Chapter 169
< World War II - Versailles (1) >
February 6, 1941
North Africa, British Libya (former Italian colony) - Tripoli
Off the coast of Tripoli, occupied by the French Africa Corps, floated the massive Royal Navy battleships, the Nelson and the Rodney.
The two battleships, heavily damaged in a surprise attack by the French submarine fleet at Scapa Flow, seemed intent on avenging their absence from the main stage, simultaneously spewing fire from the three main turrets clustered on their bows.
“A-Aaargh!”
“Take cover!”
The barrage from nine 16-inch guns per ship, eighteen in total, shook the defense line the French Army had painstakingly established.
While the naval bombardment itself didn't cause massive casualties, it was more than enough to shatter the carefully constructed structures and break the morale of the second-rate French Africa Corps.