Fall and Rise: An ISOT

[Simon Darkshade]

Hitting Berlin isn’t designed to take out Hitler, but to send a message of capability, range, intent and determination to not only Nazi Germany but France. In addition, there is a desire to try and draw the Luftwaffe into attacking Britain, where they can be destroyed by Fighter Command, rather than operating over France or elsewhere.

There are a few other toys up the sleeve yet to be revealed.

I might work in a reaction from Joe Kennedy in a sequence meeting Churchill, as well as news of the Grand Fleet being received in Washington.

[Kunkmiester]

Did the overseas forces get transported too, or just the mainland ones?

[Simon Darkshade]

The overseas forces were transported in ‘Tranche 2’ later in the day of June 14. I’ll tally up their total when I finish work.

[Simon Darkshade]

British Army Major Overseas Deployed Forces September 1943

Norway

XXII Corps
Light Division
34th Infantry Division
57th (2nd West Lancashire) Infantry Division
60th (Somerset) Infantry Division
73rd Infantry Division

Sixth Army (Spain)

XIII Corps
9th Infantry Division
16th Armoured Division
37th Infantry Division
69th Infantry Division

XV Corps
13th Infantry Division
14th Armoured Division
20th Infantry Division
58th (Ulster) Infantry Division


Seventh Army (Greece)
36th Infantry Division

XVI Corps
13th Armoured Division
17th Infantry Division
39th Infantry Division

XXXX Corps
11th Armoured Division
19th Infantry Division
75th Infantry Division

Eighth Army (Italy)

XIV Corps
Guards Armoured Division
16th Infantry Division
29th Infantry Division
63rd Infantry Division

XXI Corps
7th Armoured Division
25th Infantry Division
47th (1st London) Division
50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division

XX Corps
49th (West Riding) Infantry Division
52nd (Lowland) Division
53rd (Welsh) Infantry Division
70th Infantry Division

XVIII Corps
6th Armoured Division
43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division
61st Infantry Division
78th Infantry Division

III Polish Corps
7th Polish Infantry Division
8th Polish Armoured Division
9th Polish Infantry Division
10th Polish Infantry Division

Ninth Army (Egypt)
Jewish Division
Imperial Camel Corps

Tenth Army (Iraq and Syria)
XXXXII Corps
33rd Infantry Division
62nd Infantry Division
74th Infantry Division

1st Cavalry Division
2nd Cavalry Division

Eleventh Army (Burma)
11th Infantry Division
21st Infantry Division
76th Infantry Division

Twelfth Army (Indochina)
XXV Corps
8th Armoured Division
23rd Infantry Division
40th Infantry Division
72nd Infantry Division

XXXII Corps
15th Infantry Division
18th Infantry Division
42nd (East Lancashire) Infantry Division
67th Infantry Division

Gurkha Corps
1st Gurkha Division
2nd Gurkha Division
3rd Gurkha Division
4th Gurkha Division

Australia
24th Infantry Division
30th Infantry Division

Overseas RAF Forces

RAF Iceland (159)
84 North American Mustangs
75 Hawker Hurricanes

RAF Norway (750)

240 Hawker Hurricanes
138 Supermarine Spitfires
128 Bristol Beaufighters
100 North American Mustangs
80 de Havilland Mosquitoes SF
40 Vickers Victorias
24 Westland Lysanders

RAF Mediterranean Air Force (2587)
432 Hawker Hurricanes
364 Supermarine Spitfires
260 Vickers Wellington
256 Bristol Buckinghams
246 Armstrong-Whitworth Winchesters
231 Republic Thunderbolts
124 Hawker Tempests
104 de Havilland Mosquito SB
102 Bristol Beaufighters
100 North American Mustangs
95 Vickers Victorias
78 de Havilland Mosquito PR
72 Lockheed Lightning PR
70 de Havilland Mosquito SF

- Supports British and Allied operations in Italy, Spain and the Western Mediterranean
- Rebadged from the Desert Air Force

RAF Middle East Air Force (1703)
429 Hawker Hurricanes
356 Supermarine Spitfires
203 Armstrong Whitworth Winchesters
287 Curtiss Tomahawks
236 Vickers Wellingtons
142 Bristol Buckinghams
87 de Havilland Mosquito SB
60 Lockheed Lightnings
56 Vickers Victorias

- Supports British operations in the Middle East, Egypt, Greece and the Eastern Mediterranean
- Strategic bombing against Bulgaria and Romania - Maintenance of armistice with Ottoman Turkey

RAF India (1710)
379 Hawker Hurricanes
326 Armstrong Whitworth Winchesters
254 Supermarine Spitfires
247 Republic Thunderbolts
219 Vickers Wellingtons
132 Avro Lancasters
52 Vickers Victoria

- Defence of India, Afghanistan and Persia
- Support of Imperial operations on the Burma Front
- Strategic Bombing of SE Asia and China


RAF Far East Air Force (2564)
429 Supermarine Spitfires
408 Hawker Hurricanes
324 Curtiss Tomahawks
254 Vickers Wellingtons
250 Bristol Buckinghams
220 Republic Thunderbolts
162 Armstrong Whitworth Winchesters
144 Bristol Buckinghams
108 Bristol Beaufighters
106 Vickers Victorias
87 North American Mustangs
72 Lockheed Lightnings

- Support of Imperial operations in Malaya, Southern Burma, Siam, Indochina and Sumatra
- Aerial interdiction over South East Asia
- Strategic Bombing of DEI
- Support of Grand Fleet

RAF Australia (337)
125 Supermarine Spitfires
96 North American Mustangs
80 de Havilland Mosquitoes
36 Avro Lancasters

- Air Defence of Australia
- Strategic Bombing of DEI and SP


- The arrival of these forces, even using the US bases, is such as to push the logistical support capacity of the RAF

[Belushi TD]

Ok... So the DE UK and sundry military forces were ISOTed to OUR world, in June 1940?

Question about magic and such....

I seem to remember there was a lot of "arcane" in all the various descriptions of DE equipment and tactics and such. How does the arcane part of DE equipment and, for that matter, people, transfer to our world? Do they bring their abilities with them, as part and parcel of what they are, or are the arcane abilities left in DE?

Belushi TD

[Simon Darkshade]

That will play out in full over the course of the short tale, but by and large, they have brought them with them.

[Simon Darkshade]

In the next section, Harcourt as Minister of War and Brooke, among others, will try to curtail a bit of Churchill's characteristically mercurial enthusiasm for immediate action, which is driven in no small way by shock. Put simply, it is a matter of logistics. Simply talking about establishing a Breton Redoubt for the build up of land forces runs into the issues of shipping, supplies, amphibious craft, planning and half a hundred other individually small factors that add up to something quite considerable. They know from their own experience of 1940 that a hastily put together invasion plan results in failure. Circumspection isn't a bad course of action in their view.

The counter strategy that will be advocating is:
A.) Find our feet and figure out the lie of the land (size of enemy forces, composition, capabilities)
B.) Engage and wear down the Luftwaffe, using the apparent British advantage in aircraft production (which they are assuming based on their own knowledge/hindsight of 1940)
C.) Move forces to shore up the weak points of the Imperial position (Malta and Egypt in particular)
D.) Get the Grand Fleet home, or at least to the Mediterranean, where they can do terribly mean things to the Regia Marina
E.) Cut the Germans out of Norway and, in doing so, deal them a serious naval blow

Britain can lose nothing by waiting, but in doing so, France will likely head down a path that complicates things. Reynaud didn't have a very strong position or strong hand, with even the @ Franco-British Union offer being 'spun' in a negative fashion by the strong defeatist faction. However, various British actions will increase the chance for some sort of a bug out to North Africa.

As a bit of a coda, the USN of 30 June 1940 has 15 battleships (+ 7 under construction and 4 ordered), 6 aircraft carriers (+ 1 under construction), 37 cruisers (+ 4 under construction), 185 destroyers, 64 submarines, 36 mine warfare vessels and 19 patrol vessels. Their shock will be profound, even in the situation of the British being viewed quite positively; the shock experienced by nations that have ended up at war with them or are decidedly unfriendly towards them (in the case of Tokyo) will be even more seismic.

[jemhouston]

I for one would love to know how the paymasters at MOD think about this, and how much they're drinking.

[Simon Darkshade]

There isn't a Ministry of Defence in 1943, but rather the separate Admiralty, War Office and Air Ministry.

In terms of pay, it is at standard wartime rate. Personnel costs for the British Army are 1250 million, 1250 for the RAF and 1100 for the RN, with the latter two services having adjustments due to offsets from Commonwealth countries paying their own personnel.

[Simon Darkshade]

Part 3

“Circumspection. Simple as that, my dear Winston.”

“Pray expand, Richard. Expand as to why, when God gives us an opportunity, we should not seize it?”

Harcourt gave a tiny internal sigh at Churchill’s mercurial nature. This was not the first time that he or Brooke had sought to curb the Prime Minister’s instincts, with varying degrees of success.

“It has been around 36 hours since our arrival, if I can put it that way. We have at best partial intelligence on not only the Germans but the world at large that we find ourselves in. Now that our relative position with regard to air and land forces is established, do we necessarily lose anything by not committing ourselves to immediate general offensive action?”

“I would tend to concur, Prime Minister. Whilst we can launch an offensive into France, the longer we take to prepare it, the more our likelihood of total success. Our window for a cross-Channel invasion, if it comes to it, extends to mid September, just as the German one did back in 1940…well, our 1940. Even then, we would be dealing with a number of unknown variables, ranging from the weather to the French. We’ve spent a year and a half planning and preparing Overlord and we still had another 9 months yet to go.” said Brooke.

“We are not going to leave Europe to the mercy of Nazi tyranny for that long. We are delivered here to provide for a much swifter end to this war and their bloody murder.”

“That isn’t what I’d suggest at all, Winston. I’m all for action this day as much as you, but it depends on what action. If we shift our immediate steps to the periphery, as it were, then we keep the vast part of our strengths and options open. Every week that goes by makes us stronger, after all. We went through the production plans back in August; this month, we will add 480 tanks, all of them the new Super Crusader, at least 1200 carriers and 1000 guns, not to mention 7 new destroyers, 500 Spitfires, 250 rockets and 6 LSTs.”

“The last are what we really need, Prime Minister - not just LSTs, but all manner of landing craft as well. We’ve got what we had here at home, but we are now without not just the production from the United States, but also Canada. Whilst I cannot say it conclusively until we have more intelligence on the numbers and equipment of this Germany, I am fairly sure that we can outproduce them in every major category of military equipment for the rest of the year, cementing our advantage.”

“If not France, then where?”

“Two places: Norway and Egypt. In Norway, we can maul their fleet, as we discussed earlier, whilst having a relatively nearby combat theatre in which to gauge Jerry’s capabilities. In Egypt, we can wrap up Italian North Africa before the end of autumn.” Harcourt stabbed at the map with his pencil to emphasise each point.

“Very well. Unless Ironside’s mission to the French encounters some dramatic success on the morrow, we can work towards that basis. Whatever their decision, we will start hitting the Germans from the air, including letting Harris loose on Berlin. That will be a quite decisive factor that will show that, far from being stricken by the looming collapse of our ally, we are prepared to fight and win. To that end, have the Dover Guns begin firing across the Channel and have the BBC include a piece on the Grand Fleet heading back to us.”

Harcourt smiled. “I quite agree, Prime Minister. It is about sending a message.”

“Speaking of which, I have a cable to dictate to President Roosevelt before bed. That will be a rather interesting endeavour.”

………………….

“This is London calling in the overseas service of the British Broadcasting Corporation. Here is the news. The main force of the Grand Fleet under Admiral Cunningham has been ordered home from the Far East, with 27 battleships, 60 aircraft carriers, 72 cruisers and 214 destroyers and escorts already underway; Admiral Mountbatten is to remain at Singapore with ten older 18” capital ships. The Prime Minister, Mr Churchill, has called upon Italy and Germany to surrender whilst they still can and that it was only a matter of time until all of conquered Europe would be liberated. Morning has come.”

…………..
Washington D.C.

President Franklin Roosevelt took a drag from his cigarette holder and then exhaled, just a tad more forcefully than usual.

“Do you have any idea what the British are playing at, Admiral?”

“Mr. President, short of them going completely mad, the only possible explanation is propaganda, but this frankly does seem to be of the most transparent kind possible. I can’t see who they are trying to fool, lying like this.”

“Perhaps it is something to do with the confusion of the last day or so and the French being on the brink of surrender.”

“Yes, Mr. President. Whatever it is, it will soon become clear.”

…………………

Admiral Yamamoto sat and thought. Surely, this could not be true in any way.

The alternative did not even bear thinking about.

[Simon Darkshade]

In the next part:
- The Dover Guns open fire
- Scharnhorst and Gneisenau meet the Fleet Air Arm
- The capture of Rommel and the fates of 5th and 7th Panzer at the hands of RAF tacair
- Ambassador Kennedy and Churchill have a friendly, good natured meeting
- Bomber Command visits Berlin; and aftermath reactions from Germany, Britain, France and more

Once the various powers can confirm that the British just hit Berlin with 2500 bombers, then the process starts of “Oh dear. Is it possible they might be telling the truth about their navy?” and similar thoughts, just at the same time as other reports start to come into Germany.

It is worth noting that the DE Edward Murrow is in London as of 1943, as in @, which opens up an option for a broadcast piece.

[Belushi TD]

In the next part:
- The Dover Guns open fire

YAY!

- Scharnhorst and Gneisenau meet the Fleet Air Arm

YAY!

- The capture of Rommel and the fates of 5th and 7th Panzer at the hands of RAF tacair

YAY!

- Ambassador Kennedy and Churchill have a friendly, good natured meeting

YAY!

- Bomber Command visits Berlin; and aftermath reactions from Germany, Britain, France and more

YAY!

Once the various powers can confirm that the British just hit Berlin with 2500 bombers, then the process starts of “Oh dear. Is it possible they might be telling the truth about their navy?” and similar thoughts, just at the same time as other reports start to come into Germany.

It is worth noting that the DE Edward Murrow is in London as of 1943, as in @, which opens up an option for a broadcast piece.

I am really enjoying this. Mainly, I suspect, its the anticipation that the Nazis will get their due comeuppance, but its still a fun read. Please continue!
Belushi TD

[Simon Darkshade]

I hope to live up to the anticipation.

The substantive issues to emerge are logistical, whereby those are the chief constraints on Britain’s scope for action.

- It has the superiority in numbers and technology to defeat its two current opponents and Japan
- The limits on what they can do come in the form of shipping, oil, food, raw materials and other assorted base products
- Unlike @, British war production was never quite ‘curved’ into an overall Allied one, such as in the US domination of production of LSTs/landing craft, transport planes, heavy artillery and certain other categories. This comes from the greater scope/slack available in a larger economy, but still has its limits
- Aircraft production, being a function of machine tools, engines, aluminium, copper and wood, so there won’t be any immediate issues there
- Should the war in Europe drag on beyond, say, 12 months, then there would be an issue
- All of the US aircraft, tanks, vehicles, guns and small arms bought and supplied by LL won’t be needed. The debt situation is really hit for six, as comparatively little is owed to the June 1940 USA + the aid bought/supplied 1939-1943 on DE and associated debt is gone + this is already occurring on a much better economic basis
- If Japan goes to war, it will be running into an impossible situation and won’t be able to fight more than 6 months at most

I don’t want to get dragged into the postwar rabbit hole, as it would detract from actual DE material

[Simon Darkshade]

June 16 1940
Cap Griz Nez, Pas de Calais

Leutnant Unglücklichesziel stood back with no small sense of satisfaction. His men had finished digging in their 10.5cm howitzer and machine guns; only a shadow of what be coming if the English chose to foolishly fight on now that the French were as good as beaten. The ruins of the old Blackness fort added to the strength of the position, a strength that was not needed when they had the might of the victorious German Army!

There was a rumble of sound from out across the Channel, distant yet very loud, followed by a ripping sound, strangely like a train.

Artillery fire

“Take cover!”

The sound of the shells screaming overhead was overwhelming, but was as nothing compared to the impact. He could only huddle as low as possible in his slit trench and pray for it to be over. When the titanic barrage finally came to an end, the Leutnant crept up to see what had been hit. The village of Audinghen behind them was intact, but the main encampment beyond and the gun positions being dug there were a scene of complete ruin. He raised up his powerful German binoculars and gazed through them.

Gruss Gott! Those craters must be ten metres across!”

…………………
Trondheimfjord

Scharnhorst, Gneisenau and Admiral Hipper sat at anchor, the repair ship Huaskaran lying alongside the former Schlachtschiff. The mid morning was peaceful as it could be in the Norwegian fjord. The quietude of the sunshine was broken by the harsh discordant claxon of an air raid siren.

“FLIEGER ALARM!!”

“What do we know?” asked Kapitän Hoffman.

“There was a garbled signal from Nürnberg that it was under attack by giant torpedoes and dozens of English aircraft forty minutes ago, Herr Kapitan, and now the observation post on Frøya reports hundreds of planes coming over at very high speed and low level.”

Within 15 minutes, the first wave of Royal Navy Hawker Sea Fury fighter-bombers, Fairey Spearfish torpedo bombers, Blackburn Firedrake dive bombers and de Havilland Sea Mosquito strike bombers roared into the fjord, their escorting Supermarine Eagles coursing above them and engaging the Bf-109s out of Værnes. Two dozen of the Sea Furies peeled off and dove in on the flak batteries on the shore, unleashing with their rockets and cannon before dropping their canisters of napalm over their targets, enveloping them in blooming maelstroms of flame. The others focused on the battleships and cruiser, blasting their anti-aircraft defences whilst the attack planes began their run.

A squadron each of Spearfish and Firedrakes had been assigned to each of the three large German ships and although they had all taken losses on their rough and fast flight in from the Home Fleet’s carriers, they now bought their payloads to bear. Half of the Spearfish dropped their two 24.5” torpedoes whilst the others fired their Hellhound rockets and glide bombs. The Firedrakes came hurtling down from on high, sending their 2500lb armour piercing bombs right into the vitals of the German ships. The Sea Mosquitoes added their own bombs and incendiary rockets to the attack, overwhelming the enemy anti-aircraft fire and joining in the destruction.

The ends of Scharnhorst, Gneisenau, Admiral Hipper and their accompanying destroyers came swiftly and with the cold precision of an execution.

[jemhouston]

Starting off with a bang and boom I see.

[Simon Darkshade]

It has a history of success and there is no such thing as overkill.

Nurnberg was hit by two Helmovers, btw.

[Kunkmiester]

So what caliber are the dover guns?

[Simon Darkshade]

The Dover Guns are four 32” long range guns, along with eight spare naval 24”/50s and a lot of smaller pieces. Range for the former is 75 miles and 50 miles for the latter; smaller stuff can get across the Channel.

[jemhouston]

It has a history of success and there is no such thing as overkill.

Nurnberg was hit by two Helmovers, btw.

There is only open fire, reload, and resupply.

[Simon Darkshade]

That probably goes into the Gung Ho/Ra Ra catechism a bit too much for my tastes.

Here, my meaning is that taking utterly overwhelming action is the optimal means of achieving success and not risking disproportionate casualties on one's own side, akin in spirit and direct analogy to Operation Plunder. At this point, the term 'overkill' hasn't been introduced, nor the concept; that will probably change after this wave of attacks.

In actual terms, there is a lot more than simply pouring in fire, such as selection of targets, balancing in the concerns of friendly civilians under occupation, assessing the political weight of actions (including what type of Germany emerges after its defeat), not burning through ammunition and fuel disproportionate to what is to be gained and fighting in the context of a democracy.

It is a bit different from the Schlock Mercenary webcomic, John Ringo or whatever is being quoted from.