Chapter 601: Basic Knowledge of Air Warfare
The British acted swiftly. Normally, it would take five or six hours to travel the roughly 200 kilometers from Dunkirk to Namur by train. When factoring in loading time, the trip usually required at least seven or eight hours.
However, the first batch of supplies arrived at Namur's airfield in just four hours.
This achievement belonged to Kitchener, who was now in an untenable position.
The request for air support wasn't Lieutenant General Avis's idea—it had come directly from Kitchener himself, the proud marshal of the British Empire. Yet, unwilling to humble himself openly, he had used Avis to communicate with Charles instead.
Kitchener had already canceled his scheduled visit to the Somme.
Compared to the catastrophe at Antwerp, the stalemate on the Somme seemed trivial.
Kitchener recalled one key detail: Charles had already created two legendary victories at Antwerp.
The first occurred when Charles single-handedly entered Antwerp and took command of the nearly defeated Belgian forces, securing an astounding victory against the Germans.
The second was when Charles led the French 1st Armored Army, capturing Antwerp in a single day and establishing the defensive line that became internationally renowned—a textbook example studied in every military academy.
Yet now, shortly after British forces had arrogantly pushed Charles's units out of Antwerp under the pretense of "separate defensive sectors," they immediately suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of the Germans.
How could Kitchener face King Albert I after this disaster?
How would the British army face the Belgian and French armies?
What would colonial forces think of the British now?
"No, this can't continue!" Kitchener gave a stern order: "Tell Lieutenant General Avis that Antwerp must be held at all costs!"
But simply issuing an order wasn't enough.
Unlike Haig, Kitchener understood the importance of new weapons like airplanes and tanks. To turn the tide, he knew regaining air superiority was crucial—or at least preventing the Germans from fully controlling the skies.
Therefore, after Charles agreed to help, Kitchener immediately exercised his authority as British Secretary of War, commandeering railways and prioritizing shipments. This allowed the first batch of supplies to arrive in Namur in record time.
…
Charles glanced at the supply list, which primarily consisted of aviation fuel and machine-gun ammunition, plus some food.
Clearly, the British intended to prepare Charles's air forces for battle.
However, Charles wasn't about to make things easy for them. Winning the aerial battle and allowing the British to claim credit? That wouldn't happen.
After a moment's hesitation, Charles sent a telegram back to Avis, patiently explaining some basic principles of aerial warfare:
"Supplies have been received. Many thanks, Lieutenant General Avis.
However, it appears you've sent them to the wrong location. In aerial combat, proximity is essential.
For instance, when reinforcing Antwerp, the best airbase would be Brussels, not Namur.
Departing from Namur adds roughly 50 kilometers to the distance, meaning an additional 100 kilometers round trip, which significantly impacts air combat capabilities."
An extra 100 kilometers would be insignificant for modern aircraft but was critical for the slow planes of World War I.
Charles's Camel aircraft had a maximum speed of around 190 kilometers per hour, with cruising speeds averaging about 100 kilometers per hour, and a maximum operational range of roughly 485 kilometers.
This meant pilots would waste an extra hour traveling to and from combat zones, severely limiting fuel efficiency, pilot stamina, and sortie rates.
In the end, Charles concluded: "Thus, the best solution is to send supplies directly to Brussels. I'll relocate my aircraft to Brussels and operate from there!"
Lieutenant General Avis, upon hearing Charles's explanation, responded with frustration: "Why didn't you say this earlier? We could've sent the supplies directly to Brussels!"
Charles calmly replied, "My apologies, Lieutenant General. You never asked. I assumed you already knew these basic principles of aerial warfare."
When the message reached Kitchener, he nearly fainted from anger: "That bastard—he's clearly doing this on purpose!"
Avis belonged to Haig's faction, disdainful of new technologies like aircraft, and thus had no idea about these fundamentals of air warfare.
Kitchener, despite being War Secretary, had never directly commanded air operations, leaving him equally uninformed.
And now Charles dared call this "basic knowledge." It was a ruthless insult!
But there was no choice. Charles held the air forces, and neither protests nor reprimands could change the situation.
Thus, Kitchener grudgingly dispatched additional supplies, this time sending two full trainloads directly to Brussels. However, the delay consumed the entire day.
Then Charles calmly reminded them of another basic rule of aerial warfare: "Apologies, General, but aircraft can't conduct night operations."
…
That day, British forces around Antwerp suffered terribly.
Their defensive line had collapsed completely. The Germans pursued them mercilessly, inflicting heavy casualties—over 10,000 killed or wounded, with 20,000 captured and vast amounts of supplies lost.
Ultimately, it was the Belgian fortress line at Antwerp that saved the fleeing British.
The Germans intended to pursue the British directly into Antwerp, but Belgian forces, under the command of Major General Eden, decisively opened fire.
Shell after shell from fortress artillery landed indiscriminately near the front lines.
The line was unclear: British and German troops were intermingled, but the Belgians didn't hesitate. Artillery shells exploded everywhere, throwing men high into the air. Soldiers from both sides were hurled skyward and smashed into pieces.
However, due to limited fortress artillery, comprehensive coverage was impossible. Several German tanks still advanced toward the fortress line.
At the critical moment, the Saint-Chamond self-propelled artillery emerged, aiming directly at the advancing German LK1 tanks. After brief adjustments, they fired shells from their 75mm guns, easily penetrating the LK1's thin 14mm front armor. One after another, German tanks caught fire or billowed smoke, halting their assault.
Colonel Erwin, observing the battle from a German EV4 armored car, immediately ordered his troops, "Stop the assault. Execute Plan B!"
"Yes, Colonel!" the orders were quickly relayed.
From the outset, Erwin had been wary of Charles's meticulously constructed fortress defenses. Recognizing a failed frontal assault, he swiftly changed tactics.
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 30 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Franklin1