Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Chapter 696 The Dunkirk Evacuation (4): Successful Airlift on the First Night

A formation of 53 seaplanes climbed into the night sky, their navigation lights forming a flowing galaxy as they flew toward Ramsgate.

Inside the cabin, the soldiers finally relaxed. Some leaned against the bulkhead and closed their eyes to rest, some took out crumpled photos from their pockets and examined them closely by the light of the cabin's carbide lamp, and others talked in hushed tones, their words filled with longing for their hometown.

Fang Wen piloted the lead aircraft, his mechanical perception ability constantly covering the entire fleet.

He could clearly perceive the engine status of each aircraft, as well as changes in the airflow in the surrounding airspace.

Meanwhile, his thoughts were still racing. A 20-minute boarding time was far too long. At this rate, a round trip would probably take more than an hour, making it impossible to achieve the goal of 10 flights per night. He had to find a way to optimize the process.

The key lies in the coordination of those soldiers.

At 9 p.m., the aircraft successfully arrived in the waters of Ramsgate port.

Fang Wen directed the various formations to land in batches. With previous experience, the landing process was exceptionally smooth, and all the aircraft came to a safe stop at the dock in just 10 minutes.

The moment the cabin door opened, the soldiers eagerly squeezed out. Although it was still crowded, it was much more orderly than the chaos when boarding.

The British soldiers responsible for receiving them were already waiting at the dock, guiding them to the temporary assembly point and unloading the weapons from the plane.

There was hot soup and bread at the assembly point. The tired soldiers lined up with aluminum boxes to fill with food and ate heartily. The warm food dispelled some of the chill.

Fang Wen got off the plane and went straight to the air force dispatch officer.

The officer's face lit up with delight. "Mr. Fang, the first batch of transfers went very smoothly!"

"It went smoothly, but the efficiency was too low." Fang Wen bluntly stated, "I specifically timed it. It took 20 minutes for 500 soldiers to board the plane, and it is estimated that it will take another 10 minutes to disembark. Adding the 30 minutes for the round trip flight, a single trip will take at least 60 minutes. During this time, we also need to refuel and perform maintenance, which far exceeds your estimated 40 minutes. At this rate, the goal of 10 sorties per night simply cannot be achieved."

The officer's smile froze for a moment, then he frowned: "Indeed, the soldiers at the front were eager to evacuate and were quite agitated, which caused the boarding chaos. We will find a way to improve the situation as soon as possible."

“I have a suggestion,” Fang Wen said. “Next time we transport them, have your military police divide the soldiers into 53 squads of 50 men each on the beach beforehand, each squad corresponding to one of our planes. This way, the soldiers won’t be confused when boarding, saving a lot of time. Also, have the soldiers go into the water beforehand so they can get on the planes as soon as they land, which will also save time. In addition, could their weapons be transported back by boat instead of being carried on board, which would also speed up the boarding process?”

The officer nodded: "The evacuation operation will now be handled by the command in Dover. I will report to the command immediately. Your next shipment will be suspended."

After saying that, the dispatching officer ran to the temporary dispatch room to send a telegram.

Fang Wenze ordered the pilots of each aircraft to wait.

A dozen minutes later, the dispatching officer ran back.

"Arrangements have been made in Dunkirk; you can depart now."

Immediately afterwards, the seaplane formation took off again.

At 9:30 p.m., a group of seaplanes landed in the waters near Dunkirk.

On the beach at the landing point, 500 soldiers had already gone into the water. After the plane landed, they waded across in groups of 50.

The planes in front of them all had their navigation lights on. Each team would choose a navigation light as their direction, and if they collided with each other's lights, they would go to an empty plane next to them.

Because the regulations stipulated that the 50-person formation could not be broken up and all of them had to board the plane before they could leave, they all paid attention to each other and even walked hand in hand.

From wading through water to boarding the plane, the process was much faster than before.

Fang Wen calculated the boarding time: 11 minutes.

If the landing time is kept to 5 minutes, the round trip time can be reduced to 50 minutes.

At this speed, 10 round trips can be completed before dawn.

At this moment, the radar detection device, which was in operation, suddenly lit up with a red light, accompanied by a warning sound.

Fang Wen's heart tightened, and he used his special ability to connect to the radar target acquisition device.

He discovered that the aircraft was responding from a location 300 kilometers inside Germany.

It was a German nighttime air raid!

Judging from the strength and shape of the reflected waves, there were 12 bombers and 8 escorting Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters.

Compared to daytime air raids, nighttime air raids were much smaller in scale.

Based on the speed of movement indicated by radar, it is estimated that it will arrive in Dunkirk in 40 minutes, which is when the next airlift will begin.

He picked up the microphone, asked the pilot to report the situation, and after confirming that everyone was on board, ordered the cabin door to be closed and the plane to take off.

The plane landed in Ramsgate fifteen minutes later. As soon as the plane docked, the pilot quickly squeezed out of the crowded cabin to open the door.

"Go, go, go."

Urged on, the soldiers hurriedly disembarked, and it took 6 minutes for all the planes to be disembarked.

Fang Wen nodded. With this increased efficiency, making 10 round trips a night was no problem.

But we can't go on the third trip right away, because Dunkirk is being bombed.

He instructed the pilots to take a short break and to replenish their aviation fuel.

Just then, the dispatching officer rushed over.

"Mr. Fang, you must suspend your flight. Dunkirk is about to be attacked by air. Please wait until the air attack is over before departing."

Fang Wen nodded in agreement.

At 10 p.m., the piercing sound of air raid sirens echoed throughout Dunkirk.

The soldiers who were wading towards the transport ship suddenly stopped and looked up at the sky.

More than ten German Ju 88 bombers were rapidly approaching, skimming the clouds, with their bomb bay doors under the wings already open.

"Anti-aircraft guns, prepare! Free fire!" As soon as the commander's shout fell from the anti-aircraft gun positions on the beach defense line, the coalition's anti-aircraft fire, which had been ready for action, suddenly opened fire.

More than twenty Bofors 40mm anti-aircraft guns opened fire first, their orange muzzle flashes appearing one after another in the twilight, and dense shells weaving a shimmering net of fire in the night sky; further away, French 75mm anti-aircraft guns also joined the battle, the heavy cannon fire shaking the ground slightly, and shells trailing white contrails whistling into the sky, exploding into clouds of gray smoke near the bomber group.

Flashes of light burst open in the sky, revealing the outlines of airplanes high above.

The anti-aircraft positions intensified their firepower, continuously firing into the sky above. Even blind firing could create miracles.

A 75mm anti-aircraft gun accurately hit the left wing of a Ju 88. The bomber's engine instantly spewed out thick black smoke, and it wobbled and fell like a kite with a broken string, finally crashing into the sea and creating a huge splash before sinking into the ocean, leaving only ripples and floating oil slicks.

However, more German bombers successfully breached the anti-aircraft defenses, unleashing bombs on the beaches and harbor area. An incendiary bomb landed on the dock where supplies were piled up, instantly igniting a raging fire that illuminated everything around it in a fiery red glow, exposing the soldiers on the beach to the Germans' view. Another high-explosive bomb struck near the anti-aircraft positions, blowing off the mount of an anti-aircraft gun and burying several gunners under rubble, significantly weakening the position's firepower.

German bombers continued their dives and bombing runs, soon targeting transport ships. Bombs whistled down, crashing into the sea and onto the vessels with sharp, piercing sounds.

A British transport ship full of soldiers was hit directly on the starboard side. The thick steel plates were torn apart like paper, and scalding steam mixed with seawater gushed out. The soldiers on board screamed in agony. Some were thrown into the sea by the shock wave of the explosion, while others frantically searched for cover on the tilting deck.

Chaos erupted on the sea. Several small barges attempted to speed away from the danger zone, but were hit by subsequent bombs. The bow of one barge was destroyed, and the hull quickly took on water and began to sink.

The soldiers in the water swam desperately toward the surrounding boats, some clinging tightly to the edges of the gunwales, others holding onto floating wooden crates.

More soldiers who had not yet boarded the ship fled in panic to the beach.

The German night bombing did not last long before they returned to base.

Air transport from Taishan was carried out again.

The subsequent round trips were not affected by German air raids and proceeded at an average rate of one round trip every 50 minutes.

At midnight, the fifth round trip was completed. After a 20-minute rest, the second shift of pilots took over.

The next five trips, starting at 0:20 and continuing until 5:00 AM, were finally completed.

As dawn broke, the seaplane landed at the Ramsgate port.

The last batch of soldiers airlifted that night disembarked from the plane and left the dock with the reception staff.

Fang Wen then got off the plane and gathered all the pilots of the second shift: "You've been busy all night, go and rest. We'll have a meeting during lunchtime."

The pilots looked tired and went together to their rooms at the port to rest.

Gong Xiu came over and said with concern, "Commander, you should go to sleep too. Staying up all night flying like this every night must be exhausting."

Fang Wen stretched and said, "Okay, I'm going to take a nap too. Wake me up if anything happens."

He went to his room, closed the door, and turned off the lights.

Gong Xiuneng sat in meditation outside the door, keeping watch.

5 month 23 day.

Although the secret involvement of Taishan Air Force last night evacuated more than 25000 soldiers, and with the addition of ships, more than 30,000 British troops have returned to the British mainland.

But there were still more than 30 troops in Dunkirk.

This includes British, French, Dutch, and Belgian troops.

The situation remains urgent for them.

German armored forces bypassed Calais and approached Dunkirk.

Guderian's 1st Panzer Division reached Gravoline, 10 kilometers west of Dunkirk, a distance from which the port could be directly covered by long-range artillery.
Rommel's 7th Panzer Division captured Saint-Omer, cutting off the Allied forces' escape route to the south.

More than 30 troops were completely surrounded in the relatively small area of ​​Dunkirk!
The German artillery fire, coupled with the news brought back by the defeated soldiers, threw the Dunkirk army into further chaos.

In particular, when it was discovered that the British expeditionary force was beginning to mass on the beach, some French troops mutinied.

The mutiny was quickly quelled, and all available French naval vessels, including destroyers and minesweepers, stationed in the port of Dunkirk, joined the transport.

At the same time, all British warships were deployed to block the German navy from leaving port and to defend the strait.

One after another, the requisitioned ships headed to Dunkirk, but due to overcrowding, they were unable to dock, causing a blockage.

Subsequently, German air raids caused huge damage to the transport ships, forcing them to temporarily leave the waters near Dunkirk.

At noon.

Fang Wen had lunch with the pilots.

Lunch consisted of ready-to-eat military rations, plus a large pot of stewed beef and potatoes until tender. This combination was actually quite popular with the pilots.

After the main meal, the British-supplied cooks placed apples and hot milk in front of the pilots.

Fang Wen picked up an apple, took a bite, and said, "Last night's operation was perfect. Now, let me tell you about the current situation in Europe."

The pilots all looked at Fang Wen; they hadn't actually known what the situation was like since they arrived in Europe.

Fang Wen swallowed the apple in his mouth and continued, "Right now, in Europe, Germany is launching an attack on France. France's defenses have been breached by Germany, and they have achieved a counter-encirclement through the high mobility of their mechanized forces. The place we flew to last night has gathered more than 30 British, French, Belgian, and Dutch troops. If they are annihilated, Britain will not have enough troops to fight Germany, and the whole of Europe will fall into the hands of the Germans."

The pilots immediately started discussing this.

One pilot asked, "Are the Germans that powerful? It seems we have a good relationship with Germany; the National Revolutionary Army even has German-equipped divisions. General Manager, do you think the Germans will help us?"

Fang Wen shook his head: "I'm afraid not. Germany, Japan, and Italy are in cahoots."

"Why are they in cahoots?"

"They had a secret cooperation agreement with each other. Germany expanded in Europe, Italy in Africa, and Japan in Asia. Now, in Europe, they are called the Axis Powers."

Now everyone understands.

One pilot angrily remarked, "They want to divide up the world, don't they? My China was once so powerful; I wonder if we can ever be powerful again, so we won't be bullied!"

Fang Wen said with a serious expression, "We will definitely rise again. I assure you all that among the ancient civilizations in this world, only our Chinese civilization still exists. All other ancient civilizations have withered away. Our civilization has a strong self-sustaining function. As long as we overcome this calamity, we will definitely become strong again."

He stood up and raised the milk: "Let's use milk instead of alcohol and pray together for the future of China."

The pilots also stood up and drank with them.

The lunch and meeting concluded, and the pilots proceeded to the port for aircraft maintenance.

Fang Wen was about to go over when he ran into a dispatching officer who was walking briskly towards him.

"Mr. Fang, I have important information to tell you. The situation in Dunkirk is critical; the Germans have completely surrounded the area. The Dover command wants you to increase the number of round-trip flights."

Fang Wen shook his head and refused: "Ten round trips a day is already the limit. This limit is not only the upper limit of our pilots' mental and physical strength, but also the upper limit of the aircraft. If it is increased further, the probability of accidents will increase greatly. Once that happens, our transportation efficiency will actually decrease."

The officer nodded: "I understand. I will report what you said to the Dover command."

As the officer left, Fang Wen wondered why the German army, which had already trapped more than 30 Allied troops, had allowed the Dunkirk evacuation to succeed.
If these troops had not retreated to Britain, the course of World War II would likely have been very different.

(End of this chapter)