airfield.



Two more Valentines became burning coffins as the group breached the German lines. Flying past the shocked German defences at speed, the remaining 3 Valentines burst onto the airfield at Lympne and opened fire on parked aircraft, fuel and ammunition stores.



German light AT guns were swung urgently 180 degrees to face the unexpected threat, and their rounds hammered against the hulls of the British tanks.




The first few rounds failed to stop the Valentines. They kept firing, turning Heinkels and Fockers into blazing wrecks.



But one by one, the British tanks fell to the AT guns, until the last finally ground to a halt, took a fatal broadside from the German guns...



and submitted.

The time was 20:03. Lympne airfield remained in German hands. The German armour spearhead at Kiln Wood had sustained heavy losses, but Germany now had 10 Divisions ashore.

At Bomber Command HQ, Air Marshal Sir Richard Peirse received the simple but chilling message he had been dreading, "Proceed night attack on Lympne. Operations to continue until Luftwaffe presence at Lympne eliminated."

Interesting. Mission building drives mission performance drives mission result drives mission building.
Also sounds like fun.
"What would the Germans do next...?"


Curious as to how the aerial bombing of the airfield will play out.
Also, what the other divisions will be doing. My money is on a drive towards Bristol as this will at least isolate any possible coastal defense divisions located in the SW of the island (Plymouth or so).
(At least that's what worked for me in HOI.)

Actually the plot basis is the Sandhurst wargame of the 70s, as described in the Cox Sealion book. In that wargame the landings took place on a narrow fron between flokestone and Bexhill, and the Germans drove for Dover and Canterbury...we'll see how far they get!

This one?
http://mr-home.staff.shef.ac.uk/hobbies/seelowe.txt

Well, it doesn't look too good and won't get better.


I think this...



...is one of the most crucial factors as to why the landing didn't have a chance of succeeding. The forces involved could have been used to keep the RAF out of southern England and achieve something a bit closer to aerial superiority.

Indeed! Meanwhile, the battle rages . . .

Seelowe 9: Sept 24 morning, S-tag +2

After devastating engagements with the British Home Fleet overnight, Kriegsmarine Admiral Raeder has demanded more air support over the Channel to minimise shipping losses. But most LW air support continues to be used for escort of resupply aircraft and ground attack. The Kriegsmarine put to sea with 3 destroyers and 17 E-boats, but was successfully engaged by British destroyers and cruisers, losing all 3 destroyers and 7 E-boats. 1 British destroyer and 1 cruiser were sunk by U-boats, and one U-boat was lost in a surface engagement. Germany now has 10 Divisions ashore at Folkestone and Newhaven, but many are incomplete and awaiting arrival of their second echelons. Sailing conditions are deteriorating as poor weather moves over France. Lympne airfield was abandoned by first light due to intensive British bombing, but German armour forced the New Zealand Division to fall back from Folkestone and Hawkinge Fighter Command airfield, with 35% casualties, while the German 34th Division has broken through British lines and is driving on Dover. The German 22nd Division has broken out of Folkestone and started its push on Canterbury, with British forces trying to regroup around Selstead. British RDF masts on the Isle of Wight, Folkestone coast and Dover have been knocked out by Stuka attacks - less effective mobile units are filling the gaps.

[i]0730 GST. At Selstead, the retreating NZ Division digs in to make its stand. In woods and fields...





In camps hastily erected and patrolled...





They nervously wait for the enemy they know is rushing toward them...

Scouts of the German 22nd Division meet them and engage



While heavier armour of General Ferdinand Schaal's 10th Panzer grinds toward the new front line





Further south, along the Folkestone to Dover road, the 8th Panzer begins its advance





Precious supplies following close behind



Overhead, Blenheim light bombers, volunteers all, make for the newly captured and heavily reinforced Hawkinge Airfield, now bristling with German and captured British light and heavy AAA.



At Hawkinge, the weary pilots of LG2 respond to the alarm, and prepare to lift into the air. The previous night they had abandoned Lympne under a hail of bombs and returned to Calais. At dawn they were ordered back to the battlefield, to Hawkinge, and yet another day in the menacing shadow of the RAF.



The triple-A starts its heavy barking as they lift off.



The whistle of bombs frighteningly clear even over the throb of their straining engines. The British dithering over the attack on Lympne the day before now replaced with a cold resolve to disloge the Luftwaffe from wherever it may perch.









Back at the Folkestone-Dover road, Erpro 210 banks toward the front, now marked by the hulls of burning tanks and shattered guns.



They close on British AT emplacements flanking the road into Dover...the precariously thin line of brown uniforms that is all that stands between the Wehrmacht and the biggest port along the South Eastern coastline. Their bombs fall...



Shattering life, limbs, and minds...







But not resolve. British AAA answers back...



And rushing down from Croydon, Hurricanes of 111 Squadron arrive just in time to chase the marauders off









Pushing their mighty Daimler Benz engines to the limit, the 109s of LG2 reel in the Blenheims and fall on them like hawks on sparrows.







And to the East, Spitfires from 64 Squadron at Manston approach. Their orders...support the defence of Dover, engage enemy ground forces on the Folkestone Dover road and help the ground troops halt their advance - at any cost!

The Spitfires scream across the harbour, as the troops in their trenches cheer...



Then they swoop inland, guns blazing

(Continued)

One Spitfire breaks away, and spots a telltale plume of smoke on the railway tracks along the base of the Cliffs near Folkestone. A captured German troop train! Headed east toward Dover and the front.



The young pilot drops his nose and pours a stream of lead toward the engine



But the behemoth chugs onward, completely unmoved. He counts the carriages as he flashes past...seven, eight, nine...





He hauls his machine around for another pass, the train hidden in an alley of poplars, visible only by the steam from its engine



He closes again...lower...lower...his finger only reaching for the firing button at the last possible minute this time





While at Selstead, the German advance grinds to a halt, stymied by a Kiwi refusal to admit defeat.







On the train line near Folkestone, the Spitfire pilot watches his bullets march harmlessly alongside the tracks and the troop train powers on...



He pulls his machine up and banks desperately as the cliffs flash before him





He turns one more time. And as he drops his Spitfire toward the alley of trees once again, he does the arithmatic in his head.



9 carriages.

100 men in each.

Nearly a thousand German troops, headed for Dover.

One Spitfire.

5,000 lbs. 8 Brownings. 48 Gallons of fuel.

One pilot.



One life to give.

He touches his fingers to his forehead, making a sign of the cross. And drops his Spitfire down into the alley of poplars.



He thumbs the gun button and his Brownings hammer





He keeps his finger on the button, even as he closes his eyes











It is 0815 on S-tag +2

Gosh...

How did that german steam engine (56 class) get to England?

Also, thanks for the "Dark Blue World" (Spitfire + Train) flashback.

Ha! Any true trainspotter can tell you it is fact a type 56e/f, the Kruppverk eksport version of the 56 class produced between 1923 and 1933 and widely used in the UK, where the largest purchase order was in fact placed by the Dover and Bexhill Steam Transport Company Plc.

Great AARs, please keep em coming. Some of your greatest so far.

Nice try.

Sept 24 1230 GMT, S-tag +2

The Fuhrer Conference, held at 0800, broke out into bitter inter-service rivalry - the Army wanted the remainder of their second echelon sent, with the navy protesting that the weather was becoming unsuitable, repeating that overnight naval losses rendered the Channel indefensible without greater air support. Reichmarschall Hermann Goring countered this by saying this could only be done by stopping the terror bombing of London, which in turn Hitler vetoed. It was however agreed to increase air attacks on British coastal airfields to reduce RAF pressure on ground forces, and to initiate a planned decoy landing to confuse British response to the invasion. The second echelon of troops was ordered to embark and the remaining destroyers of the Kriegsmarine Navy Group West were ordered to escort duty.



At Selstead, midway between Folkestone and Canterbury, the 10th Panzer batters a hole in British lines and pours through while British troops flee in disarray







Their new objective, Kingston, just south of Canterbury, and its two vital bridges over the River Stour, where the 1st and 2nd Canadian Divisions lie in wait, under cover of trees, or dug in on ploughed fields, watching the smoke of the front lines move inevitably towards them.





Bomber Command keeps up its incessant pressure on the Luftwaffe field at Hawkinge, determined to wipe it from the map. Wellingtons close on Hawkinge, heavily escorted by Hurricanes of 111 Squadron now flying out of Croydon in London...





As they look down, burning vehicles and buildings mark the front lines, only increasing their resolve.



The battle hardened pilots of Lehrgeschwader 2 turn to meet them





This is no clean, clinical war. Chaos reigns as fighters and bombers fling themselves through the sky



Allies collide, one Hurricane pilot watching in horror as his prop slices through the wing of his fellow pilot



With dread he follows him down, preying to see a chute



But the doomed Hurricane craters the ground, the pilot still at the stick



The Wellingtons unload, bombs scattering across Hawkinge field





Still sick to his stomach the surviving Hurricane pilot checks his machine then hauls it back into the fray. He closes on a 109 below him, guns hammering to blot out the memory of the collision...





The 109 tries to out turn him, but he stomps on the rudder and Sydney Camm's wonderful wide wings do the job, bringing him inside the German. He fires across the circle.







The victory a small measure of compensation. As he looks around, he realises he is alone in the sky. And alone with his conscience.

(Continued)

Further East, in the Channel off Ramsgate, Goering's bombers prosecute their orders to drive the RAF out of 11 Group. The target now is Manston, the last operational Fighter Command airfield in Kent.



Without it, British fighters will have to sortie from airfields around London or north of the Thames, adding precious minutes to the time it will take them to reach the front. Four Spitfires of 64 Squadron, now down to fewer than 6 aircraft after two days of fighting, mount a standing patrol over Manston. RAF Fighter Command's Hugh Dowding will not risk more fighters for Manston, but neither will he abandon it.



The RAF flight lieutenant sees the incoming raid. The massed raids of August 1940 are behind them. Days when hundreds of Heinkels and Dorniers filled the sky from horizon to horizon. But he counts a dozen bombers, with heavy escort, against his four aircraft. He radios Sector Control to scramble the rest of his squadron and vector some assistance to Manston. Then he turns toward the attackers.



The escorts are out front and swing in behind the Spitfires before they can get within range of the bombers. The flight lieutenant watches as a 109 fires on his wingman, causing him to break off, trailing smoke.



He is on his own now.

He ploughs through the fighters, opening fire on a bomber head on and then sweeping back in behind it to fire again.





He climbs overhead, his lone machine caught in a hail of crossfire. Bullets rake his airframe, and his engine coughs, then splutters. The revs falling dramatically.



The bombers start to draw away from him, so he drops his nose. One more pass, just one! He plans to dive up underneath them, build up speed, bring up his nose...and fire. It's all he can think of. They creep closer, the sound of rushing wind over his wings louder than the cough of his dying engine.




In shock, he sees tracer flash over his canopy and looking back, sees a 109 in pursuit. And behind the 109, his wingman!



He ignores the threat. His entire focus on his gunsight. Centering the bomber, and firing...



Suddenly tracer whips over his head again, his machine shudders from multiple cannon impacts, a fist of iron pounding the armoured back of his seat. Then the firing stops, abruptly. Looking back, he sees why...and whispers thanks to his wingman.



But the battle is not over. As he drops away, his propeller barely turning over, he sees his target sail on heedless to his attack, its belly full of bombs. And the 109s are still in the mood for a kill.





Inside the Heinkels, bomber crews also whisper silent thanks, this time for their escorts, for the sting of their MGs, getting them to target and with luck, getting them home again. They settle to their task.







But the RAF attack has unsettled them. They drop late, and their bombs scatter over the fields to the north of Manston.

In the Spitfire, the flight lieutenant takes stock. His wings are holed, his engine at about 10% power. His machine is dragging left, with a rumble that tells him at least one of his wheels is down. He tries the gear lever, tries hand cranking the gear, but there is no response.



Behind him, he can see the stalking 109. His wingman won't be able to save him this time. He drops his shattered machine down to the treetops, Manston in view just above their canopies.





The 109 opens fire, so he bunts, hoping against hope the machine will respond. Watching as the rounds from the 109 kick up the dirt in front of him.




As he scrapes the treetops, the 109 is forced to pull up. The airfield Bofors open fire on the enemy fighter, as he settles to his approach.





His left wheel strut bites the turf, and collapses, and his right wheel drops out of the wheel well. His left wing torn away.



The Spitfire thumps down onto its belly, prop shattering, right wing ripping free.



With a sickening lurch, it bounces into the air. He feels the fuselage starting to roll to the left. Time slows. He knows the next few seconds are all that matters. He wrenches the stick to the right. Kicks the right rudder pedal hard. Closes his eyes, and waits for the end.



It is enough. What is left of the Spitfire responds, rolls right, and slams into the ground again.





The dust settles. He looks out of the open cockpit in amazement at where his wings used to be. He reads the writing on the wing root, ironic in the circumstances. 'Not to be stepped on'.



As an ambulance begins its dash toward him, he tries to undo his harness. His hands are shaking so violently he cannot grip the buckle. He lets them drop into his lap, and sits listening to the tick and hiss of his broken machine, and the sobbing heave of his own ragged breath.



It is 1315 GMT on S-tag +2. Germany has broken through the British GHQ stop line.

Amazing read, had me fixed to the screen!

HEY! I´m sure ParaBellum is behind the German success!
Someone STOP HIM!




Awesome reading, I was biting my fingernails...
I wasn´t so taken since Rainbow Six(book)...

These are really marvelous fatty. You are weaving small individual events into the larger operational scheme very well. Quite engrossing.

In the little farming hamlet of Minster, just outside Manston Fighter Command airfield, the old potbellied Home Guard sergeant looks up from his position in the sandbagged embplacement at the ring of faces, sitting on the back of trucks and on top of ammunition cases around him. They're either too young, or too bloody old, he tells himself. Like me. The last war was supposed to be the war to end all wars. What am I doing here again? He shakes the mood off, and starts.

"Right you lot, listen up! Today we are going to explore the art of improvisation, of making do with material lying around - and where this fails, using psychology to persuade enemy tank commanders, for instance, that the narrow defile through which he must pass is mined or booby trapped in some way.

"We are not completely useless against moving armour, and if we can halt it briefly we have a chance with home-made bombs or Molotov cocktails; there is also the chance that a turret might be opened giving us a slight opportunity of dropping a grenade into the tank. Of course, if the tank commander is foolish enough to pop his head up — Bingo!"

The group chuckles, nervously.

"Chains and cables running between trees can be made into psychological barriers to tanks by attaching an imitation bomb to them, an impression which should be augmented by running a length of cable from it to a position out of sight of a tank commander. These positions can be made even more authentic by breaking up the surface immediately in front of the obstacle and burying an old soup plate, or similar object.

"We have good supplies of .300 ammo available, unlike many other units. We also have adequate supplies of .303 for the Lewis gun and some .45 for the Thompsons. And we 'ave this beauty, gentlemen...it's, uh..." He turns around.

The group peers, almost in awe, at the anti-tank cannon in the sandbagged pit, being readied by two regulars from the 2nd London Infantry. One of them looks up, "It's a 2 pounder, sergeant," he says. "We're sighting it on the road down there," he points across cattle pasture to the road leading into Manston. "Jerry tries to move up that road - wham! You give 'im a broadside," he pats the barrel, "We calls her Betsy."

24 September, afternoon. S-tag +2

Transport Fleet C, with the last elements of the delayed first echelon of German troops from Calais, is making for Folkestone. On board the transports Europa, Bremen, Gneisau and Postdam are troops of the 1st Mountain Division, 7th Infantry Division, and Panzer Battalion A of the VII Army Corps. The bulk of the British Home Fleet is out of position in the North Sea, drawn by a sighting of the light Cruisers Emden, Nurnberg and Koln in the company of 11 steamers headed West from Norwegian waters. On land, German armour of General Ferdinand Schaal's 10th Panzer has broken through British lines at Selstead and is approaching Canterbury unopposed, delayed only by civilian refugee traffic. The 1st and 2nd Canadian Divisions stand ready to meet them at Kingston. Dover remains in British hands with 29th Infantry Brigade and 1st London Division giving no ground. Southwest of Manston, Fallschirmjaeger Kampfgruppe Brauer, consisting of a full parachute battalion including engineers and light vehicles has been landed in gliders and Ju52s and is marshalling on the Minster to Manston road.



Light patrol vehicles and motorcyles of Kampfgruppe Brauer form a vanguard for a push on Manston. Their objective: force a way through the airfield defences for troops on foot to overrun the RAF base and hold it long enough for reinforcements to be flown in. With German fighters and fighter bombers able to fly out Manston and Hawkinge, the whole of SE England airspace will be under Luftwaffe control.





Their landing was uneventful. With British forces heavily engaged around Dover and Canterbury to the West, they had expected only light resistance, but so far they have encountered no British forces at all. The small convoy reaches the Minster to Manston road and turns toward Manston. All is quiet. They pull out of the fields, and onto the Minster to Manston road. Half a platoon of armoured scouts brought over in Ju52s which were crashed in a field and written off, and a dozen motorcycles with mounted MG 15s brought in by glider. Behind them is a full company of paratroops. It will have to be enough, they are the last unit of the 7th Flieger to join the battle.




Suddenly the lead patrol car bursts into flames and the convoy rocks to a halt. AT gun!



Above Manston, flying a defensive air patrol, Spitfires of 64 Squadron see the smoke rising and turn to investigate.




Up the hill, in the lee of some trees, the 2 pounder and crew reload.



The armoured cars turrets traverse, and they open fire with MG and 20mm cannon. A truck bursts into flames beside the gun pit. Mortar rounds begin to creep up the hill toward the emplacement.




Unperturbed, the spotter from the 2nd London calls another target as a second vehicle is hit.




The lead Spitfire sees the column of motorcycles pushing through a wheat field toward the road and lines up for a strafing run.




His rounds thump and flash as they march across the line of troops.





To the West, Bf110s of Erprobungsgruppe 210 close on Manston. Their objective, to suppress enemy AAA and AT positions around the airfield to assist the attack which should be underway within the next half hour. They are unaware that battle has already been joined.



The Spitfires close on the armoured cars now. Knowing their .303s are unlikely to make much impact, but hoping to disrupt their advance.




A second AT round slams into the convoy as the Spitfire flashes overhead. Now only one remains. The motorcyle troops open fire on the AT position, trying to suppress it.




Erpro 210 arrives on the scene. Their commander quickly assesses the situation and sends two of his machines down on Minster.







Bombs ripple across the hillside, and the British emplacement erupts in flame.





The second echelon of Bf110s sweeps in. Spotting a British camp, a Zerstorer pilot lines up on the middle of a row of tents, and unloads, feeling his machine jump into the air as the bombs drop away. Then with horror, he sees the large white crosses on the tent! A field hospital!



It is too late to do anything. His bombs slam into the hospital, ripping it apart.




Mein Gott, what did we just do? both he and his gunner ask themselves, silently.

They don't have time for more recriminations with themselves, as the 64 Sq Spitfires round on them.

(continued)

One Spitfire climbs up unseen beneath the belly of the 110 that just hit the hospital, and opens fire. The 110 shudders as the rounds slam home.









The Bf110s rear gun hammers loudly, sending tracer flying back at the Spitfire. The stream of lead drills into the Spitfire's engine, and it bursts into flames, the Spitfire still firing.







Flames lick back toward the Spitfire pilots legs and he heaves the canopy open, rolls the machine on its back and falls out.









The stricken Bf110 banks hard away from Manston.



The pilot checks his instruments. What? What is wrong with his vision? He has trouble focusing, but can see the rev counter on his starboard engine is dropping. Scheiss.



5 minutes flying time back to German lines.

They can make it.

They have to.

He sees the Spitfire pilot, his chute falling beside his crashed machine. He hopes he is not too badly burned - knowing there is no hospital nearby to treat him anymore.



Now his port engine starts stuttering. He looks over at it through a red mist. A strange detachment starting to come over him.



Off his port wing he sees Dover. Not far now. Not far.





The engines stop their coughing and spluttering and wind slowly down.



So it won't be Hawkinge.

He is so tired. His arms seem so heavy. His gunner is calling to him. What? Oh, a field. Yes, he should try to land in the field. They won't make it. But he should try. Of course.



But it is too far away, the machine dropping too rapidly. He keeps his eyes on his gauges, trying to keep the Bf110 level. But he can't concentrate.

All he can see is crosses.

Red crosses on a white background.

He lets go of the stick.







It is 1745 GMT on Sealion +2. Kampfgruppe Brauer is approaching Manston airfield as the 10th Panzer approaches the vital bridges of Kingston over the River Stour.

A long and violent night lies ahead.

Is this still according to script or already a deviation?

Anyway, as usual, an enjoyable read!

Thanks! As von Moltke said (or was it Clausewicz?) "No plan survives contact with the enemy"!

H

Awesome AAR.

Keep it up.

Really getting into these AARs of yours.


Wheels

Probably Clausewitz.

So you're assuming that at least some reinforcements got across the channel, right?

Yes. Assumption based on Sandhurst framework is that by Sept 25 Germany will get most of 2 waves, or 90,000 men, ashore. There are three elements that play a huge role in coming days:

- can Germany get its 3rd echelon ashore and reinforce, when full force of superior Royal Navy home fleet is used by Britain, or
- can another port be captured, or can sufficient supplies be moved through Folkestone, to meet the materiel demands of the invasion, or
- can Germany capture sufficient strategic territory, eg Canterbury/Kent/Ramsgate, to provoke Britain to negotiate before resupply becomes an issue?

T

The RN will most probably be victorious in the channel. There's no way it can be stopped by the KM alone. And the Luftwaffe would have to carpet bomb the channel to properly assist. But this isn't going to happen, because they're to busy redecorating urban London...

Seelowe 12: Sept 25 morning, S-tag +3

In yesterday's fighting the RAF lost 97 more fighters leaving only 440. The SE England airfields of 11 Group, Bomber and Coastal Command are cratered ruins, and once more the threat of collapse, which had receded in early September, is looming. The Luftwaffe had lost another 71 fighters and 142 bombers. Few of the final 2nd wave German reinforcements made it through the British naval and air blockade of Folkestone. Despite stubborn resistance by the 1st and 2nd Canadian divisions overnight, the German XXXXI Army Corps, with the 10th Panzer as its spearhead, captured intact one of the two bridges over the lesser River Stour at Kingston, and troops are pouring across. However, in the early morning, the British VII Corp committed its 1st Armoured strategic reserve, comprising Valentine and Cruiser tanks, on the left flank of the German salient. The German supply line to Kingston is stretched tight, and the British intend to cut its throat. The British armour has been met at Elham by the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler Regiment, comprising mobile troops, a vehicle mounted flak battalion and a Stug batterie. The first major tank battle on British soil is about to be joined.


At Elham Water Tower, the Stug batterie of the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler advances to a treeline overlooking a clearing. The low, squat forms will be hidden in the bushes, while the British tanks which their scouts have warned them are advancing toward them, will have to cross the open field to engage.



Alongside them, providing cover against both aircraft and troops, a truck mounted flak battery.



To the west, three companies of Valentines, and one company of the heavier Cruisers from the 1st Armoured Strategic Reserve, advance on Elham. The precious remnants of an army demoralised and disarmed at Dunkirk.



Elsewhere, Wellingtons of bomber command trudge toward Kingston, with 111 Sq Hurricanes in escort. Their target, the southern bridge over the Lesser Stour river, now being used to ferry German troops and armour across to the western bank for an attack on Canterbury. The bridge must be destroyed.





64 Squadron hastens from Manston to support the armour pushing on Elham and the East flank of the German salient, while opposing them, staffeln of LG2 and JG 26 circle above, and Jabos of Erpro 210 take off from Hawkinge for a strike on British positions at Elham.







At Elham water tower, the first Valentines break cover and immediately the Stugs open fire, claiming a victim.



The Valentines return with a volley from their 2 pounders, but the shells slam into the 50mm thick front armour of the Stugs without effect. The Stugs fire again and this time one of the British Cruisers stalls, is hit again, and explodes. The British attack falters under the hammer blows from the German 75mm guns.




The Cruisers add the anger of their 2 pounders to the din of battle, and one of the Stugs is hit. Another crouches behind its burning hulk, camouflaged by the flames and smoke, and opens fire.



High above the slaughter yard, Squadron Leader Randolph Stuart Mills of 247 Squadron, leads his pilots into a tight starboard turn to prepare their attack run. He has waited four months for this day. Four months since he was shipped home from 263 Squadron at Narvik in a hospital ship after crashing his damaged Gladiator. Four months since 263 Sq was decimated at Narvik by the Luftwaffe, even though they managed to take 26 of the enemy with them. Four months since the 10 surviving pilots of 263, shipping home on the aircraft carrier Glorious, died when the Glorious was met and sunk by the battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisau.



He should have been with them. But today, as he passes over the tank battle raging below - German tanks, on British soil - he is glad he wasn't.

He had returned to duty with 247 Sq, and had been preparing his men for a transition to Hurricanes, when the invasion started. They'd been kept out of the fight for the first few days, frustrated and cooling their heels. Until today. He looks over his lower wing. Their 4 .303s would be useless against the armour...but then he sees what he wants. Soft skinned targets...truck mounted flak.

He leads the squadron down, and jams his thumb hard on the gun button.

Boy, you're good.

Seelowe 12: Sept 25 morning, S-tag +3 (Continued)

Over Kingston, the bomber command Wellingtons begin their run. LG2 109s and 111 Sq Hurricanes tangle.



Flak erupts from the German positions, schrapnel slicing through the airframe of Wellington KH-A. Perforating wings, fuselage, fuel and oil lines and killing the nose gunner.



The pilot presses on, determined to finish the job. He falls behind the main pack, vulnerable to flak and fighters. Ahead he watches the flight leader drop, and the other Wellingtons drop on his cue. But the drop is late, and the bombs explode uselessly on the far bank of the river among an abandoned British tent camp.

Now it is their turn. The machine jumps as the heavy ordnance falls away.





There is no time to watch the bombs fall, he banks as hard as he dares, and straightens out just as his rear gunner shouts in alarm and cannon shells from a 109 slice across his starboard wing.



He can't hold it level now. He gives the order to bail out, and as the machine starts a slow right hand spiral, he looks out the cockpit window, to see his bombs slam home... right across the length of the Kingston South Bridge.





As he struggles in his parachute toward the open bomb bay doors, and the howling sky beyond, he sees the machine is empty, and hopes the lads got out alright, those who still could. And that someone gives his bomb aimer a bloody medal!

Back above Elham, Squadron leader Mills and the other Gladiator pilots have their own Emils to deal with, the 109s cutting and slashing down on the slower Gladiators without mercy. One after the other falls to an Emil's cannons.







Mills spins his machine on its wingtip, desperately avoiding enemy fire and aircraft that seem to be all around him.







He throws his machine down at the treetops, hoping to lose himself in the canopies.



...just as 64 Squadron Spitfires arrive, and give the 109s someone more their own size to fight against...





Mills calls his squadron to form up on him, North of Elham. Of the six aircraft he took into battle, only one responds.



He circles their landing field at Canterbury in vain hope, waiting for the others.



There are none. Only empty hangars await him as he brings his machine to a stop.



But he is beyond grief now. He grieved when his comrades went down with HMS Glorious in the North Sea. Now the only emotion he feels is icy hatred.

247 Squadron will be converting to Hurricanes now.

The war will wait for him.

Of that he is sure.

At Elham, the bombs of Erpro 210 rain down on the advancing armour of the British 1st Armoured Reserve. But the British tanks continue forward.





Now the first of the faster Valentines reaches the line of Stugs. Their cannons are mounted fast to their hulls, and cannot swivel to engage him. Besides which, the bigger threat of the Cruiser tanks lies to their front.



The Valentine slides through their ranks. Their armour is weaker at the sides and rear. With relentless efficiency his gunner slams shell after shell into the line of Stugs.







The German line breaks. Spinning away from the threat in front and to their rear, the Stugs speed desperately for the cover of the forest as the remaining flak trucks cover them...







It is 0915 25 September on S-tag +3, and the German supply line for the push on Canterbury is threatened.

With some decent acting and FX this could be much of a script for a "made for DVD" movie.

Maye we should go all "Iron Sky" on the flightsim community...and beyond!

Seelowe 13: Sept 25 early afternoon, S-tag +3

The German supply situation is critical. Despite three days of fighting the only port which has been captured is Folkestone, which can only support 150 tonnes an hour of supplies at full capacity. The actual rate of offloading is currently 90 tonnes, due to constant air and artillery bombardment.

Transport Fleet C, transporting critical infantry, panzer, staff and corps troops and supplies was intercepted and fewer than 20% of the ships made it to port. Of the two destroyer flotillas from Cherbourg and four torpedo boat flotillas available to escort the convoys at on S-tag minus 1, only 4 destroyers and one torpedo boat flotilla remain.

The decoy action of the morning however was successful in luring away heavy ships from the British Home Fleet, and the light cruisers Emden, Nurnberg, and Koln have now turned back toward Norwegian ports to evade British pursuit. Transport Fleet E is now approaching the Dover coast. It is transporting the first echelons of the 6th Mountain Division, 8th and 28th infantry, a company from Panzer Battalion D and staff and corp troops of the VIII and X army corps, plus vital fuel and ammunition.

If it does not dock and unload successfully at Folkestone, the invasion cannot be sustained.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmuDi2F60-8

How did that old saying go? Any landing you can be carried away from consciously is a good one?

Weird leader behaviour though. "FOR THE FÜHRER!"-suicide mode?

Loving your AAR, please keep em rolling!!

Nicely done Heinkill.


Wheels

Seelowe 14: Sept 25 late afternoon, S-tag +3

Following concerted British air and sea attack throughout the afternoon, 87% of shipping in Transport Fleet E was lost, along with 3 destroyers and 15 torpedo boats. In the air, the RAF has so far lost 23 aircraft today, to 13 Luftwaffe. The British armoured thrust at Elham was successful, and the SS Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler has been cut off from Folkestone and is making a fighting withdrawal north toward Denton, pursued by the British 1st Armoured and elements of the NZ Division. Meanwhile, the 1st and 2nd Canadian succeeded in re-establishing control over the River Stour crossings at Kingston and is reinforcing for an early morning counter-attack against the 10th Panzer and troops of the Germany XXXXI Army Corps regrouping at Denton. The German VII Army Corps and 8th Panzer has succeeded in penetrating to the streets of Dover, and fighting is taking place from house to house, within sight of the Port. In the West, the 7th Flieger Division has withdrawn to Hythe township and is digging in. In the East intense fighting continues near Manston, with Kampfgruppe Bauer reporting their light mortars are within range of the airfield.

Major Hereward de Havilland, chief test pilot for de Havilland aircraft company, was at home with his wife and two children when the telephone rang on September 22 1940. His wife had noted he had been distant during the meal - she assumed because he was worried about the latest tests on the de Havilland Mosquito prototype. She was wrong.

The male voice at the other end did not identify himself. "Major de Havilland?", he asked.

"Yes. Who is this?"

"Banquet lights," was all the voice said, before the line was disconnected.

It may have been a short message, but he had been waiting for it, and it was one de Havilland had been dreading. He walked back in to where the family was having their tea. His wife knew, without asking, that he had been called back.

He had kissed her on the forehead, pinched the cheeks of his two toddlers, and then gone to the hall cupboard and taken out his attaché case. He had driven immediately to the de Havilland aerodrome at Hatfield where frantic activity was already underway, with engineers fitting each of the six Tiger Moth training aircraft of the 1st Elementary Flying Training School with bomb racks holding 8 x 20lb anti-personnel bombs.

de Havilland had opened his locker, and taken out a parachute, flying suit, service gas mask, tin helmet and gas cape. The gas mask, helmet and cape were tied into the student's seat of the Tiger Moth, together with a service pistol, in case he was brought down behind the lines. He had reflected on this - behind the lines, in Kent! German troops had landed overnight, and now the Western front had come to Britain. The thought made his blood run hotter.

But operation Banquet Lights had been a suicide operation, as he'd expected. Of the six Tiger Moths that took off from Hatfield, weighed down with the small ineffectual bombs, only five had made it to the invasion beach head, and only one had made it back to Hatfield.

Now it was 25 September. Could it really only have been 3 days? His short lived career as a combat pilot had been curtailed, but he still had a choice - return to Hatfield to continue work with his brother on the new Mosquito aircraft, or fly recon missions for the Office of Strategic Services, the OSS. He knew his temperament could not cope with test flying the next generation of fighter, when war, real war, was being waged just a hundred miles away. So each day, five times a day, he had taken one of the company's Tiger Moths up, with a photographer in the student's seat, and flown out to find and fix the advancing German lines.

Each day the front line got depressingly further from Folkestone, closer to Canterbury. Yesterday Panzers had advanced as far north as Kingston on the Lesser Stour, and Elham in the West. But they had been thrown back from Kingston by the 1st and 2nd Canadian Divisions, after being carpet bombed by Bomber Command Wellingtons and strafed by the new cannon armed Beaufighters. In the West, the Stugs and truck mounted flak batterie of the Liebstandarte SS Adolf Hitler were routed by Valentine and Cruiser tanks of the British 1st Armoured Reserve.

Churchill had held his armoured counter attack until he saw the enemy commit himself on Canterbury. He knew he had only one roll of the dice with the precious few tanks of the British VII Corps, but they had prevailed, and cut the throat of the German salient. The enemy was now bottled up at Denton - elements of the 10th Panzer retreating south from Kingston, while the German XXXXI Corps and Leibstandarte SS were pushed north.

de Havilland had been told that upward of 30,000 enemy troops were being bottled up at Denton, but where precisely? It would be his job to find out.

In the hills north of Selstead, guns of the Royal Artillery 58th Medium Regt., veterans of France, are readied for a night time bombardment of German positions at Denton, as soon as they are identified.



de Havilland decides to start his search at Kingston, the scene of the previous day's hard fought battle for the vital bridges over the Lesser Stour river.




He would follow the main Canterbury road south from Kingston, through Denton, toward Hawkinge. There should be German forces heading south from Kingston, and others advancing north away from Elham, converging on Denton. Maybe their positions would give him a clue as to where the main body of the German forces was lurking. In the distance he could see smoke pyres - perhaps indicating burning vehicles...



In the sky above, 111 Squadron flies a protective combat patrol, their job to deter any interest in the low flying and defenceless Tiggie.



They soon have their work cut out for them as LG2 109s out of Hawkinge begin to object to their presence. They do their job, keeping the 109s busy, but it does not go well.











The wounded 111 Sq Hurricanes fight back gamely, but the more experienced pilots of LG2 have their measure









No matter, it is just enough to keep the sky clear for de Havilland.

5 miles out of Kingston, he sees a line of Panzer IIs heading cross country. They try to pull under cover, but are too slow.







He marks their direction and position.



Looking in their direction of travel he sees a small fire on a hilltop outside Denton. Too small to be seen from altitude...but could it be a visual marker for scattered German troops to home on?



Squinting between the spars of his wings, he thinks he can make out tents, or camo netting.



He turns the Tiger Moth toward the hill. Within minutes his suspicions are confirmed as angry flak begins to erupt in front of him.





He doesn't dare overfly it, but gives his photographer a nice beam shot. The hillside is swarming with Boche!







A large portion of the trapped German XXXXI army seems to be digging in on the hill overlooking Denton.





He scurries for cover, flak from 88s and lighter 30mm chasing him all the way.





As he dodges and weaves, his observer points at the ground. There below...a lone Stug pushing through a field. Perhaps a remnant of the fleeing Leibstandarte SS.



It hides in the shadow of some trees, invisible to high flying recon, but not to his Tiggie...





Then his observer punches the air with both fists, pointing ahead. Hot on the heels of the Stug, surrounded by the shattered hulks of German flak trucks, they can see Cruiser tanks of the 1st armoured, ploughing north, up the road toward Denton.







It occurs to him that this one road tells the whole tale of the German advance so far. On the first day they took Folkestone. Then broke through the GHQ stop line, and captured Hawkinge. From there, this road led them directly north, to Kingston, the furthest point of their advance, 12.9 miles from Folkestone - where the 1st and 2nd Canadian finally threw them back. Meanwhile they tried to widen their front to the West, before the Cruisers and Valentines of the 1st Armoured gave them a bloody nose. They were only 12 miles from their target of Canterbury but now they were trapped on this road, the Canadian Divisions pushing them southward...the 1st Armoured pushing them north.

To a hilltop in Denton.

He leaves the Cruisers to their pursuit.



As he turns back toward Hatfield, he hears flapping and banging outside his cockpit, and notices the fabric on his right wing is starting to come away, as small rips caused by the flak start to tear open in his slipstream. The flak had passed right through the lightweight construction of the Tiger Moth without exploding, which was a blessing. But it had been an uncomfortable few minutes!



Luckily the Gipsy Major engine keeps singing its two note song without complaint.

"I'll have to tell Geoffrey about this one", de Havilland thinks quietly to himself. Geoffrey his brother, the man who designed the Tiger Moth. The man who was no doubt, right now, pouring over drawings of his beloved Mosquito.

Tell him wood and fabric is all well and good for surviving a good flakking, but what his Mosquito really wants is speed

***

It is the end of day 4 of the Sealion invasion. 90,000 German troops are ashore, and Germany holds the port of Folkestone, and Hawkinge fighter command field, but has been held out of Dover, and the paratroop attack on Manston has not yet succeeded in taking that airfield. The supply situation is critical, with no further prospect of resupply due to the dominance of the Royal Navy in the Channel. A Fuhrer Conference has been convened for 0500 Sept 26 to review the situation.



Now encircled, 30,000 troops of the XXXXI Army Corps, and including remnants of the 10th Panzer and Leibstandarte SS, are digging in at Denton. With de Havilland's report to guide them, it is just a matter of time before they will hear the banshee roar of British long range artillery.

Not looking good for Jerry.

Ahem?

Sorry! These AARs are done after I complete both making, and then playing through, each mission in the campaign...

Have had to focus on getting the 'campaign creation' finished, and then when that is done (it will be uploaded to Airwarfare.com this week, actually), the AARs will catch up!

Cheers,

Heiny

... the invasion continues...

Sept 26, morning, Stag +4: Forza Italia!

At the Fuhrer Conference at 0500 this morning, Admiral Raeder reported that the Kriegsmarine no longer has sufficient warships available to secure both the French and Norwegian coasts, and escort supply shipping across the Channel. During the night capital ships of the British Home fleet attacked German shipping in the Channel and at Folkestone. U-boat U-47 claimed to have torpedoed and sunk the Battlecruiser HMS Nelson off the Thames Estuary at 0300 hours. But only two Kriegsmarine destroyers and a handful of minelayers and motor torpedo boats have survived the previous two days engagements with the Royal Navy. 30,000 German troops belonging to the XXXXI army corps, 10th Panzer and Leibstandarte SS have been encircled and beseiged at Denton. The Swedish ambassador to London is reported to have claimed that Churchill's war cabinet is strongly divided, with Foreign Secretary Lord Halifax proposing a settlement with Germany, which the British Prime Minister was reported to have rejected in the strongest terms. At 0700 this morning the Prime Minister stated on the BBC, "At no time in the last war were we in greater peril than we are now, but this is not a time to waver, to debate and enter discourse, but a time for us to stand firm, to hold fast where we must and attack the enemy wherever he is found." On the background of this dissent Hitler ordered the 9th and 16th Armies to resume their push on Canterbury in the belief that if that city could be captured, there was a possibility Britain could sue for peace. The Lufwaffe was to do all in its power to support the drive on Canterbury. Mussolini's Corpo Aero Italiano was ordered into battle, for an attack on Dover. Capturing Dover intact was no longer an objective, as no more reinforcement of troops in England was possible.

Letter from 64 Squadron leader Aeneas Ranald Donald MacDonnel, Sept 24 1940

My dear Marsali,

Forgive me for being so long in replying to your letter and in thanking you for your very sweet thought in suggesting me as the recipient of these very excellent socks. I wear them to the exclusion of all others because I like their colour and my toes don’t go through them. We have been rather busy here, as I am sure you might imagine.

I have been commanding 64 Squadron for a fortnight, and up to the present we have had no time for reflexion. Everything that happens these days seems to involve our Squadron. For sheer sensationalism our life cannot be bettered by even the most exaggerated films. It is all rather unusual and insane. I have a magnificent squadron, all the members are really first class, work well together and never complain of lack of sleep and disturbed lives. We are right on top of everything, and I have the fullest confidence of victory in the near future. My love to you and your mother.

Keep well Marsali

Yrs Donald


At RAF Manston

A counter attack by the 2nd London infanty overnight saw enemy troops driven back from Manston. The survivors surrendered at dawn. 64 Squadron has once again moved up to Manston, and received 4 replacement Spitfires taking its strength to six machines.

In the lead element, Squadron leader MacDonnel and his wingman have flown in to supervise preparations, when they are ordered to patrol Dover. They take off amid the carnage and shellholes of the previous days' fighting.




10 miles east Denton pocket

The German troops beseiged at Denton have been pounded mercilessly overnight by Bomber Command and artillery and British troops are within two miles of the hill where they are holding fast. Blenheims of Bomber Command head in to deliver another salvo.




While at Hawkinge, where heavy AAA has worked tirelessly to keep the skies over the airfield clear so that precious fuel and ammunition can be landed, LG2 takes to the skies again.



Over the Channel Corpo Aero Italiano Br20s with G50s in escort, close on Dover, where a panicked merchant navy prepares the last remaining ships for a dash around Margate to the relative safety of the Thames Estuary.




Among the Italian pilots, is the young Sottotenente Ugo Drago. This is his 20th mission, but his first mission since fighting ceased in France.



The Corpo has been kept out of the fighting over Britain until now, to his great frustration, because though he has flown 20 sorties, he is yet to bag his first kill.

At Hythe

On the Western front, the 7th Flieger Division can no longer maintain its westward momentum against strong counter attacks by the NZ Division. In a fighting retreat, they abandon their positions in the township, and pull back toward Folkestone.




Inside the Denton pocket

The enclave is a hive of activity as fuel is siphoned from damaged and immobile vehicles, and heavy tanks and mounted anti tank guns are readied for a desperate breakout. German troops do not even look up, as yet again the thrum of bomber engines approaches their positions.



This time though, the bombs fall wide, the Blenheims apparently targetting troops dug in on the front line across the valley




In the lead Blenheim though, the bomb aimer looks down in horror as he records where his bombs have fallen! In the dust and smoke of the front line he has released on a British position, not a German one, and a front line field hospital at that!




Above Denton, the pilots of 111 Squadron watch the bombs fall uselessly. "No business here at the moment Sector," the Flight Lieutenant advises over the R/T. "We are beginning a strafing run."

The Hurricanes drop down through the screen of flak and let fly with their Brownings






"Be advised, Sector control," the Flt Lt calls as he pulls away, "I count at least twenty Panzers on the move down there, Jerry is up to something!"

Over Dover

Sqn Ldr MacDonnel is finally given a vector, "Rabbit flight, this is Biggin Hill, proceed immediately to sector A20, angels 2, heavy raid moving toward Dover."

He banks toward the port




And almost immediately sees the specks of heavy aircraft. But he doesn't recognise them...what the devil are they? They have twin tail planes, like RAF Hampdens! It wouldn't be the first time the sector controllers have caused a cock up. He decides to close to visual range.

Then opens his eyes wide in shock as he sees the insignia of Italian aircraft, and immediately in front of him, a 109E swooping down on him!



He manages to get off a single burst at one of the BR20s before he flashes past, then pulls up and over as the Italians rain bombs on the port below




He closes on the BR20 again, notices tracer flashing over his wing, but it isn't the heavy fire of a Bf109, so he assumes it is the other BR20s behind him. He ignores it



But it isn't erratic fire from a nose gunner. It is from the twin Bredas on Ugo Drago's G50, and he focuses his fire on the Spitfire once more...



MG shells walk down the length of the Spitfire's fuselage, and punch through the plexi glass above MacDonnel's head, killing him instantly



His wingman sees his Spitfire roll onto its back and spiral in, a sure sign he has been hit. Angrily, he flings his machine toward the Italian, and from too far away, opens fire...



While from altitude, a 109 of LG2 descends on him, MG and cannons firing and Daimler Benz screaming



He has misjudged his dive, and with a scream of horror, he flings his arms over his face as his machine's wing collides with the Spitfire's engine and it explodes in a cloud of fire




Ugo Drago flies on, oblivious to the carnage behind him, smiling to himself...



His first kill!

At last, something to write home about...

JesusHeinkill, you are good...

But, may I?
Being italian I know that it was called Regia Aeronautica (Royal Airforce). So to speak.

Apart from this tiny detail it´s impressive, nothing less.
You should put your writing skill into something more... rewarding? You know, moneywise...

Grazie amico! You like the Ugo Drago touch?

But is this wrong?

http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/online-exhibitions/battle-of-britain-history/corpo-aereo-italiano.cfm

Happy to correct if it is.

I do get paid to write... I'm a journo. But I write fact (sort of ) I don't think anyone would pay me to write fiction!

H

Hoy there, sorry for the late reply...

Yeah the Drago guy, I didn´t liked it... I LOVED IT.
I mean he was never really there, but who cares, that was good as well.
A touch of reality is always welcome.

And yes, I do stand corrected.
The expeditionary force was in fact called Corpo Aereo Italiano: but careful not "Aero" but "Aereo".
It is in fact a different word.

Nitpicking I know but the rest is SO well written, I only want the best for this :P

Way to go and...
Just me probably but if you wrote an historically accurate air novel I´d buy it.

This is far from over (isn't it?).

Yes, stay tuned, I'll be able to post a couple more chapters this week I hope.

BTW that letter at the start of the latest installment is almost a word for word copy of a letter actually written by MacDonnel when he was CO of 64 Squadron.

H

Just awesome, Great what if story line about the invasion of England and battle tactics. The pics are super. I am looking for ward to more of your work.

Happy to oblige...


September 26, S-tag +4, 1230 hrs GMT: Breakout from Denton

Elements of the 10th Panzer and Liebstandarte SS Adolf Hitler have fought their way out of the Denton Pocket. Rather than retreating South toward the main German force at Folkestone, they have taken British forces by surprise and escaped north toward Canterbury. The 1st and 2nd Canadian Divisions were in the process of reinforcing their southern front, and German armour was able to drive through a gap in British lines at Gorsely Wood. Panzer IIs and IIIs of the 10th Panzer and Stugs of the Leibstandarte SSAH, backed by motorised troops of the XXXXI Army Corps, have radioed to Berlin that they have reached the Canterbury train station and are pushing on the center of the city. They are however, totally cut off from German supply lines. In an act of bluff and bravado, Adolf Hitler broadcasts to the British people, "Germany wants peace with Britain," he thunders, "But your leaders have brought war to the high streets of English villages and cities, and the German flag now flies from the spires of Canterbury Cathedral! London is next! The nations of Britain and Germany are not natural enemies. I call on Britain to surrender and avoid an inevitable and terrible fate!" After a conference with Churchill, Dowding orders all remaining 11 Group squadrons withdrawn north to preserve them for the defence of London. Churchill convenes an emergency session of the War Cabinet.

Outside Canterbury

The Stugs of the Leibstandarte SS emerge from woods into the outskirts of the city, their barrels covering the famous Cathedral.




A mile away, the Panzers of 10th Panzer grind onwards, their engines now running on fumes, diesel fuel almost exhausted.



While on a nearby hilltop, a motorised SS flak batteri watches the skies



The panicked defenders of Canterbury cower behind sandbags, barrels pointed in all directions, knowing an attack is coming, but from where?




At the train station, troops frantically load fuel and ammunition, trying to move it out before the German attack begins.




Then, through the trees, an AT position sees movement



His 2 pounder barks, and a German scout erupts in flame



Before the Panzer IIIs fire in answer



And the battle is joined in earnest, with the British heavy guns now engaging



Overhead, 109s from JG26 arrive. Having flown from France, they have only ten minutes fuel in their tanks, and begin immediately searching the sky for RAF




While below them, 4 Bf110C7s of Erpro 210 out of Hawkinge appear: their objective, to knock out enemy AT and AAA positions.



Flak begins to erupt around them immediately



And one of the precious 110s is hit



His wingman settles his sights on the city, scouring the ground for the deadly AAA emplacements



Ahead he sees Panzers engaging British ground troops and drops on a wing to get a better view



But the British are in light vehicles and poor cover, not worth wasting his bombs on them...



Then he sees what he is looking for. An AT position in the grass of a field below, probably concealed from the Panzers, but sticking out like a beacon to him.




He extends away to build up speed to climb and attack, as a flak burst shakes his machine.



He checks his controls and instruments...all normal. Diving on the AT position he opens fire with his MGFF, the heavy rounds slamming into the ground around the gun and crew.



As he pulls away, he sees ammunition go up. No need for his bombs here either!



Then in a field outside the city, he sees the source of the flak. A Bofors, cleverly sited among some destroyed vehicles.



The wrecks of the trucks will give it cover. He needs to be sure of this one. He arms his two HE bombs.



As he drops down toward the target, he thumbs the bomb release, waiting for jump of the machine as the weight of the bombs falls away...but...NOTHING



The bomb mechanism must be jammed! Apparently that flak hit wasn't as benign as it seemed...



He checks his forward guns with a tentative 2 second burst, but they are also dry. Verdammt! He has no option but to return to Hawkinge, and land with two armed bombs aboard. Not a prospect he is looking forward to.

Below, the 10 Panzer and Leibstandarte SS advance



The overwhelmed defenders of Canterbury powerless to stop them



At the train station is enough fuel and food for a Division, and if they can capture some British guns, ammunition as well.

Sept 26, S-tag +4 evening: Black Death

In today's fighting so far, the RAF has lost 32 aircraft and the Luftwafe/Axis forces 27. RAF 41, 501 and 72 Squadrons are so depleted they are effectively non operational and have been moved north for a rest. The commander of Lehrgeschwader 2 has requested his pilots and aircraft be withdrawn to Calais for rest and to refit, but this has been denied. At Denton, 15,000 German troops dig in for the night, under heavy artillery fire. They have no armour, no armed vehicles, and precious little food or ammunition. Leibstandarte SS, 10th Panzer and troops of XXXXI Corps have succeeded in capturing Canterbury train station and the area around the Cathedral. They have fortified their positions and captured British supplies, ammunition, AT guns and AAA. A stronghold has been established on the main island in the River Stour east of the Cathedral. The 1st and 2nd Canadian Divisions have attacked north in the wake of the German armoured push on Canterbury and established a line just south of the city to prevent a further breakout South by German forces. In the west and north, troops of the British 29th Infantry Brigade have established positions on the opposite bank of the Stour, while reinforcements are being moved up, to pen the German troops into the eastern part of the city.

Hitler has ordered his troops in Canterbury to hold the city, 'to the last man, tank and grenade'.

At Manston

Manston cannot be readied for full squadron operations due to damage to unexploded bombs which will take days to clear, and with enemy forces now at Canterbury, it has been determined to once again abandon the field. 64 Squadrons reluctant new CO, Flt Lt James Rankin, takes the 4 available machines on a final patrol to cover the area between Dover and Folkestone.




The Royal Navy is due to begin an all night bombardment of Folkestone port from 1730 hrs and 64 Squadron is to provide cover. From tomorrow, 64 Squadron will have to fly out of Biggin Hill.

Above Canterbury

The Beaufighters of 29 Squadron spread into line abreast formation as they close on Canterbury. They have already been named Der schwarze Tod (Black Death) by the invading troops, because of their night black camouflage and ability to rain destruction from above.



Taking off from nearby Canterbury field, two Hurricanes from 111 Squadron are intended to cover the Beaufighters while they hunt.



But the pilots of LG2, flying CAP over Canterbury, have other ideas...



They spot the Hurricanes as they rise out of the clutter of the ground below, and drop on them.




One of the 109s overshoots, opening himself to a volley from a Hurricane.



He zooms high, the Hurricane following him, hammering him again



But a second 109 is shadowing and his 20mm cannon punches through the Hurricane's wing, severing vital control wires.




The Hurricane pilot leaps, as the second Hurricane flees, leaving the Beaufighters on their own...




At Folkestone

Flt Lt Rankin watches as three RN destroyers stand off Folkestone and pound the port with impunity.




Suddenly he sees some dark specks over the Channel. But he has not been notified of an incoming raid by Sector Control. While he checks with the ground controller, he sends his tail end Charlie to investigate.



As the pilot nears, the specks resolve themselves, into...



"Stukas, dozens of 'em!" he calls.



But his CO has problems of his own. Over Folkestone he sees Bf110s of Erpro 210, also closing on the navy ships.



"Do what you can Torrid 4," he calls, "We're going to be busy down here."



It takes the Spitfire pilot precious minutes to get to altitude, and close with the Stukas, and as he opens fire on the lead element, they invert and dive on the ships below.



He can only follow them down, watching helplessly as their bombs pepper the water around the warships



As they pull out, low and slow, he pounces.



Watching gratefully as his victim falls into the waves below



Meanwhile, the 110s of Erpro 210 let fly with their AP bombs.



He watches in horror as they strike home, this time sending flame belching from the decks of two of the destroyers



Rankin closes behind one of the Zerstorers



He fires, blasting away the tailplane and rudder, and the 110 rears up abruptly, slowing so dramatically it catches him by surprise.



The pilot of the 110 drops his nose, and rakes the Spitfire with MG and cannon, driving Rankin to take evasive action.



Then he flees for the relative safety of the invasion zone...



But he underestimates the grit of the British AAA gunners on the burning destroyers. Undaunted, they open fire on the 110 as it passes abeam...




Setting the starboard engine ablaze. He checks his instruments, and sees the revs and pressure dropping fatally



With one good engine he could probably get home, but with only half an aileron and rudder, he has little hope. He warns his gunner to ready to bail out, and reaches for the canopy release




As the doomed Zerstorer reaches the port, he pulls it into a zooming climb, turning the last energy of its engine into precious altitude for their jump



He leaps, followed soon after by his gunner





Over Canterbury

LG2 has found the Beaufighters too. And the first ever dogfight between cannon armed aircraft has begun.



But to call it a dogfight is unfair. The 16,000lb Beaufighters are ungainly and slow. They are designed for night fighting against bombers, or pounding ground units with their cannon, not for mixing it with the mostly deadly air to air fighter in the world. The 109s easily turn inside them.



It is slaughter.






As they continue their patrol over Canterbury, the 109 pilots see flames and smoke rising from German and British positions alike.

Panzers in the streets of Canterbury! The front line is now only 60 miles from London.

Suddenly anything seems possible again!

Oooooooh, goody, goody, goody!


(Also, it's "Der schwarze Tod". ;))

Thanks! Duly corrected!

Now, before I proceed I would like to remind our dear readers of a true event in May of 1940 called the 'War Cabinet Crisis'.

You can read all about it here...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_1940_War_Cabinet_Crisis

But in brief:

In May 1940, the fate of the world, the future of an empire, and the destiny of a nation rested with two men; Winston S. Churchill, the newly appointed British Prime Minister and Edward Wood 3rd Viscount Halifax, the British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. Both of these men passionately believed in saving Britain from the military nightmare they been placed in by Nazi Germany. However their approaches to achieving this were radically different. Halifax believed that it might be possible to secure a peace treaty with Germany that would safeguard British independence as well as its imperial interests. On the other hand, Churchill believed that German dictator Adolf Hitler would only honour such a treaty whilst it served his own interests. Instead Churchill favoured a continuation of the conflict at all costs until final victory was secured.

I would also point out that in Sept 1940, in this timeline, when Germany invades Britain, Halifax was/is still in the War Cabinet.

OK, that is all I need to say at this point...

Sept 27 1940: s-tag +5, morning

Like the refugee choked streets of London, the British war cabinet is paralysed. A former Lord of the Admiralty, the now Prime Minister Winston Churchill, backed by his Deputy Prime Minister Atlee, argues that the intervention of the navy has meant the German invasion is close to collapse due to lack of supplies and reinforcements. But Conservatives Lord Halifax and the Lord Council Neville Chamberlain argue that with an estimated 150,000 German troops ashore in England (the actual number is closer to 90,000), naval successes are irrelevant. Canterbury is in the hands of German forces, Dover could fall any moment, and the RAF has lost or been forced to abandon key 11 Group airfields in the South East - Hawkinge, Lympne and Manston.

The Prime Minister says that under no conditions would he contemplate any course except fighting to the finish, "Even should every gentleman in Whitehall be required to take up arms and paint the bridges of the Thames in their own blood!". Churchill cuts the meeting short, and announces he will discuss the issues with the 25 ministers of his Outer Cabinet.

Halifax by this point is incensed. He sees the opportunity to sue for peace slipping away. He informs Chamberlain that he wishes to open a dialogue with Germany, and if satisfied that matters vital to the independence of Britain are unaffected, communicate to Germany Britain would be prepared to discuss terms. Unknown to Churchill, Halifax the previous evening had sent an emissary to the Swiss Ambassador, requesting he approach the German government to 'gain an understanding of their reaction should Britain offer Germany terms for a cessation of hostilities'.

Emboldened by his approach, Hitler orders Reichmarschall Goering to redouble attacks on London, and on British forces on the Western bank of the River Stour at Canterbury. The 16th Army is ordered to shorten its Western front and move forces north to try to lift the encirclement of XXXXI Army Corps at Denton. Hitler says to Goering and Army Group A commander Generalfeldmarschall von Rundstedt, "Give me Canterbury for two more days, and I will give you England!"

At Canterbury

The troops of the Royal Warwickshire Fusiliers and 7th Armoured tank regiment had met Panzers before. And as they watched through their glasses, the troops of the 10th Panzer and Leibstandarte SS prepare their defensive positions, it was with a particular and personal hatred.

In the mess at the Fusiliers staff quarters at Warwick, was a plaque dedicated to the troops and officers of the 2nd Battalion, executed by the SS after being taken prisoner during the battle of Arras in France. Provoked by reports that the British had executed German officers, the prisioners had been stripped and herded into a milking shed. The SS troops threw in grenades and opened fire with machine guns, leaving the wounded to die. The survivors of the massacre had been taken prisoner a few days later by the regular German army, and news of the atrocity had found its way back to England. The commander of the Fusiliers, Major General R C Macdonald, had personally requested his troops be moved ino the line, when it was learned that it was the SS which had penetrated to Canterbury.

The 7th Armoured also had bitter experience against the SS tanks. At the Battle of Arras it had been the 7th Armoured, together with the 4th, which threw back Rommel's troops in a counterattack that had halted the German advance on Dunkirk. Only the arrival of the SS tanks, and the deployment of Flak 88 guns by Rommel as anti tank weapons, had stopped the British from breaking the German advance entirely. Instead, they had suffered the ignominy of being rescued by French armour from the 3rd Light Mechanised Division.

It was not with impassionate eyes they surveyed the German positions either.

0730 GMT North of River Stour

The British were preparing a simultaneous push on Canterbury from the North of the Stour to take the German positions on the island before they could be better fortified, and from the South and East through the city center to displace the troops at the train station and Cathedral. Armour and towed AT guns were being moved into the line.

However the German commander at Canterbury, SS-Hauptsturmführer Wilhelm Mohnke, did not intend to allow the British the luxury of a set piece attack. In the pre-dawn hours, he had moved a company of Stugs from the SS and Panzer IIIs and Pumas of the 10th Panzer, over a German held bridge to the north bank of the Stour for a spoiling attack. They moved into cover and shut down their engines to conserve fuel. And waited.



The first inkling the troops of the Fusiliers and 7th Armoured received of the attack was the throaty growl of diesel engines starting in the early morning silence. When informed by a runner that German tanks had been heard in front of the line, the Fusiliers intelligence officer had assumed they were south of the river and being moved to hull down defensive positions. He sent a communique to staff HQ: "German armour repositioning on Stour south bank."

At 0730, with the sun in the East directly behind them, the German panzers broke from cover and charged the British lines. On the right flank, the faster Panzer IIIs and Pumas sped up the hill toward British troops running frantically for their AT guns.



While on the left flank, where scouts had indicated the 7th Armoured had brought up a company of Valentine tanks, the SS Stugs crept forward like a swarm of armoured cockroaches.



At a distance of less than 500 yards, battle was joined, with the British 2 lb AT guns barely able to dent the heavy armour of the Panzers.



In Blitzkrieg fashion, the fighter bombers of Erpro 210 arrived overhead with deadly precision as the attack got underway...



Adding the scream of their engines, the rattle of their cannon fire, and the crump of their bombs to the general mayhem.




But it was the Pumas that caused the first significant damage, their speed and agility allowing them to get right up amongst the British lines and attack AT guns from their flanks before British infantry with AP charges were able to disable them.



The Panzer IIIs had to stop to fire, and the concentrated efforts of several of the Fusiliers AT guns, combined with a handful of hastily brought up Cruisers from the 7th Armoured, began to slow the German onrush.





The lines were in chaos, as one lucky Panzer shell hit an ammunition cache, blowing a hole in the British defences through which the Stugs were able to flood.




It seemed now that little could stop the SS tanks overrunning the 7th Armoured staff headquarters in the village above the Stour. But they had still not found the company of Valentines their scouts had assured them were held in reserve on this flank, and their advance was more cautious than it might have been as a result.



Their low profile and heavy 50mm frontal armour made them almost impossible to stop with normal British AT and tank calibre rounds, but they feared a flank or rear attack, where a lucky round could disable a track, penetrate side armour, or knock out the engine. But then the Stug commander spotted Valentine tanks in the line directly in front of him. He counted three. This must be the feared British armoured reserve! He confidently ordered his spearhead forward.



On the right flank, the British began to consolidate their line, and the Panzer IIIs were forced to stop and seek cover in declines, as more Cruisers joined the line.




But cover was hard to find, and the combined defensive fire of tank and AT guns began to take a toll on the German attack.



On the left flank, the British 7th Armoured finally mobilised its reserve company of Valentines. It wasn't strategic planning that had held them back, but the mere fact their crews were billetted in front line tents which had come under heavy fire in the first minutes of the attack. Precious time had been lost assembling and doubling through the village under heavy fire to reach their machines.

To call it a company too, was a glorification. It comprised a paltry 4 Valentines, but they swung into action without hesitation, emerging from their camouflaged positions behind the village in loose formation and at breakneck speed.




The scene that met the tank commander was one of horror. Stug fire was raking the British front line from a range of less than 200 feet! Most of the Fuslier's AT guns on this part of the line had been destroyed, and only two stationary Valentines sheltering behind the burning hulks of their comrades, were still returning fire.



But this meant the Stug's flanks were fully exposed. The Valentines charged forward.



They swung down hill, then spun on their tracks and caught the Stugs on their left rear quarter. They knew from the experience of fighting the Stugs at Arras, that they needed to concentrate their fire to have any effect, and the commander calmly called the targets, sending 8 lbs of HE downrange at a single German tank with every salvo.



From that moment, the Stug's doom was assured. If they spun to face the flanking threat, they exposed themselves to a broadside from the Valentines in the British front line. Within minutes, several were brewing up.



The German attack had been halted. The surviving Panzers backed away firing, returning to their positions across the Stour.



But it had succeeded in its aim. The planned British attack on the Stour island positions was delayed, while the British regrouped and attended to the damage and wounded.

Incorrectly, the British revised upward their estimate of the strength of the German force now quartered in Canterbury to the equivalent of two battalions, where it was in fact, little more than a half that size.

Mohnke had bought Hitler some of the precious time he had sought.

Well done.

Either I'm witnessing one of the few instances where Seelöwe yields a german victory in the end (not a military one though) or you've got something up your sleeve for the Tommys (Churchill going Terminator on Jerry?).

Wow, just wow.

Sept 27, afternoon: Condor Legion

RAF Fighter command has now been reduced to 434 aircraft, with eight 11 Group squadrons now non-operational due to fatigue and losses. However in the combat of early part of the day, Luftwaffe Luftflotte 2 and 3 lost 43 aircraft, and Reichmarschall Goering has been advised that the Luftwaffe is no longer able to mount a credible threat to Royal Navy operations in the Channel, nor maintain air supremacy over the invasion beach-head. Lehrgeschwader 2 and Erpro 210, based at Hawkinge in England, have been reduced to just 13 Bf109s and 8 Bf110s in total, but have been denied permission to withdraw to France. Fitters have placed damaged and fake airframes around the airfield to deceive British recon into believing the airfield is still operating at full strength.

Encouraged by the support of his Outer Cabinet, and the success in throwing back the German counterstroke by the Fusiliers and 7th Armoured, Churchill broadcasts on the BBC the speech that will become known as his 'Last Dawn' speech.

"...and now Herr Hitler asks me to come to Canterbury to discuss terms! To Herr Hitler I say, there is only one set of terms we will discuss with him. And that is the final, irrevocable, and unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany. Until the day arrives that he is willing to discuss those terms, we remain at war. To the German troops in Canterbury and Folkestone I say this. You are surrounded on all sides, whether by sea, by land or by air. Your ships can no longer supply you. Your generals have deserted you. You have until sunset tonight to lay down your arms. For if you do not, the sunrise you look upon tomorrow will be your last dawn."

The British PM orders ground forces to hold their positions around Canterbury and Denton in preparation for a full scale attack on the German strongholds in the morning. Bomber Command and the Royal Artillery Regiments are to 'destroy utterly, the enemy's will to resist'.

Hitler still holds onto a hope that the reports he has received of dissent in the War Cabinet will bear fruit. He orders supplies of ammunition and food dropped to the 10th Panzer and Leibstandarte SS in Canterbury. Nevertheless, Admiral Raeder directs his staff to draw up plans to evacuate the 16th Army Corps from Folkestone by night. The evacuation is planned for the night of 29 September, two days hence.

111 Squadron, combat patrol, Canterbury

P/O W.G.G. Duncan-Smith got his fighter pilot wings in Sept 1940. He had come a long way from Madras, India, the son of an officer in the Indian civil service. In Scotland he'd joined his school's OTC, then returned to India in 1933, but in 1936 returned to the UK to join the RAF.

Today he was flying as wingman to Flt Lt Ken Lee, a Battle of Britain veteran and ace with 7 kills to his record.



Their objective was to clear the skies over Canterbury to allow simultaneous raids by Bomber Command to hit German positions in the city. 64, 54 and 92 Squadrons were also en route. It was shaping up to be a serious show.





Over the Channel

Meanwhile, mid-Channel, Bf110Cs of ZG2 are escorting an air train of FW200 Condor heavy transports into the Folkestone-Canterbury corridor. Bf109s of JG26 and LG2 are expected to sweep the corridor clear, while ZG2 stays with the transports, protecting them and their vital cargo - ammunition for the tanks and armoured cars of the 10th Panzer and Leibstandarte SS.



Of the ten FWs which took off, one has already turned back with 'engine problems' - more likely a pilot with Kanalkrankheit (Channel Sickness), brought on by the thought of flying through hell with 2 tonnes of HE and AP tank rounds in parachute containers in the bomb bay.



Denton

The LG2 pilot wipes his weary face, and continues to scan the sky. Below he can see the fires of earlier shelling and bombing around the German positions at Denton, and feels pride at the strength and determination of the German troops below not to succumb.



Suddenly to port he sees the unmistakeable shape of RAF bombers, probably Wellingtons. By their heading, they are bound for the Denton pocket.



It takes all his willpower to leave them alone, but they are not his targets today. This is no frie jagd. His flight's job is to hunt down RAF fighters and drive them away so the incoming air train can get through. He banks away from the bombers and continues his patrol south. God help the men below.

The first of the Wellington squadrons reaches the bomb release point and its deadly cargo falls away.



The crew note with satisfaction as their bombs land slap across the top of the hillside where the troops have chosen to dig deep holes in the open field atop the hill, rather than risk being shredded by flying splintered trees and stones in the midst of the woods.




LG2 rendezvous now with the incoming transport aircraft, and just in time, as a flight of Hurricanes appears from both below




and above



The tactic, concocted by the British ace, Lee, is intended to split the escorting 110s and 109s and draw them down and away from the transports. He knows any fighter pilot with a survival instinct will choose to attack a target below him, rather than a target above, so that he has an energy advantage.

Sure enough, the LG2 and ZG2 pilots go after the low element.



The Hurricanes try to gain more height, but the German fighters have the speed advantage



Lee sends two of his four Hurricanes to the aid of the embattled 111 Sq pilots he used as bait, while he gets into position to attack the Condors. Stuck to Lee's wing as they climb even higher above the melee, Duncan-Smith sees the cold despatch of one of his fellow pilots by a workmanlike German flyer who catches the Hurricane hanging at the stop of stall climb.




The cannon rounds of his MGFF sawing the Hurricane's wing off at the root...



Duncan-Smith feels his left leg on the rudder pedal begin to tremble uncontrollably. His big hulking Hurricane seems suddenly so fragile.

Over Canterbury

The second wave of Wellingtons goes in now, this time aiming for the troops fortifying their position on the island in the Stour west of the city itself.



They have chosen the island deliberately, knowing that if they can hold the only two bridges onto and off the island, any attack the British attempt has to come by fording the River Stour, a natural barrier more valuable than the deepest tank trap. But communication with their troops at the train station and cathedral is sporadic, and at risk of being cut off. About half of the available fuel and ammunition supplies have been moved to the island, Hauptsturmführer Mohnke is reluctant to commit everything to the island gambit, and directs his troops to move as much food, fuel and ammunition as they can into the Cathedral itself, believing this is the last thing the British will bomb.

Above him, the Wellingtons release their bombs. High altitude bombing is never precise, but the Wellingtons have orders not to hit the city itself, where thousands of civilians are still cowering in their cellars or trying to flee the fighting.

The first of the squadron's bombs fall wide and right, on the west bank of the Stour, but thankfully short of the town.



But the main salvo lands square on the island, and a huge ball of fire rises immediately from the epicenter.






The toll among the troops in their dugouts and trenches is minimal. The loss of fuel and vehicles however...

Near Denton

"Spitfires coming in," Lee observes over the R/T, "Looks like 64 Squadron, we'll let them have the first crack at the Condors. Stay with me, and keep your eyes open back there!"

His decoy ploy has drawn the enemy fighters away, leaving himself, Duncan-Smith and some Johnny Come Latelies from 64 Sq to take on the Condors.




The flight of Spitfires makes a slashing front quarter attack, and the Condors seem to panic. The break untidily.




A short burst from one of the Spitfires is enough to send the leading Condor up in a ball of flame.



"My goodness," Lee remarks quietly, "What do you have on board those things Jerry?"

The Spitfires hit again, and again, as the Condors nerve breaks, and they turn away from Canterbury and put their noses down to head for France







One of the Spitfires in particular seems determined to get close for his attack. His Brownings scissor into the Condor ahead of him, and it too explodes violently



However the wing of the Condor is blown back in its slipstream, and straight at the Spitfire!




It misses his machine by bare inches...



The Spitfire flight leader, no doubt shaken, if not singed, pulls away and calls his machines to regroup.



"111 Squadron Red flight, this is 64 Squadron Greyhound flight, there are still three of the blighters left...would you like to have the ball?"

"Very good Greyhound, we'll have a bowl," Lee replies, then to Duncan-Smith, "Turning to attack now," he says, "Stick tight Smithy."




They have a few thousand feet of altitude over the Condors, and are already flying at full throttle. Duncan-Smith expects Lee to chop his throttle back for a measured merge with the target, but he continues flying flat out. Nervously, Duncan-Smith watches his airspeed indicator climb, watching the needle go through 220, then 260 mph...



...then 280, 300, 320...

As they close on the Condors, they are close to their maximum speed of 340 mph. Holding tight to the stick of his shaking machine, he tries to remember at what speed the wings will rip off.



But Lee makes a raking pass at the lead Condor and pulls up sharply, and Duncan-Smith stays with him



It seems to fly on unperturbed, so they settle in behind the tail end charlie, and Lee gives it a long burst. It starts smoking and drops away




Without faltering, Lee continues, ignoring the return fire, closing now on the next machine in line, and hammering it too with his MGs



Debris flies back from the Condor, a piece of fuselage, a hatch door...



They slam into the Hurricane, but Lee keeps control of his machine, and the Condor banks away right, both wings blazing




Lee falls back now, and Duncan-Smith forms on his wing, watching as he checks his controls and instruments carefully.

"It's no use Greyhound 2, I think I've chewed up my prop, I can feel she isn't pulling enough sky," Lee says resignedly, "I'll have to make for Lympne. Finish off that last one, will you? The sky is clear of Jerry."

"Yes, Sir!" Duncan-Smith says, nervously, and across the crackling wireless, Lee appears to hear his fear.

"Get some height boy, then drop on him like a hound of hell," Lee says, "Just don't linger in front of him - that 20mm nose cannon has a nasty sting."

"Sir."

Duncan-Smith doesn't wait for any more advice. Fighting down the bile in his throat, he pulls his Hurricane up and over, back toward the last Condor.




At 250 feet he lets fly with a long hosepipe burst. With satisfaction he sees the left tailplane fall away and ducks underneath the behemoth at the last second




He can see it is mortally wounded. In the cockpit of the beast, he sees a frightened face, a young man his own age, no more, staring grimly up at him.



As he drops back behind the Condor for the kill, a strange feeling comes over him. He has trained 4 years for this kill, and now that it is his, he cannot make it.



He pulls up alongside the Condor, and watches it intently



Below and behind them is the invasion beach head. Where hundreds, no, thousands have died in the long days since the landing. Anger rises in him at the thought, but it isn't enough. Not for today anyway...



He banks away, leaving the Condor crew to focus on getting their crippled machine back to France.



Then he notices his nausea is gone, his leg no longer trembles...



He realises he has crossed the Styx now, and that this one small act of mercy will be his last.

(P/O "Smithy" Duncan-Smith went on to become Group Captain Wilfrid George Gerald Duncan Smith, DSO and Bar, DFC and 2 Bars, and finished the war with a total of 17 kills.)