Chapter 354 British 1st Armored Division

39, February 14.

This is a special day, and the whole Western countries are celebrating Valentine's Day.

If you have a lover, spend time with your lover, if you don't have a lover, find a lover. If you can't find a lover, then spend it with your left hand. In short, this day must be happy.

However, for many people, this day is destined to be a busy day.

For example, right now, in a French port, a troop is slowly moving down from the ship.

"Boom, hum." The sound of the engine rumbled, and a small-looking tank was moving down from the boat.

This tank has a small turret and a cylindrical shape. The weapons on the top are so simple that there is only one machine gun. On the bottom, the balanced suspension device is even more special in shape. A row of small road wheels looks like it. is a weak chicken.

At this time, the driver was stepping on the accelerator, and the Ford 8-cylinder gasoline engine at the rear was rumbling. Unfortunately, the power of only 70 horsepower, even if the accelerator is all the way to the end, is not enough.

This is the tank that the UK only gave to the army last year, the Matilda 1.

The total combat weight of this tank is 11 tons, the crew is 2 people, the length of the tank is 4.85 meters, the width of the vehicle is 2.29 meters, and the height of the vehicle is 1.87 meters.

It can be seen that the size and total combat weight are very small, and it can be regarded as an absolute light tank.

The only weapon is the 12.7 mm machine gun, and its maximum speed is only 12.8 km/h. It can be said that a healthy snail can compete with it.

Compared with other weak points, this tank has incommensurate protection. The thickness of the frontal armor of the car body is 60 mm, and the turret is surrounded by 65 mm thick steel armor, not to mention light tanks, even if it is now. The main battle tank, the German Panther 3, is not 65mm thick on the sides.

This is completely caused by the difference in combat thinking. Although the British invented the tank, the British have their own set of how to use the tank.

The British military divides tanks into: infantry tanks, cruiser tanks and light tanks.

As an infantry tank, the driving speed should not be very high, as long as the infantry charging on foot can keep up; it does not require a strong attack power, and the tank's weapon only needs a machine gun. However, armor protection must be strong.

In other words, infantry tanks are typical mobile machine gun fire points.

This kind of thinking gave birth to the current "Matilda" Type 1 tank.

At the same time as this tank was manufactured, the United Kingdom also realized that it might fall behind, so they immediately developed a Type 2 tank, using a 40mm tank gun, and the total weight increased to 27 tons, which is considered a medium-sized tank. tank.

Now, this "advanced" tank, a total of 139 produced, is mainly equipped for the British 1st Armored Division.

The British armored force was actually formed very late. It was not until 1934 that the United Kingdom formed the 1st Tank Brigade, and the famous Hobert served as the brigade commander.

In 1937, the planning and formation of the First Armored Division began, which was formed by then Chief of Staff Archibald Montgomery Mason Bird under the name of "Mobile Division".

At the beginning, according to the assumption, this division has jurisdiction over the 1st and 2nd Light Armored Brigades, the 1st Army Tank Brigade, and auxiliary units such as artillery, engineers, and signal soldiers.

It is a pity that the backwardness of the British in terms of tanks has made them all lose their ideas.

Now, the division has a light armoured brigade equipped with light and cruiser tanks, and a tank brigade equipped with cruiser tanks. Due to the insufficient number of cruise tanks, the two brigades were armed, mostly light tanks.

This is the current "Matilda" Type 1 tank.

(There is also a saying that it is the Vickers MK.VI tank, and it is a great help if you want to know.)

And now, the tank troops of the 1st Armored Brigade of the 1st Armored Division are present at the port. They came to France from the British mainland to participate in the military parade to be held tomorrow.

This is simply tiring work!

When the Polish War broke out, the British Ministry of Defense issued an emergency order, so the 1st Armored Brigade, which was trained in the station, started a rush. They drove to the port, loaded the ship, swayed all the way, and came here, and then , have to continue on the road of France.

It looks like I don't have to sleep tonight.

First, this title is very proud, and for the 1st Armored Division and the 1st Armored Brigade, this title is even more heavy, and every time a military parade, they will be thought of.

Cruz, the tanker, stomped on the accelerator hard, as if to vent his displeasure, his head sticking out, looking at the road ahead.

"Come on, we have to catch up with tomorrow's military parade!" Not far away, standing on a wheeled off-road vehicle, Brigade Commander Herbart shouted with a loud horn.

This batch of tanks, many radio stations are not fully equipped, Hobart can only use this method to call on his troops.

Unlike history, Herbart did not retire from active service. After all, the German armored forces put a lot of pressure on the British Army. The United Kingdom needs people who really understand armor, and Herbart is definitely an armor expert. You must know that the current This tank was developed under the auspices of Herbart.

Herbart was one of the few active advocates of the "Omnipotence of Tank Forces" in the UK and published many papers on armoured warfare. At the same time, he also personally tested and verified in the armored force, becoming one of the pioneers of British armored warfare theory.

It is a pity that his character is rather eccentric, he likes to go to extremes and does not fit in with the group. In the eyes of the British Army, of course, armored troops also need cavalry generals to command.

Until the outbreak of World War II, he served as the corps commander of the British National Defence Volunteers, and was later promoted to the regional head of the Volunteers. By chance, Prime Minister Churchill discovered Herbart's extraordinary talent, so he overcame all opposition and let Herbart "official reinstatement".

And now, Hubart has not retired or progressed, and is still staying in the position of his armored brigade commander.

Compared with his subordinates, he was also annoyed, but he was more worried.

German troops continued to wreak havoc on Polish territory, and according to the original agreement, Britain needed to support Poland.

This time, in the name of the exercise, they stepped on the land of France. It was his armored brigade in the early stage, and other troops of the first armored division in the later stage.

After the exercise? Most likely, they will need to go to the front. Now, is his 1st Panzer Brigade capable of competing with the German Panzer Divisions?

Although Hobart is arrogant, he is definitely not arrogant. He knows that the tanks equipped by his troops are outdated long ago.

The German tanks have both the protection of an infantry tank and the maneuverability of a cruiser tank. How did they do it? Against the Panther tank, Hubart didn't have any confidence.

And now, looking at the group of tank soldiers under him, he was even more furious: "Cruz, you idiot, don't go on the road and crush the French road, we are going to lose money!"