The first thousand and sixty-six chapters easily land on the island
On the evening of 9th, the huge fleet composed of the transport fleet of the Chinese Navy Indian Ocean Fleet and the 8th Marine Division was less than 100 nautical miles away from Sicily. Along the way, the whereabouts of the fleet were not leaked. The Indian Ocean Fleet sent
A few destroyers open the way ahead and immediately drive away once they encounter ships from other countries.
In fact, after the war began, the Mediterranean shipping suffered a devastating blow. Originally, this was a major transportation route between the East and the West, but after China controlled the Suez Canal, the exchange between the East and the West was almost cut off.
.All the ships of the Allied countries have diverted to the Cape of Good Hope, and only some merchant ships from neutral countries will pass through the canal. Because several incidents of spies from the Allied countries using merchant ships disguised as neutral countries to spy on the intelligence of the Chinese navy. Therefore, the Chinese navy sent
The fleet specially inspected these passing merchant ships. In this case, the waterway was even more desolate.
After nightfall, the fleet implemented light control. Now Lisicily is very close, and if you are not careful, you will be exposed. Although there are not many Italian troops on Sicily, the Chinese Navy does not want to leak the news in advance.
On the battleship of the Han Ming Emperor, there were only faint lights inside the bridge. General Lie Haitao, commander of the Indian Ocean Fleet, and Lieutenant General Wu Zhiyuan, were checking the map of Sicily and choosing a login site for tomorrow's landing.
"Commander, Chief of Staff, General Tang Hongtao and General Wang Shaoxuan of the 8th Marine Division have arrived!" A staff officer entered the bridge to report.
"Ah? Please!" General Li Haitao raised his head and said. Tang Hongtao was the commander of the 8th Marine Division and the lieutenant general of the Marine Corps. Wang Shaoxuan was the chief of staff of the 8th Marine Division and the major general of the Marine Corps.
"Commander Li, Chief of Staff Wu, good evening!" Lieutenant General Tang Hongtao greeted first after entering the bridge.
In any case, Li Haitao's military rank is one level higher than him and he is also the commander of the fleet. Even though he is younger than him, in the army, the ranks are always about, not age.
"Team Commander Tang, Chief of Staff Wang, please sit down. We are choosing a login site for tomorrow's login. The two are the chief officers of the Marine Division. Let's take a look!" General Li Haitao said with a smile.
Lieutenant General Tang Hongtao and Major General Wang Shaoxuan did not postpone it and immediately came to the map next to the bridge. Tomorrow's login was completed by their 8th Marine Division. It was a suitable login site that can effectively prevent casualties.
Things that directly affect the safety of the 8th Marine Division are absolutely unscrupulous!
"Teacher Tang and Chief of Staff Wang. We initially believe that the landing point is more suitable for Catania. It is located in the eastern part of Sicily and is a good deep-water port. At the same time, the terrain is flat, which is conducive to the landing of the Marine Division and the deployment of troops.
It is also conducive to the use of our heavy weapons. If you land here, the fleet can also provide better firepower support to the land combat divisions!" Lieutenant General Wu Zhiyuan, chief of staff of the Indian Ocean Fleet, introduced.
Lieutenant General Tang Hongtao and Major General Wang Shaoxuan both nodded. Catania is indeed a very ideal landing point. Sicily has mountainous terrain, especially the northeast of the island, with continuous mountains, and only the coastal areas are narrow.
There are only some plains in the east, southeast and south of the island where Catania is located. Other parts of the island are also high mountains.
"Then choose Catania as the landing site! At that time, we will rely on the fleet to provide firepower support for us!" Lieutenant General Tang Hongtao said solemnly. Although the equipment of the Marine Division is equivalent to the heavy infantry division of the Army, the Army has
The heavy equipment of the Marine Division also has. However, before going ashore, these heavy weapons will not come in handy. At that time, you can only rely on the naval warships to provide firepower support to the Marine Division, destroy the enemy's positions, and disintegrate the enemy's resistance.
It's right.
"Teacher Tang is here, we are a family! This time the Indian Ocean Fleet will provide the most complete firepower support for the Marine Division. Even if the main force of the Italian Navy comes, we will leave enough warships to provide firepower for the Marine Division.
Support!" Admiral Li Haitao promised. Judging from the terrain of Sicily, the Marine Division will definitely clean up the coastal areas first, and these are within the range of the navy's naval guns.
Afterwards, everyone analyzed the information they obtained. On Sicily, the Italian army only deployed one infantry division. The 75th Division of the Italian Kingdom's Army had only more than 12,000 troops, no heavy artillery, only five.
It's just a dozen light guns. The number of machine guns is not large, and the combat power is relatively low among the Italian army. The only thing to worry about is that almost all the people in this division are locals from Sicily.
Be more adapted to the terrain and environment here. And whether they will fight with the Chinese army to protect their homes.
Catania is located on the eastern coast of Sicily, on the foot of Messina and Syracuse, at the foot of Mount Etna. This is an important city in Sicily, with a flat terrain and an important grain-producing area in Sicily.
.After China occupied the Suez Canal, in order to strengthen its defense against Sicily, the Kingdom of Italy deployed cities along the eastern coast of Sicily, such as Messina, Catania, Augusta, Syracuse and other cities.
Some shore defense guns. However, Italy was still a member of the Allies at that time, and their defense was not very strong. Take Catania for example, Italy only deployed a 12 155mm shore defense guns here.
It is just a battalion, and it is under the command of the 75th Division of the Army. Such defense is no different from a paper-based one for the Chinese Navy's Indian Ocean Fleet.
After choosing to land in Catania, the fleet began to move towards it. It is expected that the fleet will be able to arrive outside Catania at around 8 am on July 10. Then it will initiate the landing here directly and defeat the guards here.
After the army, it expanded to the entire Sicily.
The Italian army deployed an infantry division in Sicily, but the army was completely scattered throughout Sicily. In Catania, in addition to a shore artillery battalion, there was an infantry battalion of more than 600 people.
The command was conducted by a lieutenant colonel named Catlan. Of course, they were all very safe in the concept of the 75th Division of the Italian Army. Although the war had begun between Italy and the Allies, the battlefield was in northern Italy.
The Italian army, which had been prepared for a long time, has entered the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and it is almost time to win the final victory.
At 7 a.m. on July 10, two Chinese Navy destroyers arrived outside Catania. However, the Italians were not prepared for this. Even the lazy fishermen were still in the port and did not go out to sea.
Those Italian troops were even sleeping in the barracks, without any alertness at all.
At 7:30, the heavy cruisers of the Chinese Navy's Indian Ocean Fleet's "Oujiang," and "Huaihe," arrived at the coast of Catania with four light cruisers. According to the Indian Ocean Fleet's plan, they will face the Catania's
The Italian army's shore defense fortifications launched shelling, clearing the Italian fortifications before the main force of the fleet arrived, and preparing for the landing of the Marine Corps.
China has learned through precise information that the Italian army has deployed in Catania. With the firepower of two "jianghe-class, heavy cruisers and four light cruisers, it is enough to clean up the Italian army here.
At 7:35, the Oujiang River, the USS Heavy Cruiser and the Huaihe River, were all ready for artillery attacks, and the three triple-mounted 210mm main guns on the warship had already been aimed at Catania.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"'Oujiang, the heavy cruiser, opened fire first. After that, the Huaihe, the heavy cruiser, followed closely behind. The two heavy cruisers began to fire at Catani at a speed of one round of volleys per minute.
Sub-tilt gunfire.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!" A dense explosion sounded from the Italian army's positions. The first one to be attacked was the position of the shore defense battalion. 12 155mm shore defense cannons were destroyed before they could fire the cannon.
At the same time, the shelling awakened the Italian army here.
When Lieutenant Colonel Catlan rushed out of the command center in a hurry, he saw that the shore defense position was already covered by fierce artillery fire.
"Damn it, where did the enemy come from? Did the Austro-Hungarian navy come here?" Lieutenant Colonel Catlan said with horror.
"Your Lieutenant Colonel, not the Austro-Hungarian Empire, but the Chinese! The Chinese warships are opening fire at us!" A second lieutenant officer reported that he had just returned from the port and was very clear about the situation on the sea.
"Chinese people! God! It's them! Report to the division commander quickly, the Chinese people attack us!" Lieutenant Colonel Catlan quickly ordered.
Later, in order to reduce losses, Lieutenant Colonel Catlan immediately ordered the Italian army to retreat. So much so that when the 8th Marine Division of the Chinese Marine Corps arrived, there was no Italian soldier here. The vanguard of the 8th Marine Division
A battalion landed in Catania without any blockade and successfully took over the important city. Most of the Italian residents here escaped, and the remaining small part was hiding at home.
Through the window, he looked at these outsiders with horror.
The Italian army's non-resistance was beyond the expectations of the Chinese army, but it also reduced a lot of trouble. The 8th Marine Division began to land, and at the same time sent troops to attack around Catania, clearing up the surrounding Italian army, and ensuring that