Chapter 37 Almost caused a mutiny
Major Browne has been a little depressed these days. He and his third battalion have been unable to move on the north bank of the Marne River since they defeated the German army.
Of the twelve tanks, five were destroyed in the battle, most of them by their own artillery fire, but this is not important, the important thing is that they won.
Six of the remaining seven tanks were out of order, and only one tank was operational, but it was not certain how long it would be operational.
When Major General Gard led his troops to pursue the German army, he gave Major Browne an order: "Fix them, and then follow them as quickly as possible!"
Major Browne couldn't help but cursed in his heart: This idiot!
We are soldiers, not engineers. You want us to fix them?
In addition, the top speed of this thing is only 15 kilometers per hour, top speed!
If it is driven at the highest speed, it may break down once every half an hour. Normally, it can only move at a speed of about 8 kilometers per hour, and it must be maintained every hour.
We know that ordinary people walk at a speed of 3 to 6 kilometers per hour. You want us to drive a thing like this to keep up?
But Major Browne could only respond "yes" and then work hard to complete the order.
The actual situation was worse than Major Browne imagined. Browne went to the tractor factory several times hoping for help with repairs, but the answers he received were:
"Major, I think you should wait for the new tanks, we are in full production!"
"Those tanks are probably no longer usable. They are full of bullet holes and their engines have been damaged or burned. Repairing it may be more difficult than building a new one!"
…
Major Browne admits they have a point, but when will there be new tanks?
The answer was:
"We are waiting for government funds. We will start production as soon as the funds are available!"
Major Browne immediately realized that he had to wait. There was a complicated process for government funding, and even if it was a war, it was impossible to get the tank right away.
Sure enough, after waiting for three days, there was still no clue.
Major General Gard on the other side kept sending communications troops back to urge:
"Where are our tanks? Haven't they been repaired yet? They're just tractors!"
"Where are you? Follow us with your tanks!"
"God, as long as the tanks come up, we can easily break through the defense line, but we have suffered thousands of casualties!"
…
These are not exaggerations.
The German army had excellent military quality. Even though they had lost the war, they quickly reorganized and retreated while fighting. They divided into several groups and retreated rhythmically while covering each other.
Instead, it was the French army that was pursuing them. They were like a group of children chasing a kite, scrambling to pursue the enemy, but they fell into the traps set by the Germans again and again and suffered heavy casualties.
However, what can Major Browne do?
He couldn't build a bunch of tanks and carry them to the front line, could he?
"It would be great if Matthew was here!" someone said: "That guy can not only drive a tank, he is also an expert at repairing tanks!"
"I wonder how Matthew is doing?"
"He was amputated and lost his right leg. I went to see him yesterday! He was well taken care of and recovering well!" Yves replied.
Matthew was a comrade in his crew, and Yves took the time to pay a visit to the field hospital.
"This is a strange news!" Major Browne was quite surprised by Ive's words: "As far as I know, field hospitals are not a place that takes care of people!"
As a French officer, Major Browne certainly knew what the field hospital was like. People who were carried into that place rarely came out alive, even with minor injuries.
"Our field hospital is different, Major!" Ive rested on a rock with a machine gun on his back. He said in a lazy tone, "Our field hospital has Master Charles!"
"What do you mean?" Major Browne looked at Ive in confusion, and others also cast puzzled glances at Ive.
"Haven't you heard?" Yves, who had half-squinted his eyes, opened his eyes. He looked at the people around him with a surprised look on his face: "Master Charles used his own money to replenish supplies and manpower for the field hospital. This This makes our fifth field hospital undoubtedly the field hospital with the best conditions and the highest survival rate. This matter has been spread throughout the army. I thought you knew..."
Major Browne and the soldiers were all stunned. After a while, some of them were moved and nodded slightly, while others made the sign of the cross on their chests:
"A noble man, he is a true hero!"
"God bless him, if all French capitalists are like him, this country will be saved!"
"I feel more relieved after hearing this. At least I know that if I get injured, I will be well taken care of instead of being left to die!"
…
For a soldier, the most desolate thing is not dying at the hands of the enemy on the battlefield, but being abandoned by one's own people in a field hospital, and then watching one's life disappear bit by bit in despair but being helpless.
Major Browne complained in a muffled voice: "If he cares so much, he should give us tanks as soon as possible! This can reduce the casualties of the troops!"
"Major!" Yves said with anger in his tone, "Didn't you hear that Francis deprived Master Charles of his management rights over the tractor factory?"
"What?" Major Browne stood up in shock: "They didn't tell me this..."
"Of course they won't tell me!" Yves explained, "They found that they could make money by converting tractors into tanks, and of course they didn't want to give up this opportunity to make a fortune. Master Charles was thrown aside. I heard that they gave him a useless motorcycle factory in exchange. Of course, this was not what Master Charles wanted!"
The soldiers were instantly indignant:
"These capitalists are a disgrace to France. They are beasts who only care about money!"
"And we are fighting for these beasts and working for them!"
"How can they treat Master Charles like this!"
...
There were still a few people who stood up and left with their rifles on their backs.
Brownie stopped them in a hurry: "Where are you going?"
"We're going to kill those guys and help Master Charles take back the tractor factory. Everything should belong to Master Charles!"
The soldiers responded one after another when they heard this:
"I'll go too!"
"Count me in!"
...
"No, no! Listen to me!" Major Brownie tried to calm the soldiers down: "We don't know anything. Let me talk to Charles first. Maybe it's not the case!"
The soldiers thought it made sense and said one after another:
"Okay, Major! Say hello to Master Charles on our behalf!"
"If someone bullies him, let him tell us. We won't let those guys go!"
"Yes, we're not easy to mess with!"
...
Major Brownie was secretly shocked: God, that guy Charles, just a little rumor about him almost triggered a mutiny!
