XI 'Trojan' Corps - Part II

The First Campaign

Leftenant General Cunningham sat alone is his office in the Headquarters's barracks, reading the news delivered to him with dismay. After a quick breakfast, he dispatched orders to his divisional commanders to meet with him as soon as possible.

The first to arrive, Major General Fergusson, brought hopeful news with him, "Sir! The Czechs are going to fight! They haven't declared war yet, but it seems certain!"

Almost immediately after Fergusson, Maj. Gen. Liardet burst into the room, waving an important looking piece of paper; he said, almost shouting, "It's happening! The Hun is invading!"
The rest of the officers arrived shortly after, each bring various bits of the most recent news. General Winterton himself arrived in person to observe Cunningham's plan.

"As our main forces organize, we will land in France to support our allies in anyway possible," began Cunningham, "Fergusson, MacKenzie, Pearkes, and my own brigade will land first, our Armored and Engineer divisions will follow soon after. Further plans will be made after a full assessment of the situation can be made. Dismissed."

The first elements of the Trojan Corps land in Cherbourg early in the morning of October 4th, 1938. The rest of the XI Corps would follow later the same day.

As the infantry columns marched through the beautiful French countryside, various reports found their way to the men. While sharing a meal during a brief rest from the marching, Arnold Fergusson and Phillip Pearkes where interrupted by a French messenger on his way to Paris. The courier told the officers of the Czech's war effort. After he left, Pearkes said to Fergusson, "They're getting absolutely mullered! 'The Sudetenland has already fallen'? Hell, they'll be finished with the Czechs before we make it to the front!"
Fergusson calmly replied "I'm sure they will last long enough, we will probably be able to link fronts by Christmas. These Nazis will be stretched thin fighting a two front war."

Several days, and many more miles later, Carter MacKenzie brought ill tidings to the officers mess hall. "Czechoslovakia surrendered. Full annexation."
"Fuck." Swore the usually soft-spoken Fergusson.

Two days later, MacKenzie again came into the improvised officer's mess, this time with better news. "Poland joined the Allies, reopening the second front. We'll stomp them now" said a smiling MacKenzie.

As the Divisions moved into the French salient, moving as whole corps, they captured Bitburg with little opposition. The green soldiers would have a taste of their first combat soon, when Cunningham ordered the capture of Euskirchen, a small city with an army base and an airfield.

The attack started at 3:00 PM, November the 12th. Lead by Malcolm Liardet, the 2nd 'Bristol' Armored Division paved the way into the airfield, they found it defended by a single German infantry division, though their position was well fortified.

The following day, MacKenzie and his 6th 'Swindon' moved to attack the airfield under cover of Liardet's tank support. Fergusson's 1st 'Gloucester' where to hold in reserve, launching the occasional artillery bombardment when requested.

The XI 'Trojan" Corps first battle was brutal. Over 600 young recruits died to secure Euskirchen. Their sacrifice was not in vain to the eyes of their commanders, the airfield would mean closer support from France's airforce, while the RAF still defended the Chanel from the Luftwaffe.

The victory was short lived, however, as a logistical bombing from the Luftwaffe cut off Liardet from any infantry support, forcing him to retreat back to local French forces. Though he took light casualties, he managed to kill almost an equal amount of Germans in his retreat. As soon his position was secure, he sent couriers to his comrades in Bitburg to halt their attack.

His warnings did not reach the infantry in time. Expecting to be welcomed by the tankers and motorized forces; the 1st, 6th, and 9th infantry divisions where massacred in a clever ambush. In a brilliant tactical move, the German commander isolated half of an infantry brigade. Unable to receive orders or reinforcements, the men were slaughtered.

Thinking Liardet's forces to have fallen, including the General himself, the three infantry divisions made a hasty retreat to avoid any more needless losses.

Finding Liardet alive and well enraged Maj. Gen. MacKenzie, who was forced to be restrained by his own staff until he calmed down.

"My men died out there for nothing! You sat here while we marched into their rifles with nothing but helmets and tunics! You have bloody metal tanks! Where were you!" MacKenzie screamed to Liardet before being escorted out.

When given they news of the 2nd Armored's survival, Pearkes showed relief.

The news reached Fergusson later than the others, as he was assisting a French division in the capture of St. Wendel. Though his force was still not fully recovered from the ambush, they shrugged off the additional casualties. Before they even manged to entrench their position or regroup, a German counter-attack started. Fergusson himself was at risk of capture, due to him being at the front line at the time of attack.

Though thanks to a swift reinforcement by Lawsom and his 15th 'Sappers', the 1st Infantry was able to fall back with little casualties.

"Right in the nick of time, eh?" William Lawsom grinned at his old friend, whom he had offered a ride in his personal vehicle.
"Yes, I suppose so." was the curt reply.
"Oh lighten up, you made it out. I know the Krauts didn't have time to put a fascist stick up your arse!"
Fergusson relented and gave a short chuckle to Lawsom's stupid joke.

"Oi! I mean, uh, Sir!" shouted one of Lawsom's subordinates, "A message from General Cunningham, um, Sir! He's calling for a general regrouping at the Maginot line, all divisons are to fall back and await new orders! Sir!"

Fergusson looked to Lawsom and said, "Do you think it's really that bad? The rest of the Home Command's army should have landed by now... the French won't last long on their own."
Lawsom gave an uncharacteristic frown, "We won't last long on our own..."

General Cunningham met with his ancillary's in one of the Maginot's lines many bunkers. "Men. I am sure you all remember when Czechoslovakia fell back in October. Unfortunately, Poland too has fallen to the Nazis. Our operations in France are going to be limited from here on out. While the fronts against Italy and Germany is stagnant, General Winterton has expressed his pessimism that France will not be able to last for much longer. He wants to call a full 'relocation' back to the home country. I felt it rather unsporting to leave our allies alone in the shadow of a Country that has already doubled in size in less than a year, however, he is right. We are not here in France to die, but to hold out until our own army is prepared to fight."
"What? You mean the army isn't even in France yet?" Said MacKenzie, his temper obviously rising.
"No, Carter, They are not. Do not ask me why, as I am but a soldier. For some reason, King George, God save him, does not send me a letter detailing his plans every week. Nor do the MPs in Parliament."
"Yes, sir. Of course, sir. Excuse me... Sir." MacKenzie said, angered curbed by the iron gaze from Cunningham's eyes.

"Moving on. Our new mission is to retake Mulhouse, the southernmost section of the Maginot line. Taken recently by the Germans in a surprise attack, and helped by turncoats within the defenses themselves. We will attack from the north, while our French allies move in from the West, simultaneously attacking Lörrach to surround the 60,000 Germans we expect to have made it in."

By the time of the Trojan Corps arrival, half of the German forces had already fallen back, leaving an almost token defense. After several assaults through the vast trench network in the line, reaching the command bunker itself, Liardet's tanks would no longer be of any use. The men of the XI Corps would have to fight in the tight corridors, fighting defenses made for the Germans. It was the Corps most Pyrrhic victory yet, with four and half thousand British soldiers dying in a French trench made to halt German aggression.

Thoroughly discouraged and bloodied, the brave men made their way back to Charbourg to board the Trojan Star Flotilla and make their way back home.

-The Journal of Rupert Cunningham, June 20th, 1939-
'Grim news came in late June, as Germany invaded and almost completely occupied the Netherlands. Belgium as well was brought into the war, and was already being pushed back. The Spanish Civil war, raging for years already, seemed to be near a close. Surprisingly, the Republican forces had held their own against the Nationals. In the far east, Japan has puppeted China. It seems as though the world is conspiring for the downfall of democracy in our time.'