Keynes' Cruisers Volume 2
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Story 2228
Brenner Pass, 0130 September 25, 1943
A train carrying coal struggled up the Alpine slopes. Each engine strained as every watt available was used to drag themselves and the stream of cars that allowed the Northern Italian industry to stay alive up the slope. Half an hour later, the long train pulled into Brenner Station. Engineers and yard hands began the well rehearsed practice of switching engines. The Austrian engines stayed on their side of the boarder and kept to their system while the Italian engines would haul the Ruhr's coal down the mountain.
A few hundred yards away from the switching station, three companies of Alpini waited. They saw a few dozen German border guards and a trio of unexpected passenger wagons with blacked out windows near the station. The colonel in charge of the battalion was nervous. He did not know what was in those wagons. He checked back to his radio operator, a man whom he had known and commanded since the invasion of Ethiopia in 1936. The radio was still silent. He was not expecting to hear anything yet, but no news was slightly distressing as he and his men waited.
A train carrying coal struggled up the Alpine slopes. Each engine strained as every watt available was used to drag themselves and the stream of cars that allowed the Northern Italian industry to stay alive up the slope. Half an hour later, the long train pulled into Brenner Station. Engineers and yard hands began the well rehearsed practice of switching engines. The Austrian engines stayed on their side of the boarder and kept to their system while the Italian engines would haul the Ruhr's coal down the mountain.
A few hundred yards away from the switching station, three companies of Alpini waited. They saw a few dozen German border guards and a trio of unexpected passenger wagons with blacked out windows near the station. The colonel in charge of the battalion was nervous. He did not know what was in those wagons. He checked back to his radio operator, a man whom he had known and commanded since the invasion of Ethiopia in 1936. The radio was still silent. He was not expecting to hear anything yet, but no news was slightly distressing as he and his men waited.
Story 2229
Foggia, Italy, 0145 September 25, 1943
The mechanics stayed at the bottom of the slit trenches and small, impromptu dugouts that had been built over the past few months. Day fighter pilots and bomber crews were in the deep dug-outs. Those bunkers could withstand a thousand pounder, high capacity bomb exploding a few meters from the entrance while an armored piercing bomb would have to dig through two meters of dirt and then a thick, steel reinforced concrete shell to kill the most valuable men of the southern Italian Luftwaffe deployment.
The Luftwaffe air crew would be safe. The largest bomb dropped by the four squadrons of British mediums was 500 pound Medium Capacity bombs. Most of the bombs being dropped were far lighter. The airfield just needed to be suppressed for a morning. Any damage that slowed sortie rates by time afternoon tea was to be taken was a bonus. Even as the bombers departed, a squadron of Mosquito intruders arrived to hunt night fighters that were based at the massive multi-field complex.
The mechanics stayed at the bottom of the slit trenches and small, impromptu dugouts that had been built over the past few months. Day fighter pilots and bomber crews were in the deep dug-outs. Those bunkers could withstand a thousand pounder, high capacity bomb exploding a few meters from the entrance while an armored piercing bomb would have to dig through two meters of dirt and then a thick, steel reinforced concrete shell to kill the most valuable men of the southern Italian Luftwaffe deployment.
The Luftwaffe air crew would be safe. The largest bomb dropped by the four squadrons of British mediums was 500 pound Medium Capacity bombs. Most of the bombs being dropped were far lighter. The airfield just needed to be suppressed for a morning. Any damage that slowed sortie rates by time afternoon tea was to be taken was a bonus. Even as the bombers departed, a squadron of Mosquito intruders arrived to hunt night fighters that were based at the massive multi-field complex.
Story 2230
Rome, Italy 0200 September 25, 1943
Across the city, trucks skidded to a stop. Men quickly scrambled out of the back of the trucks and battered down doors. A few guards tried to resist. Most were met with rifle butts and boots. A trio were bayoneted. A company of Black Shirts that had been with Il Duce for over a decade tried to fight as from their barracks. They were contained and ignored. Direct fire artillery would be brought up in the morning to deal with hardheaded hold-outs.
Within an hour, dozens of Mussolini's most trusted confidants and toadies had been taken into custody. One group of seven were seized as they were plotting their own coup. Forty five men began the slow process of removing the former dictator from his quarters. His mistress took twenty minutes to prepare her wardrobe for transport. By dawn, these men were escorting the man who had dominated the country to an abbey south seventy five miles south of the eternal city.
Across the city, trucks skidded to a stop. Men quickly scrambled out of the back of the trucks and battered down doors. A few guards tried to resist. Most were met with rifle butts and boots. A trio were bayoneted. A company of Black Shirts that had been with Il Duce for over a decade tried to fight as from their barracks. They were contained and ignored. Direct fire artillery would be brought up in the morning to deal with hardheaded hold-outs.
Within an hour, dozens of Mussolini's most trusted confidants and toadies had been taken into custody. One group of seven were seized as they were plotting their own coup. Forty five men began the slow process of removing the former dictator from his quarters. His mistress took twenty minutes to prepare her wardrobe for transport. By dawn, these men were escorting the man who had dominated the country to an abbey south seventy five miles south of the eternal city.
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Story 2230-A
Naples, Italy 0430 September 25, 1943
Machine gun tracers reached across the docks. Grenades exploded as a company of German infantry were pinned down. They were the quick reaction force for the regiment that was "stiffening" the Italian garrison in the great port of Southern Italy. The barracks were in Vesusivus' shadow and if things were to get hinky, the regiment had orders to destroy the port facilities so that nothing could be used for months. The two critical objectives were the drydocks and a coastal defense battery. One company that was supposed to be relieving the beach defense watch had double timed to the battery while the alert company had headed to the docks.
The plan had been simple; rapid, decisive action with a small body of well disciplined men could overwhelm an unorgainzed and unmotivated mob twenty times it size. And the plan worked for the first half hour. The first drydock had been seized and engineers were already preparing demolition charges on the pumps. However, the lead platoon had been caught in the open by an Italian tank platoon and a quick moving battalion of infantry whose commander's older brother and cousins had kept him informed of the plot. Now the seventy five surviving Germans were pinned down and the Italian infantrymen were slowly, methodically and professionally advancing. They rushed from cover to cover and any time a German gunner fired, Italian tanks blanketed the smoke spot with shells and machine gun bullets.
Out to sea, dozens of landing ships were lowering their boats. Three divisions were making ready to come ashore just south of the city. The coastal defense guns had either been spiked by their Italian crews when the initial German assault had been detected, or the gunners had pointed their guns as far away from the invasion flotilla as possible. When dawn was breaking, over one thousand Allied aircraft were overhead. Fighters crisscrossed the sky looking for German bombers while medium bombers began runs against known German positions and Luftwaffe airfields.
Machine gun tracers reached across the docks. Grenades exploded as a company of German infantry were pinned down. They were the quick reaction force for the regiment that was "stiffening" the Italian garrison in the great port of Southern Italy. The barracks were in Vesusivus' shadow and if things were to get hinky, the regiment had orders to destroy the port facilities so that nothing could be used for months. The two critical objectives were the drydocks and a coastal defense battery. One company that was supposed to be relieving the beach defense watch had double timed to the battery while the alert company had headed to the docks.
The plan had been simple; rapid, decisive action with a small body of well disciplined men could overwhelm an unorgainzed and unmotivated mob twenty times it size. And the plan worked for the first half hour. The first drydock had been seized and engineers were already preparing demolition charges on the pumps. However, the lead platoon had been caught in the open by an Italian tank platoon and a quick moving battalion of infantry whose commander's older brother and cousins had kept him informed of the plot. Now the seventy five surviving Germans were pinned down and the Italian infantrymen were slowly, methodically and professionally advancing. They rushed from cover to cover and any time a German gunner fired, Italian tanks blanketed the smoke spot with shells and machine gun bullets.
Out to sea, dozens of landing ships were lowering their boats. Three divisions were making ready to come ashore just south of the city. The coastal defense guns had either been spiked by their Italian crews when the initial German assault had been detected, or the gunners had pointed their guns as far away from the invasion flotilla as possible. When dawn was breaking, over one thousand Allied aircraft were overhead. Fighters crisscrossed the sky looking for German bombers while medium bombers began runs against known German positions and Luftwaffe airfields.
So far so good. One hopes that Rome can be reinforced quickly by the Allies so as to leap past a great deal of OTL's Italian campaign. Sparing the Allies sanguinary messes like for example Anzio, Ortona and Monte Cassino. And hopefully they'll keep a tight grip on Mussolini.
We want this fellow looking like this. Not looking like this.
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We want this fellow looking like this. Not looking like this.
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Given the Allies hold Corsica and Sardinia, why the heck are they landing so far south?
It could be that the Allies are trying to take both Naples AND Rome. Naples is a major port and even if the Allies take Rome intact, they can really use Naples’ port facilities.
Plus Rome isn’t exactly on the coast. It’s a few miles inland.
Story 2231
Lemnos, Greece 0500 September 25, 1943
Almost 100 transports approached the landing zones low and slow. Red and Green flares were burning in the appropriate patterns and numbers to indicate that the landing zones were not to be contested. No one who could see the flares would believe that until they landed and could brew a cup of tea before coming under fire. A German anti-aircraft battery was in range of the landing zone but the gunners were not shooting at the transports. Instead they were in direct fire mode against a battalion of Italian infantry that had already made one failed attempt to rush the battery.
Soon the sky was full of parachutes. The two battalions,one of Ghurkas and one of British Army regulars, landed in good order. Two sticks overshot the landing zone. One of the sticks were caught by an olive grove. The other stick landed three miles long and in the middle of a three way fire fight between Italians, SOE and Germans. Most of the men could not find cover before the machine gunners from multiple positions and sides scythed them.
Almost 100 transports approached the landing zones low and slow. Red and Green flares were burning in the appropriate patterns and numbers to indicate that the landing zones were not to be contested. No one who could see the flares would believe that until they landed and could brew a cup of tea before coming under fire. A German anti-aircraft battery was in range of the landing zone but the gunners were not shooting at the transports. Instead they were in direct fire mode against a battalion of Italian infantry that had already made one failed attempt to rush the battery.
Soon the sky was full of parachutes. The two battalions,one of Ghurkas and one of British Army regulars, landed in good order. Two sticks overshot the landing zone. One of the sticks were caught by an olive grove. The other stick landed three miles long and in the middle of a three way fire fight between Italians, SOE and Germans. Most of the men could not find cover before the machine gunners from multiple positions and sides scythed them.
SsgtC
Banned
The life (and death) of a paratrooper. Personal note: my grandfather was in the 505 Parachute Infantry Regiment and jumped into both Sicily and Italy (and Normandy and Market Garden).
Story 2232
Rome, Ciampino Airfield, 0607 September 25, 1943
Most of the 506th Parachute Infantry Brigade was untangling themselves from their parachutes. The drop had been only slightly more complicated than most of their training drops. A few dozen men would be hobbled for weeks or months but the landing casualties were well within expectations. Platoons were already organizing themselves. Small groups of very heavily armed men were running to objectives. One platoon had to be turned around as they were supposed to defend the southern approaches and they had been nearing the eastern side of the perimeter instead.
Italian soldiers were eyeing the Americans warily. Their fingers were off the trigger guards of their rifles, but the confusion was clear on their face. The Roman garrison had been given orders a few hours earlier to not fire on American, British or Polish formations but to hold their positions against all others, including Germans. Officers in the know were slowly making their way between strong points to have long discussions with field commanders. The airfield was commanded by an officer in the know, but the company, battalion and squadron commanders did not know what had happened yet.
A soldier from Easy Company broke some of the awkwardness when he saw a man with the same chin and nose as him. Within seventy five seconds, they established that they were second cousins and both of them needed a cigarette. Marlboros were a universal language.
Most of the 506th Parachute Infantry Brigade was untangling themselves from their parachutes. The drop had been only slightly more complicated than most of their training drops. A few dozen men would be hobbled for weeks or months but the landing casualties were well within expectations. Platoons were already organizing themselves. Small groups of very heavily armed men were running to objectives. One platoon had to be turned around as they were supposed to defend the southern approaches and they had been nearing the eastern side of the perimeter instead.
Italian soldiers were eyeing the Americans warily. Their fingers were off the trigger guards of their rifles, but the confusion was clear on their face. The Roman garrison had been given orders a few hours earlier to not fire on American, British or Polish formations but to hold their positions against all others, including Germans. Officers in the know were slowly making their way between strong points to have long discussions with field commanders. The airfield was commanded by an officer in the know, but the company, battalion and squadron commanders did not know what had happened yet.
A soldier from Easy Company broke some of the awkwardness when he saw a man with the same chin and nose as him. Within seventy five seconds, they established that they were second cousins and both of them needed a cigarette. Marlboros were a universal language.
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Happened more than once in Italy,Iirc. Lots of second generation Italians knew where the family came from down to the street number.
I was just watching the first few episodes of Band of Brothers last night! David Schwimmer is an awesome dickface on that show.
formion
Banned
And this gentlemen is how you get an unsinkable carrier to bomb the romanian oil fields and mine the Danube.
Moudros bay provides an excellent natural harbor for Allied shipping. As it was used extensively in WW1 for the Gallipoli Campaign, the harbor is pretty well known to the RN.
There are already three small wharfs in place from WW1 and the Germans have built a seaplane base as well.
In the north side of the bay the terrain is flat and well-drained. In WW1 the Entente had established a couple of grass airfields around. At this point in 1943 the Germans have already built an airfield mostly by steel matting.
In a more somber thought, we should remind ourselves what it means to be liberated by Nazi rule: In the photo here you can see the German commander of Lemnos Island. The rocky peninsula in the background was the official execution place of the Wehrmacht. There, the "lucky" ones were shot. The unlucky ones were tortured and strangled in the Gestapo station.
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