Chapter 70 Curtain Call (3)

September 18 was the second day of Operation Market Garden, and now the sun was up, which boded well for the paratroopers of the 1st Airborne Division.

Not only being able to see the enemy's movement clearly, but also means that the tank unit of the 30th Army will come to reinforce it, which was promised by the high command in advance.

The Germans, on the contrary, concentrated all their frustration on a group of stubborn people, that is, the second battalion guarding the north bank of the Arnhem Bridge.

At this time, Captain Paul, who had completed the reconnaissance mission, ordered his Hohenstaufen Division reconnaissance battalion to return north to Arnhem.

For, he had learned by radio, a British force now occupied the north bank of the bridge and was armed with a large number of anti-tank weapons.

Nine thirty in the morning.

24 armored vehicles drove onto the reinforced concrete bridge in turn.

Monk, who had just woken up, was standing on the roof, nibbling on military rations. Then, he heard rumbling noises, which could only be made by heavy vehicles.

So, Monk raised his head, and when he saw all kinds of tanks, his spirit was lifted, and he grabbed Lu Li beside him and shouted: "Tanks! Those are our ground troops!"

"No, that's German."

Lu Li shook his head, grabbed a PIAT, and started looking for the enemy's personnel carrier.

However, the others didn't pay attention to Lu Li's actions, especially on the other side, many soldiers stood up and waved their arms.

When the muzzle of the tank rotated and faced the headquarters where the battalion headquarters was located, this group of people woke up like a dream and shouted loudly: "Pay attention to concealment, that is the enemy's armored force!"

The black flag printed on the bottom of the gun barrel is particularly dazzling in the sun, making people shudder.

The time was too short, and many people had no time to react. At the next moment, the barrel began to roar.

Lieutenant Colonel Frost's position was the target of concentrated fire, but the school that Lu Li was defending was not spared either. Two shells rushed towards him with a sharp whistling sound.

The explosion resounded on the second floor, and the vibrations caused the glass frame to shatter into countless pieces, and the ashes-like sawdust rained down in all directions like festive confetti.

Under Lu Li's protection, Monk who was crushed under him didn't suffer too much damage, while the other soldiers standing on the roof were not so lucky.

Another shell landed straight ten meters to the left of the two people. The group of people died or were dying on the spot, with constant wailing.

Shaking off the gravel and sawdust from his body, Lu Li rolled over to the side and lay on his stomach. He felt his internal organs shifted, and there was a bloody smell in his nose.

At the same time, Monk, who was choked and unconscious by the aftermath, opened his eyes and muttered, "I'm dead."

Immediately afterwards, he thought about it seriously, and said, "I can't die, I'm talking."

"Soldier, you owe me five lives in total, how do you plan to pay them back?"

While speaking, Lu Li mounted the PIAT and aimed the rear sight at a personnel carrier.

With extraordinary skills, the driver sometimes turned sharply to the left and sometimes to the right, like a dexterous fish, not only avoiding the wreckage of his own vehicle on the bridge last night, but also passing through two minefields——

It was a Teller-type landmine, not very powerful, but it could effectively stop the advance of armored vehicles. The soldiers of Company A specially laid it last night.

Under Monk's watchful eyes, Lu Li pulled the trigger with two fingers, and the armor-piercing projectile was released instantly, hitting the driver's cab, and the front of the car burst into flames.

At the same time, with a roar, the soldiers watching the battle woke up and began to organize a counterattack.

In return, Lieutenant Colonel Frost's machine gun platoon took the lead in counterattacking. The rattling of machine guns and the rattling of mortars resounded over the city.

For a while, the scene was in chaos.

Seems like the whole neighborhood is on fire, a stray bullet hits the tower of St. Eusebius Church, resting there German snipers wake up with a start, they watch the golden hands of a giant clock that spins like crazy implying the same.

At this moment, Lu Li stared at the truck that had been reimbursed, and told Monk who was still in a daze, "Soldier, bring me the armor-piercing bullets."

"Ah good!"

Monk didn't dare to look back, he hurriedly took out a cannonball from the wooden box and handed it over, because he was worried about seeing some terrible scenes.

For the next period of time, Lu Li specialized in attacking troop transport trucks. For heavy armored steel monsters like tanks, PIAT has limited effect, so it's better to pick soft persimmons.

The drivers also gradually realized that there was a gunner staring at them, so they couldn't help but panic and backed up suddenly, but they collided with the armored vehicles behind them, causing a series of car accidents.

How similar the history is.

Just last night, the convoy that Lu Li and Captain McKay were in was the same. The number of fighters was reduced by half, and a large number of supplies were lost.

Side slipping, overturning, artillery fire, chaos abounds.

On the bridge, there were more and more metal wreckage. In the end, only the leading tank passed the bridge smoothly, while other vehicles and soldiers turned around and returned to the south bank.

In addition, Miller, who escaped by hiding on the third floor, picked up the bazooka with the help of Henry and stared at the tank. As it passed by, an armor-piercing round tore through the tracks, and the four German soldiers sitting inside abandoned the vehicle and fled.

The Second Battalion once again repelled the enemy's elite troops. Whether it was the headquarters or other positions, there were shouts from the British paratroopers:

"Hi, Muhammad!"

This was the slogan chanted by the Arabs when the 1st Airborne Division was fighting in North Africa in 1942. Soon, it was quoted by the red devils. Everyone felt that this slogan had a magical power and could boost morale.

Monk didn't join in. He lay on his back on the concrete floor, staring at the sky dreamily, while the pungent smell of burning rubber tires lingered in his nose.

Lu Li opened his marching backpack, took out the antibiotics he had prepared in advance, and told Monk, "I guess I won't be able to take care of you in a while, so protect yourself."

The reason why he said this was because he saw a bunch of more armored vehicles on the south bank, which were even bigger, and seemed to be Tiger tanks.

"Boss, I'm sorry..."

Monk sat up and leaned against the concrete pillar. He felt that he was a cowardly soldier. As soon as he closed his eyes, he was afraid that he would never wake up again.

Lu Li didn't know how to comfort Monk. If it wasn't for the blessing of his blood, he would have collapsed in the nightmarish battles.

Suddenly, a soldier shouted: "The enemy has surrendered!"

The sound became louder and louder, and many wounded soldiers struggled to get up and looked towards the Arnhem Bridge.

It was a German soldier, holding a white flag, carefully avoiding burning vehicles and corpses, and came to the front of the circular position.

Seeing this, Lu Li, who was about to confess his "last words", paused. He raised his head, and lay on the armrest with Monk, who was also in a daze, paying attention to the strange German soldier.

Almost at the same time, Major Gough, who was guarding the house behind, came over and shouted, "It's far enough! We can hear you, stop!"

A few seconds later, the German soldier raised his head, looked at the school facing the bridge, and responded loudly: "My general said that there is no point in arguing!"

"He is willing to discuss arrangements for surrender."

The blunt English was transmitted to the battlefield, and some soldiers spat and cursed in a low voice: "Let him die."

The German soldiers waited for Major Gough to reply. The major shrugged and was ready to respond that he did not have this authority, after all, Lieutenant Colonel Frost was the supreme commander.

Somehow, Monk stood up and said with a British joke: "We don't have enough facilities and venues to take you as prisoners of war!"

"sorry!"

The German soldier was obviously stunned, he almost couldn't even hold the white flag firmly: "What?"

Monk shouted in front of the entire battalion: "We want to do the same, but unfortunately we cannot accept your surrender."

"Is there anything else?"

After the words fell, laughter and whistles sounded, as if to ridicule the German soldier who persuaded him to surrender——

The guy curled his lip, stood at attention, turned, and walked towards the south bank, where General Hamel is now in charge.

A few minutes later, watching the emissary he sent back with his head bowed, Hamel put his hands on the steering wheel of his car and said expressionlessly, "Raze Pingheng."