Ryder Cup PBEM Archibald & JerseyJohn

[Archibald]

21 Jul 40

[ September 08, 2003, 03:34 PM: Message edited by: Archibald ]

[JerseyJohn]

Late July 1940

The Royal Air Force and several squadrons of the Roayal Navy has launched what can only be described as a massive air and sea attack upon the civilian population of Brest, France.

While destroying much of the city's industrial and harbor facilities, the bombs and shells also injured and killed untold thousands of innocent women and children. It has been noted by the International Red Cross that, as no German garrison had arrived the massive raids were actually cunducted upon an open city.

The German people are shocked at such flagrant disregard for Human Life. That the British Empire treats it's fallen Allies with such open contempt is utterly incredible.

Elsewhere, Free French Battle Cruiser Strassbourg was sunk by the Luftwaffe after shelling Brussels and killing numerous Belgian women and children.

Upon learning of the British atrocities, the Fuhrer shook his head in disbelief,

"It is terrible that some people can be so uncaring of human life."

[ August 31, 2003, 03:24 AM: Message edited by: JerseyJohn ]

[Archibald]

4 Aug 40

It pains the British Empire to be attacking French ports, but disabling them offers the best chance of delaying a German invasion. It will be some time before Brest is usable again, by which time Great Britain will be unassailable.

[JerseyJohn]

The first photographs are released of the aftermath of Britain's firestorm on the Open City of Brest. German troops occupy the city and French civilians cheer as anti-aircraft guns are set in place.

The Furhrer and Reichsmarshal take advantage of the lull to relax at Berchtesgaden.

[Archibald]

18 Aug 40

A quiet summer. The bombing of Brest and the might of the Royal Navy seem to have discouraged the Axis from invading.

[JerseyJohn]

Head of the Reich Diplomatic Service Joachim von Ribbentrop sends a message to the British Ambassador in Zurich through a special Swiss emissary.

"The German people and British people are both Nordic Kin and as such should not be at odds with one another. It is the natural order of the world that Germany should be it's greatest land power while Great Britain remains master of it's oceans.

"It is most desireable that our Nordic Peoples cease hostilities at once and work together toward our common goal for the betterment not only of ourselves, but also of those secondary races so in need of Nordic organization, as well as moral and intellectual guidance.

"We request that this message be passed on to the members of your Parliament and the representitives of your major newspapers. We know there are many in your nation who believe as we do, that the blood of Nordics should not be spilled against others of their own kind; especially in times when our mutual enemies breed unmolested and multiply like rodents! Germany seeks nothing but peace and fellowship with it's Aryan cousins on the British Isles."

[ September 04, 2003, 01:55 AM: Message edited by: JerseyJohn ]

[Archibald]

1 Sep 40

The British Empire would remind it's enemies that it is not in the habit of losing its wars.

[ December 21, 2003, 12:09 PM: Message edited by: Archibald ]

[JerseyJohn]

At a meeting with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi hierarchy, Deputy Fuhrer Rudolph Hess expresses his bewildered disappointment at British unresponsiveness to Germany's peace propossal.

"This is most odd, Adof, most odd. It is no doubt the work of that war mongering gangster Churchill. I know the English, they are sensible people, what concern of their's is it if Poland is independant or part of the Reich? That they should shed their blood over such a thing is totally absurd!

"Adolf, if only those behind the scenes, the Royalty and the others knew of our true vision --we must find a way to move past Churchill and make our propossal directily to the King and those closest to him. I will think of something, you have my word on it. I will find a way to bring all our people together!"

[ September 04, 2003, 01:07 AM: Message edited by: JerseyJohn ]

[Gaylord Focker]

Now this is a good thread!

[JerseyJohn]

Thank you Mr. Focker, Glad you like it.

[Archibald]

29 Sep 40

United as never before, Britain is bending everything to the great task of winning this war.

[kurt88]

Don't forget to tell us how the war is ACTUALLY going .

Anyway great reading and some very fine pictures!

Keep it up!

[JerseyJohn]

Thanks Kurt, glad you're enjoying it. The war is in an extremely secretive stage at the moment.

I can't reveal what I'm doing -- okay, I'm planning an invasion of Brazil and glad the cat's out of the bag because the strain of keeping it secret was killing me!

And I'm sure my esteemed adversary is also working on something, no doubt underhanded and devious and unethical, which is why it's vital The Reich wins this war, I mean, for the sake of Civilization! -- uh, more or less.

I'm sure there'll be plenty of action soon, when Archibald initiates something!

[ September 04, 2003, 06:53 PM: Message edited by: JerseyJohn ]

[JerseyJohn]

Upon securing the French surrender Hitler wastes no time in arranging for the capture of Gibraltar. He feels the newly triumphant Spanish dictator, General Francisco Franco, is heavily in debt to himself and Mussolini for his victory over the Royalists.

The Fuhrer sends an old friend of the Geralisimo's, Admiral Wilhelm Canaris, head of the Abwehr (Military Intelligence) to Madrid to pave the way for Spain's entry into the war.

At first Franco appears reluctant, but ready to officially join the Axis. Canaris, however, follows a strange path, convincing the Spainiard that not only will Germany be unable to protect his country from British attacks, but also that the loss of commerce would lead his being toppled by popular revolt! When Franco reconsiders, Canaris assures him that Germany is not in a position to invade Spain because it's armies and air fleets are being moved -- elsewhere.

Shortly afterward Hitler arrives along the Franco-Spanish border and meets with Franco in his private train, Amerika.

The meeting drags on for hours, Franco says little, preferring to speak through a more than slightly insulent intermediary. German officers present find themselves amazed at the abuse Hitler puts up with, some even anticipate him ordering the intermediary to be dragged out and shot! But nothing of the sort happens. The meeting ends without an agreement.

On the way back to Germany Hitler confides that he would rather have half his teeth pulled without anethstetic than deal again with the Spanish Dictator. It is, in fact, their first, and last, meeting.

Upon reaching Berlin, Hitler has a meeting with his General Staff.

"We must secure control of Gibraltar. With or without Spanish assistance. Control of those straights and the Iberian resources are of the utmotst importance to our effort."

And so it is that Operation Fickle Friend comes into existence.

[ September 04, 2003, 07:32 PM: Message edited by: JerseyJohn ]

[jon_j_rambo]

Sir Jersey --- Way to get rid of the French, sounds like you're on schedule. Continue your plan (whatever it is)!

AAR is better than the History Channel, nice pics.

[JerseyJohn]

General Rambo

Much Thanks, Appreciated and Honored -- Will Do!

From my end I'm thoroughly enjoying Archibald's pictures and comments, he's really in the Spirit of things. It's unfortunate he's such a skilled player, but I guess the good and bad have to be taken together.

[ September 04, 2003, 08:06 PM: Message edited by: JerseyJohn ]

[Archibald]

27 Oct 40

The Prime Minister reviews magnificently equipped and battle-ready British troops prior to their embarkation for Gibraltar.

[JerseyJohn]

Late Autumn 1940

Operation Die Walkuries

OKH, even while planning the drive on Spain, unleashes a powerful offensive in Scandinavia, where British troops supposedly bound for Gibraltar have instead been lurking off the Norwegian coast, near Bergen!

Taking advantage of overcast conditions, German heavy cruisers and destroyers move north to cover the landings of the 8th and 10th Armies to the southwest and southeast of Oslo.

Bombers of Luftflottes I and III, recently transferred from Holland and Belgium, fly sorties at the limits of their effective range, softening fortified targes for the advancing armies.

Though unopposed in the sky, German ground units run into unexpectedly determined resistance from the Norwegian Army and, though literally destroying the Oslo Garrison, are unable to occupy the virtually undefended capital city. Reinforcements are expected to be transferred from Bergen with British forces landing along the North Sea coastline.

Meanwhile, the Fuhrer and IL Duce meet in private to discuss the Spanish situation.

[Mussolini] "First you say, 'Benito, I got the French to surrender except you gotta pull outta Marsielles and Toulouse and Nice and all the other places you been having such a great time in!'

[Hitler] "There were almost no French troops defending any of them, Germany did ALL the fighting!"

[Mussolini] "Hey, it ain't my fault if my tigers scare'em and they run away!"

[Hitler] "They didn't run away from your clumsy, half-hearted, poorly trained and ill-equiped oafs, they were pulled north to defend Paris, which we were attacking at the time."

[Mussolini] "Yeah, sure, you forget I been doing this before you ever got started, okay? In other words, don't bull**** a bull****ter!

"Then I say, 'Dolfo, if we're giving it all back to the French, I say it ain't fair, but if it's gotta be like that, it's gotta be like that.' And I pull Tigers, Conquerers of France, Ethiopia and Albania, outta there."

[Hitler] "Albania was your protectorate, all you did was send troops to occupy the place, it was like raping your own wife!"

[Mussolini] "And now you say this Franco, he's no good and we gotta go take care of him, except you're busy in Norway. So who does that leave to take on this ungrateful Spanish mongrel with all his Italian Army surplus equipment that you talked me into giving him for free?"

[Hitler] "It leaves you to go there. But don't worry, if they're using surplus Italian Army equipment your men ought to have no problem, all they'll have to do is show themselves and wait for the Spaniards to shoot at them and die when their rifles blow up in their faces.!"

[Mussolini] "Oh yeah, well smarty, maybe that's why we give'em to him in the first place!"

[Hitler] "Are you saying your own troops have better equipment themselves?"

[Mussolini] "Dolfo, why're you always trying to put words in my mouth? Naturally my boys are using the same fourth rate crap I gave the Spaniards, only we don't have as many defectives!"

[Hitler] "Just tell me whether or not you'll invade Spain!"

[Mussolini] "An interesting question. Maybe yes and maybe no, I gotta see what else I got planned and then maybe I get back to you. I'm a pretty busy fella, you know.

"And let's say, just for argument sake, that I do what you want. So I go there and conquer the place and then you say, 'Eh, Benitto, nice going. Franco says he'll surrender but you gotta leave and give him back all the cities which you just conquered.' And wouldn't that be nice, always it's Italian blood, Italians doing all the fighting and you Germans getting all the credit, eh?"

[Hitler] "I have a better idea, maybe you should take a train to Madrid and spend a few days arguing with the Generalisimo. We could call it The Boor War! -- Last dictator standing wins."

[Mussolini] "Eh, that's not nice. Sometimes 'Dolfo, you are not such a pleasant person."

[Hitler] "Enough of this! Take your hat off, I want to get my pincers and measure your skull."

[Mussolini] "You done that yesterday. You said I was a Type One Primitive near Aryan. I don't like that thing, the points hurt my scalp."

[Hitler] "Stop being a child and sit down. -- There, -- that's it, sit nice and still. Ah, such a fine bald head, a good solid skull."

[Mussolini] "Be careful, okay, and not so hard."

[Hitler] "I knew it, I was wrong yesterday, it turns out you're a Mediteranean Primal Aryan, just like Julius Caesar. I'll bet his blood runs through your veins! Yes, your head has the dimensions of a true Ancient Roman God of War, Aryan Type One Mediteranean sub-humam--uh, Superman!"

[Mussolini] "You sure?"

[Hitler] "Of course I'm sure, this is Science!"

[Mussolini] "Okay, so I go over the Alps and Pyranies into Spain -- hey, what about Vichy, they gonna let me go through?"

[Hitler] "Ah yes, Vichy, I've been meaning to talk to you about that as well. Petain is getting older all the time, he's beginning to remind of my dear friend Hindenburg, I mean, just before he passed on. Anyway, I'm sure we can count on those Frenchmen. I'd take care of the matter myself excpt --"

[Mussolini] "Except you're busy in Norway."

[Hitler] "Yes Duce, truly are the modern Caesar, you understand all things military in an instant."

[Mussolini] "Yeah, sure, so what do I gotta do this time, eh?"

[Hitler] Nothing much, really. And Marsielles is on your way to Spain, all you'll need to do is . . .."

[ September 05, 2003, 02:41 AM: Message edited by: JerseyJohn ]

[Archibald]

24 Nov 40

Germany attacks Norway, but inexplicably fails to occupy Oslo. The surviving Norwegian corps moves from Bergen to Oslo, while a British corps lands in Bergen to take over the garrison there.

Well Prime Minister, as we surmised, they've gone for Norway.

Hmmph... Do you think they were taken in by my reviewing troops said to be bound for Gibraltar CIGS?.

No Prime Minister, not for a second...

Hmmph...

[JerseyJohn]

December 1940

Despite the landing of additional forces and repeated attacks from the air, Oslo continues to hold out, despite the total destruction of the newly arrived Bergen garrison.

Fourteenth Army commander, Generaloberst List (seen below with wounded Norwegian prisoners [in uniforms similar to those worn by the Soviets!]), also serving as general in chief for the attack against Oslo, has sent word back to Germany that, despite the unexpectedly mild -- almost Springtime -- weather, his failure to capture the city on schedule can be attributed entirely to stubborn Norwegian resistance.

"The enemy fought to the last; their losses have been extremely high, in excess of 100,000 casualties, including 30,000 captured, against which our own losses have been marginal. The city will be occupied shortly and their King made to surrender. Our reconaisance reports the outer defenses occupied by a few thousand troops who have been forced to leave entire sectors unoccupied. They will be brushed aside without difficulty after the the attacking elements are resupplied for the final assault.

CinC, Norway,

List."

Information Minister Goebbels, in a radio address to the Reich, cited the tanacious Norwegians, suffering their own Gotterdammerung as being ". . .worthy, though misguided, Aryans. A fine addition to the New Order of the Reich!"

In an unprecedent move, the Fuhrer has promoted a number of generals and an admiral to the highest German military ranks.

Newly appointed to the rank of Fieldmarshal are Gert von Rundstedt, Fedor von Bock, Ritter von Leeb and Wilhelm Keitel of the Army. Also promoted to the rank of Fieldmarshal are Gerhard Milch and Albert Kesselring of the Air Force. Carl Doenitz has been promoted to GrossAdmiral, joining Erich Raeder as Germany's highest ranking naval officers.

At a staff meeting Generalautnant Jodl advises that the delays at Oslo have given the British an opportunity to land in force at Bergen. The Fuhrer smiled and said, "That is good, let them land entire armies, it will mean all the fewer for us to deal with later, when we land in Britain."

[ September 05, 2003, 05:36 PM: Message edited by: JerseyJohn ]

[Archibald]

5 Jan 41

With the Norwegian Army having fought to the death, King Haakon VII and the country's gold reserves have been removed to safety in London. Oslo has been declared an open city and awaits the Nazis.

Bergen however remains in allied hands. Norway fights on!

[ September 08, 2003, 07:39 PM: Message edited by: Archibald ]

[JerseyJohn]

Norway Surrenders

German troops have taken possession of Oslo, the Norwegian capital city, and have moved north to deal with the British troops in, and no doubt around, Bergen.

Elsewhere, two of the Luftwaffe's air fleets have conducted raids on London and are said to have encountered no resistance from the Royal Air Force!

It is thought the British have moved their air fleets to Scotland for strikes against Norway similar to their actions against Brest, leading German aircraft designers to conclude the British have also achieved breakthroughs in Long Range technology.

[Archibald]

2 Mar 41

Despite the attentions of two luftflotten, the London garrison stood firm and took no damage.

Elswehere, His Majesty's Government were sad to learn that Rumania, our gallant ally in the last war with Germany, has joined the Axis. they have made a mistake they will come to rue.

[JerseyJohn]

Even as German armies move slowly across the rough Norwegian mountain terrain, four Luftflottes strike a nearly defenseless city of London, reporting only light losses from anti-aircraft fire.

The High Command wonders what has become of the formidable Royal Air Force that only a few months earlier bombed Brest into piles of rubble and scorched cadavers.

In other news, Bulgaria enters the Axis, along with Romania and Hungary. It only remains for Yugoslavia to line up behind Germany's program of Balkan friendship.

Soviet Foreign Minister Molotov arrives in Berlin to discuss several issues that have been creating difficulties in German-Soviet relations.

[ September 05, 2003, 08:34 PM: Message edited by: JerseyJohn ]

[Archibald]

30 Mar 41

Despite the attentions of four luftflotten, the corps garrisoning London lost only two strength points while two of the luftflotten took damage. British air defence seems to be proving it's worth.

Meanwhile in Norway, German ground units draw closer to Bergen.

The Italian submarine fleet has withdrawn out of range of the French air in Malta.

Elsewhere, all is quiet. The Soviet bear is beginning to stir though - USSR readiness is now at 65% and climbing.