Chapter 0770: Casualties

"Attack!" Major General Alexander Linsingen, aboard a transport ship, issued the command for the Marine Corps to commence the assault. Thousands of soldiers from the 1st Regiment, 1st Division of the Marine Corps embarked on landing craft, initiating the landing operation ten kilometers from the shore.

Each of these landing craft, capable of carrying an infantry squad, was powered by oil pumps and moved at great speed. The ten-kilometer distance was covered in less than twenty minutes.

Once the Marines successfully established a beachhead, the transport ships would advance closer to the shore to minimize landing time. Simultaneously, amphibious tanks and other landing vehicles would begin their assault, assisting the Marines who had already stormed the beach, further expanding their territorial gains.

Hundreds of landing craft scattered across the sea, densely packed. German Marine Corps soldiers huddled low, attempting to minimize their profile. The landing craft used by the Marine Corps were reinforced, with an additional thin layer of armor at the front. While incapable of withstanding artillery shells, they offered protection against bullets, and even machine gun fire was unlikely to penetrate.

Landing operations were undeniably brutal, particularly before reaching the shore, where the brave Marines had no protection whatsoever. Hence, it was imperative to ensure the safety of the Marines as much as possible.

"General, the Germans have landed. They've deployed hundreds of landing craft, nearly covering the entire sea surface!" an officer reported to General Douglas Haig.

After escaping from Le Havre and returning to England, General Haig and his comrades were not punished but instead entrusted with further responsibilities. The British Army, lacking experienced commanders, considered figures like Haig invaluable, despite his previous defeat. Such commanders were seen as rare assets, and even after failure, they were retained for their expertise, for there was no easy replacement.

General Haig now commanded the British 1st Army Group, consisting of 200,000 men, the elite of the British Army. Their defensive area was Margate.

Moreover, the former commander of the British Expeditionary Force's 2nd Army, General Benson, was reassigned as the commander of the 2nd Army Group in England. Brigadier General Gough, the commander of the 5th Army of the Expeditionary Force, became the commander of the 3rd Army Group. These three army groups were considered the true elite of the British Army.

The three groups were stationed along the Margate, Dover, and Folkestone lines, forming the core of the defense against the German forces. Other elite divisions were stationed in London as the capital's defense and reserve forces. Additionally, the southeastern theater of Britain housed several secondary army groups, bringing the total force to a staggering 1.6 million soldiers.

"Order the artillery to open fire. Coastal defense artillery should also join in. Focus on attacking the German landing forces!" commanded General Haig.

Having witnessed the devastating defeat of the British Expeditionary Force, General Haig had become more cautious and alert. He knew the German forces were formidable, and defeating them would be no easy task. He understood that neutralizing the German forces' combat strength was crucial to avoiding unnecessary casualties.

Haig had learned that relying on their artillery to take on the German fleet was a fool's errand, and so he chose to concentrate their fire on the German landing forces. Destroying the landing forces was a far more sensible approach than engaging in futile battles with the German navy.

"Yes, General!" The officer immediately set off to deliver the orders.

Moments later, the previously silent British artillery began to roar with fury.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Over a thousand British cannons opened fire with tremendous force. These cannons belonged to the 1st and 6th Army Groups, both stationed in Margate under Haig's command.

Additionally, the coastal defense artillery, numbering over two hundred guns, joined the fray. These guns boasted impressive range and power.

The shells rained down on the sea, creating towering columns of water. The German Marines of the 1st Regiment, 1st Division, who were advancing toward the shore, were suddenly thrown into peril.

"Boom!" One landing craft was struck by a shell, shattering into pieces. Fully equipped Marines were thrown into the water. Though many managed to quickly shed their gear to avoid being dragged down by the soaked equipment, a significant number still perished in the sea.

"Boom!"

A shell exploded near another landing craft, and though it missed, the shrapnel tore through the vessel, wounding several soldiers.

As the British artillery began firing, the casualties among the German Marines, still far from the shore, began to mount.

"Dammit! Where is our artillery? Suppress the British guns!" Major General Linsingen shouted with fury in his eyes. Under such circumstances, no matter how brave the Marines were, they appeared as helpless lambs waiting for slaughter.

"General, the Navy's warships have begun to suppress the British artillery!" his adjutant reported.

The naval warships, of course, could not stand idly by as the Marines were hammered by British artillery. They quickly adjusted their fire coordinates and began targeting the British artillery positions.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Powerful naval shells slammed into the British artillery positions. The immense firepower of the naval guns far outclassed the British Army's artillery. A single hit could devastate an entire artillery emplacement.

"Boom!"

A 280mm shell struck a British 83.8mm field gun position. The explosion was catastrophic, leaving the position in utter disarray. Several cannons were destroyed, and many artillerymen were killed in the blast.

Despite the sheer size of the British artillery, they paid a heavy price under the German naval bombardment. As more artillerymen fell, the British positions gradually fell silent.

However, the British bombardment had already inflicted significant casualties on the German Marines.