Colin Gee - Breakthrough

“Mr Speaker, I hold here a draft copy of an urgent military report from the European Front, due to be placed before the Prime Minister this afternoon.”

No-one bothered to ask where he had acquired it from.

“Mr Speaker, before I pass on the contents of this document, I am aware that the first of three meetings between the Honourable member for Mortimer and representatives of the Soviet Foreign Ministry and NKVD took place last Sunday at the private residence of Östen Undén, the Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs. Subsequent meetings took place on Monday lunchtime and Tuesday morning.”

Callard-Smith paused to permit the assembly to digest that information. More than one mind digested the introduction of the NKVD into the equation.

As the house descended into expectant silence, he played his part to the full.

The Colonel brandished the sheet of paper, high enough for all to see writing upon it, and for Attlee to imagine it as a headsman’s axe destined for use on him.

“Mr Speaker, this military report indicates that since Sunday evening, a disproportionate number of air raids and ground attacks have been made against our forces, causing heavy casualties amongst our Army and Air Force units.”

Pausing to theatrically consult one important section, Callard-Smith quoted to the assembly.

“If I may Mr Speaker, and I quote, ‘Soviet ground forces have commenced uncoordinated and hasty attacks on a wide front, adopting an offensive system and style not previously seen, and not conforming to any pattern previously identified during the Second War.”

He risked a look at the crestfallen Attlee and continued.

“Prisoners have been taken and talk only of urgent orders from command authorities to maintain attacks on British units, regardless of position or cost, just to maintain pressure at all times.”

A growing noise within the chamber gave him a moment’s pause, and he held his hand up to appeal for silence.

“Activities in American and other Allied sectors conform to previous expectations and doctrine, so this report concludes that British and Dominion forces are being deliberately targeted.”

He turned the report outwards, presenting the written word in Attlee’s direction, his spare hand addressing the paper, highlighting the phrase he loudly and precisely repeated.

“This report concludes that British and Dominion forces are being deliberately targeted.”

The noise returned, louder and more earnest in nature. Callard-brown concluded that the job was nearly done.

“Mr Speaker, the Prime Minister has acted alone and without the consent or agreement of the official organs of state, and in so doing has placed the lives of our fighting troops in extreme jeopardy!”

The headsman’s axe fell, swift and deadly.

“Mr Speaker, as a direct result of the Prime Minister’s ill-advised and unsanctioned mission to Sweden, the British and Dominion Army and Air Forces have suffered heinous losses in men and equipment. Far from, as he states, ‘ No harm being done ’, this country and her dominions have experienced losses that are directly associated with the Soviet perception of our weakness created by,” and Callard-Smith deliberately sought eye contact with the broken man opposite, “This lunacy!”

The hounds bayed, louder than before.

The beaten Attlee remained seated, suddenly a solitary figure, his Cabinet colleagues having moved away until he alone occupied the wooden front bench.

“Mr Speaker, this House must act now to ensure this betrayal is stopped and that our Allies are comforted and reassured as to our commitment to the shared cause of Freedom.”

He pressed on, talking over the shouts of agreement.

“This House must take the appropriate steps to ensure that such betrayal of our national cause never happens again.”

The shouting grew, almost screaming for what they all knew he was about to propose.

“Mr Speaker, we must also expunge ourselves of the cause of this problem and so, to that end, I propose an immediate vote of ‘no confidence’ in the Prime Minister and earnestly implore him to resign so that our Country may hold its head high again.”

The shouts of ‘Aye’ dominated the next few minutes, each individual word driving home into Attlee as his political career collapsed around him.

Even hard-line supporters of the Labour leader chanted ‘Out, Out, Out,’ and pointed at him with open malice, condemning him for their perception of his treachery.

The members of ‘Hastings’ remained seated, awaiting the final section of their orchestration, the finale which would set Great Britain back on course, and start the process of healing the wounds that Attlee had opened wide.

In the chamber, the voices bounced back and forth, words lost as echoes clashed head-on with echoes, producing an unintelligible cacophony.

Through the wall of sound, a single word emerged, lightly at first, beaten aside in precedence by the noisier neighbours of ‘ out’ and ‘ shame’ , but gradually gaining ground, until it burst forth into everyone’s consciousness and the whole chamber, including those watching from the balcony, were joined together as one.

“Winston, Winston, Winston…”

British politics is not renowned for its swiftness but on this day it was hit by an inexorable whirlwind of targeted activity, commencing with Attlee’s abject resignation, and completed by the forming of a ‘war-duration’ coalition government.

Winston Spencer-Churchill would not install himself in Downing Street until the following day, when the disgraced former incumbent left by the back door and the new Prime Minister could move in and start bringing his special energies to the battles ahead.

His first task was to address the peoples of Free Europe and Britain’s allies, and explain honestly what had happened, and what now lay ahead for all.

Fig #32 – European map with relevant locations.

Fig #33 – Yujiang River dispositions.

Fig #34 – Yujiang River ambush positions.

Fig #35 – Tostedt Land – The battlefield.

Fig #36 – Tostedt Land dispositions.

Fig #37 – Veeresbruck dispositions.

Fig #38 – Veeresbruck assault.

Fig #39 – Veeresbruck relevant locations.

Fig #40 – Hurlach – The battlefield.

Fig #41 – Battle of Hurlach.

Fig #42 – Battle of Nottensdorf – The battlefield.

Fig #43 – Battle of Nottensdorf – The dispositions.

Fig #44 – Battle of Notensdrof – Jork flanking attack.

Fig #45 – Battle of Nottensdorf – Relevant locations.

Fig #46 – Relief of Eggenthal.

Fig #47 – Relief of Eggenthal – The breakout.

Fig #48 – Relief of Stuttgart – The Legion attack.

Fig #49 – Relief of Stuttgart – The Soviet attack.

Fig #50 – Rear cover graphic.

71 Armee [assigned to US 12 Army Group.]

101 Korps

102 Korps.

116 Panzer Division. [101 Korps].

Panzer-Grenadiere Division ‘Germany’. [101 Korps].

3 Fallschirmjager Division. [101 Korps].

319 Infanterie Division. [102 korps].

346 Infanterie Division. [102 korps].

159 Infanterie Division. [102 korps].

509 Panzer Abteilung. [102 korps].

Panzer Brigaden ‘Europa’