Return to Wormhout

After more than two hours of arduous trekking, the exhausted German paratroopers finally arrived in Wormhout. The person they had been anxiously waiting for appeared a full three hours later: Logan and Mark Allen had carried the injured Tino Groth back on a stretcher. Despite the pain from his leg wound, the man, who boasted the largest "little brother" in the entire assault team, wore an expression of immense gratitude.

Great camaraderie is often forged in the trenches.

"My God, Hans! I was so worried something had happened to you!"

Dietrich, the SS commander, expressed both sympathy and admiration for the paratroopers' ordeal. Although the supply lines of the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler had been cut off by the British, the German stronghold in Wormhout, meant to threaten the Allied defenses, had instead been surrounded. Fortunately, they had established a well-equipped field hospital in Wormhout. With medical supplies still available, Logan and his men received proper treatment. However, of the 20 paratroopers who had participated in the operation, only 11 remained, including Logan and Steffenberg. Five of them were seriously wounded and effectively out of action.

"The situation isn't looking good," Logan said, lighting a cigarette and silently enduring the pain of getting stitches. Unfortunately, during the night battle, a piece of shrapnel had grazed his forehead, ensuring he would continue to sport the "rice dumpling" look. Fortunately, the facial abrasions would heal quickly, and the chances of scarring were slim.

"How so?" Dietrich also lit a cigarette. "Although we're running low on ammunition and can't bombard Dunkirk as fiercely as yesterday, we can still maintain one round of shelling per hour for an entire day. That'll be a heavy psychological blow to the retreating Allies! Two hours ago, the enemy launched an attack from Dunkirk. You should've seen it, my friend. Our machine gunners on the front lines probably took out a hundred British soldiers each! The French were even more ridiculous—they fled in panic at the sound of our guns! If they keep this up, we can handle ten more attacks!"

"Oh?" Logan took a deep drag from his cigarette and exhaled. "What do you know about the Allied forces that ambushed us on the way?"

Dietrich replied, "They're probably British troops who were previously building defenses along the Franco-Belgian border. They're tenacious and have a stronger will to survive than the French because their soldiers know they still have a chance to return to Britain."

"Exactly," Logan said through gritted teeth. "And they have tanks—Matildas."

Dietrich didn't seem fazed by the name. "I've had my men lay over 500 mines in front of our positions, a third of which are anti-tank mines. Without its tracks, a Matilda is just a pile of scrap metal!"

"Where did you get so many mines?" Logan was surprised. Why would an attacking force carry so many defensive mines instead of shells?

Dietrich explained, "We found them in the town—two truckloads! The British probably planned to use them to block our advance, but they were captured before they could be deployed. Also, we just received a telegram from the army group headquarters. The 21st Infantry Division has taken over the canal positions, and the 160th Infantry Division is waiting to pass through this narrow but expanding gap. They plan to launch an attack against the British forces blocking the road before dawn. According to headquarters, the supply line to Wormhout should be reestablished by noon at the latest."

"Oh?" Logan thought for a moment. "That makes sense. Once dawn breaks, our Stukas can join the fight."

"Not just the Stukas!" Dietrich said. "Think about it. The British are desperate to retreat to Dunkirk. Will they really keep engaging our forces there? I think the troops surrounding Dunkirk are already putting immense pressure on the Allied positions. It won't be long before this 'eggshell' is crushed."

The "fanatical leader" seemed fond of using the eggshell metaphor to describe the Allied defensive perimeter. In reality, it was far more resilient than an eggshell.

"Even if the British continue to hold the outer defensive lines and throw in heavy reinforcements to attack us, we are fully capable of holding out for at least two days! In fact, counting the troops that arrived earlier and those withdrawn overnight, we now have approximately 3,500 men here! Tanks, artillery, machine guns, ammunition—and most importantly, morale—are all in ample supply!"

Dietrich seemed quite proud of this, and Logan understood why. In terms of equipment, the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler was practically beyond reproach. By Wehrmacht standards, Dietrich now commanded the equivalent of two-thirds of an armored battalion—including five Panzer IVs and 22 other armored vehicles; two nearly complete motorized infantry battalions—equipped with over 160 armored cars and military trucks; and a near-full-strength artillery battalion, comprising an infantry gun battery, a howitzer battery, an anti-aircraft battery, and an anti-tank battery, with over forty artillery pieces in total!

The circular defensive positions weren't fully completed yet, but that didn't matter. When Logan saw the four 88mm Flak guns, which looked somewhat crude but sturdy, his confidence soared. It was worth noting that a standard armored division was typically equipped with only 6 to 8 of these guns. The Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler had clearly benefited from the prestige of bearing the "Führer's" name. It was said that during parades, these heavy anti-aircraft guns, with their long barrels and towering mounts, created an imposing visual impact...

"These four guns might need to be repositioned."

When Logan said this, two of the 88mm Flak guns were positioned to the north of the town, their barrels aimed toward the English Channel. One was placed in the small square in front of the church, and the last was near Dietrich's command post. This arrangement was entirely for anti-aircraft purposes: the British Royal Air Force was already stretched thin providing air cover over Dunkirk. Would they really have the resources to spare for a visit to Wormhout?

"Oh?" If someone else had made this suggestion, Dietrich might have resisted. But for his savior and "angel," all conventions could be broken.

"Did you know these anti-aircraft guns are also excellent at taking out tanks?" Logan said with a hint of mystery.

"Really?" Dietrich looked genuinely puzzled.

Logan thought to himself: It seems communication between the Wehrmacht and the SS isn't very close. Rommel had used the 88mm guns to turn the tide of battle days ago, yet the SS was still in the dark.

"How about this? If you trust me, temporarily hand over command of these four guns to me. What do you say?"

"Sure! The Air Force dealing with the Air Force—seems like a good fit," Dietrich agreed readily. He called over his adjutant. "Notify Leutnant Friedrich that from now on, his 88mm Flak guns are under the command of Leutnant Hans Logan!"

"Temporary command!" Logan added emphatically.