King Tiger Read online

  Further distribution by receiving Headquarters is to be most strictly limited.

  The Headquarters mentioned in the Distribution list are responsible that all parts of the Order, or extracts taken from it, which are issued are again withdrawn and, together with this copy, destroyed.

  Chief of Staff of the Army

  Jodl

  FW 190 Courtesy of Wikipedia

  The FW 190 had two 13mm machine guns with 475 rounds per gun. It also had two twenty mm cannon with 250 rounds per gun. It could carry up to five hundred kg bombs. It usually had just one bomb in the centre of the aeroplane

  Ju 88 courtesy of Wikipedia

  Faith, Hope and Charity were the nicknames given to the three Gloster Sea Gladiators which, for a time, were Malta’s only air defence. These ancient biplanes did sterling work in actual fact there were more than three but it suited the propaganda of the time. To ascribe the success against the Italian bombers to just three aeroplanes. They were based at the Sea Air Arm base, H.M.S. Falcon.

  The Royal Navy rum ration was 54.6% proof. It was an eighth of a pint. Senior ratings (Petty Officers and above) received their rum neat while junior ratings had it diluted two to one. ‘Up Spirits’ was normally between 11 and 12 each day.

  Douglas C-47 Courtesy of Wikipedia

  The Rangers under Colonel Darby were at Amalfi. The rocket launcher known as the bazooka was first used in North Africa. Italy was the first time it had a widespread use. It was limited to the Americans only at first but later was used by the Russians and the British. The Germans captured some and used them to make their own version, the Panzershreck.

  M1A1 Rocket Launcher Courtesy of Wikipedia and the Smithsonian

  PIAT courtesy of Wikipedia and Canadian War Museum

  The Commando attack at Vietri Sul Mare went according to plan and the only losses they suffered were when they attacked Salerno itself. Nine Commandos were killed and thirty seven wounded. The Commandos were opposed by the 16th Panzer Reconnaissance Battalion which they defeated before capturing Salerno. It was an impressive feat for a brigade of Commandos. Following this and Lord Mountbatten’s departure for the Far East Major General ‘Lucky’ Laycock was appointed commander of Combined Operations. It was a position he occupied until the end of the war.

  The Noel Coward play of 1936 was eventually made into the wartime film of 1945-Brief Encounter. ‘Beau Geste’ was a popular film made in 1939. Brian Donleavy plays a particularly sadistic sergeant in the French Foreign legion. The film was very popular amongst servicemen.

  Operation Bodyguard and Operation Neptune were the code names used in 1943 and 1944 although Operation Overlord was the umbrella name for the planned invasion of Europe.

  The term tobruk was the name given by the allies to the concrete emplacements. They were first encountered in North Africa, hence the name. Frequently the Germans would use the turrets from captured tanks.

  Operation Tiger was the name given to the practice attacks on the south coast. German E-boats did attack the convoy and almost a thousand Americans lost their lives. There were problems with signals as well as with training on life vests. Many Americans died because of incorrectly fitted jackets.

  Courtesy of Wikipedia

  Panzer Mark IV as used by the 21st Panzer Division

  Mark 1 Tiger

  Courtesy of Wikipedia

  The Battle of Bréville was called one of the major battles of World War II. The Commandos and the Airborne Division had to fight off two infantry divisions and the 21st Panzer Division. The 21st had been part of the Afrika Korps. As such they were veterans. Until the 6 pounder anti-tank guns were dropped by parachute on the 90th of June they had to fight them off with PIATs and grenades. The counter attack of Bréville did take place. It was stormed and then the Commandos were withdrawn back to the ridge. Theirs was a holding action until the main attack could break out of Caen. The battle was won on June 12th. Had they not held then I wonder of the main attack might have been halted.

  The slang was taken from an Imperial War Museum publication called service slang and http://www.oocities.org/faskew/WW2/Glossary/WW2-SoldierSlang.htm

  6 Rad Sd.Kfz. 231

  German Half Track Sd.Kfz. 251/1 Ausf. A

  Courtesy of Wikipedia and German Federal Archive

  American M2 Halftrack for comparison

  Courtesy of Wikipedia

  For me, the finest aeroplane of WW2.

  De haviland Mosquito

  Courtesy of Wikipedia

  Hawker Typhoon-this has the D-Day markings

  Courtesy of Wikipedia

  Paris

  Operation Bulbasket was an SAS operation in France in 1944. Thirty SAS were sent into France to help the resistance. They were highly successful blowing up fuel dumps and destroying railway lines. The Germans found them and shot them as spies. 34 men, in total, were executed. I have used those as the inspiration, in this book, for Tom and his men. There was no fuel dump at Trun but the town was heavily damaged in the fighting and its capture was crucial to the closing of the Falaise Gap.

  This is the full transcript of the Charles de Gaulle speech after the liberation of Paris. Apparently, the Americans and British had little to do with it!

  “Why do you wish us to hide the emotion which seizes us all, men and women, who are here, at home, in Paris that stood up to liberate itself and that succeeded in doing this with its own hands?

  No! We will not hide this deep and sacred emotion. These are minutes which go beyond each of our poor lives. Paris! Paris outraged! Paris broken! Paris martyred! But Paris liberated! Liberated by itself, liberated by its people with the help of the French armies, with the support and the help of all France, of the France that fights, of the only France, of the real France, of the eternal France!

  Well! Since the enemy which held Paris has capitulated into our hands, France returns to Paris, to her home. She returns bloody, but quite resolute. She returns there enlightened by the immense lesson, but more certain than ever of her duties and of her rights.

  I speak of her duties first, and I will sum them all up by saying that for now, it is a matter of the duties of war. The enemy is staggering, but he is not beaten yet. He remains on our soil.

  It will not even be enough that we have, with the help of our dear and admirable Allies, chased him from our home for us to consider ourselves satisfied after what has happened. We want to enter his territory as is fitting, as victors.

  This is why the French vanguard has entered Paris with guns blazing. This is why the great French army from Italy has landed in the south and is advancing rapidly up the Rhône valley. This is why our brave and dear Forces of the interior will arm themselves with modern weapons. It is for this revenge, this vengeance and justice, that we will keep fighting until the final day, until the day of total and complete victory.

  This duty of war, all the men who are here and all those who hear us in France know that it demands national unity. We, who have lived the greatest hours of our History, we have nothing else to wish than to show ourselves, up to the end, worthy of France. Long live France!”

  Charles de Gaulle

  Ernest Hemingway and Colonel ‘Buck’ Lanham were good friends and Hemingway did disappear to the forest of Rambouillet where he became a guerrilla leader for the local resistance.

  During Operation Cobra over 50% of all German casualties came from the attacks by the 2nd Tactical Air force. Eisenhower said, “The chief credit in smashing the enemy’s spearhead, however, must go to the rocket-firing Typhoon planes of the Second Tactical Air Force. They dived upon the armoured columns, and, with their rocket projectiles, on the first day of the battle destroyed 83 tanks, probably destroyed 29 tanks and damaged 24 tanks in addition to quantities of ‘soft-skinned’ Motorized Transport. The result of this strafing was that the enemy attack was effectively brought to a halt, and a threat was turned into a great victory.”

  There is an excellent web site with more information than I could put here. htt
p://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/AAF/AAF-H-DDay/

  General Montgomery is often lauded as a great general but Normandy was not his finest hour. He sent back Americans who had closed the Falaise gap because it was in the British zone of control. He could be petty and small minded. He did not like Patton. Had he behaved more reasonably then the gap would have been closed a day earlier.

  I have simplified the liberation of Paris. Captain Dronne was sent by General Leclerc to liberate Paris. His regiment was from North Africa, the Regiment of Chad and they did name their vehicles. Many of them had fought in the Spanish Civil War. Major general Gerow forbade the French from going into Paris. General Leclerc flew back to speak with Omar Bradley in an attempt to get the order rescinded. When the columns did head for Paris it became a race to see who could get there first. Captain Dronne reached the Paris Hotel de Ville just before midnight. The Germans had wired all the bridges over the Seine but the majority were not destroyed.

  There were no British involved in the liberation of Paris itself. This is a story after all!

  Antwerp

  I have used real events from the campaign and ascribed them to Tom and his men. They are an amalgamation of many people. The attack at Boom did happen but the part played by my heroes was actually a Belgian engineer who directed Major Dunlop and his tanks. Robert Vekemans was the real hero. I changed the bridges a little but the two tanks and the armoured car did race across the mined bridge before it could be exploded. Had they not done so then the Germans would have had time to bring forces down to the Rupel to hold up the advance.

  Major Dunlop, Major Bell and Lieutenant Colonel Silvertop were at Boom and Antwerp.

  ‘We never closed the lids of our turrets, because we then became so blind and so deaf that we felt too vulnerable. We felt a lot safer with them open … But that afternoon I remember seriously considering closing down. However, this sporadic firing from above was confined to the out-

  skirts of the town and later, rather more intensively, to some parts of the centre. Our biggest problem was with the crowds of excited civilians who thronged the streets and climbed on our tanks. We had no objection to kisses from charming girls, cigars or bottles of champagne. But we kept meeting bursts of small arms fire and an occasional grenade, and there were civilian casualties!’ (Major Dunlop)

  As we dealt swiftly with the scattered and disorganised opposition, we could see ahead of us the main streets of the city densely packed with crowds awaiting us, and this spurred our efforts. Then came the great moment, as we entered the heart of the city to receive a welcome none of us had ever dreamt was possible. Our vehicles were unable to move and were smothered with people; we were overwhelmed with flowers, bottles and kisses. Everyone had gone mad and we allowed ourselves a few moments to take stock of the situation. (Major Noel Bell)

  ‘The difficulties … amongst this mass of populace crowding round still cheering, still flag wagging, still thrusting plums at you, still kissing you, asking you to post a letter to America, to give them some petrol, some more arms for the White Brigade, holding baby under your nose to be kissed, trying to give you a drink, inviting you to their house, trying to carry you away, offering information about the enemy etc., had to be seen to be understood. (Colonel Reeves)

  I have taken real events described by these brave soldiers and ascribed them to my Commandos.

  German Defences at Walcheren

  202nd Naval Artillery Battalion

  (Batteries are given the target numbers allotted by 84 Group RAF and subsequently used by all three British Services: German numbers in brackets.)

  W7 (91202) four 15-cm guns (S.9-inch) immediately west of Flushing

  WI 1 (81202) four 15-cm guns in the dunes between Flushing and Zoutelande near Dishoek; close defence and flak not known.

  WI3 (71202) four 15-cm guns with two 7.5-cm for close defence and three 20-mm flak in the dunes between Zoutelande and Westkapelle.

  WI5 (61202) four ex-British 3.7-inch (9.4-cm) anti-aircraft guns captured at Dunkirk and now mounted against shipping with two ex-British 3-inch for close defence, mounted on the sea wall immediately north of Westkapelle.

  W17 (51202) four 22-cm guns (8.7-inch) with one 5-cm gun for close defence, immediately west of Domburg.

  WI9 (41202) five ex-British 3.7-inch guns in the dunes at the northern tip of the island near Ostberg.

  Major types of Landing Craft used in the attacks on Walcheren

  Landing Craft Tank - LCT Marks 3 and 4

  A ramped beaching landing craft capable of carrying six Churchill tanks or nine Shermans and also used extensively for soft-skinned vehicles and stores. Marks 3 and 4 were both within a few feet of 190 feet in length, the latter having increased beam and shallower draft to give better beaching characteristics on the flat Normandy beaches. Speeds: Mark 3, 9 knots; Mark 4, 8 knots. Seaworthy in seas up to Force 4. Originally unarmed, later 20-mm Oerlikons were added for AA defence. Very limited armour for wheelhouse, etc. The specification called for utmost simplicity to facilitate industrial production. Crew - 12.

  Landing Craft Gun (Large) - LCG(L)

  After the Dieppe raid of 1942 much greater emphasis was placed on the need for close support for troops landing on a defended beach. A total of 23 LCT 3 and 10 LCT 4 were in consequence decked over to take two 4.7-inch destroyer guns, mounted in gun-shields, and a number of lighter weapons. Their shallow draft enabled them to go close inshore, although they would not normally beach, and gave them a fair degree of immunity from contact mines. Crew, including RM gun crews, 3 officers and 44 men.

  Landing Craft Flak - LCF

  Another LCT conversion, intended as the name implies to give close AA cover to craft approaching a beach and landing troops and transport. Armament: eight 2-pdr Bofors and four 20-mm Oerlikons, or alternatively four Bofors and eight Oerlikons. Crew: 2 naval officers and 10 ratings, RM officers and 48 other ranks gun crews.

  Landing Craft Tank (Rocket) - LCT(R)

  Another LCT conversion intended to increase the weight of fire brought down on a beach immediately before assault. 800 to 1,000 5-inch rocket projectors were mounted on the decked over LCT to be fired electrically dead ahead in a ripple salvo on a radar range of 3,500 yards as the craft

  closed the beach. A second outfit of rockets was carried, but reloading took a long time. Rockets were normally HE, but smoke rockets could be fired. The idea was viewed with suspicion by the Gunnery Division at the Admiralty, but the first LCT(R), used in the invasion of Sicily, were reported on highly favourably and in Normandy 6-10 LCT(R) were used on the front of each assaulting brigade group.

  Landing Craft Gun (Medium) - LCG(M)

  A later and experimental design of LCG built as such, not a conversion, and intended to deal with thick concrete or similar defences by firing into loopholes and similar weak points at close range. The craft were armed with two 17-pdr anti-tank guns firing solid shot and were intended to beach and flood ballast tanks to give a steady aiming platform. The only two ever used operationally were both lost at Walcheren. As J. D. Ladd remarks, they broke the golden rule of combined operations - get off the waterline as quickly as possible either ashore or back to sea.

  Landing Craft Support (Large) - LCS(L)

  Early LCS were modified versions of minor landing craft (see below). When the demand came for much increased fire power, however, ten LCI(S) (below) were converted to carry one 6-pdr anti-tank gun in a turret forward, a power-operated twin .S-inch Vickers aft and a 4-inch mortar firing smoke. Performance and vulnerability similar to LCI(S). Crew: 2 officers and 23 including RM gun crews.

  Landing Craft Infantry (Small) - LCI(S)

  Design adapted from coastal forces craft built by Fairmile with reduced scantlings to permit troop spaces between decks. Later some armour added, reducing speed. Landing by gangplanks launched by rollers over the deck. Originally intended for raids, the craft were much too vulnerable for beach assault. Speed: 12 knots (with armour) endurance 700 miles; load, 100 armed men. After
their heavy losses in Normandy, which might have been still worse had the enemy used incendiary ammunition against their unarmoured tanks carrying high octane petrol, the wing tanks were filled with sea water for the Westkapelle assault.

  Landing Craft Headquarters - LCH

  A conversion of the Landing Craft Infantry (Large) to take headquarters at the level of naval assault group/brigade. American-built to an initial British specification, the LCI(L) was a steel craft with properly fitted landing gangways intended for the follow-up rather than the first waves of an assault. Speed 12 knots, load as LCI(L) 200 armed men.

  Motor Launches - ML

  These were not landing craft but a number of them acted as markers, guides etc. for the Westkapel1e assault. Nos. 100 to 919 were Fairmile Bs, length 112 feet, speed 18 knots at sea; armament, one 3-pdr or 40-mm AA and four 20-mm Oerlikons. Crew, 18.

  Minor Landing Craft

  Landing Craft Assault - LCA

  Speed — 10 knots claimed, probably less in practice. Load 35 armed men and 5 crew. Endurance 90 miles. Designed by the Inter-Services Training and Development Centre in 1938-9 at 10 tons to be within the capacity of a liner’s lifeboat davits and to land infantry in beach assault, a small number of these craft had been built by the outbreak of war and were used at Dunkirk and in Norway. They are said to have been inferior to the comparable LCV(P) in speed, manoeuvrability, and seaworthiness but to have the advantage over them in bullet proof protection, troop carrying capacity, disembarkation on a beach, silence and low silhouette.

  This is the type of boat my father was on. LCA(I) 523 was his boat on D-Day and at Westkapelle.

  Amphibians

  Except for the DUKW, amphibians arrived late in the European theatre

  Those used in the Scheldt operations comprised:

  Landing Vehicle Tracked - LVT