.

The influence of bad weather, 32 bomber brigades were dispatched. After arriving in Mumbai, they were forced to take the bomb back. The British army took advantage of this opportunity to organize the officers and soldiers to retreat. Due to the serious damage to the port, the beach was becoming more and more powerful. The officers and soldiers were in groups of 50 people. Lead by B and a sailor, they went down from the beach in groups, wade through the gradually deepening sea water, boarded a small boat, and then took a small boat to a large ship far from the coast, and retreated to the Middle East.

In the afternoon, the Chinese army continued to fly 30 to 50 air strikes;>|Air raids attempted to interfere with the British retreat. However, the British army soon discovered that the Chinese army's air strikes were almost no damage. Most of the bombs fell into the sea and open areas. Even if a few bombs exploded near the soldiers' gathering place, the soft beach could absorb most of the energy of the explosion. Even if the explosion was shaking around, it would only shake and splash with mud and sand on the face. Seeing this, the soldiers waiting to retreat walked out of the hidden place. Some played football and cricket on the beach, some took a bath in the sea, and some even leisurely played sand sculptures, as if they didn't care about the death close at hand. These veterans who had passed the test of war in New Delhi would not be frowning because of this threat. If the new recruits were different, they would definitely be scared by these mighty shells and would be exhausted in the end.

After nightfall, thousands of fireflies seemed to be flying in the night sky on the beach, which were thousands of soldiers waiting to retreat. The cigarette butts flashed brightly and secretly, forming a spectacular scene! 528, 17,804 evacuated. There were 10,000 more people than the previous day, because civilian ships began to arrive one after another half a month ago and played a role. These ships were of different good fortune, including large fast luxury cruise ships that won the Blue Ribbon Award, as well as fishing boats that fished tuna in the North Sea. After passing through the Strait of Gibraltar, they miraculously arrived in Mumbai. But they paid

The price was obvious. All the decorations of the luxury cruise ships were gone, including famous murals, magnificent fireplaces, thick and soft Arab blankets, all were thrown into the ocean, and fishing boats threw all the tunas to the sea. Because they knew that in the war years, these things would not bring victory. And saving one more British soldier would have more guarantees that these British soldiers were the seeds of the war of resistance in the future, unlike China and Russia, which were rich in manpower. The British army had not had a large population, and 700,000 had already accounted for 1/3 of the total British army's strength, and it was unsuccessful.

On the 529th, the British army learned from three days of experience and took many measures to speed up the boarding speed, especially in the East Dike. In order to overcome the tide difference of 45 meters high, all boards, wooden beams, and even wooden posts of the goal were used as temporary springboards. The British army also sank trucks one by one on the beach as a temporary trestle to extend into Haiti.

In the afternoon, the weather began to clear, and the Chinese Air Force launched a large attack, as if it was to make up for the losses of several days. Chinese aircraft targeted large ships and concentrated attacks, sinking ships and 21 ships, including five large ferries, severely damaging seven cruisers, forcing Ramsey to transfer the most advanced battleships in the retreat area back to the land to avoid losses from these new warships and affecting the future fight against the German army's invasion of British troops.

In fact, the current situation does not require battleships at all, because there is no Chinese battleship that confronts him. Even the fastest imperial-class battleships dare not attack rashly without aircraft escort. The former pride of the earth and heaven is now mostly the guards of aircraft carriers.

On land, a large number of Indian troops and Indian people retreated into the Mumbai defense circle. The road was blocked by various vehicles. The Chinese army's offensive became more and more fierce. The areas controlled by the British army were shrinking. The Chinese army's ground artillery fire had hit the beach, the east dike and the waterway. Zhao Gang issued an order, "It is better to chase the poor enemy with courage! Give up all secondary goals, and do not aim at siegeing cities and territories, and concentrate all their strength to annihilate the British army stationed in India!"

Under Zhao Gang's order, the attacks of the Chinese army were like waves of the sea. The British army was unable to withstand such attacks at all, and melted in the sun like snow. The emergency situation forced the British army to re-arrange their defensive positions, with as many as 300,000 out to build the absolute defense circle of Mumbai.

Although the British army suffered heavy losses, the speed of retreat was greatly increased due to the large number of civilian ships joining the retreat, reaching a record 2,000 people per hour! A total of 47,310 people were withdrawn throughout the day, the highest record in a few days.

), :...Stay, there is light rain from time to time, and the ground is filled with smoke, and the visibility is very low, so the Chinese Air Force cannot come to attack. The Indian Ocean, known for its strong winds and waves, was unconventional and calm, which made a large number of small ships mobilized in the Middle East, many of which were inland ships, and arrived in Mumbai to transport the retreating officers and soldiers. A total of 73,822 were withdrawn throughout the day, which made Ramsey's brow slightly spread. With a total of three or five days of this weather, 400,000 troops could be withdrawn. As for the troops fighting in the defense circle, General Ramsey had no illusions. In front of a million Chinese troops, as long as these 300,000 people could withstand the personnel, it would be a victory.

On 531, the commander of the Middle East Expeditionary Force, Gott, was ordered to return to his country. He handed over the command to the commander of the Army Alexander. Alexander had just burned his car in the outskirts of Mumbai. He came to accept command on his bicycle. The fog still covered Mumbai in the morning, and the Chinese Air Force was still unable to attack, but the wind on the sea began to increase, and the temporary trest built by British military trucks was unavailable, but the retreat was still nervously continuing.

In the afternoon, the weather cleared, and the Chinese Air Force dispatched nine bomber brigades. The British army also accurately predicted the weather changes. It expected that Chinese military aircraft would definitely attack in large numbers and tried their best to send fighter jets to Mumbai to ensure that there will always be uninterrupted fighter jets patrols and flights over the beach, and try their best to cover the retreating troops and ships.

On the ground, the Chinese army launched an offensive from the west and south directions one wave higher than another, and the British defenders fought desperately to defend the defense line, and the battle was fierce. On this day, Captain Harold Irving Andrew was awarded the only highest medal in the Middle East during the retreat of Mumbai in the Middle East for his heroic performance - the Victoria Cross. "Andrew commanded his company, withstood the fierce shelling of ten hours, repelled the Chinese army's charges again and again, and always defended the position. When a gap appeared on the flank friendly neighbors, he again

He took the initiative to lead 36 soldiers to support and repelled at least 500 Chinese troops. Finally, when his troops were exhausted and the core stronghold of the position he was defending was destroyed by Chinese military artillery fire, he led the remaining eight officers and soldiers to trek 16,000 in the water deep into his chin, and returned to the position behind. He fought hard without rest and fought on the position... It was countless officers and soldiers like Andrew who fought one after another with fearless bravery and tenacity, and finally stopped the Chinese army's offensive and won extremely precious time."

The above is excerpted from "Miracle - Mumbai Retreat". Of course, the author of the book is an exaggeration. The actual situation is that under the fierce attack of the Chinese army, the troops led by Captain Harold Irving Andrew were quickly wiped out, and he had to "turn to the battle" with the only few remaining soldiers. This term is to some extent synonymous with escape.

On that day, 68,014 withdrew to the Middle East.

On the 61st, the weather turned clear, and the Chinese Air Force dispatched all its strength. The British Air Force went out to tit and sent out all the aircraft that could be sent, from Spitfire, Hurricane, single-seat fighter, fearless two-seat fighter to Hudson bomber, biplane "Swordfish" torpedo aircraft, and even reconnaissance aircraft were put into Mumbai. However, Chinese military fighters excellently blocked British aircraft and effectively covered the bomber's attack. Although Chinese aircraft were shot down 23, 31 ships, including destroyers full of officers and soldiers, also severely damaged 11. This was the most heavy day for the British army to lose!

In such a fierce air fighting, bombs and shells flying everywhere, Alexander, who was known for his calmness and calmness, was increasingly fearless. He installed a canvas recliner on the beach, sat calmly on it, watching the troops boarding the ship in an orderly manner, or walking on the beach while gnawing apples, without caring about the roaring airplanes and the fire on the ground. His calm and composed momentum greatly affected the military situation. Xu, an officer stood on the beach and carefully tidied his beard, and the orderly soldiers around him were holding a mirror for him; and another soldier was sitting at the stern of the boat fishing leisurely, and the troops were filled with contempt for the bombing of the Chinese army. The troops who were standing on the positions were fighting, and some troops who were ordered to retreat and boarded the ship also fought back and fought until the moment they boarded the ship. Throughout the day, another 64,429 people were saved.
Chapter completed!