Chapter 204: Crisis! A trembling strait! (2)

The "a" unit, the aviation support force, is the five seaplane motherships of the "Malaya" commanded by Major General Mori, are the farthest from the "Malaya" and look the least like warships: the low-side hull of coal ships or ferries, towering cranes on the deck, weak armed forces disproportionately to the hull, huge rectangular superstructures in the middle or rear of the hull, and one or two floating boats exposed. In fact, these five modified seaplanes, which are not specially built, carry a total of 40 seaplanes, belonging to two naval squadrons.

Crowded with these little monsters, there are two seaplane supply ships that are almost no different from ordinary freighters. Unlike seaplane motherships, they do not carry complete seaplanes to perform combat missions. The ship has various maintenance workshops, warehouses and complete personnel living facilities, which can provide support for the temporary seaplane advance base.

In addition to seaplanes, the aviation forces scheduled to be placed under Major General Mori's command also include a shore-based aviation force transferred from the local area, with a total of about 100 shore-based aircraft and 6 soft airships. The main tasks are reconnaissance school 'fire', anti-submarine patrol and ground bombing. These forces will be deployed one after another after completion of the airports on several islands near the entrance to the Aegean Sea on the Dardanelles Strait.

Clipped between the ships of the "a" unit and the "f" unit are more than a dozen special landing ships with strange styles, including several dock landing ships with square sterns, and more than ten tank landing ships with hanging gate openings on the bows. They belong to the "d" unit, namely the landing and transporting troops. The main task is to transport tanks and other mechanized vehicles to the beachhead. As for the personnel transport tasks, they are mainly carried by the mk2 infantry landing craft carried largely on other troop transport ships.

“…It’s really an eye-opener to all the things in the ‘Fisher Toy Room’.”

After serving as the commander of the 4th Battleship Detachment in the Battle of the Bay of Bengal, he lost the seven-turret holy relic "Akinkut" and the old "Sumatra" of the Dutch Navy in air raids and submarine attacks, he finally returned to Mumbai with three other main ships, including the flagship. When he looked around the demons and monsters around him, especially those head-heavy shallow water heavy gunboats, he couldn't help but sigh as above.

"If we had these toys on hand when we succeeded in the air strike of Kiel, then Fisher's plan to raid the Baltic Sea might not be a fantasy."

The active-minded and energetic Brigadier General Roger Case commented without regret.

"At that time, we had to draw precious battleships to reinforce India, which resulted in the worst failure of the Royal Navy in more than 300 years. Now we have to let India fend for itself... This is a great irony."

Major General John DeRobeck, known for his harshness and courage, sneered without hesitation.

Brigadier General Case sighed lightly and commented seriously: "I think someone was blinded by the victory of Kil Bay, did not truly recognize the lessons of Pearl Harbor and Lin Jiayan, and failed to accurately estimate the unusual evolution of the other party in military technology and tactics. He thought that those gadgets were just like this, and we were still far ahead. It was this illusion of self-intoxication that caused the great tragedy and shame in the Bay of Bengal..."

Major General De Robek sneered in his nose: "What's the use of saying this now? The Chinese have landed in Ceylon. Next is Mumbai, Karachi, Persia's Port, and Basra, Iraq. In addition to a limited number of submarines and cruisers, there are also the fake "compulsory joint fleet" that may be exposed at any time. We can only count on the army to block the pace of the other side's advance as much as possible. We must break through the strait, capture Constantinople, open up our traffic lines, and cut off the traffic lines of the other side, otherwise we will completely lose the initiative in this war - this is by no means an exaggeration."

Lieutenant General Geram frowned and interrupted him unhappily: "Okay, we all know these principles. What is important is not what we know, but what we can do. Your Excellency the Navy Minister sent you to assist me, and naturally he has his reasons. Now let us make a little clearer - Mr. Keith, how are you talking to Lieutenant General Alanby's staff?"

Lieutenant General Emund Alanbe, who served as the staff of the current Army Secretary Marshal Kitchener during the Boer War from 1899 to 1902, made a name for himself in the counterattack against the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt, which repelled the Turkish army, was the commander-in-chief of the landing troops of the Army and Navy during this battle. He had a British naval division, three British army divisions, two French divisions and two South African brigades, with a total force of 120,000. In addition, as a reserve team, three British divisions, one French division and one South African brigade, a total of 70,000 people were still gathering.

If the situation goes well, Alanby may also receive additional support: In Greece, which had just had a bloodless military coup, King Constantine, who had always been pro-German, was forced to abdicate and leave, and his second son Alexander succeeded to the throne. Prime Minister Venizelos, who had been dismissed by King Constantine for his earlier proposal to join the Allies, was reinstated in power. After confirming that the Allies granted him Turkey and Bulgaria to some territory to realize the "Great Greek Empire" dream that Greek nationalists clamored for before the war, was fully promoting Greece to declare war on the Allies, and at the same time agreed with the Allies that "3 to 5 divisions will be sent to join the attack on the Ottoman Empire when the preparations are completed and there is still need."

Of course, the army cannot fly across the sea, and the navy is the protagonist in this battle. The army's first task is to assist the navy in breaking through the narrowest part of the Dardanelles. The navy has full confidence in determining: as long as the powerful fleet of the Allied Army enters the Sea of ​​Marmara, Constantinople will fall like a ripe persimmon.

"It's smoother than imagined..."

Brigadier General Case said as he pulled out the small map he carried with him and introduced it in front of Jeram.

"First of all, the naval artillery forces are backed by long-range support forces, combined with three days to one week of artillery attacks and the Marines to shore blast, completely destroying the four fortresses on both sides of the strait entrance and artillery in the fortress."

"Then with strong naval and air support, the Navy Tank Brigade and Mechanized Brigade were guided by the Navy's Tank Brigade and the 29th Army Division, and the first landing force, attacked the beachhead position south of the Gabriel Cape on the outside of the southern part of the Gallipoli Peninsula, crossing the narrowest part of the southern part of the peninsula within two to three days, and advancing to the Maidos on the inside of the strait to control the narrowest part of the strait."

"The French divisions landed as the second wave of follow-up landing, consolidated the beach head and blocked the enemies rushing to rescue from the northern part of the peninsula. At the same time, two South African brigades landed at Cape Helles at the southern end of the peninsula to clear the enemy troops in the ruins of the fortress."
Chapter completed!