Chapter 36: The Frenzied Night Bombing

The intertwining beams of the twenty high-power searchlights brought ashore by the first wave of landing crafts on the Isle of Wight, along with the dozens of illumination flares dropped by the leading British aircraft, created a magnificent war scene in the originally pitch-black skyline. The cloudy night sky suddenly turned into a giant movie screen, showcasing tonight's feature film titled "Ground-to-Air Battle":

The countless British combat aircraft, appearing like a river flowing from the north, included Bristol, Wellington, Warhawk, Hampton, and the rare Whitely and Hereford (Manchester, Lancaster, and other heavy bombers were not yet in service). A variety of British bombers formed a mixed fleet reminiscent of the Dunkirk evacuation, and due to the shorter flying distance, these bombers of varying performance could carry the maximum payload of bombs!

On the ground, repaired British anti-aircraft guns, coupled with those brought by the landing fleet, outnumbered the British defenders at the start of the battle, especially the unique 88mm heavy anti-aircraft guns, which roared with anger at an extremely rapid rate!

Standing erect to reach the sky and poised to knock out tanks when leveled, these heavy anti-aircraft guns produced by Krupp were widely regarded as the most successful artillery pieces of Germany and even the entire Axis camp—although some were lost during shipment, two fully manned 88mm guns still successfully arrived at the Newport Airport before nightfall, greatly enhancing the long-range air defense capabilities under Major von Konsar's command!

Numerous fireworks blossomed in the sky, making the already dazzling world even more colorful and vibrant. The continuous barrage gradually formed a massive curtain of fire, albeit less effective than modern surface-to-air missiles, it still posed a significant threat to any aircraft attempting to penetrate it. Even before the first wave of British bombers dropped their bombs, a twin-engine Bristol succumbed to yet another casualty of war. It plummeted from an altitude of over a thousand meters, with only a tiny white parachute visible in the sky, typically operated by a three-person crew!

War was inherently violent and deadly. A group of over thirty twin-engine bombers led the assault, flying over the airport. Although the Germans deliberately deployed searchlights to the northwest of the airfield to disrupt the British pilots' targeting, the illuminating flares provided enough guidance. Amidst the frenzied roar of the German anti-aircraft guns, hundreds of dark bombs fell almost silently. Upon impact, the world seemed to boil like a pot of boiling soup!

The earth trembled once again, though the tremors on the surface were not catastrophic. Yet, in the face of such scenes, individual humans appeared so insignificant: a man standing two meters tall, faced with flames soaring tens of meters high and smoke rising hundreds of meters, was nothing more than a pitiful mouse in front of an elephant!

The fury of war left the women huddled in the corner of the carriage terrified, but even Major Logan, who commanded thousands of German soldiers on the Isle of Wight, could not exert any more influence on either side in such a battle. He gently pulled Doreen over to sit beside him, shoulder to shoulder, watching the spectacular fireworks through the open carriage. For a few seconds, Logan suddenly thought: if by unfortunate chance a bomb fell on his head, it wouldn't be so bad. At least he could be with the person he loved, away from the worldly gaze.

Unfortunately, the precision of the British bombers was not high, but the bombs concentrated on the airfield and its surroundings. On the roadside illuminated by the flares, more than a hundred German soldiers and their vehicles avoided the bombing. Logan's melancholic fantasy naturally could not be realized.

Although the intense bombing by the British occasionally had intervals, the overall bombardment lasted for nearly forty minutes. Despite gradually weakening, the ground artillery of the German troops never ceased. Their tenacity eventually resulted in the destruction of three enemy aircraft and the damaging of five more, although not impressive, it demonstrated the resilience and determination of the German soldiers!

Gradually, Logan also realized that General Göring's troops were not arrogant, ignorant, or sluggish because of their name. On the contrary, their pride came from hard training and tough qualities. Their disdain for their enemies stemmed from confidence and contempt, and the reputed name of the German First Flak Regiment was not just for show!

With no resistance from the German Air Force, the most fierce bombing by the British since the start of the battle finally ended. Without the heart-pounding sound of explosions, the blazing fires and towering smoke turned the distant Newport Airport into a terrifying hell. Could the three runways still exist after such intense bombing?

Shaking his head helplessly, Logan waved his hand to signal the vehicles to regroup and proceed to their destination.

At 2:50 in the morning, the convoy finally reached the town of Chris. Far from the scenic coastline, there were no elegant vacation villas or majestic aristocratic mansions to be seen. All that could be seen were some stone and wood structures, traditional European-style farmhouses. The largest building in the town was the pointed-roof Christian church—the advance team had already cleared it for temporary headquarters.

Among the British civilians brought from the countryside, there were many wealthy people dressed in luxurious attire, but Logan was in the midst of an ambitious rise and had no interest in plundering wealth. He merely had the soldiers clear and settle in two nearby farmhouses adjacent to the church. Of course, the four British women were to be given special care— not every woman could leave no "legacy" on the unprotected first night, perhaps Logan could become a father in ten months?

The headquarters resumed operations, and the battle report of the counterattack in Wootton Harbor was delivered to Logan: the German troops on the left, center, and right flanks killed or wounded more than 900 British troops, captured about 400, and seized and destroyed countless British equipment. Meanwhile, the German losses totaled only over 300! After the victory, the powerful flanking units swiftly withdrew with the captured prisoners, and Lieutenant Johnson's unit also retreated south of the harbor, allowing the British fleet at sea to launch a fierce retaliatory bombardment on the empty harbor. After such a turmoil, the morale of the British would certainly be greatly affected!

Soon after, the troops stationed at Newport Airport also sent a battle report: due to proper evacuation, only 124 British troops were killed or missing in the bombing, most of whom were anti-aircraft gunners belonging to General Göring's troops. However, the airport facilities were completely destroyed, with runways, control towers, hangars, and more all gone, far exceeding the damage caused by the large-scale bombing by the German troops earlier that morning!

Newport Airport suffered a devastating blow, but the development of the battle did not exceed Logan's expectations. As long as the temporary airfields repaired overnight could be put into use before dawn, Garland's entire battalion could move in smoothly, and Junkers-52 could continue to airlift troops and equipment—however, the meteorological observation station stationed by the Germans in Northern Europe predicted widespread rainy weather two days later. Although both sides' fighter planes and bombers were capable of flying in the rain, the operations would still be greatly affected, especially the unengineered temporary airfields, which would likely be unusable in rainy conditions!

As the saying goes, "Man proposes, God disposes." With several contingency plans in hand, Logan did not adopt a "melancholic" demeanor. Before dawn arrived, he lay on a makeshift cot, ignoring the busy footsteps around him, and soon fell into a dream. And just as he began to snore, a gentle breeze quietly rose outside!

Under the cover of night, the English Channel, which was calm as a mirror, began to show its turbulent nature as the chilly sea breeze grew stronger, and the waves began to reveal their restless temperament, crashing heavily against any ship daring to enter this area. It seemed to be warning humanity, which considered itself the master of the world: the power of nature was the most terrifying and respectable!

In the darkness, a fleet of six vessels, comprising two large and four small warships, pressed forward eastward despite the obstructive winds and waves. Although the turbulence grew stronger, their sturdy steel hulls shattered each incoming wave, responding to the arrogant challenge of nature with their own steadfast will!

A closer look revealed that the four slightly smaller warships in the fleet fully demonstrated the British destroyers' pursuit of seakeeping performance and firepower. They skillfully assumed the posture of anti-submarine navigation to ensure that the main members of this fleet were not harassed by the almost ubiquitous German submarines.

The most eye-catching in the fleet were still the two large warships.

The leading one bore the unmistakable marks of the Washington Naval Treaty: standard tonnage, standard firepower, and a standard "thin-skinned, big-gun" design. Although its design was not ideal, considering its mission of protecting the British Empire's long sea lanes, coupled with the fact that the main German navy was trapped in the North Sea at the start of the war, its excellent endurance and rapid-firing 8-inch main guns were sufficient for most combat needs!

The one at the rear, with billowing smoke from its funnel, evoked memories of the coal-fired battleships of the Jutland era. In fact, it hailed from that age of massive ships and cannons. It even retained the British-style coal/oil hybrid propulsion system. With its 7.5-inch caliber single-gun main turret, standing against the modern cruisers equipped with double or even triple gun turrets from various countries, it seemed like a rustic country bumpkin!

Having sailed unharassed through the Bristol Channel in the west of England, the fleet headed towards the Isle of Wight through the English Channel. The sea journey spanned over 400 nautical miles, and maintaining a speed of 28 knots meant continuous sailing for 14 hours. Yet, tasked with defending their homeland, the esteemed Royal Navy of Britain had no choice but to persevere. The dim silhouette of the Isle of Wight finally appeared on the horizon, and the ringing alarm for preparing the guns instantly dispelled any fatigue among the crew. The sturdy turrets began to rotate, and the coarse black gun barrels made their final adjustments as the targets were identified.

Prior to the German assault, there were about 29,000 British military and civilians on the Isle of Wight, significantly fewer than during peacetime. However, excluding those who managed to escape by boat or had perished, approximately 27,000 people remained, mingling with the German forces. Despite the fact that beneath the gun barrels were fellow countrymen and women, the resolute British fleet commander issued the order for bombardment, all for the safety of Britain as a whole...