Fantasque Time Line (France Fights On) - English Translation

[Wings]

March 14th, 1941

Corsica - Ajaccio is evacuated: the French have given up a street fight which would have destroyed the city and would not have changed the fate of the island. Entering the Corsican capital in victory, General Ringel, of the 5. Gebirgs-Division, marches his troops to the Place des Palmiers, near the birthplace of Napoleon', which had been spared by the bombs. Most of the inhabitants have given up to flee, but they are cloistered in their homes and the boots of the Mountain troops echo on the pavement of totally deserted streets. "Thanks to our Führer, we are now realizing therevenge of the Great Reich on Lodi, Marengo, Wagram and Austerlitz" says Ringel to his officers*.
The French troops try to slow down the German advance towards Sartène. In Santa Lucia di Tallano, the last organized units coming from Bavella and Ajaccio manage to block the enemy troops during a violent battle. However, the German units that had seized Bonifacio the day before begin to move northwards towards the Gulf of Valinco.
Faced with this threat of encirclement, Noguès orders a general evacuation.
At the beginning of the night, the CL Montcalm and Gloire and the destroyers L'Indomptable, Le Triomphant, escorting the Île-de-Beauté and the Glengyle, come to relieve the transports that had already been working for several nights and begin to evacuate the troops from Propriano, in addition to the last wounded and other non-combatants, with whom were mixed civilians who did not dare to be pushed back. At the same time, another squadron, led by the cruiser Colbert, with the light cruisers La Galissonnière, Jean-de-Vienne and Fiji, and the destroyers Kersaint and Tartu, carry out a naval bombardment against the coastal road between Bonifacio and the Gulf of Valinco. Although the German forces, who remember the correction inflicted by the Dunkerque and the Strasbourg near Solenzara, consider that this bombardment is only moderately effective, it nevertheless causes serious damage to the road and destroys three Pz-III, delaying for a while any further advance towards the north.

* It should be noted that he only cites Austrian defeats. Julius Ringel, like most of his men was Austrian. See J. Ringel, "Hurra die Gams!" Graz, 1994.

 

[Wings]

March 14th, 1941

Extracts from the logbook of the Groupe de Chasse I/3 - Our troops retreat to Sartene. It is clearly the end.
We make about fifteen missions of escort and patrol and during the last one Albert finds a way to send to a better world two 109. The II/3 runs up against Reggiane above Sainte-Lucie de Tallano and shoots down 4 of them without losses.
In the evening, we receive the order to prepare to evacuate. The rolling echelon will take the boat after having destroyed two planes which are alas irreparable. The flak will remain until the end to cover our departure and its Œrlikons still have the honor to shoot down a Bf 109. We are enraged to leave Corsica where so many of our people have fallen. We will come back!
...........................
Notes from the editor
A) Victories claimed (confirmed / probable)

1) Period from 01/02/1941 to 28/02/1941:
7 and 8/2: 8/3 - 9/2: 4/2 - 10/2: 7/3 - 13/2: 0/2 - 15/2: 5/3 - 17/2: 2/2 - 18/2: 1/1 - 19/2: 5/3 - 20/2 : 3/2 - 23/2 : 2/0 - 24/2 : 3/2 - 25/2 : 1/1 - 28/2 : 1/2
Total : 42/25
This total will be reclassified as 36/16 after analysis of the claims.

2) Period from 01/03/1941 to 14/03/1941 :
Total: 37/2
This total will be reclassified as 31/20.
.........
The score of the GC I/3 for the six weeks of the battle of Corsica is thus officially 67 confirmed victories and 36 "probable" victories after verification in Algiers, that is to say a total of 103.
This figure, which does not correspond to the descriptions recorded day after day in the Journal de Marche, requires some explanation.
The logbook includes the claims of the pilots, but these are exaggerated for good reason. Several pilots were able to shoot at the same plane, the slightest smoke is often taken as an "indisputable" sign that the plane has been shot down, when it can have many other reasons (including the firing of one's own weapons...)
Finally, a plane that suddenly stalls is generally considered as shot down, while it may well have recovered before hitting. These errors are normal in combat conditions and they led, as early as the end of 1940, to the presence of an officer specially trained to interrogate crews returning from missions. Such is the origin of the first pair of figures.
Anxious to obtain the most accurate count possible, the Armée de l'Air had also formed investigation teams that verified, as much as possible, the results of the interrogating officers. These teams were responsible for finding the enemy planes which had crashed into our lines, and thus to corroborate the claims of our crews.
They also analyzed the films of the machine guns. These are the results of the research of these teams that appear in the second pair of figures.
However, these figures do not correspond to the enemy's losses. In the latter, one must still include :
1. Aircraft damaged and lost on their way back or which crashed on landing.
2. Aircraft that returned but were declared beyond repair after damage sustained in combat.
3. Accidental losses.
In the battle of Corsica, the first two of these loss factors were relatively high, even if it is impossible to attribute these losses precisely to a particular Fighter Group. We can only estimate that the aircraft considered as "probable" were almost certainly lost during the return flight, as well as a part of the 77 planes claimed by the GC I/3 as "damaged". Accidental losses were also high, and represented about 40% of operational losses in enemy formations. Finally, a number of aircraft were lost, on both the German and Italian side, due to excessive fuel consumption, because of combat, over Corsica. Such losses were repeated in August 1941 over Crete and the Greek islands. These losses cannot be attributed to one of the French fighter groups, even if they are directly the result of their action. It is therefore important to understand that if the individual claims of the pilots could be exaggerated, the global claims of the French fighters in the battle of Corsica tended to be underestimated.
Taking into account these elements, the requalified score of the I/3 in fights whose fighting intensity was extreme appears to be relatively reliable.
It must be emphasized here that the scores claimed by the German formations, which were obviously exaggerated, were also made in good faith, especially since the German pilots were fighting above the enemy lines, without any possibility of verification.

B) Losses (aircraft / pilots)
On 16/2 : 6/4
At 19/2 : 9/4
At 24/2 : 10/4
At 26/2: 10/5
On the 28/2 : 12/6
.........
The GC I/3 had 4 killed and 7 wounded in the period covered by the logbook and it is by far the group having obtained the best results of the battle of Corsica, even if some of its claims could not be verified. The group lost its two commanders (Thibaudet and Challe), wounded in action. Almost all the pilots were shot down once, some twice.
Among the few "unharmed", we must mention Lieutenant Marcel Albert (whose record of achievement was 15.75 victories) and Second Lieutenant Blanck (11.5 victories). Other pilots such as Durand (11.25) or Cabaret (9.75). Even taking into account the rectifications on the claims, the score of the I/3 remains spectacular.

C) The results of the GC I/3 may seem surprising, but they can be explained by different factors:
1. Tactical conditions favored the group, which was able to benefit from radar coverage and faced an enemy whose capabilities were limited by distance.
2. The extreme professionalism of the I/3 pilots made it possible to obtain above average results and prevented heavier losses. In several cases, devices attacked by enemy formations far superior in number managed to avoid losses.
3. The fact that our forces were constantly outnumbered in the air was paradoxically an advantage. Large formations must be careful to avoid friendly fire, while the French planes could consider, especially in the last days, that any aircraft encountered was enemy.
4. A tactical advantage comes from the fact that the modified D-520s are indistinguishable (on sight) of the D-523. Enemy pilots had to take this fact into account and consider all D-520s encountered as D-523s. Moreover the JG 27 claims 53 D-523 shot down, which is much more than what we had in Corsica...
5. Finally, the planes of the Regia Aeronautica, completely outclassed, were relatively easy prey.

 

[Wings]

March 14th, 1941

Sardinia - Italian troops enter Cagliari - which would have welcomed them with more enthusiasm if the German air raids had not killed so many inhabitants.
The survivors of the French troops (nearly 3,000 men in Cagliari, plus 1,700 scattered around Villacidro or in isolated detachments) are mostly taken prisoner, but a number of soldiers manage to reach North Africa on small fishing boats. At least 700 men escape captivity in this way*.
The Regio Esercito delivers a total of 3,100 Italian military prisoners and 750 civilian internees.
But on the other hand, the return of fascist authority is accompanied by numerous denunciations and settling of scores**.

* Between February 17th and March 7th, before the last evacuations, 900 sick or wounded French soldiers had been evacuated to NAF, as well as 2,900 Italian prisoners of war, including the airbornetroops of Elmas-Decimomannu, and 414 "others".
** See the account of the repression in Sardinia by Emilio Lussu, "Caccia alle Streghe", 1953, in "Il cinghiale del diavolo e altri scritti Sulla Sardegna", 1976

 

[Wings]

March 14th,1941

Valona (Albania) - Despite the threat that is beginning to weigh on the port of Valona (now Vlorë), its activity does not wane.
At nightfall, the hospital ship Po (7,367 GRT, 18 knots) arrives. Among the nurses of the Red Cross (the Crocerossine) who serve on board is Edda Ciano, daughter of Mussolini and wife of Galeazzo Ciano. As it was too late to start loading the wounded, the ship anchors at the entrance of the bay, between the island of Saseno (Sazan) and the northern shore. Regulation lights on, the Italians said. All lights off, the British replied. However, around 23:00 (Italian time), six Swordfish from 815 Sqn of the Illustrious, put ashore after the damage suffered by the latter at the end of January and based at Paramythia, launch a raid against Valona. They put only one torpedo on a ship, but it is on the Po and it is enough to send it to the bottom. There are 23 dead, including three Crocerossine, but Edda Ciano escapes. The Italian propaganda will not fail to stigmatize a barbaric act! Edda Ciano wins the Silver Medal of Military Valor, her three missing colleagues the Gold Medal posthumously ...

 

[Wings]

March 15th, 1941

Alger - Notebooks of Professor (and commander) Jean-Jacques Barré (CNRS archives)
"Return from two weeks of stay in the heart of the Sahara. The site preselected by the ministry is perfectly suitable. I will prepare the shipment of the available material and the construction of the test bench can begin."

 

[Wings]

March 15th, 1941

Central Atlantic - The Kormoran has a rendezvous with the U-124 northwest of the rocks of Saint-Pierre and Saint-Paul, halfway between Brazil and Africa. The German raider must transfer torpedoes and other equipment to the submarine.

 

[Wings]

March 15th, 1941

Indian Ocean - The Orion finally reaches its area of operations, after experiencing very bad conditions in the South Pacific and without finding any valid target. The Indian Ocean does not seem to be more favorable for the moment, having already been scoured by the Pinguin and the Atlantis. The Allies, due to a lack of escort ships, reorganized their naval routes by passing them close to the coast, under the surveillance of land-based aircraft - hence the importance of the numerous French and British support points in the region. For days, the German raiders searches in vain for the liner Queen Mary, reputed to be transporting troops from Fremantle to Colombo.

 

[Wings]

March 15th, 1941

Corsica - The Luftwaffe concentrates its attacks on the Petreto - Sartène - Propriano area. The airfields of Sartène-1 and Sartène-2 are evacuated. Deprived of fighter cover, the Bombarde and Baliste torpedo boats are sunk by Ju 88s in the Gulf of Valinco.
On land, the fight rages in Petreto and Santa Lucia di Tallano, the last lines of defense of Sartene.
To try to relieve the pressure on the ground units, the Armée de l'Air launches several raids during the day. LeO-451s bomb targets at high altitude around Solenzara and Aléria, while Douglas DB-7 and Martin 167 attack German troops at low altitude. The Bf 109 Gruppe based near Aléria reacts with violence.
If the high flying LeO-451 demonstrate that they are difficult targets to reach (but their bombardment is not really precise), the DB-7 and the Marylands are severely tested by the combination of fighters and flak.
Probably fearing a new night naval bombardment, the German staff asks for protection from the Italian fleet. Supermarina (the Italian naval high command) reluctantly agrees to send a few cruisers to prevent a new bombardment and prohibit the evacuation of troops from the Gulf of Valinco. The squadron, led by the CA Bolzano, whose damage was repaired and on which Admiral Casardi* put his mark, includes, in addition to the heavy cruiser, the CL Emmanuele Filiberto Duca d'Aosta and Eugenio di Savoia, and the DD Antonio da Noli, Antoniotto Usodimare, Fulmine and Lampo. This force leaves Naples in the early afternoon and sets course at high speed towards the Bouches de
Bonifacio, which it should reach around midnight. The Luftwaffe promises to support the operation the next day.
During this time, without the knowledge of the German reconnaissance planes, a Franco-British squadron slips in at the end of the day for a new evacuation. While this was being carried out by the destroyers Le Triomphant, L'Indomptable, Mogador, Cassard and Vauquelin, a division of the Royal Navy composed of CLAA Dido and Naiad and DD Kandahar, Kashmir, Kelly, Kelvin and Kipling, cover the operation by patrolling the southern part of the Gulf.

* Casardi replaces Sansonetti, who has not recovered from his recent misadventure.

 

[Wings]

March 15th, 1941

Sardinia - During the night, on the beach of Fontanamare, near Iglesias, four of the small 600-ton torpedo boats of the 2nd flotilla of the CV Urvoy de Portzamparc (the Branlebas, La Cordelière, La Melpomène and La Poursuivante) come to recover the 500 survivors of the Polish GRDI, who marched one block from Villacidro, and the few French and Moroccans who had joined them. The Poles say goodbye to their horses (which the local peasants will make good use of) and their last bullet-riddled vehicle (which the peasants in question will generously leave to the Regio Esercito).

 

[Wings]

March 15th, 1941

Rome - The day after the victorious end of the operations in Sardinia, Mussolini puts the question of the Pelagie on the table of a joint war council. Once again supported by Pricolo, Admiral Riccardi pleads for patience. The Regia Marina suffered very heavylosses during Merkur: it is necessary to give it time to breathe - all the more so as the fighting around Corsica have not ended - and the leisure to redeploy - the priority in this field would go to the Adriatic and the Ionian Sea anyways.

 

[Wings]

March 15th, 1941

Genoa-La Spezia - The commander of the Ia MAS, Commander Vittorio Moccagatta (who succeeded the unlucky Mario Giorgini after his capture), is finding it more difficult every day to conciliate the usual activities of the dozen torpedo boats of his flotilla that survived the first months of the war with the development of the various secret weapons of the Regia Marina. On March 15th, Supermarina solves the problem by creating a tenth MAS flotilla, the Decima (Flottiglia) MAS (Xa Mas), to which are attached only the secret weapons and their means of approach.
CF Moccagatta is given command of the new flotilla, which is divided into a surface and a submarine section.
The surface section, commanded by Lieutenant Commander Giorgio Giobbe, is based in La Spezia, and groups barchini and other boats and small launches as they are produced (MTS, then MTSM, SMA and MTR*). It can count on various vessels, either punctually or different ships, used as means of transport depending on the missions: from 1941, the destroyers Crispi and Sella, the fast aviso Diana, several MAS (at the end of May 1941, MAS-451 and 452 were definitively assigned to the Xa); in 1942 the trawlers Cefalo and Sogliola** and the motor sailboat Costanza, which operated with a civilian crew to better deceive the enemy.
The submarine section, under the direction of Lieutenant-Commander Junio Valerio Borghese, the combat divers (with their school in Livorno), the SLC*** (with their school in Bocca del Serchio) and their transport submarines. On March 15th, the latter were the Scirè (commanded by Borghese himself) and Gondar (LV Francesco Brunetti), which the Ambra (LV Mario Arillo) will join the following July.
The new flotilla is supported by the high hierarchy of the Navy and the Fascist Party; it disposes of important resources, the help of manufacturers (Pirelli and CABI for the SLC) and the support of scientists (for the biology and physiology of the divers); it has access to a large pool of volunteers subjected to a ruthless selection and rigorous training. Its morale is at its highest.

* MTS: Motoscafo da Turismo Silurante (torpedo-launching tourist motorboat); MTSM: MTS Modificato (modified MTS); MTSMA (or SMA): MTS Modificato Allargato (enlarged modified MTS); MTR: Motoscafo da Turismo Ridotto (reduced touring motorboat). The MTRs are explosive means...
** Taken by the French during the Marignan operation and used by them as an auxiliary minesweeper under the name Brochet, the auxiliary Sogliola was found sunk in the port of Olbia. Judged repairable, it was raised and put back into service.
*** SLC: Siluro a Lenta Corsa (slow-moving torpedo), familiarly called maiale (pig).

 

[Wings]

March 16th, 1941

South Central: The East African Offensive - From Addis Ababa to Dalle and Gimma - The 22nd East African Brigade occupies Boccogi without a fight. An unpleasant surprise awaits them there: heavy rains had rendered the road to Aselle completely unusable. The action is redirected towards the Moggo-Adamitulo road where, after a lot of hard work, the bridges sabotaged by the Italians will be restored to their original state.

 

[Wings]

March 16th, 1941

North Atlantic, 600 nautical miles east of Newfoundland, 18:00 - The Scharnhorst and Gneisenau refuel with the tankers Uckermark and Ermland.

 

[Wings]

March 16th, 1941

Propriano, 01:10 - As the evacuation is coming to an end, the radar of the Dido detects large ships coming from the strait. The alert given, the French ships put an end to the operation to leave the Gulf as quickly as possible, taking with them at least 2,000 soldiers and a few civilians including the lucky NY Times reporter Bill Clifton.

"Indomitable! - This time, it's over. The Germans wanted Corsica, and they paid a price for it, perhaps a higher price than they would have liked, but they got it. Despite the darkness, long columns of French soldiers lie on the beaches of Propriano, waiting with the patience of old troops for their embarkation. I slipped in among them. Their morale seems relatively good, some of them promise to come back... My morale, on the other hand, is very low. I sprained my ankle running for cover during a German barrage and I'm limping miserably. A sympathetic legionnaire corporal supports me. His French is tinged with a strong accent that I cannot identify. I introduce myself and ask him about his origins (with caution, because some legionnaires are very sensitive on this subject). He kindly informs me: "I am German by birth, Herr Clifton, my name is Klaus Müller. I have been a political refugee in France since 1936, and I joined the Legion when war was declared. I just hope that my brother Uwe will never be in front of me... In any case, he should not be here, he is not the type to join the elite troops!" [The names quoted were obviously deleted when the article was finally written].
This astonishing encounter distracted me a little from my anxiety - I have no guarantee that I will be accepted on one of the warships whose shadows we can guess: they have come here to recover fighters... And in fact, when my turn comes, the lieutenant who sorts and distributes the evacuees does not want me, official war correspondent's card or not! I am not going to finish the war on this beach, I am sure that the hotel bill will seem too high to the NY Times accountant! [These last words were mysteriously redacted in New York before the article was published].
- But this is our American reporter! So, do you also find that this is not the right season to visit Corsica?
My luck hasn't run out! It was Colonel Koenig himself, with whom I arrived on the island. I explain the situation to him. The lieutenant speaks about the orders he received.
- Listen, old man, you have three reasons to let Watson embark (I'm not correcting him!). First, he's an American journalist and a nice one. Second, he's a casualty to be evacuated. Finally, he is my guest.
The third reason seems sufficient, and I embark on L'Indomptable (The Untamable) - a name that would suit Koenig perfectly.
- We'll come back, you know. One day or another. I hope you'll be there!
In the meantime, I've been lucky again, especially since, shortly after we boarded, the operation was interrupted and the ships set sail a little earlier than expected. The officer of L'Indomptable whom I questioned simply replied, "We've been told there are nuisances around!"
About half an hour later, when the coastline had disappeared into the night, a violent cannonade broke out to the south-east, then huge explosions made the horizon glow. "Oh," I was told, "it is nothing. It's the English having fun with the Italians, while we're doing all the boring work...". Too bad, I would have liked to see a naval battle up close."

 

[pjmidd]

March 13th, 1941

Sardinia - The French forces are reduced to defending a small perimeter around Cagliari. The last aircraft still operating from Cagliari-Monserrato, the last usable runway, are evacuated. Those out of flying condition are destroyed.
During the night, the Glengyle, six liners and a dozen trawlers, covered by the light cruisers Jean-de-Vienne and La Galissonnière and four Vauquelin class destroyers, enter the port of Cagliari and kidnap about 9,000 people, including 350 Italian civilians who had helped the French.

I know you are machine translating this but the number of funnies getting through seems to be increasing, kidnap is forceful taking against their will, evacuate would be the correct word, which is used correctly in the previous sentence.

 

[Wings]

I know you are machine translating this but the number of funnies getting through seems to be increasing, kidnap is forceful taking against their will, evacuate would be the correct word, which is used correctly in the previous sentence.

The wording in french in the original work is both literally and figuratively "kidnap" or "steal" (enlever).

 

[McAuslan_in_the_Rough]

I know you are machine translating this but the number of funnies getting through seems to be increasing, kidnap is forceful taking against their will, evacuate would be the correct word, which is used correctly in the previous sentence.

I think it adds to the charm. Plus, ships from Algiers kidnapping people from Corsica, it's only off by a couple of centuries.

 

[Wings]

March 16th, 1941

Gulf of Propriano - The British decide to carry out a torpedo attack before engaging what they estimate (with some exaggeration) to be three heavy cruisers, two light cruisers and three large destroyers. Guided by radar, the Royal Navy ships begin to gain an advantageous position without being detected. However, at 01:54, the commander of the DD Da Noli sends an alert message to his admiral, who orders to activate the searchlights. The British react immediately, opening fire with all their guns while launching a massive torpedo salvo.
The Bolzano is quickly hit by more than a dozen 5.25-inch shells, which ravage its bridge and cause a fire in the middle of the ship. The Duca d'Aosta is hit on its catapult and the Di Savoia on the forward castle. The Italian destroyers react before the cruisers, the Da Noli placing three 120 mm shells on the Kandahar while the Usodimare and Fulmine hit the Kipling. The British start to take off behind a smoke screen while the torpedoes hit their targets... The Bolzano is hit twice, like the Duca d'Aosta. The other light cruiser, the Eugenio Di Savoia, avoids all the torpedoes, but the large destroyer Da Noli is hit by three torpedoes and sinks instantly, together with the Lampo, whose anti-submarine depth chargesexploded after a torpedo hits the ship near the stern.
The tortured hull of the Bolzano resists only a short time. At 02:40, the ship capsizes and sinks (as relatively lucky as his predecessor, Admiral Casardi will be among the
survivors). The Duca d'Aosta survives a little longer, while its commander tries to run her aground. But at 03:55, it has no more motor power. It is evacuated and sinks at
04:30. The three surviving Italian ships (1 LC, 2 DD), still in shock, pass the Bouches de Bonifacio while the British squadron joins the French ships and the whole group sails towards Bône (Annaba). However, the five destroyers of the Royal Navy remain behind, because Kipling's engines are damaged and the ship is unable to make more than 20 knots. An understandable mistake (at the time), but a catastrophic one.
At dawn, the Luftwaffe command is furious and launches a major effort to find and destroy the Allied ships. The German and Italian reconnaissance planes that try to track the main squadron are quickly sent to the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea but the carrier cannot extend its protective umbrella to the five "K"-class DDs trailing behind. Discovered, the five ships are repeatedly attacked by Ju 88s and Ju 87s from 08:50 to 11:30. The first two attacks fail, as the small ships zigzag energetically. However, at 10:15, the Kandahar is shaken by a 500 kg bomb which falls near its stern, seriously shakes its engines and drops its speed to 12 knots. Another raid, composed of Stukas and Bf 109 armed with bombs, directly hit the already damaged Kandahar, but also the Kelvin, and both ships are stopped. A last raid, this time by Ju 88s, sinks both ships and mortally wounds the Kelly, which has to be scuttled. The Kashmir and the Kipling succeed, however, before taking refuge outside the range of the bombers, to save a large number of sailors.

 

[Wings]

March 16th, 1941

Corsica - The concentration of Luftwaffe forces on naval targets allows French troops fighting around Petreto and Santa Lucia di Tallano to re-establish their lines for a while. However, supported by some squadrons not participating in the anti-ship action (especially Fiat CR.42AS), the Germans resume their advance towards Sartene in the afternoon.
From General Montagne, commander of the defense of Corsica, to General Noguès, commander in chief (coded radio message) - "It has become impossible to prolong organized resistance in Corsica."
From General Noguès to General Montagne - "Organize the evacuation of the largest possible number of troops in fighting condition. Formal order to evacuate personally."

 

[Wings]

March 16th, 1941

Sardinia (La Maddalena archipelago) - Fiat CR.42s harass La Maddalena, whose small garrison is still holding out. This operation has no other objective than to force the French to unmask their flak guns.