Gibraltar falls !!
On the morning of the 6th of August operation 'Alcatraz' was launched at the British stronghold guarding the entrance to the Mediterranian.
Moving in from the north, it was the ZR-23 that initiated the Bombardment that was to last for the better of the day. The port was the first and formost target, and the goal of the ZR-23's crew was to drop markers on the base's defensive structures. A Warship anchored near the main Coastal batteries was accidently hit, and it was set on fire and sunk later that day.
With their targets well marked, an enormous force moved in from the Atlantic. Two Zeppelins, the ZR-12 and ZR-19 dropped their load on the fortresses overlooking the straights, and twenty minutes later the Battleships Pennsylvania and Indiana, steaming towards the port facilities, returned fire to the many batteries on the shore. Taking some devastating hits from the enourmous shells the Brits hurled at them, fires broke out, and precious speed was lost. But American shells were now landing on 'the Rock' as well.
With the ships closing in for increased accuracy of their fire, British field Artillery and even Cannons started to take their shots as well.
Meanwhile the US Expedionary Force started to make their advance from the French side. Heavy Artillery started shelling the British forces that were in the open, quickly ending the fire towards the US Fleetfrom these haphazerdly positioned batteries, and as there fire was directed to sea, the approaches to the city from the mainland were left poorly defended. The US army that had landed near Lisboa last month, made swift progress and the 7th US Marine Brigade reached the first houses in the early afternoon.
Heavy shelling continued until late afternoon, and by now the Pennsylvania was little more than a burning wreck, and sailors were abandoning ship, trying to make their way to the Indiana and the Armoured Cruiser Santiago de Cuba. But the defenses of Gibraltar had been shattered, and the Indiana entered the harbour, where the ship was greeted by cheering Marines that had fought their way down to secure the port. It took a few days to secure the surroundings of the Rock, as the Brits had even fled to French Maroc, but shore bombardments made short work of them.
The garrisson consisting of two British regiments, one field artillery battery and one cannon battery were destroyed. One Warship and two steamers sunk in the Harbour. Two Irregular Regiments killed as well.
Two Battleships were heavily damaged, and may be beyond repair. All three Zeppelins have taken a severe battering as well.
Constantinople falls l!
Encoraged by the succes in the western Med, a simular assault was made on the city guarding Russia's entry to the Med.
Here three Zeppelins struck in the early hours of the 8th. 2nd and 7th Heavy Artillery batteries bombarded the northern city walls for 45 minutes before the dust was allowed to settle. Disappointed by the results, the 9th Heavy Artillery battery was brought in from Africa, and the ZR-2 joined the scene.
Russian defenses were still holding, the ancient city walls still stood tall.
Three Battleships had been steaming towards the Bosporus, and it were the Egypt and the Sudan that opened fire in unison, while the Turkiye sailed towards the Golden Horn.
The Russians, caught between hammer and anvil, attempted a desparate break-out with scores of Cossacks heading north to the positions of the Heavy Artillery. Russian artillery of various calibre attempted to offer support, but as their positions came under heavy fire from the battleships, their aim was poor and their losses terrible.
The Cossacks never really had a chance against the rattling guns of the US MG squads defending the artillery positions.
Around noon it were the Americans that pushed forward as Cavalry and Marines stormed the gates, only to be beaten back with catastrophic losses. 6th and 8th marine Corps and the entire 6th cavalry regiment were annihilated, albeit inflicting serious casualties to Cossacks and Artillery.
At this point, the battleship Kuwait, releaved from its patrol in the Adriatic Sea, was ordered to silence the resistance, and her guns found little resistance from the Army Engineers now making up the front lines of the city's defenses.
Auxilary ships as the light Cruiser Crete could now move in close to shore, and it was not long before the city was finally brouht under control.
In all, more then twenty Russian units perished in Constantinople, and with the remaining Russian forces in Turkey now completly cut of from reinforcements or retreat, almost one third of the entire Russian army is lost for the defense of their homeland.
Malta secure
USS Persia, held in reserve for the attack on Gibraltar, sailed east to strike at Valetta. When the British Navy sailed out, light cruiser Lesbos engaged the fleet and sunk the two ships. In harbour, two transports were sunk. Despite this, considerable forces made it to the Tunesian shore.
Push for HongKong started
US forces have started their offensive that will bring them to the gates of HongKong. Aerial and coastal bombardments emptied Foochow of its defenders, while other Zeppelins softened defenses at the fortress south-east of Nanchang. Field Artillery, Light Artillery and Cannons outgunned british artillery and sappers, and the fortress fell after a week long battle. Many brave men died, and Nanchang's Hospitals are overcrowded.
The strategic stronghold will make an excellent base in the drive south, and the losses will not have been in vain.
Southern Atlantic secure
Only the barren Falkland Islands remain in British hands.
