Chapter 1291 The Fall of Diamond City (First update, please subscribe)
Author: Xiaoyu’s Destiny
Chapter 1291 The Fall of Diamond City (First update, please subscribe)
November 23, with the defeat of General Paul Methuen.
Kimberly's last hope was dashed.
In the early morning of the 24th, following an order, the Boer army surrounding Kimberley launched an attack - shelling!
The heavy shelling began again.
Accompanied by the violent roar of the artillery positions, the large-caliber artillery pieces burst into joy, and they poured shells into the Kimberley Fortress.
The Boer artillery was trained by the Imperial Attaché Corps, and in addition to being equipped with medium-caliber field guns, it was also equipped with 150 mm artillery.
But the really deadly thing is the Type 64 mortar. This super-caliber mortar was designed by Emperor Zhu Da specifically based on the Type 98 mortar from a small book more than 20 years ago in order to conquer the fortress.
Its shells are extremely powerful, with a total length of about 1.5 meters, a diameter of 330 millimeters, a shell weight of 300 kilograms, and a charge of up to 200 kilograms! The explosion damage diameter can reach 250 meters. On the battlefield, even the strongest
The fortifications can also be easily blown to pieces with one shot!
In the past twenty years, it has destroyed the Chilean army fortresses and blown the Turkish fortresses into the sky again and again. Now, here, of course, it can also easily destroy the Kimberley fortresses.
Although the Boers only had four 64-A mortars, when the heavy artillery shells screamed from the sky, half of the fortress collapsed in an instant. The fierce bombardment did not stop. At the same time, thousands of field artillery shells were fired, forcing
Cannonballs rained down on the fortress.
For the British Army, which has never fought a war with a "civilized country" since the Crimean War, when has it ever seen such a formation? In the past, they used artillery to bombard the indigenous people, but now they are passively bombed. How does this feel to them?
But I can live with it.
And the most deadly thing is the whistling sound that sounds like a witch's scream every twenty minutes - it is the whistling sound of the 64-A mortar shells as they fly. Every explosion shakes the earth.
Amid the tremors, the seemingly solid fortress seemed to be made of paper.
Many British people were buried alive in the fortress out of despair and fear.
After the first day's bombardment, the fortress was almost in ruins. More than half of the British troops guarding the fortress were injured or killed. The most fatal blow was the blow to morale - the reality that the strong fortress was vulnerable to a blow severely damaged people's confidence.
Most of the artillery in the fortress was destroyed by Boer fire.
"The fortress can no longer be defended!"
That night, after inspecting the fortress, Lieutenant Colonel Randolph looked at the ruins of the fortress and said directly.
"Even Kimberly can't hold on. Under such fierce artillery fire, continuing to resist is simply..."
Before Randolph could even finish his words, the witch's scream sounded again - it was the Type 64 A mortar that was angry.
The next moment, a ball of violent fireworks burst into the fortress, and Randolph felt the breath of death as the earth shook and the mountains shook.
"Damn, that's where the Boers got their heavy artillery..."
Of course he didn't know it was a gift from the empire!
The empire is peace-loving, and at most it only provides some weapons...
That night, when he returned to the city from the fortress, before Randolph could stop, he received a telegram from the south - the reinforcements led by General Paul Methuen were ambushed halfway, and more than half of them were lost.
Because the general surrendered.
Kimberly's last hope was completely shattered.
Faced with this news, Lieutenant Colonel Randolph made a decision-to surrender.
However, when Lieutenant Colonel Randolph made this decision, Rhodes, the diamond king, still maintained a high fighting spirit.
"Lieutenant Colonel, we must continue to fight. The whole world is looking at us now. They are all looking at this place, Kimberley. This is related to the glory of the entire British Empire."
After hearing that Lieutenant Colonel Randolph wanted to surrender, how could Rhodes sit back and watch all this happen? He immediately argued with reason.
"Lieutenant Colonel, although General Methuen failed, the British Empire will soon organize a more powerful expeditionary force to come here, and our reinforcements..."
"Reinforcements, where are the reinforcements?"
Before Ross could finish speaking, Randolph interrupted him and said.
"Even before reinforcements come, we will die in the fire of the Boers. Everyone, this city will be completely destroyed..."
When Rhodes was still trying to fight for it, Randolph said again.
"Mr. Rhodes, if it weren't for your ambition, this damn war would never have broken out. We were not prepared for this war at all. We were not prepared at all. Our people kept dying here. These dead people
British, it’s all because of your ambition!”
Faced with such rebuke, Rhodes still stubbornly retorted,
"Lieutenant Colonel, you can't say that. You have to know that I provided them with generous pensions!" After Rhodes arrived in Kimberley, in order to boost morale and inspire the courage of those people, he asked them to protect his diamond mine.
, in addition to giving each soldier a bonus of 200 pounds, he also gave injured British soldiers a pension of 500 pounds, and the pension for the fallen was as high as 1,000 pounds. If the Boer attack can be repelled, then everyone
All will receive an additional £300 bonus.
In this era, 1,000 pounds is equivalent to the income of an ordinary British worker for more than ten years. If 1,000 pounds is deposited in the bank, the interest alone is enough for the family to live a relatively comfortable life.
Under the heavy reward, there must be brave men. Faced with such a reward, the British army burst out with unprecedented courage, but no matter how courageous they were, they could not match the cannon. Although the temptation of money was strong, the fierce artillery fire still successfully destroyed them.
morale.
Maybe Rhodes is a billionaire, but he is unable to change the officer's decision. In fact, Randolph's decision to surrender is based on reality. They have been holding on here for a month, and the number of casualties has passed. If they continue to hold on, they will not even be able to
When the Boers attack, the British army itself will collapse under the bombardment.
By that time, they will lose everything.
Now, while we still have the power to defend, we can discuss the terms of surrender with them - such as protecting the property of the officers and soldiers. After all, Rhodes is still very generous. Each of them has received several thousand or even more.
A bribe of 10,000 pounds. Of course they hope to retain this money through negotiation, rather than becoming a prisoner personally and property becoming the property of the Boers after the collapse.
If Rhodes knew that it was his bribe that made Randolph and other officers decide to surrender, he would probably be furious to death.
However, Rhodes had no choice at all. Even before surrendering, he had to discuss with Randolph and take out a bribe of 10,000 pounds, hoping to include him in the negotiation terms-to prevent him from being tried by the Boers.
.
Of course, as for whether anyone cares about his fate during the negotiations, no one cares. After all, at this time, what everyone is thinking about is always the warranty, and for the Boers, the famous Mr. Rhodes,
That's a big piece of fat, so how could you let it go so easily?
On the afternoon of the next day, after receiving the promise that their property would be protected, the British troops guarding Kimberley finally raised the white flag after holding on for 33 days.
Kimberley, the "Diamond City" of the British Empire, has fallen...