INVASION PLAN.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 215, 10 September 1940, Page 6

INVASION PLAN.

LONG PREPARED. WILL IT BE TRIED ? NAZI TACTICS OUTLINED. The Xazi plan for the invasion of England, ready last September, was based on the assumption that Holland, Belgium and Fiance had been conquered, wrote Hans Schroder in the London "Sunday Dispatch" recently. He was described, as one who has worked in Germany in an organisation allied to the anti-Hitler "Black Front," and his article was said to have been pieced together from statements published in German military journals. Great concentrations of vessels were to be made at dozens of suitable points opposite the Britisn c«ast. These vessels range from Rhine collier barges, which carry the contents of 300 ten-ton railway wagons apiece, down to 600-ton Dutch motor coasters. Many of the barges can take 30 to 40 motor cars apiece, so they could carry large artillery and even 100-ton attack-tanks.

Although it was expected that the R.A.F. would attack some of these concentrations—as it has done—it was believed that others would escape notice and could be filled with artillery, tanks and munitions to be flung towards Britain one misty night. Glider Convoys. Meanwhile, concentrations of picked parachute troops, carrying light rations only—they expected to live on the country—were to be gathered at suitable airports opposite the British coast. Immediately the barges were on their way,, the men would be flown across in Junkers 52 troop-carriers (30 soldiers in full equipment), in Focke-Wulf 200's (35 men), and in the new six-engined Dorniers (45 men). In addition, these machines would each be pulling five or six gliders apiece, each glider carrying three soldiers. The gliders would be cut loose five or six miles from their objective in order to allow them to make a silent surprise approach. Each parachute trooper, in his greygreen waterproof overall, and steel helmet, has a rolled waterproof cape on his back, a haversack, a gas-mask, and a water-bottle; he wears binoculars, an automatic pistol, and high boots; in his hands he carried two grenades, which he later puts In special tunic pockets.

Machine-guns, tommy-guns, anti-tank rifles, and charges and detonators for demolition work would be dropped by separate parachutes and collected by the men when they landed. It is said that German parachute troops have worn foreign uniforms and have been disguised as women (the author goes 6n). I do not believe it; it would cause confusion among themselves, and their work does not need it. To Seize Aerodromes. Having landed, the technique of the parachute troops is to try to seize aerodromes, where further troop-carriers and other German machines can land. They also cut telephone-wires, blow up bridges, mine roads, and cut railways round the outside of a circle which experts have estimated they can hold until heavy assistance arrives. These parachute troops are helpless if they cannot obtain such assistance within 12 hours at most. However many are landed, they are few compared with their attackers. To hold out they must have artillery, "snarler" tanks, fighting aircraft, and all other necessary support. The Xazi generals expect that when they send parachutists to Britain they will get their heavy barges over the water simultaneously and land tanks at ports the parachutists have seized. The one thing they are afraid of is interference which prevents this contact between these forces. If the interference succeeds, then the invasion attempt is doomed. "Snarler" Tanks. "Snarler" tanks are the 100-ton monsters which smashed the French on the Meuse. They have 4in cannon, heavy machine guns and "dragon" flamethrowers supposed to generate a heat of over 3000 degvees Fahrenheit, and to throw flames 250 yards. Their armour is so heavy that ordinary light anti-tank puns are as useless against them as rifle bullets. When these tanks attacked the French the only guns that stopped them at all were the 75's. Britain must learn that lesson, and use light quickfiring field guns to stop the "snarlers." Ordinary anti-tank rifles and light anti-tank guns are useless. In addition to "snarlers," the Germans have quantities of very light four-ton tanks—scarcely more than powerful armoured cars, each armed with two light machine guns. These they hope to fly across and land on captured British aerodromes. The tanks are carried slung between the landing gear of the b£ Dorniers and Junkers. ° These aircraft are very slow—about 180 m.p.h.—and cannot manoeuvre. They would be easy targets for British fighters, and in the hope of preventing this they will be accompanied by clouds of Messerschmitts. Waves of Dive Bombers. If the Germans succeed in establishing a landing incessant waves of dive bombers will be sent to attack the rear of our forces, concentrating on smashing railway bridges, railways, airfields', roads, marshalling yards, tank concentrations and troops. As was shown in France, this attack is intensely violent; and after it has achieved some effect parachutists in

great nuirfbers are dropped in the bombed rear areas to complete the cut between the defending front line forces and their bases. The most detailed preparations are made to follow up the parachutists by "snarler" tanks, which smash through the defending front line, rush along roads and are followed through the gap they have made by armoured cars and motor cyclists. Meanwhile, four-inch motorised howitzers put up an intense barrage to widen the gap in the defending line. This barrage is intensified by the dive bombers, who now transfer their attention from the defending rear to its (as they hope) isolated front line. Swarms of large tanks rush about trying to destroy gun-nests and pillboxes, and separated bodies of defending troops. Then the main attacking force advances as fast as possible, caring nothing for its own communications, intent only on working round behind the defenders' rear. How to Break Attacks. There are various ways in which such attacks can be broken, and the Germans know them and fear them. The "snarler" tanks, formidable as they axe, constantly have to go slow or stop to negotiate corners on all but the widest roads. Defending troops should be posted at all corners. If, when the tank stops, they run close beside it—they cannot be hurt from the inside of the tank—they can throw bombs in through the ventilators.

Every road likely to be used by enemy tanks should be barricaded with stone walls or heavy obstacles every few hundred yards—on every corner, in fact. Mines placed under roads at sufllcient depth to be safe to ordinary traffic can be exploded by the weight of heavy tanks, or by remote electrical control. The big tanks have to keep to roads— they have no speed across countrv. When it was too late, the French found that ordinary aircraft bombs placed under roads were very highly effective tank traps. Concrete pillars built so close as just to allow a car to pass will stop a tank—the big tank is too wide to pass between them. The best of all tank traps, where it can be made, is a swampy area. Flooding, judiciously used, can make roads perilous and surrounding country boggy. Watered Petrol. Tanks are commonly preceded by German motor cyclists. A. chain waist-high across the road, guarded by a couple of snipers, is almost impassable for motor cyclist troops. Heaps of broken glass "just around the corner" are also effective. Another device the French found out too late was to leave petrol supplies in wayside pumps—with some water in the petrol. Weakened bridges and covered pits were also found useful. The German Army has been taught to believe infallibly in the support of its machines of air and land. If means can be devised to repel these machines—and this should not be impossible—the whole invasion plan will collapse.