I'm playing whack-a-mole in Siberia

Chapter 618 Drainage ditch

Churchill never expected that although the Ottoman Empire's house was dilapidated, the people living in it were poor and arrogant, so the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps was severely beaten by Ataturk.

In 1905, Ataturk graduated from the Khabai Staff College and began his military career with the rank of captain.

When the Balkan War broke out, Ataturk was the military attaché at the Ottoman Embassy in Bulgaria and was unable to participate in the war because he was stranded in Sofia.

After the Ottoman Empire entered the war, Ataturk served as the commander of the newly formed 19th Division in Mersin with the rank of colonel.

It should be noted that when the British troops landed, the formation of the division had not been completed. Not only were the soldiers not fully staffed, but the weapons and ammunition were also insufficient, and most of the soldiers had not yet started military training.

Under such circumstances, the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps was hit head-on by Ataturk, with not only 1500 people killed, but also more than 3000 officers and soldiers captured.
The greatest significance of this battle was that it provided Ataturk's troops with enough weapons.

Churchill was unwilling to accept defeat, and continued to mobilize troops to land in Mersin, and dispatched warships of the British Mediterranean Fleet to provide fire cover for the landing troops.

As reinforcements arrived, the Anzacs began to push inland, and then something terrible happened.

Ataturk had mastered the essence of guerrilla warfare. He did not engage in direct combat with the British army, but instead adopted harassment tactics, making the British army in a state of disarray.

Ataturk learned Kitchener's strategy in the Second Boer War and implemented the policy of clearing the countryside, denying the British army the opportunity to fight and support their war. At the same time, he sent troops to attack the British army's logistics supply lines and recruited a large number of local people into the army.

By the end of March, Ataturk's forces numbered more than 3.

Mehmed V was very pleased and promoted Ataturk's rank to major general and appointed him commander of the newly formed 7th Army.

At this time, Mehmed V had fled from the capital Ankara to the eastern town of Bilis. This was the second time the Ottoman Empire moved its capital within four years since the outbreak of the Balkan War.

While the British were being beaten at Mersin, the First East India Army was building fortifications.

The British still have strength. Sackville Carden opened the warehouse of the Mediterranean Fleet to Yuri, so Yuri got whatever he wanted.

The reason why Carden had such a big change was that he finally realized that it was better to give the equipment to the Russian army than to give it to the Ottomans through the hands of Indians.

The surrender of British troops to the Ottoman army at Kut was the largest surrender of British troops since the outbreak of the World War.

Before surrendering, Charles Townsend reported to London that he had run out of ammunition and food and was unable to continue fighting, so he had to surrender to the Austrian army.

After Townsend surrendered, the Austrian army announced the results of the battle, not only capturing 1.25 British troops in Kut, but also seizing a large number of weapons, ammunition and supplies.

What’s funny is that before Townsend surrendered, the British army also airdropped supplies to Kut.

The British Army’s airdrop technology was too poor, and the airdropped supplies either fell into the river or floated onto the Austrian positions.

But this also gave Townsend a reason to surrender.

The impact of Townsend's surrender was still very serious.

The weakness of the Ottoman Empire was fully exposed after the Balkan Wars and a series of attacks by Yankov. The title of "Sick Man of Europe" was indeed appropriate.

However, the British army surrendered to the Austrian army in Kuth, and even Falkenhayn began to doubt, could it be that the German army was not even as good as the Austrian army?

On the European battlefield, the German army failed to capture tens of thousands of British troops at one time.

However, this does not mean that the British Army in Europe is powerful, but because the main force of the Allies on the Western Front is the French Army, and the British Army is just a helper.

This was clearly demonstrated in the First Battle of Ypres.

Without the emergency rescue of the French army, the British army would not even be able to hold Ypres.

Next to the position of the 79st East India Army is the position of the British th Division, which was formed in India.

The two armies' positions were adjacent to each other, so Yuri's chief of staff Alexander went to take a look at the 79th Division's position.

After returning, Alexander reminded Yuri to strengthen the defense of the flank.

"The Indians don't seem to be very good at building positions. Their positions are only a trench half a meter deep, not even as good as our foxholes."

Alexander's expression is indescribable.

The Russian trenches were two meters deep, and soldiers could move freely in them. In order to prevent artillery fire, the trenches were extended in a "Z" shape. Even if shells fell into the trenches, they would only cause casualties to soldiers in a small section of the trenches. Alexander may have exaggerated, and the Indian trenches should be more than half a meter.

But it definitely does not meet the Russian army's trench standards.

Yuri didn't quite believe it, so he also went to inspect the 79th Division's position.

At the junction of the First Army and the 79th Division's positions, a group of Indian soldiers were gathered together, chatting and laughing, watching the soldiers of the First Army digging trenches.

The 2-meter-deep trench was a huge test of physical strength. Egypt in March was already quite hot, and the Japanese soldiers of the First Army were working hard. Some of them were left with only a loincloth.

It was this loincloth that caused the Indian soldiers to laugh wildly.

"Look at these idiots. There is no officer supervising them. Who are they doing this for?"

"Their clothes are ridiculous, their bodies are ridiculous, oh my god, are these Russians?"

"No, they are Japanese, slaves of the Russians—"

The Indian soldiers were talking about it.

Several British officers were watching the fun nearby and did not stop the Indian soldiers from discussing.

Yuri strode forward, but before he reached the Indian soldiers, the Indian soldiers dispersed.

Yes, this is Indian.

They would never take responsibility for their words and did not care about the consequences. Their only purpose was to disgust others and please themselves. It seemed that after mocking the Japanese, they would become noble British people like those officers.

"Hey, did you guys dig a drainage ditch?"

Yuri spoke in Russian, and several British officers looked at each other in confusion.

Alexander knows English and helps Yuri translate.

"We can't expect these dirty guys to know how to protect themselves. They are fighting in trenches like this anyway. Since they don't say anything, we naturally won't force them to work."

The highest-ranking major answered honestly that Yuri's rank was lieutenant general.

"Can such trenches withstand the impact of the Ottoman cavalry?"

Yuri was very angry. It’s okay if you want to die, but it would be unfair to drag down your friendly forces.

"Who knows, I hope God will bless us when the time comes."

The major's answer was irresponsible.

Yuri didn't waste time talking to the major and went directly to the headquarters of the 79th Division to find the division commander Charles.

Charles was not at headquarters but in Cairo.

Yuri returned disappointed.

As the war was approaching, the division commander, as the commander of the front-line troops, was not in the command center, but in Cairo, far away from the front line.

If Yuri hadn't just taken too many things from Kaden, he would have just wanted to leave here as quickly as possible to avoid being infected by the fool.

"Okay, now we need to build a semi-circular defense line along the Suez Canal. I hope we have enough time."

Yuri's only hope for the British and Indian troops was that when the Ottomans attacked, the Indians would not attack the positions of the First Army.

If the Indians panic and lose their way, I believe the Japanese soldiers will show no mercy.

Now under George, the Gao Ri Corps has the most tenacious fighting spirit, even more tenacious than the Cossacks.

(End of this chapter)