Chapter 533: They Have At Least Ten Artillery Regiments
Namur, Belgium.
This is a city with a population of several hundred thousand, and its architectural style differs slightly from other Belgian cities, resembling more of Italy's Florence.
However, this city, with its numerous charming little bridges, canals, and castles, has suffered immense devastation due to its strategic location.
On this day, Namur woke up as usual to the morning fog and the sound of church bells.
Pedestrians gradually filled the streets paved with stone, and a patrol of fully armed German soldiers, weary from their march, passed by with uneven footsteps. People quickly stepped aside, and bicycles came to a halt as they threw wary and fearful glances at the Germans.
Once the patrol had passed, people sighed in relief and resumed their journeys.
They greeted one another with smiles.
However, the observant could easily notice that their eyes and gestures unconsciously revealed some disappointment.
They were disappointed because the war had not yet reached Namur.
When news arrived that Charles' army was about to attack Namur, people appeared calm on the surface but secretly rushed to share the news: "Did you hear? Charles' army is about to reach here."
"Are you sure? Is it really Charles' army?"
"Yes, absolutely. Everyone in Paris is talking about it, it's Charles' army!"
"Wonderful! We’re about to be liberated!"
...
For the people of Belgium, or more accurately, for everyone in the world, wherever Charles pointed his finger, that place could gain freedom.
However, their joy was premature.
A few days later, new news came: "They say Namur is unsuitable for an attack by Charles' army."
"Yes, I heard that too. It's a trap set for Charles."
"They are trying to use Namur to destroy Charles and his troops."
...
This plunged the people of Namur into deep despair.
That Namur could be used as a trap to "destroy Charles" was a clear indication of how difficult it would be to reclaim!
It also meant that the liberation of Namur was a long way off and even Charles had no way to deal with it.
...
It wasn’t only the Belgians who thought this way; the German soldiers stationed outside the city in the "Bay Area" also shared the same concerns.
The Germans had deployed two infantry divisions, one tank division, and reinforced it with six artillery regiments, a truly formidable force.
The commander was the newly promoted General Nicholas, commander of the 21st Army and also the head of the 1st Tank Division.
Upon taking office, General Nicholas immediately promoted Erwin to lieutenant colonel (formerly a captain).
Due to Erwin's exceptional performance, he had become General Nicholas' most trusted staff officer.
...
General Nicholas set up his command post in a forest in the "Bay Area," in a standard semi-underground shelter. From here, he could clearly see the artillery deployed in the "Bay Area" as well as the situation on the road across the river through the observation window.
This was the safest place; the enemy could hardly breach the natural "moat" that separated them.
"We can’t let them take our troops away any longer!" Erwin exclaimed, distressed, as he looked at the dwindling number of flags representing their forces on the map.
Since the Battle of the Somme had begun, half of Namur's forces had been withdrawn, leaving only one infantry division, another infantry regiment, two tank regiments, and three artillery regiments.
"Relax, Lieutenant Colonel!" General Nicholas' gaze drifted past the observation window to the Meuse River, which flowed slowly through the morning mist, his mind elsewhere.
He thought of his hometown, where there was a river not far from his home. He wondered if the river here flowed in the same direction.
"This is dangerous for us, General," Erwin grumbled. "Especially since we only have three artillery regiments. We need to use these guns to block two main roads and coordinate with the defensive lines. Also, many of our shells have been moved by them."
General Nicholas casually turned around and replied: "As high-ranking officers, we should be considering the broader strategic picture, Lieutenant Colonel."
"You know what I mean, the French have practically no chance of attacking Namur, while the Somme is being fiercely attacked by nearly a million enemy troops."
"It’s clear that they need artillery and troops more than we do."
Erwin disagreed: "I know, General, but I believe Charles will attack Namur!"
"Why?" General Nicholas raised an eyebrow.
Erwin paused, then shook his head: "No reason, General, it's just a feeling."
He added, "If I had to give a reason, I’d say that Charles always strikes unexpectedly. When everyone thinks he won’t attack, he will choose exactly that place."
General Nicholas laughed and handed Erwin a cigarette: "I can’t use that reasoning."
Erwin fell silent, taking the cigarette and lighting it with matches for both of them, signaling his acceptance of General Nicholas’ viewpoint, though his worry didn’t lessen at all.
Halfway through the cigarette, Erwin turned his gaze back to the map.
If Charles were to attack Namur, he would undoubtedly first consider destroying the artillery in the "Bay Area."
Could Charles accomplish that?
Under normal circumstances, it would be impossible. The French had no artillery with a range greater than the 105mm howitzers. Moreover, the Germans had prepared smoke screens, making them immune to French bombers.
However, Charles had to succeed; otherwise, an attack on the Namur fortress was out of the question.
Thus, Erwin believed he should focus on how to hold the defensive line if the artillery were destroyed or suppressed!
At that moment, a series of "whoosh whoosh whoosh" sounds suddenly came from the other side of the Meuse River.
Erwin and General Nicholas, as if stung by needles, rushed to the observation window, simultaneously raising their binoculars to the direction of the sound.
They saw rows of shells flying towards the Bay Area, leaving long trails behind them.
It wasn’t artillery shells; it was rockets. Only rockets would leave such distinct trails.
"Artillery bombardment!" General Nicholas shouted.
Erwin quickly grabbed the phone on the desk and yelled: "Counterattack! Organize a counterattack immediately!"
"Boom boom boom!"
"Boom boom!"
...
The earth shook as rockets exploded in rows across the Bay Area, and the air was immediately filled with smoke and fire. The entire area seemed to be on fire, trees were uprooted, dirt flew into the sky, and of course, the artillery in their emplacements was destroyed.
The "whoosh whoosh" sounds continued in the air, and explosions kept coming one after another.
"My God, they must have at least ten artillery regiments!" General Nicholas exclaimed. As a man with an artillery background, he recognized the intensity of the bombardment immediately.
Yet, his mind was still in a fog, unable to understand what was happening.
How did such a massive artillery force escape the attention of frontline soldiers?
And at such a close distance, the direct line of sight was probably less than 8 kilometers!